Please pass the word

[Towman]

As you all probably know I live here in Winchester Bay. Well I found out today that there are a lot of stupid people riding in the closed area below the Umpqua Lighthouse.  Well for the last 3 weeks or more, there has been a bunch of enviromentalists up at the view point taking pictures of people riding in this closure. Furthermore, they have found out that the sheriffs dept hasn't been writing enough tickets for riding in there. I also heard today that the enviromentalists are wanting the sand dunes closed all the way past the bald spot, (or Banshee hill). If this happens, it will really hurt us because  banshee hill is really well known. People come here from many states away just to see this hill. Also, I heard that they are trying to get the dunes access road closed to. There has been many people around here that has turned in complaints about ATVers riding to fast along the highway throwing rocks all over there vehicles. So, the enviromentalists are all over that to.

We all need to spread the word to our friends and relatives to please stay off the closed areas and to ride along the access road cautiously. If we don't watch out, then we are all going to have our bikes up for sale because of no where to ride them.

[RTOYZ]

Very true, and I hope all of us obey these signs here and anywhere else we ride. Another small note to add to towmans post is please have your quad, or bike within the noise standard. You can have a quite quad and still go fast.

[DuneJunkie]

I will be up there in 2 weeks..........If I see anyone in there I am going to write them a ticket myself!


I wonder if we could build a fence around that area?

[Dune Dude]

  These issues like all others in life come down to enforcement.  Most of us treat being able to ride the dunes as a privilege not a right.  However, some believe they can do as they please where ever and when ever they want.  Without proper enforcement of the laws in riding areas (riding in closure areas, speeding, riding while drunk, riding past curfew, noise 93 db's on the coast) there will be law breakers.  If there was no threat of getting a speeding ticket on the highway the 65 mph would be treated as a challenge not the maximum.  With all the fees and portion of our tax dollars that go to the forestry why can they not have a better presence out in the riding areas?  This would eliminate almost all of the violations we see everyday in the dunes.  Plus, the collected money from tickets could go back into hiring more enforcement people and improving the staging areas.

Ride on and ride right!

[duraraptor]

Well said DD

[Towman]

Well to update you a little. Today at 7:45 pm there was a call out for the ambulance. Well it was called to Banshee hill. We went down there to see what happened and to look at the ocean. Well when we got there it came over the scanner that it ewas code 100. That meant that the victim was deceased. It looked like it was about half way up Banshee hill.  We don't know it it was a man, woman, child, or an adult.

This will almost be certain that Banshee hill will be closed now.

When we hear more as to what happened, we will let you all know.

[DuneJunkie]

I just don't understand.............people just can't seem to stop being stupid and ruining it for all...............

I feel for the family and friends of the individual..........nobody deserves to die...................

however, I do imagine that it was preventable............

[Dune Dude]

I'm sorry to hear that someone died while out in the dunes.  Our prayers will go out to their family and friends.

How can this incident cause the hill to be closed?  Many more people drown in boating or swimming accidents every year than die at the dunes and we don't close lakes.  Does Banshee Hill have that many incidents of fatal or serious accidents?

Does anyone no if these potential closers are going to be fought by advocates for off-road access? 

Like DJ said nobody likes to see someone get hurt.  Usually it is because of bad judgment and inexperience. 
And like he said why should this ruin it for the rest of us?

Please keep us posted Towman.

[DuneJunkie]

Does anyone no if these potential closers are going to be fought by advocates for off-road access? 

that is the job of every atv'er.  that is why we form these groups and have these forums........

we all need to lend a hand in fighting against the closures..............

many voices are louder than relying on one person to speak up for thousands.........everyone needs to get involved.

[Dune Dude]

I totally agree DJ.  We all need to do our part to preserve the hobby we all enjoy.  However, there needs to be someone or a group monitoring what the other side is trying to do.  I don't know if there are meetings with the Forestry and BLM or how the other side begins arguments for closures in the Dunes. 
The Blue Ribbon Coalition and ORBA are just a few entities that help protect access for off-road use.  They are well seasoned in the legal procedures involved in gaining or restricting off-road access.  We can get mad and post all of the forums we want but without representatives at these meetings we will lose our privilege of riding in the Dunes.
The areas around Glamis and Dumont have been in a long battle between the enviro's and access groups.  This is the first I have heard of possible closures to the riding areas on the coast.

Didn't the area below the Light House used to be opened to atv's and camping a couple of years ago?  What happened?

