Power line riding

[Skylar]

I pulled this off of sledmi.com


My buddy took his kids and wife to the Oakland Country Sheriff Dept snowmobile safety class on Saturday. For 2011 all power-lines in MI are new closed to snowmobile/ATV use unless there is a marked trail on it. Guess the power/gas companies/state have had too many lawsuits by dumb sledders and atv-er's running into stuff & getting hurt on the lines and then suing the power companies for their negligence. Just thought everyone might want to know before they get a recreational tresspassing ticket... at $167 and they follow you for a while. Got one 10 years ago and it popped up 5 years later for my CPL board review and background check for a job. So ride and watch the signs.

 

[lenny]

wow,,,that's bad news but than again at least we know about it

 

[tralfaz]

I would be willing to bet the power lines will be tracked up as they all ways are.

 

[cooksend]

Would sure love to go Toe to Toe with all the suing bestard! Common people be responsible for your actions!

 

[indy_500]

Exactly the reason why it was made illegal in Wisconsin. Don't see it stopping people in the yoop. The power company will post an article in the newspaper to show snowmobilers dont listen, and it will give snowmobilers, once again, a bad name.

 

[rsvectordude]

I knew that was coming sooner than later! The companies been complaining about it for years.

 

[radsrh]

Exactly the reason why it was made illegal in Wisconsin. Don't see it stopping people in the yoop. The power company will post an article in the newspaper to show snowmobilers dont listen, and it will give snowmobilers, once again, a bad name.

Ok Indy I am confused? The post said its now illegal ( thought it was already but maybe thinking WI ) And you say don't see it stopping people in the yoop, Then you say that they will put a article in the newspaper to show snowmobilers don't listen, and it will give snowmobilers once again a bad name? If this was passed and its illegal and we now know about it because we all read this post but yet we still ride the power lines are we not giving ourself's a bad name?

 

[ezra]

making it harder and harder to not just pay storage out west and fly out

 

[Hoosier]

I wonder how much of the problem is ATVs vs snowmobiles. I would think this kind of riding would be much more dangerous for the rider and higher-impact for the terrain on an ATV vs on a snowmobile.

 

[mride460]

I wonder how much of the problem is ATVs vs snowmobiles. I would think this kind of riding would be much more dangerous for the rider and higher-impact for the terrain on an ATV vs on a snowmobile.

I'm not sure about the UP but all power lines in the LP were closed to ATV's about 20 years ago due to the ATV's eroding the ground around the base of high tension towers causing them to tip over at times. I'm not sure if that rule pertained to snowmobiles or not, but I know the fines for ATV's were pretty stiff.
It might be worth finding out what the real law says. It might end up saving some of us some $$$.

 

[snoluver1]

"making it harder and harder to not just pay storage out west and fly out"​

The U.P, is doomed for off trail riding, due to all the privately owned land. The increased popularity of off trail has made the situation worse. Its only a matter of time and its pretty much done. Don't kid yourself though. The west is not in much better shape. We won't be able to ride OUR public lands much longer either, if we all don't start standing up and fighting for it!!

 

[cuzzinolaf]

The west is looking like a better and better option. Already spoke about this if the UP has another bad season and then off-trail stuff keeps getting more and more popular. There are less and less areas to go that aren't tracked up. Luckily I like the trees where a lot of people won't go.

 

[polarisrider1]

The west is looking like a better and better option. Already spoke about this if the UP has another bad season and then off-trail stuff keeps getting more and more popular. There are less and less areas to go that aren't tracked up. Luckily I like the trees where a lot of people won't go.

It's the hugging part you do with the trees useing your cat that concerns some of us. Go west young man.

 

[indy_500]

If this was passed and its illegal and we now know about it because we all read this post but yet we still ride the power lines are we not giving ourself's a bad name?

There's a lot of young idiots that are my age who will ride them anyways whether its legal or not. Now that it's declared illegal, people will want to do it more often for the "rebel" sense of feel. The power line company will post an article in the newspaper complaining about people STILL riding the power lines, and they soon will ban all off-trail riding. I see why you're confused, re-read my post again, it will make poifect sense

 

[polarisrider1]

There's a lot of young idiots that are my age who will ride them anyways whether its legal or not. Now that it's declared illegal, people will want to do it more often for the "rebel" sense of feel. The power line company will post an article in the newspaper complaining about people STILL riding the power lines, and they soon will ban all off-trail riding. I see why you're confused, re-read my post again, it will make poifect sense

that's why tall fences go up.

 

[Hoosier]

There's a lot of young idiots that are my age who will ride them anyways whether its legal or not. Now that it's declared illegal, people will want to do it more often for the "rebel" sense of feel. The power line company will post an article in the newspaper complaining about people STILL riding the power lines, and they soon will ban all off-trail riding. I see why you're confused, re-read my post again, it will make poifect sense

They ain't just young...idiots come in all ages unfortunately.

A couple of years ago in the UP, I came across a group that looked to be tracking up a hill and they were taking a break right next to the no trespassing sign. I thought about stopping and saying something, but unless they were illiterate, what would that have accomplished?

 

[joks79]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the power lines just on an easement and they don't actually own the land? So it would depend on who's land the power line is on.

 

[cuzzinolaf]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the power lines just on an easement and they don't actually own the land? So it would depend on who's land the power line is on.

This sounds right. I wonder. I always heard it was illegal to run the power lines but it was never enforced.

 

[polarisrider1]

I know we covered this topic in the past to no avail. It would be very nice to get an accurate answer to this subject. Not sure where to begin for an answer. This I do know, My brother in law is a corporate (government) farmer. He has nat. gas wells and power lines (the big metal kind) running accross some of his farm land. The wells ,well we stay clear of. The Power lines I know he leases about a square acre that each structure stands on to the Power company with a 99 year lease. this land he farms around on all sides and in between each pole. He legally owns the property but the power line has the right to use it. Now for the snowmobiler I suspect they are trespassing either way. Not what we want to hear. Even if it is state land and the state leases the land for the poles is where things get fuzzier to me. I supose I could contact MSA for their interpretation of how this works. I do know that fences, big boulders and signs a plenty went up in Newago Croton/Hardy dam area many years ago to keep the 4x4 and atv crowds out due to errosion. I have asked a Electric co-op employee that was clearing the lines by my cabin what the rules are on this and he said, "We look the other way, we feel it helps keep the small growth down and helps reduce the clearing costs on the line as long as there is no errosion". ( I also had loggers tell me that while off trail in Ontario.) Then the lineman stated that they know the risks involved and are concerned for injuries such as snowmobilers running into the towers and poles. He also said, "You guys are crossing a lot of private property", and left it at that. My take on this is alls it will take is one Ricky Racer to get hurt and get a television lawyer (ambulance chaser) to sue for big bucks and all is done for the rest.

 

[flatlandassn]

I emailed someone with the MI DNR and LT Andrew Turner was kind enough to respond. Nothing has changed from previous years, unless the power companies start enforcing more. Here is what he said.

"You question boils down to a matter of land ownership and what the land owners allow. If the land is owned by a power company or a private individual, you would need permission to operate ORVs and/or snowmobiles. An exception to this would be operation of ORVs and/or snowmobiles on the State’s designated trail system, which at times uses portions of private property."