I live on a lake in Oakland Cty. Someone on the lake plowed a ice bike track that takes up nearly the entire damn thing. It wasn't a big issue until we received a few inches of snow the other day and now the bank are a couple feet high. When he plowed again yesterday he was pushing some slush with it, so now they are solid ice. This is a major hazard in my opinion(especially since it's so large)! Does anyone know if he would be legally responsible if something were to happen? I tried looking it up but couldn't find anything. TIA!
snow banks on a lake
- Thread starter wheels006
- Start date
600_RMK_144
Active member
I don't think that was his point. Have you never ran your sled on a frozen lake? Random sleds running across the lake (un-aware of these SOLID ICE drifts) could easily hit them. Question was if they would hold any liability if someone were to get injured.
Can’t say in MI. In WI police got involved talked to the perp. Ice fisherman was plowing a road on North Twin Lake thru the marked lake trail and riders couldn’t see it and was a huge bump you couldn’t avoid. The club talked to the guy asked him to stop but did not. On a weekend some poor lady hit that plowing went flying and broke her leg. Police arrested the fishermen but I don’t know the aftermath of that accident. May have turned into an insurance issue but fisherman never plowed on the lake again.
Every lake has this kind of stuff- whether it’s roads plowed by ice fisherman, ice heaves, motorcycle tracks, piers, big bumps snowmobiles leave when when they race off....you name it...lakes can be dangerous.
The person riding on the lake needs to be responsible for themselves...enough with this “who can I blame” bull crap..
Not looking to blame anyone and I'm definitely not "get off my lawn" old guy with 2 teenagers who do ride the lake along with several other youths. Yes, lots of miles of trails to ride.....3hrs away! I've always ridden the lakes around here and I've always stayed awar from rinks, etc so as to avoid this situation. The problem is this track extends 3/4 of the way across the lake(narrow long lake) and about half the length. This guy has yelled at my kids in the past for crossing over his track on snowmobiles, to which he got an "explanation" that he didn't own the lake and his track takes up more than half of it. Didn't mean to start a debate or anyone bashing anyone else, I was just honestly curious as to what the laws are. Thank you all for your input.
pclark
Well-known member
I think the law is "The Common Sense Law", one that we don't seem to have much of anymore. I remember 35 years ago coming off the trail onto Lake Minoqua by the Beacons and heading back toward the bridge with a group of 8 (yes, we were going kind of fast) and we all hit an unmarked radar run plowed track (high banks of 4-5ft) and everyone went flying. Luckily no one got hurt too bad and the sleds were old back then but a couple had some minor damage. More people involved in the same thing that night and weekend and now they mark with barrels and flashing lights on them. Its well documented that the track is now plowed on the lake.
Like someone mentioned, we all need to get along and share but use your head when you do these things. My God, its as we've totally forgot how to exist with people anymore........
Like someone mentioned, we all need to get along and share but use your head when you do these things. My God, its as we've totally forgot how to exist with people anymore........
I know a bud busted his back in WI yrs back . A guy had plowed a 8 foot wide 18 inch deep path across a trail. Long story short the insurance company went after the guy who plowed the road and won. My bud did not sue but insurance did to recoop the chopper ride the 3 weeks in the hospital and all other expenses.
Diff deal seeing as it went thrugh a marked trail .
I assume if some one got hurt insurance would be sending investigators out in a hurry to assess blame
Diff deal seeing as it went thrugh a marked trail .
I assume if some one got hurt insurance would be sending investigators out in a hurry to assess blame
Are you talking about White Lake? If so, the guy does yell at people to stay off "his" track and it does take up the whole Northwest Bay. Anyone should be able to ride it or cross over it unless it is a DNR permitted race which I am not sure if last Saturdays race had a permit.
Same situation with the North Twin accident fisherman was plowing right between the barrels on a marked lake snowmobile trail. Instructions are ALWAYS stay near the lake barrels and exactly what the poor lady was doing when she hit the plowed embankment went flying and broke her leg. I’m pretty sure insurance company settled but I don’t know if there were more legal charges as the club knew the guy and requested him to stop plowing and he refused. Rumors around town were that fisherman hated snowmobilers. I’m always amazed that some haters string up rope or wire to keep snowmobilers out of an area and someone gets severely injured. I’m like your surprised you injured someone lucky you didn’t kill someone!
Did the insurance company sue the individual? I have absolutely no idea $250,000.00 for 3 weeks in a hospital and chopper ride. But this situation is a bit different as it sounds like he plowed a road across a (assumed marked) trail. What if it was plowed road or bike track with no marked trail?
No this was a snowmobile trail in the woods . A guy plowed a road thrugh it and posted no warning. Again I dont know what would go down on a lake but yiu can be sure the insurance company has a legal team and investigators on stand by . Would not want to be on the receiving end of any if it is all I know