On Rob's thread about the Barton deaths someone mentions increased patrols this weekend. It is happening now and I for one am glad of it. We didn't meet a single cop all last year but in the last week we have met 5. Last Wednesday we were stopped at an an intersection for a paper check by 2 very friendly Washington County Sherriff's. We joked about it being just as hard to go 35 on some trails as it it to go 25 on the highway.

Today in the Groton area we met a F&G cop riding in the middle of a group of about 10 riders. Thats one way to curb the wannabe's. Then later we met 2 riders in red and black parka's on sleds that just said POLICE on the front. We met them on a corner and they didn't attempt to flag us down.

As a side note I would add that the trail from Peacham to Danville is still junk. It is nice that they opened it again but don't waste your time or sled.

Safe riding to all and remember to KEEP RIGHT.

i'm glad they're out... will keep the crazies a little settled down i hope. just having a presence will have an impact i would think.

I wish ther were more law enforcement and DRN co's out on patrol. I'd love to see them start giving breathalizers too. That would get rid of A LOT of shitheads who give this sport a bad name!

I think its great there is more cops on patrol, hopefully cathing drunk riders, and blair morgan wanna bees on the wrong side of the trail, but if they start ticketing me for going over 55 on lakes and going faster then 35 on 40 foot wide trials that are straight as an arrow, that would be ubber gay :banghead:

I agree, they definatly should be checking for drunk drivers more. I also think they should hand out tickits to people who think the trails are parking lots! Like when you pull up to a trail intersection and you have to wait for people to move because they have blocked the trail so bad. Sorry son you get a tickit! I don't want to see a statewide speed limit. I like what maine does with the cones on the corner, If you cant get around the cones your out of control and you get fined. I have seen alot of police on the trails and I think it is a good thing.

It's just my opinion, but I think many of the fatals this winter have been at least partially caused by conditions and inexperience. How does 'Increased Law Enforcement' help that?

EDIT: The Increased Law Enforcement will no doubt end up checking papers and hassling slowpokes like me doing 47mph in a 35. Sorry, I don't think that is the answer.

I agree Rob,in the northeast kingdom we have lost 5 riders not due to speed,but by conditions and inexperience.A terrible loss for sure.Now I am hearing that rescue squads were more interested in bac than treating injuries,hope that is the furthest thing from the truth.

I'm with Rob. Icy conditions this year, combined with people going too fast for conditions are causing problems. And patrolling the yelow zone for speeders isn't going to solve the problems. I'm kinda surprised they don't nab riders just leaving bars like the Loon for instance. Seen some drunkass sledders in that place go out and get on their sleds and leave at high rates of speed across the lake and into the trails. :drunk:

Here, Here..... I AGREE!

And I don't understand why we even have stickers on our sleds, when you have to pull out all the friggin paperwork anyway.

What a pain to open hood, remove gloves, dig to bottom of storage area and find the paperwork.

the accident i wittnessed a couple weeks ago was due to inexperience, but she was cruising at a really good clip. knowing there may be a cop around the corner, she may not have had it pegged?? that's the way i see it, but don't know. i do agree it will probably lead to more hassel for the rest of us.....

The police aren't going to be where the accidents happen, but I think their presence on the trail may help by suprising some. I'm all for having them checking paperwork about a half mile down the trail from a bar, If your going to look at my registration at least you can have me take my helmit off and see if I've been drinking.

There will still be accidents but maybe this will stop a couple.

People will still drink and people will still speed , people will never learn !! :banghead: I think it might help alittle but most of the idiots out there won't give a dam one way or another and still do it ! I really feel that the biggest thing is speed, my son and i this year have come close alot on the trails with people going way to fast and on the wrong side of the trail, i wounder if they drive there cars and trucks the same way ? on the wrong side of the road ?! my feelings are if you want to go fast or open it up alittle, then at least wait till your out in the open(like a feild) the trails are just to small to go that fast on. and yes i have in the past, years past, have had a drink or to but not anymore and i never had more then one or two beers , in a 4hr time , so maybe with the cops being out and about alittle some might slow down and maybe they won't have that drink and maybe somebody won't get hirt or killed ! just my 2cents !! :div20:

I agree with Rob....it will end up being the guy who rides safe and decides to open er up a little on a nice straight trail and gets pinched for 50 in a 35. Happened to us last year.....nice wide fire road in the NEK....got nailed by a radar gun at 50. At least they let us go with a warning.

