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ATV abusers harm nature, private property

Date published: 5/3/2008

This is in reference to the recent letters regarding ATVs and the river ["Don't buy an ATV if you have no place to use it," March 16].

We live on family land that goes to the center of the Matta River in Spotsylvania. We really enjoy walking in the woods, fishing in the river, and riding our ATV on our own land.

One day, our grandson came and told us that someone had built a bridge to join the land on the other side of the river to ours.

We walked down there, and sure enough there was a bridge made out of trees and boards. Someone had cut down the trees on our family land to make the bridge.

These were two huge trees, so there is no way that children did this; it had to be an adult, and it had to be more than one adult to even get these trees moved.

Not only did they destroy two of our trees, but they also dug up part of our bank and used that dirt to pack around the bridge that they built. We could see from the tracks that they had used the bridge to ride on our land with their four-wheelers.

This was not a small bridge; it was at least 20 feet in length and 5 feet wide.

Each slat across the width of the bridge had two nails on each end nailing it to the tree, so just from the construction and weight of the trees it had to have been done by adults.

I just do not understand why people do these things. Do they really think that just because they have a four-wheeler that they can ride wherever they want? Do they really feel it is all right to go onto someone else's property and cut down trees that do not belong to them, to make a bridge so that they can ride their toys on someone else's land?

Stop and think. Be respectful. Treat other people as you would want them to treat you and your property.

Debbie Johnson

Spotsylvania



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Date published: 5/3/2008


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A Shame (posted by returninghome , May 6, 2008 9:30 am)   
I hope you took down the bridge. and or made it loose lol it be a shame if some one had taken a dive in the water on atv .. Snicker

look it up suzuki4wheeler (posted by got2boys , May 5, 2008 11:47 pm)   
Huffman v. Appalachian Power Co: Drunk guy goes up a power pole gets electrocuted and sues. As a land owner who is going to pay my attorneys fees when I get sued?

Ran out of Characters (posted by CardCrest , May 5, 2008 11:00 am)   
I think God will punish clueless ATVers who put their narcissistic, greedy, destructive needs above being respectful to others. What part of "No Tresspassing" do you not understand??

Sukuki4wheeler = clueless (posted by CardCrest , May 5, 2008 10:57 am)   
If you’re riding on someone’s property w/out their written permission as req’d by law, then you’re doing damage regardless of how you ride. Also, if trespassers do get hurt, the property owner could potentially be held liable. Even if a property owner was determined to not be liable, it might cost them lots of $$$ to prove it. Finally, it’s comical that you say “God will punish us all who act like you do for putting your greedy ways above being friendly to your ATV riding neighbors”. I think God will pu

lawsuits - Suzuki (posted by Ron_C , May 5, 2008 10:51 am)   
This may be news to you but there have been quite a few instances where someone broke into a persons house and hurt themselves, then turned around and sued the homeowner and WON the lawsuit. Even if the landowner wins, they still have the expense and hassle of defending themselves. you are right that if someone trespasses and gets hurt it isn't the property owners fault, but since when does that mean they won't get sued anyway?

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