Utah State Parks trail check point for Dl. Lic and paper reg., stupid!!!

[towngrunt]

Utah State Parks had a checkpoint set up 1/2 mile up trail from Franklin Basin parking lot checking for paper registration paperwork and Drivers license. First off how many people carry their license with them and secondly how many people keep the paper work with them on their sled and still have it legible after a couple rides? Is this all they have to do is hassle me so they can justify their jobs? There were 10 or so enforcement officers working this point and they were issuing citations for these violations, c'mon 10 how rediculous I am more and more convinced that the only reason we have to pay registration fees is so these guys can keep a job. I see very little benefit from our State Parks in support of the snowmobile recreation. They groom only a fraction of the trails they use too and do very little to stick up for a motorized recreation group.
Sorry to vent but I see very little benefit in having a Parks and Rec. dept. if the only thing they do is hassle people about not paying them their money.

 

[Dogmeat]

I can sort of understand the driver's license, but if you have a valid sticker on the sled there should be no reason at all they're checking the paper registrations. That would really annoy me too.

But yeah, I agree ... there appear to be far more valuable things they could be doing with their time than harassing snowmobilers.

I'd like to think they were trying to bust some big stolen sled ring, but I dbout they would have been doing anything so productive

 

[94fordguy]

I would imagine if your sled had been stolen that you would feel differently about having them check. As to your registration, put it in a zip-lock bag and store it with your spare plugs or tools... With sled theft on the rise I wish more places would do checks personally.... If I was to steal your sled and ride it around like it was my own, how would the cops be able to tell it wasn't mine without asking?... it's not like most sleds look the same or anything

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

Reminds me of the time I ran into a checkpoint in Montana, the main tool was giving me all kinds of grief about not having my sticker on my hood (as used to be stated on the directions as to where to place sticker). My hood was made of window screen and would not accept the sticker, so I simply put it in my pocket to pull out at checkpoints. I had my ID, my receipt from the purchase of the temporary, and the sticker in my pocket. He still read me the riot act over why sledders can't seem to follow simple directions.
I agree with you wholeheartedly, why not spend the allocation you have in the name of productivity instead of working your fingers to the bone gauranteeing you will go down in posterity as being a pain in everybody's azz.

 

[black swan]

Drivers license?....for a snowmobile?..pls do tell where to get one of these.

Cause i know a certain guy that needs one....Cannonman..

 

[towngrunt]

Ford guy are you serious? Put the reg. with my tools and plugs etc.. it would not make it through one ride. If you think for one minute these guys are looking for stolen sleds you are crazy. Their primary reason for being out there is they have nothing better to do than hassle me to make certain I have given the State their money. One of these guys was cool he did not issue any citations to the 4 in the group but got dirty looks from the other officers for not issuing them.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

You got me going Grunt. First I will start by taking the oath. "This story is the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me god". The day began where the asphalt ended. Parked at the trailhead was one Law Enforcement Suburban, three Law Enforcement Pickup's, six Law Enforcement Snowmobiles, eight Law Enforcement Personnel. They were all connected via radio to a Law Enforcement Airplane circling over head looking for and pinpointing by GPS wilderness violators from roughly 15,000'. We played in the legal riding area for a few hours stopping at the wilderness boundary to snap a few pictures and eat lunch. On our way out of the Canyon we were met by Barney Fife (only female and alot larger than Barney) wielding a shaky handgun in our faces demanding our identification. We would not show our ID simply because we had done nothing wrong. Barney informed us we had violated the wilderness boundary because the airplane at 15,000' told her so. I guess we may have been guilty on a technicality because my buddies ski hoop may have possibly crossed the line (according to the eye in the sky circling overhead at 15,000' wearing bifocals). Luckily Barney did not pull the trigger when we demanded the Chief ride up to the boundary with us to show him our tracks. We spent the rest of the afternoon proving ourselves innocent, stripped of our dignity at the back of the Paddywagon. This was the largest most disgusting waste of taxpayer dollars I've ever seen on public ground. May God Help Us!!

 

[towngrunt]

I only wish they would put forth the same effort to improve our riding possibilities, rather than set back and watch them be taken away.