The part that killed me was later THE SAME DAY, we were coming around a corner on one of the 114’s and here comes a sled flying....and on my side of the trail. I cut sharp to the right and he did the same.....except he ended up flying off the sled and landing in the middle of the trail and the sled in the ditch. Completely out of control. He gets up and I swear the kid must have been about 12....riding a zr600. Right behind him was (I assume) his dad on a zr800. While we are helping them get the sled out of the ditch, we give this guy our opinion on their riding style....he says nothing to us, walks over to his kid and nice and calm says “slow it down a little”. Not even a thankyou....WTF???????

Now why wasn’t the cop that pinched us sitting around a corner catching these guys instead?? More tickets should be written for riding to endanger than for simple speeding.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I agree with the extra police presence on the trails. It is true that not all of the fatalities this season were caused by riders under the influence but unfortunately some of the fatailities were directly connected to alcohol, speed and unsafe riding. The bad press that the sport has received lately concerning these deaths is not going to help us with the important issues that VAST is going to face this summer with Act 250 and some other serious issues.

Our local Washington County Clubs were responsible for purchasing two sleds this year for the police to use. The clubs decided to purchase these sleds and to hire the police to patrol the trails in an attempt to preserve the existing trails and deter future trail closures. I for one don't feel comfortable riding knowing that others are out there drunk and speeding. Anything that can be done to make the trails safer is a good thing in my book even if it means being pulled over to have my paperwork checked out. I do believe that it is better for us to all become proactive now about these issues before it is too late and some major sections of trail are closed for good.

I've seen more cops this year than any other year prior. I stop and shoot the shit with all of them even if they don't pull me over. They are very surprized at that.

2 weeks ago I was traveling down 111 alone and here's a T660 upside down with a girl beside the sled, a guy on a mxz was on his sled smoking a butt. She asked if I could help her get the machine upside right. I said wtf wrong with your friend. She tells me he's parrelized from the waist down. Oh well... I flip the sled back over and asked what happened. She side swiped a tree and rolled her over. Again speed, icey trails and inexperance is the problem. Oh ya I had to start the mxz for them too.

Last week end on 97 we were coming around a corner and a rev with 2 people on it was flying at me on the wrong side of the trail, I dodge him and he cut hard right the passenger went left almost fell off hitting my kid behind me. The trail was mint but speed and being out of control was his problem.

My sister lives in Florida and these deaths are making the news down there. This could turn very ugly for the sport of snowmobiling.

I always teach and ride like someone is on the wrong side of the trail and be prepared for it cause its gonna happen.

That's bad when snowmobiling fatalities are on the news down in Florida. Anytime now, the Ralph Naders of the country will save us from ourselves, and start a campaign to shut down snowmobiling as we know it.

Dont get me wrong.....I agree that unfortunately, we need more enforcment to give all the knuckleheads something to fear. I just dont see it being done smartly. Everytime I have seen them, they are either on a nice wide straightaway with the radar gun, or at an intersection checking tma's. I want them hanging around some bad corners.....especially the corners at the crest of a hill.....and make the fine for coming around the corner on the wrong side of the trail $1000.....I dont care.

I met 5 different wardens this year in ME. Never did I get asked for paperwork after they saw that we all had stickers. To me that's the way it ought to be. I don't mind getting stopped and checked when it's just to see the sticker.

that's the way i ride...

I don't recall that I said that increased law enforcement would have saved any lives, you can't enforce stupidity. What I did say is that I am happy to see them out there. One day they will get me in one of those 35mph areas and I know that but just knowing that there are a lot more police out there has to be something of a deterrent, and I don't mind paper checks cause I don't want to meet the jerk who isn't responsible enough to have insurance.

By the way I don't drink and ride but I don't think it is legal to randomly test for alcohol. I am OK with that, we have lost enough of our rights of freedom as of late.

Rode 14S from Barre today, it was beautiful but coming back on 12 we ran out of grooming. WTF, did Northfield and Braintree forget that it is still winter?

that sounds like a good idea.... just as an example, although i try to avoid the place, last weekend i had to ride into i. p. for gas. i was riding behind a state trooper and we met about 6 or 7 sleds taking their half out of the middle on corners. he didnt do anything about that but later in the morning was all to happy to chew me out for doing about 75 or 80 on the pond (and i did slow way down before getting anywhere near shore).

so anyway, i know you can't legislate or enforce common sense, but everyone needs to get it through their heads that no matter if you're doing 25 enjoying the scenery or looking for moose (or whatever tourists do) or if you think you're blair morgan and jay quinlan all rolled into one, just do what it takes to stay right.

i know i'm preaching to the choir here but i still feel better .