Leon Richard of Farmington, ME Wayne Leach, as an ATV rider thank you for leaving your land open. I hope someone from the Winslow ATV club contacts Mr. Leach regarding this. Signage should be provided, as well as possible signing an ATV trail across the land. This removes any liability from Mr. Leach as any lawsuit filed because of an injury sustained ATVing on or off it would have to be filed against the state of Maine after getting permission from the legislature. Not likely...

It's more than likely a small group of people, Mr. Leach. I'd recommend getting some pictures showing license and registration tags. If you know who it is, bar them from your property individually. Yes, you can certainly do that. They can be arrested on the spot for trespassing once they're notified they are barred from the property. report abuse

Leon Richard of Farmington, ME JB, "Dude", messed up? Me? Hardly. I can recognise from a scientific and rational standpoind what is happening, why, and what the consequences are. I am not part of the group ignoring 95% of the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere to concentrate on the 20 percent of the other 5 percent we're arguing over. Yep, read it and check it out, then come back and deal with facts. Water vapor accounts for 95% of all greenhouse gasses. The same water vapor conveniently ignored by the "parasitic man" crowd. We're arguing about 1% of the greenhouse gasses that would immediately go away if the earth shook itself real hard and threw every man, woman, and child into spave.

Can we discuss that ATV's should not be in certain places? Absolutely, but it should be a decision made based on science, not someone's kneejerk emotional reaction to something they "don't like".

Can we discuss that they need to be operated responsibly? Nobody will argue that. We need to try to be safe and reasonable in what we're doing with regards to others' safety as well as our own.

Can we discuss that we should not be describing one another as "messed up"? Certainly, it's rude and uncouth. I fail to see how looking at 1% of the total greenhouse gasses as miniscule and unlikely to make any significant difference as being unaware. I would say it is very aware. This is clear, because it has ALWAYS happened. It will get warmer. Then, my reputedly un-messed up friend, it will get cooler. And there isn't a damned thing anyone is going to do to stop it.

Should we make efforts to conserve? Absolutely. I have no problem buying an ATV or car that runs on bullshit. There's no shortage of that around here. Better yet, maybe we can build one that gets 50 or 75 miles to a gallon? Maybe we can all be a little less judgemental about what others choose to do, and mind our own yard? report abuse

parasite of Albion, ME Just cause a dog don't growl,don't mean he won't bite.report abuse

John of Camden, ME I'm sure there are responsible ATV riders, but there are select winners who violate private property as a matter of pastime, or expose their own children to lethal risk.report abuse

Wayne Leach of Winslow, ME Snowmobile trails have crossed my land for over 30 years; ATV riders have been using the same trails for as long as they have existed. Snowmobile riders have asked permission to cross/use our land; the ATV riders have not - with a very few exceptions. Some have left trash, beer cans & bottles, parts, and other debris. Some spin up the trails, causing more erosion. On a few occasions, ATV rider(s) have left the trail, gone into a small cabin that I built for my wife & I to enjoy - even put a hide-a-bed in it, broken a new lock I installed after placing Keep Out signs, etc. It is too bad that a few have to spoil it for the others, but that is a fact. I would hate to deny access to all because of the few, but it may happen.
Also, snowmobiles travel the trails over a protective coating of snow & ice, ATVs do not.report abuse

JB of Fairfield, ME Man, Leon, you are one messed up dude.

Perhaps some people do consider man a parasitic invader, but by and large, that is not what most environmentalists are about.

Man has thought that he can do whatever he wants, where ever he wants. This tends to lead to disastrous consequences for our home. What have we had... the Cuyahoga river burning in 69, the dustbowl of the plains states in the 30s, acids and heavy metals from mines killing all marine life within 20 miles in the Alamosa River in Colorado in the 1980s, the Aral sea in Russia shrinking to less than half its size being polluted by weapons, agricultural runoff, killing the traditional fishing industry there.

I could literally go on and on, there isn’t enough room here or time in the day. The point is that we are not parasites on the earth by nature, but by the nature of our actions upon it.

History has demonstrated that we must be conscious of our impact upon the earth, failing to do so inevitably leads to disastrous consequences for us all.
report abuse

Al Libby of phillips, ME Good roads bring bad people, Bad roads bring good people.

I have yet to meet an ATVer who was mad at somebody for using a cell phone while riding or was mad because their machine got dirty or who would not fail to stop to see if another rider needed help. On the highway maybe 300-400 cars will pass before you get help. Or the victim of some choice sign language for using a cell while driving on a paved road. Or complaining due to tailgating and having dirt slung back at them.report abuse

John of Camden, ME One of the most grammatically defective and logically disjunctive editorials I've read on here. report abuse

Leon Richard of Farmington, ME And don't forget the negative effects of comradeship, friendship, community, and family. After all, when we all get together to have a day ride with families and friends, nothing but trouble can come from that. ATV's are as safe as the person riding them. Same thing with guns, cars, cell phones, handkerchiefs, airplanes, and bicycles.

Charity too... nothing but trouble with the Toy Rides, and annual corn field ride in Cambridge raising money for "Make a Wish".

Yeah, those ATV's and ATVers are nothing but trouble.

Ever want to learn something about them, maybe go for a ride, contact me. We'll make it happen. God knows, you might even have fun. report abuse

Leon Richard of Farmington, ME And when you become a zero impact resident of the planet earth, you can sit on your throne and issue proclamations on what other people do. In the meantime, all you farting around, talking, watching television, and driving around in your Toyota Pious... Prius... you're as bad as the next guy.

There is no debate over the fact that we're all going to have an impact. We can do thing properly and minimize the damage, and we do generally.

So far as emissions goes... foolishness. Global warming will continue until global cooling begins. Nothing anyone will do wil change it.

Water vapor accounts for 95% of the "greenhouse gasses" in the atmosphere. CO2, methane, and the other gasses account for the other 5%. Mankind is responsible for 20% of that 5%.

So, to do the math for the simple minded... we're yelling and arguing about 1% of the total greenhouse gasses. If you're headed for bankrupcy, cutting your spending by 1% is not going to amount to a thing to prevent that. And that would be eliminated if man's activities ceased entirely.

That would make many of the environmental activitists happy, as they consider man a parastic and foreign invader on the earth anyway. Sick in the head, as sick as the worst environmental offender. report abuse