 

[94fordguy]

Ford guy are you serious? Put the reg. with my tools and plugs etc.. it would not make it through one ride. If you think for one minute these guys are looking for stolen sleds you are crazy. Their primary reason for being out there is they have nothing better to do than hassle me to make certain I have given the State their money. One of these guys was cool he did not issue any citations to the 4 in the group but got dirty looks from the other officers for not issuing them.

I am dead serious...

On my 800 Edge, I put my registration folded up and protected and stored in the top of the oil tank where the tool/plug storage was located... never an issue. On my 900 I keep my registration and insurance info in a zip-lock bag in the right side console storage box with my spare plugs... never been wet or crushed and easy access to it. There's no reason you can't find a relatively protected spot SOMEWHERE on your sled or backpack to store your paperwork.

I am not saying they need 10 people there, that sounds grossly excessive, but asking you to present your registration is hardly the end of the world... if you have paid for it then you have nothing to worry about

 

[towngrunt]

Did I say it was the "end of the world". I simply stated is was stupid!!!!! As I stated before this was not to look for stolen sleds it was a money maker. Back to registration it is nothing more than a piece of paper that will not survive a ride. I'm not going to argue it with you Ford guy, apparently we have a difference in opinion.

 

[tudizzle]

My ABS pack has a plastic sleeve for carrying any necessary ID and paper work.

Can never seem to get the stickers to stay on the sleds plastic...or the plastic to last a season

But don't see why it would be such a hassle if you had the stuff your supposed to?

Whenever I come across a situation like this...I make sure to take off my helmet and introduce myself. Shake a few hands...make a little small talk...then move on. They always seem to remember me the next time....and just wave me thru.

 

[knzee]

We were riding in Lincoln one day and two super troopers were stopping and checking for stickers. One guy with us had a new sled and didn't get the sticker on yet and the guy wrote him a ticket. Fair enough. So Matt goes over and looks the forest dorks sled over and....no sticker. Tells him how can you give me a ticket if you don't even have one? Guy said it was different because he works for the forest service. What a crock...

 

[skidooboy]

i carry my registration, proof of insurance, and my drivers license EVERY RIDE. they can go in your wallet, or in a zip lock and in your backpack or seat, ect....

it is the riders responsibility to provide these when they are requested by law enforcement. i understand your frustration but, you have to follow the rules. thats why they make rules to protect you from yourself. LOL! D you know where i am getting at right???

mostly they are stopping to check for proper paperwork, people drinking, stolen sleds ect.... basicly they are doing their job and justifying their existance to protect and serve. and as stated above, you would be happy if your sled was stolen, and one of these check points caught the guys that stole your sled, and got you your sled back correct?????

you have to carry all this when driving an auto, why is it so different when you ride a sled or a motorcycle, boating ect..... it is part of the routine. i dont even think about it anymore, i just carry it to protect me.

what if some yahoo in the parking lot or the lodge tries to take your sled when you are standing there. the only thing you have to prove the sled is yours and he is in the wrong is your paperwork. better safe than sorry. ski

 

[towngrunt]

Looks to me like the people supporting this nonsense are not form Utah and have much better support in their state. My hat goes off to you guys and are very lucky. I see very little benefit from having these people out on the trail hassling us. Seriously someone show me where my money goes from my 4 sled's that really does benefit me. I can see the stolen sled thing but we all know that's not what is about. They groom very little and dont do much to stick up for our recreation rights. I Still have very little respect for this organization.

 

[tudizzle]

I ride in 4-5 states including Utah every year. Never had a problem and have found all backcountry officials to be friendly and professional?

 

[PowderCrew]

I finally got BRAVE enough to take my new cell phone along so i could "try" to do a better job of keepin track of time.... I lost it. (and I kept it ON MY PERSON!) Its all about lockin up land (and ENFORCIN' SAID LOCKUP)... NOT providing a service to the general public.

 

[m8sandman]

what a bunch of LOSERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how about illegal search and seizure??? thought they were supposed to have a reason to pull you over??? just another case of big brother over stepping his bounds. i mean really, is this the most pressing thing these guys have to do??? maybe they should have to get a REAL job and actually do something productive for society, whoops i forgot most of them are mommas boys and are affraid to get their hands dirty!!! i guess this is what happens when you give a little power to the guy who was never liked when he was in school...

