ATVers Watching You

[Imagebuffet]

I was hiking through the Spring Creek Nature Preserve last Sunday, just enjoying what's left of the trees after the government decided to bulldoze a 50-foot wide path for a sewer line, when I heard the sound of ATVs approaching. I could see two of them moving through the trails some distance from me. This is one of my pet peeves; motor vehicles are banned from the Preserve! I pulled out my Canon 20D and snapped off a few photos.

One of the ATV riders noticed me shooting photos of him and rode over to me. After riding past me, he turned and asked if I were bird watching. I told him, No, I was out enjoying the nature trail. Then, I told him that motor vehicles are not allowed in the Nature Preserve. He said they stick to the trails. I wasn't impressed with this answer, because *I* am on those trails! I don't like having to get off the trail to keep from getting run over by a motor vehicle.

The man rode away, but a few minutes later, he and 3 other ATVs drove over to me. I had a 15-foot cliff dropping down to the creek behind me and these guys in front and to the sides of me. One of the drivers dismounted and walked in front of me, demanding to know who told me that this is a nature preserve. He was younger and in better physical condition than the other men, I guess in his 30s, and had dark, black hair covering his head. He wore a green stripped shirt that said, "100% Irish" on it. I told him this has been a nature preserve for years. He angrily denied it, claiming to be part of the family that owns the houses up the way a bit. He pointed out that the Nature Preserve begins on the South side of Holford. He said that they had been riding this area for 50 years, and never had done so much damage to it as the government had done in a single day, tearing out trees to make room for the sewer line.

I didn't say much at this meeting. I didn't shoot very much, either. However, I did get a few shots of some of them just before they swarmed me.











Now, as it happens, I've had regular contact with the actual property owners of that area. I offered to wander naked through that area, to scare away trespassers, but they never took me up on that offer. Instead, they erected a huge, wooden sign, mounted on two big beams stuck in the ground, informing everyone that this is private property. A few weeks later, someone took down the sign. Most likely, they burned it in a campfire, just like they have done with all the other signs and wooden objects in the area.

[donlfaulkner]

Rules don't apply to them, don't ya know?

[kenw]

you just met Bubba deMullet! And his brother Butch and his other brother Butch.

[kneemeaux]

I've had similar encounters with ATV riders in a flood control area near my house. My experience has been that most ATV people don't care a bit about who owns the property they ride on. They usually wait until it's muddy and then try to see how much damage they can cause. Fortunately the area at my place is posted against motorized vehicles and most of them leave when told about it. None of them seem to know how to read for themselves.

While I'm at it... I will never understand the mentality of someone that buys a 4 wheeler for their kids and lives in a normal neighborhood and leave it to the kids to find a place to ride.

And one more thing - I carry a pistol for snakes. It makes the encounters with the ATV people (or whoever) a little easier on me since I know it's not going to get out of hand such as your situation could have done. None of my encounters has ever gotten too out of hand but you never know.

[Imagebuffet]

I call 9-1-1 almost every time I go out to the Nature Preserve because of people riding around in motor vehicles. I saw these guys...



... 2 weeks ago. While I waited for the police to arrive, I shot some photos of these guys...



...popping wheelies across the children's playground.

When the officer arrived, she said that she could not do anything about it, because the vehicles were back where it was muddy, and she wasn't going to go chasing them through the mud. I thanked her for coming out.

Then, I walked into the woods, took off all my clothes, and ran naked down all the trails. It's so nice to know that the police aren't going to do anything about it.

[MicWayWal]

Originally Posted by Imagebuffet

Then, I walked into the woods, took off all my clothes, and ran naked down all the trails. It's so nice to know that the police aren't going to do anything about it.

Dang it! I knew we left too early.

[janikphoto]

If someone starts arguing with you and you are worried about it getting out of hand, you need to stop arguing. You should've started telling the 100% irish guy that you totally agree with him. You think the government F'ed up the land with the sewer line, ruining it for people like you and him. Then compliment him on his bike and tell him about your best friend who is irish.

You are better off living another day than trying to teach some moron right vs wrong.

janikphoto added 0 Minutes and 14 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

If someone starts arguing with you and you are worried about it getting out of hand, you need to stop arguing. You should've started telling the 100% irish guy that you totally agree with him. You think the government F'ed up the land with the sewer line, ruining it for people like you and him. Then compliment him on his bike and tell him about your best friend who is irish.

You are better off living another day than trying to teach some moron right vs wrong.

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by janikphoto

If someone starts arguing with you and you are worried about it getting out of hand, you need to stop arguing. You should've started telling the 100% irish guy that you totally agree with him. You think the government F'ed up the land with the sewer line, ruining it for people like you and him. Then compliment him on his bike and tell him about your best friend who is irish.

You are better off living another day than trying to teach some moron right vs wrong.

I don't think he cared about what the government had done to the land. He was out there just to ride his ATV.

