Police in Bergland

[berglandbaybar]

All this year I have seen more sleds riding on M-28 and M-64 than any other year I have been here. I have put this on my website all year, warning riders not to use the highways. I have track those down that I could and told them they cannot ride the highway, they have to use the trails. I have stopped them from going up Pine St in front of my bar and told them to turn around and use the trail. I had a few groups say thanks and continued up Pine street and turn right down M-28 to the Mobil station. I had the groomers post extra signs in town to direct riders to the gas station using the trails. Yesterday on the way into work I had a young kid pull out of the Timber's resort right onto the east bound lane of M-28, I had to hit the breaks and swerve left. (I drive a Ford Excursion with a snow plow) Yesterday afternoon the State Police showed up and I stopped to talk to them. The officer told me they are there because of too many complaints of snowmobiles on the highway. So when tickets start to be issued to snowmobilers I do not want to hear how Bergland is unfriendly to snowmobilers or the Police are hassling people. The part that tees me off the most is when I take the time to let them know they are doing something illegal I get an attitude and an excuse about how they just got here and didn't know.

 

[buddah2]

I hear you there......I stopped a guy that followed me down the road for 1/2 mile using the northbound berm of the southbound lane and told him because I ride (when I can) I watch out for other sledders and that the fine for riding the wrong side is around $185.......and he goes and grabs an attitude on me like I'm the one going to write him.......I just said "whatever" and drove up my drive.......some people's kids...............

 

[POLARISDAN]

tom..i was there when u explained this to me also..i will say it is pretty confusing as I did not see any posting from the mobil..although there probably is..i just knew something was wrong when the state plow truck driver basically gave me the finger..maybe some better signage letting us bergland newbies know that m28 is off limits..didn't even know is was m28.. just my .02

 

[longtrack]

Any State Hwy is a No go in Mi or Wi. Some just need a Ticket.

 

[whitedust]

Why are peeps doing this? There must be a reason?

 

[berglandbaybar]

Why are peeps doing this? There must be a reason?

What is kind of sad is when I take the time to tell people I get a lot of attitudes. I will stop them or follow them when I am on my way into work, I am going out of my way to try and keep them safe and keep them from getting a ticket. I do get thanked but about 40% of them seem to be pissed. All I can say is they are lucky I can't write tickets.

We have a grooming club meeting today, I am going to bring it up there to see if we can try to sign a little better maybe.

 

[ranlam]

Im not condoning highway use nor am i trying to argue with you Tom. Do snowmobiles have the right to use the highway? This is what i read in MI DNR Snowmobile regulations:
"A snowmobile may be operated on the right-of-way of a public highway (except a limited-access highway) if it is operated at the extreme right of the open portion of the right-of-way and with the flow of traffic on the highway. Snowmobiles operated on a road right-of-way must travel in single file and shall not be operated abreast except when overtaking or passing another snowmobile.
A snowmobile may be operated on the roadway or shoulder when necessary to cross a bridge or culvert if the snowmobile is brought to a complete stop before entering onto the roadway or shoulder and the operator yields the right-of-way to any approaching motor vehicle on the highway.
A snowmobile may be operated across a public highway, other than a limited access highway, at right angles to the highway for the purpose of getting from one area to another when the operation can be done safely and another vehicle is not crossing the highway at the same time in the immediate area. An operator must bring his/her snowmobile to a complete stop before proceeding across the public highway and must yield the right-of-way to all oncoming traffic.
Snowmobiles may be operated on a highway in a county road system, which is not normally snowplowed for vehicular traffic; and on the right-of-way or shoulder when no right-of-way exists on a snowplowed highway in a county road system, outside the corporate limits of a city or village, which is designated and marked for snowmobile use by the county road commission having jurisdiction."

 

[berglandbaybar]

Im not condoning highway use nor am i trying to argue with you Tom. Do snowmobiles have the right to use the highway? This is what i read in MI DNR Snowmobile regulations:
"A snowmobile may be operated on the right-of-way of a public highway (except a limited-access highway) if it is operated at the extreme right of the open portion of the right-of-way and with the flow of traffic on the highway. Snowmobiles operated on a road right-of-way must travel in single file and shall not be operated abreast except when overtaking or passing another snowmobile.
A snowmobile may be operated on the roadway or shoulder when necessary to cross a bridge or culvert if the snowmobile is brought to a complete stop before entering onto the roadway or shoulder and the operator yields the right-of-way to any approaching motor vehicle on the highway.
A snowmobile may be operated across a public highway, other than a limited access highway, at right angles to the highway for the purpose of getting from one area to another when the operation can be done safely and another vehicle is not crossing the highway at the same time in the immediate area. An operator must bring his/her snowmobile to a complete stop before proceeding across the public highway and must yield the right-of-way to all oncoming traffic.
Snowmobiles may be operated on a highway in a county road system, which is not normally snowplowed for vehicular traffic; and on the right-of-way or shoulder when no right-of-way exists on a snowplowed highway in a county road system, outside the corporate limits of a city or village, which is designated and marked for snowmobile use by the county road commission having jurisdiction."

