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(August 30, 2002) -
You see all terrain vehicles everywhere in Nebraska. They’re becoming a more popular – but often dangerous - form of recreation. “Statewide’s” Perry Stoner reports that as ATV riding areas become more crowded, the danger increases and ATV accidents strain local emergency services.
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Ride Along! Go with an ETV camera on the ATV trail at Headworks Park:RealPlayer | QuickTime |
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Transcript of Restricted Riding
[Anchor Perry Stoner]
There are four public areas in Nebraska that allow all-terrain vehicles. The number of ATV's in the state is rising each year. With few areas to ride, the dangers of the recreation become more apparent. When there's an ATV accident, it can strain local emergency services trying to assist. Statewide's Perry Stoner takes us on the ATV trail and fun on four wheels.
[Dan Nitzel]
For me its an adrenaline type of thing, it's a people like me that like to have thrills and that's the kind of machines I like to ride, I like fast machines.
[Perry Stoner]
During many weekends, Dan Nitzel hits the trail. He's hooked on all-terrain vehicles, but he knows they can be dangerous too.
[Nitzel]
I try to ride them responsibly and try to keep them within the limits of the law and try to be decent about it, set a good example.
[Stoner]
Most weekends, dozens of riders see the good example set by Nitzel. They ride at Headworks Park along the Loup River near Genoa. Last year a Grand Island man died in an ATV accident at Headworks Park.
[Martha Shockley]
He was driving after hours with his lights off in a restricted area. We've seen broken bones and punctured lungs. To me they are debilatating injuries and take a lot of recovery.
[Stoner]
Volunteers for the nearby Genoa Rescue are becoming accustomed to the accidents.
[Dave Baxa]
With ATV's its often an ejection type problem and we always think of naturally broken bones but our main concern is head and spinal injuries, that's what we worry about the most.
[Stoner]
Some riders enjoy their ATV because of the places they can go. But for emergency personnel that poses problems when trying to get to someone in needing aid.
[Baxa]
A lot of it is not accessible even with 4 wheel drive, so we have to rely on ATV's to transport equipment and personnel out to the injured person which can be quite a distance from any road. If you have to carry someone a mile a mile and a half through the sand it takes at least three people, we trade off quite often.
[Stoner]
Members of the Nebraska off highway vehicle association stepped in to help.
[Nitzel]
The best solution was an ATV and a trailer to take em out, before we just grabbed somebody with a pickup truck and tried to get them back here and that's not always easy.
[Stoner]
Nance County Deputy Dave Moore is a common site at Headworks. With the ATV and trailer, he can respond quickly when needed.
[Nitzel]
Fortunately we don't have a lot of accidents, but in the event of an accident we want to make sure we are properly prepared to handle any kind of call somebody might make. Not only is the trailer here for the Headworks location, its also available for the sheriff's department should they need it at another location.
[Stoner]
Genoa Rescue appreciates the cooperation of the rider's group. The equipment makes their job easier on the trails, but they have other worries.
[Shockley]
My biggest concern is if you are out on a call two, three miles out in the sand, if there is a call in Genoa. If there is a cardiac arrest or something we don't have the manpower to be out there and be here and there's only the one unit.
[Stoner]
That problem may not go away soon. The Motorcycle Industry Council says there are more than 43 thousand ATV's and that dirt bikes in Nebraska. And the number is growing. Riders say space is getting crowded and more dangerous.
[Narration: Gary Gibbs]
The sales have just gone up a lot every year more people getting introduced into it, a lot of families its getting popular. About the only thing holding back is places to ride or there would be more of them.
We aren't asking for tax dollars, there's gas tax dollars available and most other states the riders are willing to pay their own way either a users fee or license.
I'm sure its just a matter of finding it and funding it and running it.
[Stoner]
But the process is not that simple.
[Michelle Stryker]
Trying to site an ATV trail is one of the most difficult things to site for recreational opportunities, it really is. And we do find out that everyday people are interested in having them and there are people that are interested in not having them.
People, adjacent landowners have problems with these types of trails because of noise and abatement of their land you know it could get degradated, you know there's a lot of things.
[Stoner]
A trails committe of private citizens make decisions on trail development. Stryker says Nebraska has little public land to develop. Nitzel claims Game and Parks isn't interested in ATV Trails.
[Nitzel]
The problem is motorized recreation seems to go against their mission statement. I'm sure there's mission statements in other states that are similar and they work around that. Nebraska has some of the lowest funding in the nation. We would like to see the committee come around and change some of the restrictive rules they've adopted that's limits funding for areas like this.
[Stoner]
Stryker says they'd help, but to get federal funds, ATV riders first need to work with a public body like a county government or NRD. Or Loup Public Power that's a partner at headworks Park.
[Stryker]
No one is applying for the funds. It's as simple as that. They have not gone out and done their homework like other grassroots organizations for trail use and whatnot just like any other trails group, we have to have everyone have the same types of rules and I know sometimes that can be difficult but we know it can happen with hike and bike trails, we know that its happened with ATV trails in the past and we know it can happen again in Nebraska. And we would not play favorites, we do not do anything like that. We support any kind of recreational opportunity in the state of Nebraska.
[Stoner]
State lawmakers are involved in the ATV issue. During the regular session of the 2002 legislature a bill was introduced requiring the registration of ATV's. Most of the money raised would be used for trail development.
[Sen. Elaine Stuhr]
I feel that its important that we provide recreational opportunities for our people in Nebraska and try to encourage them to stay in the state and not travel elsewhere. At the hearing it was quite evident that they are travelling a great deal out of state, because we simply don't have these facilities available.
[Stoner]
Stuhr's bill did not come out of committee when it was introduced. She now thinks the bill's ten dollar registration fee may not be enough. Regardless, she says she'll keep working with riders on the issue.
[Nitzel]
There isn't a lot of public land in Nebraska so the most logical thing is to find a funding mechanism to acquire land for people to ride and also a funding mechanism for maintenance and development of trails. A group in Lincoln called the Nebraska Trailriders Association actually went to Missouri and purchased land so they'd have a place to ride. They drive 90 miles one way just to ride because they figured it was going to be impossible to find anyplace around the Lincoln area. We know that they have to go out of state and of course we wish that it didn't happen but you can't please everyone all the time and we do know that if there is a political subdivision willing to take on the responsibility of having an ATV trail, we at Nebraska Game & Parks our commission is willing to be right behind them and give them full support of funding.
[Stoner]
Without more public areas designed for ATV use, places like the Loup and Platte Rivers will get more use. Then other issues arise, like maintaining river habitat. Riders don't care if new areas get developed by Game and Parks or a self-tax created by new legislation. They just want more places like the Headworks Park to enjoy the outdoors.
[Nitzel]
I know this area has had a significant, not huge, but significant economic impact on the area, the trails at the Nebraska National Forest also have a significant economic impact on the local area as well. Riders seem to pretty much to follow the rules. It's really turned out nice, it's a great place for a family to come and recreate.
[Stoner]
Reporting for Statewide this is Perry Stoner.