Why care about snowmobiles?

[kl3640]

Many of the the riders in CCS's various regions have no reason to care about snowmobiles...or do we?

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/11/04/snowmobiles-yellowstone-02.html

The point is that many of us have our roots in other forms of powersport, and even now use them to train or for recreation.  The thing about snowmobile use is that it very closely mirrors dirt-bike trail riding.  Those of us who grew up in Enduro know the challenge of maintaining access to state and federal lands for riding.  It also begs the larger question of where the slippery-slope ends, with respect to other forms of off-road powersports on public lands, watersports, and even motorcycle rights in general.

I have for a long time participated in the AMA's and others' advocacy programs for equal access to public lands for motorized vehicles, including an active effort to help preserve to NJ Off-Highway Vehicle Park in 2006.  My own belief is that while we need to be concerned about environmental stewardship for the sake of protecting our planet and, more selfishly, for maintaining our own usage rights, we also need to advocate a balanced view of the matter.  While there is no doubt that excessive powersports presence leaves a large and adverse footprint on the environment, the truth is that the level of restrictions that are required to adequately mitigate such consequences is far less than many would claim, and many such claimants are influenced by their own special interests.

I encourage all riders to take a good long look at this issue and act as conscience dictates.  Many off-road racing club organizations and the AMA itself advocate powersports' rights because of the direct impact on their sports (and in the case of the AMA, riding and motorcyclists' rights in a larger sense); but we who are road racers are at best only one level removed from the immediate consequences of irresponsible and uninformed decisions regarding the use of public lands by powersports enthusiasts, and our interests are best served by not waiting until our rights are threatened in an immediately apparent context.