Watch out for DNR poaching sledders at Mass/Rockland area stop signs

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09summitetec

New member
This past Saturday, a few guys in my group and I are riding back to cabin after long day playing in the woods up at Twin Lakes and a short stop Tiges. We are on trail 13 where it runs along M-26 between Mass and Rockland. The trail crosses Aspen Lane, a dead end road that is not used much by the looks of it. We had been doing rolling stops there all week. This time, it is dark, no sign of headlights from either side of the road, so I put a little more roll in my stop than usual, as do the guys following me. Well, by the time we get a quarter mile further where the trail crosses M-26, there is a DNR truck blocking the trail with lights a blazing. Another one hangs back and puts the spot light on the guys in the rear of the group to make sure none of the guys turn tail and run I guess. It was a pretty slick operation. Apparently, both trucks were staked out on Aspen Lane, lights out, and watched as we went through. The lead three of us get reckless operation citations for $135 each. We definitely did not stop and I'm not saying we didn't deserve a ticket, although I don't think under the circumstances we were particularly "reckless". Just want to give you guys riding in that area a heads up. The C.O. was a little apologetic and said there have been some recent accidents in the area, implying to me they are getting pressure to show a presence. Have fun out there!
 
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Firecatguy

New member
oh i wasn't preaching but now that you bring it up!!!stop means stop..don't care what part the world you come from......sorry you took it wrong!!!just hate to see any one not stop at sign and then get hit by a car or truck!!!
 
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upsledder

Member
Anybody who has been riding for a while and says that they never rolled through a stop is a big time fibber!

Ever ridden the trail along hwy 69 near Escanaba? there are areas where it seems like there is a driveway every 100' for miles. can't remember if those are mostly "Yeilds" or "Stops" but there are other places where there are stop signs for roads that never get touched in the winter.
 
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cdsprague

New member
Firecatguy said:
need to "STOP" not roll thru..
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Here we go again with the police! I wish I was perfect... If I was would I be considered GOD?

Yup, they got 2 in our group on Sat. also. $135 each ticket! I think it is BS! That should be a yield sign! I think the only tracks there are the DNR's.

There, that will give the J.D. police something to talk about!!
 
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peppermill

New member
I know exactly where you are talking about. It doesn't look like the road is used much but it is. There is a guy who lives back there that is a parapalegic (sp). He does use it alot. He drives, snowmobiles, gooms cross country ski trails, kayaks, and the list goes. on. All I am saying is I know for a fact that he does use it alot. Be careful and ride safe and have fun. Yes I am guilty of rollig through a few myself especially if there are no tracks or I see gates closed off to the side of trail.
 
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felonious_rider

New member
Thanks for the updates,,,

Everytime someone places a new thread on JD and the subject deals with a contraversial issue there is always someone disecting that statement to make enjoyment for themselves. They take that statement and blow in to something it's not!

09SUMMIT, thanks for the heads up, good looking out, hope the fine doesn't break you, riding in Mass/Greenland area in the last week of Feb, hope to meet up you with at Tiges for a cold one after we're done riding for the day!
 
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Hoosier

Well-known member
We got one ticket last weekend also - heading East on trail 2 in near kenton or sidnaw I think. Same thing. We all rolled through the stop signs, but he only gave us one ticket.

We can't really blame the DNR - we definitely didn't do a good job stopping and probably deserved 3 tickets. Whether they need all those stop signs is another matter. Some yield signs would work in most of those stops.

Funny thing is, we got a warning last year and were doing a better job of stopping than we used to. Just as you ride for 4-5 days at a time, you get a little sloppy.
 
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bonnevier

Member
I tend to remember seeing the DNR in that area a lot...well maybe not a lot but they definetly like to hide out along that stretch.
 
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Skylar

Super Moderator
Staff member
The discussion of stopping or not stopping at stop signs is another one that gets brought up year after year. Stop means stop, I don't care where it is, and if you don't stop, well then you deserve a ticket.

Last weekend when we were up in Twin Lakes I watched another moron not stop at the stop sign on trail 3 right across the road from Krupp's mini mart. One guy comes flying up to the stop sign, barely stopping before he gets into the road, his buddy is hauling azz behind him, I heard him as he exited the Parkview parking lot, he locks up his brake, slides into the road, stops in the middle of the road, and yells at his buddy " why did you fricken stop?" Umm, duh?

On Thursday of last week, I was waiting for my buds at the stop sign on trail 3 where it crosses Winona Road. 5 guys came from the other direction, the first one stopped, the second guy sort of stopped, the third guy slow rolled it, the fourth guy stopped, the fifth guy, went right through it doing about 20 mph I would guess. And yes, there was a truck coming at that time, sure the truck was 200 feet away, what if it would have been closer?
 
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footinforever

New member
going green

I am doing my part for the environment, I always roll through the unecessary stops in the U.P and some in Wisco.. It saves on fuel and time, which everyone knows is money.. so the way I figure it, if I ever get pinched, the fine I pay will still be offset by the savings in time and money in fuel consumption. I understand the insurance issues with all the stop signs, but if there are no lights and no tracks and you are in the boonies, I'll take my chances every chance I get.

Ride safely - Peace out
 
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upsledder

Member
iusmit said:
We got one ticket last weekend also - heading East on trail 2 in near kenton or sidnaw I think. Same thing. We all rolled through the stop signs, but he only gave us one ticket.

We can't really blame the DNR - we definitely didn't do a good job stopping and probably deserved 3 tickets. Whether they need all those stop signs is another matter. Some yield signs would work in most of those stops.

Funny thing is, we got a warning last year and were doing a better job of stopping than we used to. Just as you ride for 4-5 days at a time, you get a little sloppy.
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We were heading west on 8 out of Kenton two weeks ago. There were two guys sitting in a rusty old pick up truck down one of the cross roads. Don't think it has to be a nice new truck with a DNR emblem on the side. They are getting very tricky!
 
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Hoosier

Well-known member
That's why its hard to get too mad at the DNR (about this at least. There are issues for another discussion). Everybody knows what a stop sign is and it's not like they're hard to see. Just seems like there are too many of them, and you get lazy as the day and week goes on. Normally, the first guy in our group makes a good stop and then it gets worse behind him (which makes sense, as the first guy would signal if any traffic was coming). I think our group always slows down enough to be safe, but doesn't always make a complete stop.

We got a warning last year heading East out of Watersmeet, so we can't say we weren't warned.
 
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upbarleyboy

New member
If they put a yield sign up, there's too much "gray area" for the DNR to work through. your interpretation of yielding and theirs will be totally different-guaranteed. If it says stop, and you don't come to complete stop-that's all they need to grab you. It's a moneymaker!!
 
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thebluff

Member
along the same direction as Skylar....last week i was driving thru Twin Lakes when a sled came flying out of Krupps Mini Mart lot toward M26. I was going north. He stopped however I am sure his skis were well into my lane.

From my perspective, there was no indication this fast moving sled was planning on (or even able to) stop. I was VERY close when he did this. I slammed the brakes, swerved to the southbound lanes and braced for what I was sure was going to be a deadly accident.

He stopped, so did my heart. I nearly lost control (roads were moderatly slick). I nearly left something in my shorts, could have lost control of my ride, risked an accident with oncoming traffic (to swerve right would have meant taking out other sleds).

Part of me understands...sleds can stop fast and I am sure this dude knew what he was doing. No way for me to have a clue that he even saw the sign or planned on stopping....heck, for all I knew his throttle might have been stuck...I had to react.

Lets just say once the heart re-started....my mouth got the best of me driving down the road.
 
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