Senator Tieszen wants ATV's off the roadways

[redrzr]

Check with the dealerships or you can print one off southdakotaatv.com

[bottlerocket]

Not anymore.  I printed some out and brought them to some local shops and they said they would send them in.

[coldchamber96]

K, will check motoplex.

[bottlerocket]

My buddy went there last weekend and didn't see it.  Just a fyi.

[1badatv]

My proposal only takes ATV's off paved roads and there are some exceptions including cities that decide to allow it. I do see ATV's as a safety hazard on highways especially with their numbers rising rapidly. The bill will be posted next week and you will get a chance to read the whole thing. Thanks for your input. Senator Craig Tieszen
   

this the reply I got today.I did ask him a second question today.
I just asked him what the difference was between a street legal atv and a motorcycle.I told him I feel an atv is safer as it has 4 wheels instead of 2 .Wait for a response tomorrow

[CN67]

I just sent him this
My wife and I both ride our atv's on the street in Sioux Falls.  We keep up with traffic very well and obay all traffic laws.  She feels safer riding on public roads than off road.  It is a hobby of ours just like motorcyclist. We have two mirrors, horns, DOT tires, head lights and tail lights with brake lights.  We have spent over $1000 to make these street legal and road worthy. We ride on the street mainly because we have no wear to ride, and can't afford to haul them hundreds of miles to drive the every weekend.  If you ban atvs from the street, are you going to re-emberse all riders for their street legal customizations that we will have wasted on our atvs because of your opinion?  I hope you will reconcsider your decision to take atvs off the street.  Thanks for your time

[coldchamber96]

My message:

What will the Game Fish and Parks employees do if they can't license their utvs and atvs for use in the parks?  What about the licensed atvs that the Sioux Falls police use in downtown Sioux Falls?  What about Mail Carriers that use utvs to deliver mail in commercial areas?  Elderly that travel short distances with their licensed golf carts and utvs?  If you ban atvs from the street, are you going to re-emberse all riders for their street legal customizations that we will have wasted on our atvs because of your opinion?  This seems like a horrible idea in my opinion.

[CN67]

This is the BS answer I got back

Greetings: Thanks for the input. First, let me clarify the bill that will likely be introduced next week. It will ban ATV's from paved roads starting in 2012. There will be exceptions that allow crossing of paved roads and municipalities can allow them if they want. However, I would not assume that Sioux Falls would act to allow them. And, of course, the licensing money will go toward developing trail systems around the state. From a public safety standpoint I can not support having these vehicles on paved roads. Even the manufacturer agrees with that. I think it was a mistake to allow it many years ago. I realize this bill proposes taking away something that has been granted but with the thousands and thousands now being licensed it is a problem that I see only getting worse. Best wishes, Senator Craig Tieszen

[CN67]

and then I just sent this

Why is it a problem? How many atv on road accidents occur every year in SD?  There are way more motorcycle wrecks than atvs by far.  Why aren't you going after them?  Mopeds are way smaller and can't keep up with traffic, their numbers are growing each year, why not ban them too.  My point is that we pose no more of a threat to public safety than motorcycles.  The problem is people like you that are just annoyed by us being on the streets!  What atv manufactures have you spoke to about driving on the streets?  Yes they were ment for off road use but if they can handle ruff terrain they can handle a smooth surface just fine.  If they can't I wouldn't feel safe driving them at all.  Once again we have converted them to be safe on roads by installing mirrors, horns, street tires, lights, and speedometers.  So they are safe for public road driving which makes the factory warning stickers false.  I would like to see documentation on what these atv manufactures agree with and why they shouldn't be on public roads.   I hope you realize that UTVs are glorified golf carts, so you shouldn't be able to license golf carts and not UTVs. 

[stumper]

BAM

I am contacting you with great concern. It has come to my attention that you are of the opinion that the people of this great state should lose their ability to licence their ATV's for street/hiway use. I personally use my atv's to travel approximatly 15-20 thousand miles a yr to and from work. Part of this is gravel and some paved.  Keeping up with traffic is not a problem. Atv's have become an economical way of travel for many people in South Dakota. Properly equiped they are as safe or safer than motorcycles, providing better stability and visibility to other drivers.. Manufactures of ATV's dont send these machines out with the equipment needed to licence them yet, that is the reason they dont recomend use on roads. I am an avid ATV rider and am in contact with many riders across the state. I have yet to hear of any safty issues related to atv's on the street. Law enforcement has even began using these great modes of transportation.I would think if they felt these were a danger on the street that they would not be using them,wouldnt you agree? Every activity you engage in has some risks, to say riding an ATV is more dangerous than any other mode of transportation is in my opinion an uneducated statement. Who is going to replace the taxes counties lose when these are removed from the street? I was under the impression that our counties need every dollar they can get at this point. If you want to do something positive for the state of South Dakota, propose a bill that will create more trail systems STATE wide. Sell trail permits for trail use and make these required on ATV's whether they are licence for the street or not. Simply taking away our plates and going to a tag system will not generate enough money to support our trails.Why you may ask? Take away our plates and a large number of the ATV'S  from South Dakota will end up sold out of state. Taking revenue out of state. This just seems like a backwards idea to me. Thank you for your time.

[CN67]

WELL SAID!!!

[stumper]

Shoulda spell checked that huh,lol

[Go Faster]

Do we need to start a donation to fund some opposition to this?  Hire an attorney to combat this growing problem?  As a group we may be able to raise some real $$$ to fight this crap!  Maybe some radio/TV ads.  I'd throw some dollars on the collection plate for this...

[stumper]

I was thinking at least a newspaper ad.

[coldchamber96]

I'd donate to the cause.