 

[snengineer]

I would imagine if your sled had been stolen that you would feel differently about having them check. As to your registration, put it in a zip-lock bag and store it with your spare plugs or tools... With sled theft on the rise I wish more places would do checks personally.... If I was to steal your sled and ride it around like it was my own, how would the cops be able to tell it wasn't mine without asking?... it's not like most sleds look the same or anything

good point, it is helpful to have laws enforced....hopefully that is the case and they do keep an eye out for stolen equipment.

I am not saying they need 10 people there, that sounds grossly excessive, but asking you to present your registration is hardly the end of the world... if you have paid for it then you have nothing to worry about

when all they do is ask you for your documents, that is one thing but I have had several unpleasant experiences where the fish cop needs to muscle around for some reason. I wont go into details but I think most of us have had the experience when you are perfectly legal and can prove it but they need to find some bull crap reason to wave their egos around. One recent instance for us a fish cop was trying real hard to humiliate me in front of everyone, I showed my docs, we went on our way. Later that day on the way home the people who were with me asked what the heck was that guys problem....if they are all DB like that guy was. I guess its one of those things...I wonder how big some of those guys would feel if they weren't pack'n most are cool, they are the ones that shut up and watch the wanker of an officer work some magic......

 

[sdsnocop]

I am one of those "losers" that works for the Division of Parks and Recreation out of South Dakota. I have been responsible for snowmobile patrol in the Black Hills going on 19 years. I can not speak for the officers in the state of Utah or other states as well as their laws governing snowmobiling. Not all officers working snowmobile enforcement have a lack of understanding of the sport of snowmobiling and the importance of public land being avalable to ride. I am and have been a snowmobiler since I was 10. I own snowmobiles, am a member of the South Dakota Snowmobile Association and the President of our local snowmobile club. Now my background as a snowmobiler has been stated I will explain some of the challenges I face enforcing snowmobile laws in South Dakota. When I check snowmobile registrations if the registration decal is clearly visible I do not ask for a paper registration. Since SD currently honors registrations from other states I check registrations from many states and providences. However often I end up with a story of I left my license at home, in my pickup, at the hotel, in my other coat pocket, I replaced my hood, my stickers fell off, ect. Even though they are all reasons a person was not displaying a license without carrying a paper registration I cannot verify if the sled is licensed. Somtimes I can run the VIN by radio through LE dispatch to verify the license, however even though we have probably the best radio system ever installed on a snowmobile radio coverage can be weak. Also dispatch somtimes cannot access registration information from other states. If I cannot verify the sled license I usually write the citation for the unlicensed snowmobile, however I do give time to send me a copy of the registration before the court date to prove the sled was licensed when I wrote the ticket. Usually I receive a valid registration 2/3 of the time, the other 1/3 I do not hear from which means The person was lying about having the sled licensed. As for the issue of carrying a drivers license SD does not require a DL to operate a snowmobile however if I have to write a citation for a violation I need a DL or identification card to prove that persons identity. I can sometimes run a DL check by radio to verify a person identity but if I cannot I have no choice but to take that person in custody transport them to the nearest jail untill the identity can be verified and bond for the citation can be posted. As for the use of a plane to detect wilderness violations I wish I had those resources avalable to me. We do not have wilderness areas that are visited by snowmobiles but we have designated cross country ski areas that snowmobiling is prohibited and areas that tresspassing on private property are a problem. It is difficult to catch someone in those areas without spending time in them by snowmobile which I prefer not to do. Those violations give all snowmobilers a bad name and give the anti's more ammunition to lock snowmobilers out of public lands. I am sorry this post was so long but I had a lot to say. Not all officers working snowmobiles are looking only to "harrass" you but are only doing their job which some do because they have to and some do because they want to.

 

[trestlecreek]

You do not have to have a drivers license in Idaho to operate a snowmobile. Just like you do not need a license to walk down the street. I never bring my wallet with me on a ride. I dont need it. I question the authority of law enforcement to ask for it while walking down a street or rideing a snowmobile. You still have the right to remain silent.....