Off-Highway Vehicles: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Some folks love 'em and some folks hate 'em, and fixing the OHV dilemma sometimes seems to be more difficult than establishing peace in the Middle East.
That unfortunate fact is not keeping local government officials from trying: The Coachella Valley Association of Governments has established an OHV Task Force to combat the problem.
So which news do you want first? The Good, the Bad, or the Ugly? Well, it depends on which two opposite viewpoints you have, of course, but it is noteworthy that the first deployments of multi-agency OHV enforcement teams took place earlier this month.
"We're caught between two groups-each utterly opposed to the other-and we're trying to work out an equitable compromise," said Fourth District Supervisor Roy Wilson. "We recognize that dirt bikes and ATVs are good family fun, but we also need to consider the impacts on the desert and keeping peace in our communities. There is no quick, easy solution.
"However, we recognize that keeping OHV riders out of restricted areas is crucial, and also that providing facilities were people can legally ride is equally important. In fact, it enhances enforcement efforts if people have a conveniently located legal place to ride."
Law enforcement agencies have received numerous reports of illegal off-highway vehicle use in the desert surrounding the Dillon Road communities of Desert Edge, Sky Valley and Indio Hills, plus federal lands in the North Shore area, and also in incorporated city areas including Cathedral City, Palm Springs and Indio.
As a result, the Sheriff's Department, The Bureau of Land Management and the police departments of the Cities of Indio, Palm Springs and Cathedral City have formed a cooperative agreement to assist each other in policing OHV use in the Coachella Valley. Teams of officers on OHVs have spent several days in target areas making contact with riders to advise them it is not legal to ride in the area. Citations have been written for safety violations and vehicle code violations.
During the month of November, the Task Force officers assisted the BLM with enforcement in Cathedral City, Sky Valley and the North Shore area. Safety and education of the public was the main focus of these efforts, but some citations were written for various violations. The Teams educated OHVers who had been riding in these areas for years in the mistaken belief that it was legal.
The reality is that there are no legal open riding areas in the vicinity. In order to legally operate OHVs, enthusiasts must trailer their toys to legal riding areas such as Glamis, Ocotillo Wells near Borrego Springs, and Johnson Valley on Highway 247 in Landers. For more details on legal riding opportunities and safety, go to: www.ohv.parks.ca.gov.
The local federal Bureau of Land Management office (690 Garnet Ave., North Palm Springs) has maps available for limited use (trails) riding in local areas, including the "Meccacopia" Special Recreation Management Area.
Riding OHVs on private property is not legal without written permission of the property owner, which should be carried on your person for a ranger or officer's inspection.
All riding is subject to Riverside County's Noise Ordinance which mandates use of a spark arrestor, and limits noise to 96 dBA if the vehicle was manufactured after 1986, or 101 dBA if manufactured before 1986. And, riders should be familiar with California Vehicle Code Section 38000 which regulates OHVs.
Recognizing the popularity of the sport and the need for designated facilities, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors recently appointed five members to an Off-Highway Vehicle Task Force. Their objective is to locate suitable land to site an OHV park in the County. Supervisor Wilson is supporting a location in the southern Coachella Valley area that would offer interesting terrain for open riding.
There you have it, the Good News and the Bad. We just made up the "Ugly" part because it sounded good in the headline.