[DuneJunkie]

Didn't the area below the Light House used to be opened to atv's and camping a couple of years ago?  What happened?

yes, it was closed about a year and a half ago.........too many loud noisey bikes disturbing the pease of the tourist green eco loving freaks that wanted to sit at the lighthouse and look at the ocean.

they complained...........and won the battle.................

[Towman]

Thats a fact DJ.  With all the stupid jerks that still ride in that closure is why they want more sand closed. These people won't stop until they get there way. I am telling you guys that in just a few years we won't have a need for ATV's because we won't have a place to ride them. We have to stop the parents from letting our kids from riding ATV's that is to big for them, and to stop the people from riding in closures of the sand that has already been closed.  This closure below the lighthouse, well people has to jump over the guard rail in places to even get into the closure. They know that it is wrong, but they do it anyway.  I wish that I was about 20 years younger, I think that I would raise a few bumps on some of those peoples heads.

[DuneJunkie]

This was taken from the Douglas County police log.  Notice the last entry:

These logs are the highlights of initial emergency calls and reports to the Douglas County Dispatch Center. They do not represent all the incidents or their final outcome.



POLICE LOG

Friday

Douglas County sheriff

11:05 a.m. -- Woman reported plastic eggs with unknown substance inside them being hurled at her on the 4000 block of Stella Street in Green.

11:42 a.m. -- Graffiti found on bridge at 400 block of Southeast Canyon Street in Canyonville.

11:44 a.m. -- Pickup reported stolen, but then found across road at 9000 block of Highway 42 in Tenmile. The pickup had been left in gear and rolled into a ditch.

12:06 p.m. -- Tackle box, fishing and hunting license reported stolen at Lemolo Lake.

12:51 p.m. -- Car broken into at Milepost 67 of North Umpqua Highway, near Lemolo Lake.

1:12 p.m. -- Red spray paint found on doors and windows in 400 block of Alder Lane in Canyonville.

1:19 p.m. -- Identity theft reported in 600 block of Doerner Road in Melrose.

1:30 p.m. -- Graffiti found all over school in 400 block of Alder Lane in Canyonville.

2:16 p.m. -- McDonalds in Myrtle Creek reported threatening calls to employees from collect-caller.

4:26 p.m. -- Ongoing harassment reported at 21000 block of North Umpqua Highway in Idleyld Park.

7:42 p.m. -- Fatal dune buggy accident at dunes in Winchester Bay.

[Towman]

I heard today from an atv rider that someone put a cross with his helmit on it at the base of banshee hill.
Date Posted: July 11, 2006, 09:20:18 PMI should retract that last post. He wasn't wearing a helmit. I heard that he was only 23 years old. I heard that he was comming down the trail to the left of the main trail and flipped his bike over on top of him. He was riding by himself to.

I am sure that this accident will most certainly be the closing of Banshee hill now.

[RTOYZ]

I made reservations at Discovery Point for the Saturday before Dunefest and asked what had happened. They said a 23 year old (no helmet and was drinking) was riding up banshee hill hit a tree and snapped his neck. No word of closure of the hill. I'm sorry that someone lost his life out there, BUT DRINKING and riding WITHOUT A HELMET does not add up to playing it safe!. We like most others are about safety and it's the few of them that give us ALL a bad name. I could go on with lots more but I won't.

[BigAl74]

My thoughts too Pat. We could have 5,000 of us out there riding smart, safe, and where we should be. Then 1 guy comes a long and messes it up for all of us, and they are the only one the ppl trying to kick us off the dunes will talk abould making it sound like we are all bad. Just like alchol on the sand. I never rode and drank, but I sure liked coming back after a long, hard ride and having a beer.
Date Posted: July 13, 2006, 10:49:01 AM
So did any of you lucky ones that went to dunefest learn any more about the fate of Banshee hill. Or for that mater any other part of the dunes.  I just hope I have some sand to ride on if I ever make it back over there.

[tolandinsurance]

It is probably the environmentalist out there themselves!

[Dune Dude]

Here is a copy of an AP article that ran in local papers:


WINCHESTER BAY, Ore. - Off-roading in the sand has long been a popular way to play on the Oregon Coast.


But it's certainly not the safest.

Ambulances responded to 52 accidents this year at the Umpqua Lighthouse entrance to the Dunes National Recreation Area, treating people for everything from broken legs to head traumas.

"When it's busy, there's always an accident out there, somebody getting hurt," Douglas County Parks Director Jim Dowd told The Register-Guard newspaper.

Now, a new rescue station is opening that authorities hope can get help to victims sooner, and even help prevent some injuries.

