Re: WARNING! - tire spikes in Saline Valley
Posted by Zardoz on October 29, 2003 at 10:03:38:
In Reply to: Re: WARNING! - tire spikes in Saline Valley posted by on-roader on October 29, 2003 at 08:54:40:
On roader wrote
Something seems to have been left out of this discussion -- it is illegal to drive off road -- the detour around the washout is not a legal detour. If you had not been driving off the legal route (causing damage in the process), your car would not have been damaged. Tire spiking is an illegal act of vandalism, but so is driving off of established roads.
If your travel in the SV, you probably already know how to deal with vehicle damage, flats, and other problems associated with being in the middle of nowhere. You probably also know what is or is not legal (whether you agree or disagree with the legality is another issue).
I didn't put out the spikes (I havn't been in SV in eight or nine months), and that is not the sort of thing I do, but I do have some sympathy with whoever did.
I have a feeling this message will really piss some people off.
Zardoz comments
Well I will take this on. I understand your feelings but I will point out that these paths
exist. So much previous impact from Man has occured in the past that to call these areas next
to the road Wilderness is ridiculous. I understand that the law is the law but sometimes
I think we need a catagory of land to transition
from road to Wilderness for areas that have had
previous impact from Man like Saline. I would
never personally cross a wilderness sign but I
understand why people do it. DVNP has never respected "previous use" which was the agreement
when the land was moved from BLM to DVNP status.
They try to shut down the runway, close off campsites and roads that existed before the transition. They say one thing and do another until political pressure is applied than they back off. This creates incredible bad feelings and the lack of trust is justified. Spiking the
trails is like spiking timber someday someone
will be hurt. People who decide they are judge
and jury and do these kind of acts are terrorists
in my opinion and while you may feel some kind of
sympathy for them it is still wrong. If caught
people using these trails may get a $1k ticket or
even have there vehicles impounded. Leaving someone stranded in the desert could be manslaughter. The penalties are severe enough without people taking the law into there own hands especially when death could result.
Folks please stay civil and if you are pissed take a break and write later. Screaming abuse
will accomplish nothing.