Tread Lightly

[Ten Bears]

Tread Lightly!, a nonprofit national organization, is holding a full-day course in Wisconsin to teach key leaders the importance of reducing the outdoor impacts of improper ATV riding. After completing the course, these "ATV Task Force" members plan to give presentations to ATV users, instructors, lawmakers, businesses and others. The class is part of Tread Lightly!’s national Tread Trainer educational program. Tread Trainer is sponsored by the Ford Motor Company Fund and is expected to reach millions of outdoor enthusiasts within the next few years.



An ATV Task Force was formed to address the many ATV issues Wisconsin faces. The Task Force concentrates on three E’s: Engineering, Education and Enforcement. Matters include the education and enforcement of legal and ethical ATV operation; the planning, development and maintenance of ATV trails; and the identification of opportunities for tourism and networking.



The reasons Tread Lightly! is holding a class in Wisconsin are numerous. The DNR reports 183,000 registered ATVs and 3,500 miles of legitimate ATV and winter use trails in the state. Wisconsin boasts some of the best ATV trails in the country, attracting millions of tourism dollars every year. Because of this, responsible recreation is a must, especially after irresponsible practices have kept the ATV sport under scrutiny. A very small percentage of outdoor enthusiasts have been educated on how to recreate responsibly — especially regarding motor vehicles.

http://atvnews.com/output.cfm?id=479935

 

[dgibson]

That's an excellent first step, Ten! Being a pessimist, I predict one of three things happening: a) The "key leaders" will posture around for a while and the part about educating the masses will just kind of die away; b) the funds will disappear before the education of the masses occurs; or c) the public education will be presented in some fashion that requires payment by attendees, designed to line the pockets of the "key leaders" and certain to fail because most people aren't going to pay to be told how to act.

That doesn't mean they shouldn't try, though! Better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all!

 

[JoseCuervo]

Why in the frig do these Fat-Assed ATV riders need education????

Are they not smart enough on their own to know what causes damage? Just how in-bred are they.... ?

They just need banned, then arrested, then impounded, end of problem, and we can save all the education dollars to spend in our public school systems teaching kids how to read and write.

 

[Ten Bears]

How much in public school dollars are being spent on this now? How much would you save? Hunter safety education was deemed so important, in Idaho it became a law. How much public education money has been spent on that program?

 

[Oak]

Public education money is being spent on hunter ed. in Idaho?!?! I don't know, but that's pretty hard to believe if it's true.

Hunter ed. is a law in CO too, but it's funded with P-R funds, as I believe it is in most states.

Oak

 

[dgibson]

Same here! No school dollars involved.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Originally posted by Ten Bears:
How much in public school dollars are being spent on this now? How much would you save? Hunter safety education was deemed so important, in Idaho it became a law. How much public education money has been spent on that program?

Ten,
I hope there is not a single dollar spent in the schools educating about how to ride ATVs. As it is a complete farce to think that ATV riders can be educated.

But, if we could quit spending money educating / enforcing the 98% of the Fat-Assed ATV crowd, we could maybe spend some of that money on schools.

And yes, I know you haven't seen the value of your education, but wait until next year, as Fourth Grade Rocks!!!!

 

[Whiskers]

I like the idea of marked trails thru the state. Register and insure the machines under a seperate deal so that money goes to maintian the trails. Anyone caught off the trail. EXECUTED. I am tired of these little morons running all over tearing stuff up, throwing beer cans, coffee cups, etc all over.

 

[Ten Bears]

GUNNER, you've yet to show that public money is being spent on this education that could otherwise be used for public education, or is it you are just blowing hot air again?????

 

[JoseCuervo]

Ten,

Did you start drinking you Early Times when you got off the school bus today???

If there is one penny of public money being spent to educate fat-assed ATV riders, then it is one penny that should not be spent, and should be re-directed to Public Schools.

Just think of the money wasted by the FS "attempting to educate and enforce" the law with ATV riders. All that money could be re-channeled to No Child Left Behind if it was not required to be spend educating the 98% of ATV riders who choose to damage the land and/or break the law.

 

[Ten Bears]

EG, put up or shut up on your statement:

...the 98% of ATV riders who choose to damage the land and/or break the law.

Put up some proof that 98% choose to damage the land and/or break the law.
Put up some proof that public education money is being spent on ATV education.

I can show instances were ATV produced funding support non-ATV activity. Can you show better?