I was out enjoying the local snowmobile trails yesterday and came across a man walking his two dogs; a man with his child and dog walking; a man, child and two dogs XC skiing (not the dogs); a woman walking; and a man riding his mountain bike.
These are all great outdoor recreational activities to enjoy and I am not mad that they are participating, I am mad that they were all on the state snowmobile trail. If I were to ride down a ski trail, or the Lakewalk, or a regular sidewalk for that matter, people would be calling the police and hopping up and down in anger. So why is it OK to break the rules the other way?
My snowmobile will kill you, your children and your dog!
It is not safe and you really should refrain from being out there. I am trying to avoid the next tragedy in the area by sending out this warning. The speed limit on the trail is 50 m.p.h. That is basically the same as the highway. Do you walk your dog and kids in the highway? No, of course you would not. So why is it OK on a trail designated for motorized vehicles?
Fifty percent of the people I encountered turned to face me and move over off the trail, that means the other half did not even turn around or contain their dogs. If I have to swerve abruptly or slam on the brakes, I increase the chances of one of us becoming injured. Have you ever been charged by a dog while on a moving vehicle? It is difficult to judge where they are going.
So please stick to walking trails for walking, ski trails for skiing, and I’ll stay on the snowmobile trail with my 500-pound vehicle. Happy winter!