The 3,500-square-foot, $280,000 rescue station includes a classroom for teaching dunes rules and driver safety, as well as bays for storing law enforcement and other emergency vehicles.

Paid for with county funds and a $180,000 Oregon Parks and Recreation Department grant from gas taxes and all-terrain vehicle registration fees, the station will cut response times to the dunes in half, Douglas County sheriff's Sgt. Scott Fray said.

Fray said the county is also working on an arrangement with the Douglas County court system to allow people to have dune-related citations dismissed after paying to take a class at the rescue center.

---

Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com

 
 

[DandC Motorsports]

When they say it's not the safest I think of how many people get hurt every year in auto's or mtn climbing or or or.......  

[Sandflicker]

I must say the times I've been out there I learn new definitions of the word stupid everytime.

However, one thing I've always thought would be a good idea (yet know no one would do) is have all riders on the way out going one direction and return riders the other.    So you have to make a big circle and reduce the possibility of running into one another.

Well, that's just a thought.  You know we were at winchester one time and an older guy had a heart attack while moving slowly back towards the parking lot.  He just fell off.  Of course this is terrible, but I wonder if this is logged as an ATV accident.


JMO Sandflicker

[DuneJunkie]

Well, that's just a thought.  You know we were at winchester one time and an older guy had a heart attack while moving slowly back towards the parking lot.  He just fell off.  Of course this is terrible, but I wonder if this is logged as an ATV accident.

yep, it most likely was..............

[Dune Dude]

Another flaw in trying to understand ATV related injuries in data collection.  There is no standardized form that will capture information needed to evaluate the accident, injury and circumstances that caused the accident.  This is one item SAFETY RIDE wants to have the State implement.  This would give the needed data to really see what is the cause of ATV accidents and help us all come up will solutions to prevent, instead of just taking the ATV's away.

[Sandflicker]

Another flaw in trying to understand ATV related injuries in data collection.  There is no standardized form that will capture information needed to evaluate the accident, injury and circumstances that caused the accident.  This is one item SAFETY RIDE wants to have the State implement.  This would give the needed data to really see what is the cause of ATV accidents and help us all come up will solutions to prevent, instead of just taking the ATV's away.

I'd really like to see a real way to deal with these issues.  All the data I've seen so far is tainted - and there is no stop to the people that use bad stats as gospel.

[Dune Dude]

Statistics show that 50% of all statistics are false.
Statistics show that 50% of all statistics are true.
And I'm 100% confused.  But, only 30% of the time.

[Sandflicker]

Statistics show that 50% of all statistics are false.
Statistics show that 50% of all statistics are true.
And I'm 100% confused.  But, only 30% of the time.

   You have me soo beat - I'm totally confused - and I think that's what the other side is hoping for.  Their rebuttal will be "well if  you're not a doctor you're not going to understand"

Which is bull, but they way I've seen these guys handle common sense questions in the past.

I am 98.9 % sure that these guys are full of themselves !

[Joe Llamahead]

 One of our riding buddy's is an M.D. he takes turns working in the ER at Bay area Hospital.
 I asked him if he sees a lot of dunning accidents he said' yes unfortunetly there are quite a few, But it has been reduced nearly in half since the BLM no longer allows Alchool in the riding areas".


It's funny we pick up A LOT of Beer cans out in the sand out in horsefall , well not realy funny but y'all  know what I mean.

 I have heard by some of the dune patrol folks that windy bay is not BLM or all BLM  and therefore some or all of the riding areas allow alchool.

 Comon denominator??
 

[Dune Dude]

The farthest north area of the Umpqua Dunes, (Winchester  Bay) basically the area North of Banshee Hill, is County property.  However, this is Public Lands that are open to riding as part of the ORDNA.  The law is pretty specifc about no alcohol in the ORDNA not just the USFS.  If the land is private, that land owner can do what ever they want on their land.  But, if the private land has been open to public riding as part of the ORDNA, the no alcohol law would be in effect. 

It is a shame that you are still finding beer cans out in the dunes.  This is why we need more law enforcement to make a presence out in the riding areas.  I'm not saving pulling everyone over for no reason but, finding the knuckle heads that are ruining it for the rest of us.

[Sandflicker]

At least we haven't seen (yet) anybody painted up with a bomb belted to their waist sitting at the bottom of banchee hill.  I hope I don't give anybody any ideas.

[SANDDEMON]

The eco freaks can afford quads too. And don't think they wouldn't ride in the closed areas to further there agenda.
Many states have passed laws preventing this type of activity. just needs enforcing. Sabatoging a legal activity cant be tolerated, any where. And catching them on camera is a good deterent.