Thanks Randy, (at least I think you are Randy) I will bring this to the attention of the DNR. I am unsure what the difference is between a State Highway and a Public Highway but at any rate it is confusing. I will get an answer and post it back.

 

[whitedust]

I would ak peeps why they are road riding there in is your answer & correction.

 

[Team Elkhorn]

Hasn't this always been a problem. I remember when we used to stay at Northwinds, (Walleye Lodge) in the '90s. When we checked in the owner would plead for everyone to PLEASE stay off the R/R tracks and M 28. I think I even remember signs in each room. I never understood why they would run the road, the lake is right there.

 

[t660redrocket]

I also read this law a few years ago and even confirmed it with the Ontonagon County Sheriffs Office. The problem is that many sledders are not riding single file to the extreme right of the right of way. They are also not stopping and yielding to traffic when entering a roadway. Many sledders are also riding against traffic! It's a very subjective law and up to the ticket writers discretion. I personally have a few area's where I need to ride the ditch a couple miles to get to my secret spots. A couple miles is all I do! Generally I think the ditches are just not a good place to ride for miles and miles. When I'm in a town I'm careful to take whatever trail I can as close to where I'm as possible. Last thing I want to do is piss off the locals because they are good enough at pissing themselves off! bottom line........Ditch riding = LEGAL when the law is followed.

 

[berglandbaybar]

I would ak peeps why they are road riding there in is your answer & correction.

LOL Whitedust, that is the first thing I ask and 9 times out of 10 the answer I get is, we didn't know. Sorry but I believe it is the snowmobilers responsibility to know where it is legal to ride. We try to do what we can to educate people, we can improve in some situations, that is why I ask. If we need more signs than we will put more up. But the bottom line is, snowmobilers need to take responsibility.

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trying asking the State Police and see what you get for an answer t660redrocket

 

[ranlam]

I to have had to bang rightaways to get to secret spots. Always out in the middle of no where though. M28 between lets say the hoop and Bergland is really not a good idea, u have trail or lake to follow instead. If I remember right, last fall they also made it legal for ORV to follow highway right of way. Is it a good idea for miles no, but to get between trails, heck yeah.

 

[whitedust]

LOL Whitedust, that is the first thing I ask and 9 times out of 10 the answer I get is, we didn't know. Sorry but I believe it is the snowmobilers responsibility to know where it is legal to ride. We try to do what we can to educate people, we can improve in some situations, that is why I ask. If we need more signs than we will put more up. But the bottom line is, snowmobilers need to take responsibility.

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trying asking the State Police and see what you get for an answer t660redrocket

The trail into Bergland is often trashed but we ALWAYS took it into town...For me I avoid road riding l don't like it at all.

 

[anonomoose]

All this year I have seen more sleds riding on M-28 and M-64 than any other year I have been here. I have put this on my website all year, warning riders not to use the highways. I have track those down that I could and told them they cannot ride the highway, they have to use the trails. I have stopped them from going up Pine St in front of my bar and told them to turn around and use the trail. I had a few groups say thanks and continued up Pine street and turn right down M-28 to the Mobil station. I had the groomers post extra signs in town to direct riders to the gas station using the trails. Yesterday on the way into work I had a young kid pull out of the Timber's resort right onto the east bound lane of M-28, I had to hit the breaks and swerve left. (I drive a Ford Excursion with a snow plow) Yesterday afternoon the State Police showed up and I stopped to talk to them. The officer told me they are there because of too many complaints of snowmobiles on the highway. So when tickets start to be issued to snowmobilers I do not want to hear how Bergland is unfriendly to snowmobilers or the Police are hassling people. The part that tees me off the most is when I take the time to let them know they are doing something illegal I get an attitude and an excuse about how they just got here and didn't know.

As long as this stretch of road is not limited access (freeway or restricted to passenger vehicles) as RANLAM points out it should be legal to use. If the locals can show that it is dangerous, or they enact a local ordinance then they can restrict riding. I believe it has to be clearly posted in both directions tho. Seems to me that Grand Maris had some restrictions going in and out of town that got sledders ticketed by local law enforcement. I do see sledders along the Seney Stretch riding, and that is M-28 so if that isn't illegal, why would around bergland?

So perhaps some clarification on this restriction should be officially sought to keep folks from thinking it is okay to ride there.