What I should have done was dial 9-1-1 as soon as I had eye contact with those guys. Of course, the police would not go back there, unless I were actually getting beaten (maybe not even then).

As it was, simply standing there, looking him in the eye and not showing any emotion seemed to have been sufficient.

Imagebuffet added 1 Minutes and 15 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by MicWayWal

Dang it! I knew we left too early.

There's always next week!

[janikphoto]

Originally Posted by Imagebuffet

I don't think he cared about what the government had done to the land. He was out there just to ride his ATV....

I don't know. His sewer comment sounded a little anti-government to me. If you would've said that the sewer line sucked and his atv rocked better than ted nugent, you'd probably have a new best friend by now.

[billseye]

I don't want to start anything here, but just like all police officers aren't arogant, rude and "a little bit higher" than me, all atv people do not have this attitude. I love Gods creation as much as the next guy, and it makes me sick to see it distroyed by careless atvers, sewer lines, and massive "planned community" development, but people are gonna do stupid stuff. It's just the way it is.
Just my two cents worth...

[CaptainTom]

Then, I walked into the woods, took off all my clothes, and ran naked down all the trails. It's so nice to know that the police aren't going to do anything about it.

Bunch of burly ATV'ers surround you enough to make you concerned for your safety, just because you are taking pictures.

Your reaction is to strip off all your clothes and run the trails naked.

I'm beginning to doubt the sanity in this thinking.

[Orogeny]

Originally Posted by Imagebuffet

I call 9-1-1 almost every time I go out to the Nature Preserve because of people riding around in motor vehicles.

You really call 911 for people riding ATVs? I'm sorry, but 911 is for emergencies, not making police reports. You need to re-think your approach.

Tim

[RandySmith]

Something somewhat similar .... when I was a teenager growing up in upstate NY, I would cross-country ski through trails in the local woods. I would often slowly quietly ski up upon some deer where they would just look at me and wonder what the heck I was and slowly walk away... I never startled or saw any deer bolt in fear from me. However, one time when I was about 150 feet away from a doe, I heard some snow-mobiles coming down some trails about a mile away... The deer's ears perked up toward the direction of the snowmobiles and bolted and jumped deeper into the woods away from the sound. I would be surprised if the snowmobilers or (4-wheelers) get to see very much wildlife upclose while they are running their machines. I'm forever grateful for what I was able to share in that brief moment with the doe, and hope to never forget those life experiences.

[PhotoByLeal]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

Bunch of burly ATV'ers surround you enough to make you concerned for your safety, just because you are taking pictures.

Your reaction is to strip off all your clothes and run the trails naked.

I'm beginning to doubt the sanity in this thinking.

+1
but instead of jumping a fence, you should have climbed the tree naked and put your camera to take a picture on loop every 1 minute and made a video of you doing something to a tree ....... I mean climbing a tree!
or Tom could have helped you climb the tree naked and then take your pictures!
Tom is always helpful in the Human Section with TPF members!

J/K...... did the guys start any trouble with you?
I am surprise they did not start something or try to take your gear!
Do you have any mace or pepper spray, for next time?
Or like Tom said........

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by Orogeny

You really call 911 for people riding ATVs? I'm sorry, but 911 is for emergencies, not making police reports. You need to re-think your approach.

The police told me to continue calling 9-1-1 for this situation. I asked the first time they came out if I should do that, and they told me to do so.

9-1-1 is for any time that an immediate response is necessary. For example, if you see an abandoned car in the road blocking traffic in Dallas, the correct procedure is to call 9-1-1.

In the case of the ATVers, there is a risk of personal injury, as they are riding at high speed on narrow dirt trails where pedestrians are walking. It is all too easy for them to plow into someone.

Imagebuffet added 2 Minutes and 36 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

Bunch of burly ATV'ers surround you enough to make you concerned for your safety, just because you are taking pictures.

Your reaction is to strip off all your clothes and run the trails naked.

I'm beginning to doubt the sanity in this thinking.

LOL! I'm counting on the fact that rednecks *hate* seeing naked, middle-aged men! Besides, I could probably out-run them if I had to, even barefoot through the woods.

Imagebuffet added 5 Minutes and 48 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by PhotoByLeal

+1
but instead of jumping a fence, you should have climbed the tree naked and put your camera to take a picture on loop every 1 minute and made a video of you doing something to a tree ....... I mean climbing a tree!
or Tom could have helped you climb the tree naked and then take your pictures!
Tom is always helpful in the Human Section with TPF members!

J/K...... did the guys start any trouble with you?
I am surprise they did not start something or try to take your gear!
Do you have any mace or pepper spray, for next time?
Or like Tom said........

I was relieved that none of the 4 men approached within 10 feet of me. I don't know what I would have done if they had. It is possible that the fact that I was wearing a holster on a strap over my shoulder (for my Pentax W60 camera) made them think that I might be armed. After all, I had a big SLR in my hands, clearly too big for the holster under my left arm.