From Facebook, with permission:
On the weekend we got ice cream at the Big Bay store and walked down to the end of the government dock. Walking back but still on the dock and hearing a roar, the four of us including our six year old grandson, had to jump out of the way of an ATV that came speeding out onto the pier (where vehicles are banned). It just missed us. We yelled at them as they went by at high speed and they laughed at us. One of its rear tires was half-flat. My wife thought it looked likesomething out of the Mad Max movie. A group of ATVs then arrived and drove onto the parking lot and waited. As we walked to the car I went up to one of the ATVs and asked if the driver on the dock was with them. They looked at the ground, embarrassed, and didn't reply. The first ATV then joined them for a couple of minutes then took off in a cloud of dust and I took this picture.
Questions: Who are these people? Why did we ever legalize their use on public roads, let alone rights of way? How much do the ATV manufacturers subsidize the ATV lobbyists who end up in council meetings saying there is only the odd bad apple? The ATVs and drivers were covered in mud: what stream beds, wetlands and natural habitats had they been destroying? At least one of those drivers had absolutely no respect for the law.
Our grandson loves the idea of ATVs. He was very confused. I was just furious.
One response: It is very annoying to see this kind of childish, irresponsible behavior.The Griffith Island Club has a 24/7 webcam on the dock, and they would probably have a digital record of the incident if needed. Also, you might consider contacting the South Bruce Peninsula ATV Club. Perhaps they can help. Bad apple jerks like this guy create very bad publicity for ATVs, which can be detrimental to the family oriented, recreational activities of the club members in general. Grey County is currently considering by-laws about when and where ATVs can be used, and the responsible ATV users certainly want to put a stop to the kind of incident you described.
And another: The Heritage Hills and the Skinner's Bluff Hill are favourites of these large groups of ATVers. They rip through the swampy slough area at the bottom of Skinner's Bluff. Detrimental to all bog flora and fauna there.
And yet another: Every weekend we can hear a thunderous noise of at least 50 coming right past our home. Our home isn't an empty building. It's our HOME that is about 50 yards from this road and it isn't sound proof. I would love to invite them in to experience what we hear .... And then come winter they switch to snowmobiles and keep going day and night.
And one more: invasive, destructive, noise and dust - hard to listen to those proponents who claim that allowing them on the roads leads to better management of this sport through self policing