 

[berglandbaybar]

Im not condoning highway use nor am i trying to argue with you Tom. Do snowmobiles have the right to use the highway? This is what i read in MI DNR Snowmobile regulations:
"A snowmobile may be operated on the right-of-way of a public highway (except a limited-access highway) if it is operated at the extreme right of the open portion of the right-of-way and with the flow of traffic on the highway. Snowmobiles operated on a road right-of-way must travel in single file and shall not be operated abreast except when overtaking or passing another snowmobile.
A snowmobile may be operated on the roadway or shoulder when necessary to cross a bridge or culvert if the snowmobile is brought to a complete stop before entering onto the roadway or shoulder and the operator yields the right-of-way to any approaching motor vehicle on the highway.
A snowmobile may be operated across a public highway, other than a limited access highway, at right angles to the highway for the purpose of getting from one area to another when the operation can be done safely and another vehicle is not crossing the highway at the same time in the immediate area. An operator must bring his/her snowmobile to a complete stop before proceeding across the public highway and must yield the right-of-way to all oncoming traffic.
Snowmobiles may be operated on a highway in a county road system, which is not normally snowplowed for vehicular traffic; and on the right-of-way or shoulder when no right-of-way exists on a snowplowed highway in a county road system, outside the corporate limits of a city or village, which is designated and marked for snowmobile use by the county road commission having jurisdiction."

For what it is worth Ron Yesney from the DNR contacted me yesterday to explain what you posted Randy. It is legal to ride on the UNPLOWED RIGHT OF WAY. But that would put you on top or over the bank alongside of the road. It is not legal to ride on the plowed shoulder of a highway. This time of year if you ride on the other side of the snow bank I believe you would be in people's front yards causing another problem.

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I to have had to bang rightaways to get to secret spots. Always out in the middle of no where though. M28 between lets say the hoop and Bergland is really not a good idea, u have trail or lake to follow instead. If I remember right, last fall they also made it legal for ORV to follow highway right of way. Is it a good idea for miles no, but to get between trails, heck yeah.

Last fall they changed legislation to allow us to approach M-DOT to ask for permission to use specific portions of a right a way to connect to trails or towns. It is not legal unless it is marked. There are only 12 of these places an ORV can use the right of way on a state highway in the whole UP.

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As long as this stretch of road is not limited access (freeway or restricted to passenger vehicles) as RANLAM points out it should be legal to use. If the locals can show that it is dangerous, or they enact a local ordinance then they can restrict riding. I believe it has to be clearly posted in both directions tho. Seems to me that Grand Maris had some restrictions going in and out of town that got sledders ticketed by local law enforcement. I do see sledders along the Seney Stretch riding, and that is M-28 so if that isn't illegal, why would around bergland?

So perhaps some clarification on this restriction should be officially sought to keep folks from thinking it is okay to ride there.

In Bergland they are riding on the plowed shoulder of the highways. This is not legal

 

[ranlam]

DNR needs to look at there snowmobile legislation pamphlet and talk about maybe changing things if its this confusing. Really that pamphlet is all the proof a person needs. I guess it boils down to if the area condones it or not, I sure would hate to be ticketed by authorities when I have a pamphlet of rules telling me different.

Some of the snowbanks around here a winged with a flat top and are just as flat as the trail.

As far as ORVs that is confusing also. I stick to county roads anyways to get between trails.

Anyways stay out of trouble and just don't ride highways when there are trails on either side. Some businesses depend on a little highway travel for snowmobilers.

 

[united]

So if it snows, and a plow truck has not yet plowed the area, then it is legal? Still not clear.

 

[helhuf]

We ride in the Munising/Wetmore area, we ride along m28 to get to the Cherrywood, also we ride east along m28 to the trail that goes to Miners Castle by Shingleton. There are orv ? trail markers in the east bound far right of way. It is about 5 miles that we ride along m28. Never up on the shoulder. Are we wrong? Doing this it saves us 5-8 miles of bad trails

 

[ranlam]

We ride in the Munising/Wetmore area, we ride along m28 to get to the Cherrywood, also we ride east along m28 to the trail that goes to Miners Castle by Shingleton. There are orv ? trail markers in the east bound far right of way. It is about 5 miles that we ride along m28. Never up on the shoulder. Are we wrong? Doing this it saves us 5-8 miles of bad trails

You are legal. I mean its common courtesy not to go into yards. The first sentence in the rules is"a snowmobile may be operated on the right of way of a public highway"
you can look that up at the midnr.gov site under snowmobile regulations. The right of way is the right of way so it says its legal. There is even a picture showing the right of way with a snowmobile on it in the pamphlet. In fact it shows the snowmobile to the right of the shoulder in the ditch. You can get one of them wherever you buy a sticker at.