http://wral.com/news/local/story/1605849/

[Edited on July 18, 2007 at 10:29 PM. Reason : .]

7/18/2007 10:20:10 PM

hope nobody actually read the article...

Quote :

"Cape Hatteras park officials, however, are not enforcing the order while they try to get an interpretation of Boyle's ruling. "

7/18/2007 10:25:33 PM

i read the article, but i think we all know it's just a matter of time before restricitons tighten on OHV's , and this is an attempt in that direction...

7/18/2007 10:28:44 PM

that's crap. stupid judge ruling about things he doesn't have a clue about. there are already plans, guidelines, etc. for driving out there. there is constant monitoring of the environmental impact and adequate patroling/enforcement. one idiot ruining it for everyone as usual.

gg to the local officials for not enforcing the order. sounds like you can still drive north of corolla too. not that they could close that anyway since it's technically highway 12 and accesses hundreds of properies/homes.

i don't see this staying in effect. being able to drive out there isn't just for kicks to everyone, it's a big part of the fishing industry.

[Edited on July 18, 2007 at 10:34 PM. Reason : .]

7/18/2007 10:32:54 PM

This is just a ploy by the NMMA to get all those people to buy boats.

7/18/2007 10:45:34 PM

no its just a bleeding heart judge with a sea turtle tattoed on his ass being a pussy.

7/18/2007 10:54:45 PM

I thought Judge Boyle did a great job in stopping the OLF from being built, as Senators Dole and Burr had to be shamed into coming out against it, even though many people in NC opposed it.

This is nothing but the district court kicking the NPS in the ass to get their ORV plans in place like they should have already been. If I really thought they would close Cape Hatteras down I would be truly appalled.

I applaud them for having some areas that are closed to vehicles. Us humans have a tendency to destroy everything in the absence of any sort of control.

7/18/2007 11:23:53 PM

Quote :

"This is nothing but the district court kicking the NPS in the ass to get their ORV plans in place like they should have already been."

that's the thing, there ARE plans/guidelines/rules already in place. possibly they could be a little better in some areas, but they have to work on an EXTREMELY limited budget. if the government isn't going to allocate any additional funds to ohv programs, then wtf do they expect.

also, it's not like this is some incident of widespread problems or environmental impact. sounds like it was just a single jackass driving around like an idiot, which could have happened no matter what "plans" were in place.

7/18/2007 11:37:51 PM

the carolina beach "sand" is open to all.

but it cost $$.

7/19/2007 8:29:37 AM

^that place pisses me off. I still remember the first time I went and didn't have enough cash. The woman was like "you're not from here....are you?" in a condescending tone. I said no, but I've lived in North Carolina my whole life. I can place your accent from New Jersey though. That sand sucks.

7/19/2007 9:04:15 AM

The Carolina Beach thing is more of a congestion charge than anything. The one down at Fort Fisher goes to the parks operations so you really can't complain that much. We all want low taxes, so instead of funding the park through our tax dollars, we let visitors pay for it. User pay, user benefit is the fairest tax in my opinion. Not that I want to see a fee at Cape Hatteras or anything

7/19/2007 9:18:50 AM

I like it when cops do that.

In texas they made all of the state highway speedlimits 55 (if you've seen their state highways with thier exit ramps and what ever the roads are called that that parallel them you'd know how fucked up that was) the texas police stopped pulling anyone over on the highways unless they were doing 100+

7/19/2007 9:20:34 AM

^huh? texas has some of the highest speed limits in the country. lots of 75 zones, and even some 80 daytime zones in west texas. even commercial trucks and private vehicles towing are allowed a max of 65 iirc.

i don't mind paying fees to use state and national ohv areas as long as the money or at least the majority of it goes torwards maintinance, employee salaries, and keeping them open. i think fees herd away some of the idiots too. if someone cares enough to pay to get in an area, generally they're going to care enough to obey the rules.

i do think blm land should remain free of charge, but we don't have that to worry about on the east coast.

7/19/2007 10:12:24 AM

Quote :

"Judge Halts Beach Driving on Cape Hatteras National Seashore Posted: Jul. 18, 2007 Updated: Jul. 18 8:41 p.m. Hatteras — A federal judge has put an immediate stop to all beach driving on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. In an order filed Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle said the National Park Service, the Department of Interior and towns along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore need to create an off-road vehicle plan for the beaches. Until that happens, off-road vehicle driving is banned from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse north to Oregon Inlet and south to Ocracoke. Cape Hatteras park officials, however, are not enforcing the order while they try to get an interpretation of Boyle's ruling. Some areas on the beach are closed because of wildlife sanctuaries, which have nothing to do with the order, Seashore Superintendent Mike Murray said. And there are enforceable regulations prohibiting motorists from driving on sand dunes, speeding and driving drunk. Boyle's order was based on a criminal case that began over the Memorial Day weekend. In that case, Vasile Matei was accused of operating a vehicle without due care. During Matei's trial, Boyle questioned the lack of off-road vehicle rules that the Park Service can enforce. In Wednesday’s order, Boyle said the lack of rules endangers both beach-goers and endangered species that live on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. According to the National Park Service, piping plover chicks forage and rest in the area."

I'm usually quite lazy, and now you can be too!

7/19/2007 1:11:35 PM

I think the biggest part of the decision is that there is no formal plan. You can put up some "speed limit 15" and "stay off the dune" signs, but where are vehicles allowed? If people are laying out to get some sun, whats to keep someone from rolling over the top of them?

As an avid surf fisherman, I have seen people drive in front of a line of surf fisherman and have their rods ripped out of their holders and dragged down the beach.They probably should have been told not to do this... there are a lot of first time beach drivers out there who don't think about these things. There is also a bit of gray area out there in relation to liability, so if we are going to hold someone to a legal standard, we need to have a plan to refer to. That being said, blanket prohibition in the interim is not a solution.

[Edited on July 19, 2007 at 1:37 PM. Reason : .]

7/19/2007 1:36:09 PM

rules are in place for where to drive and park. lanes of travel are to be in the vicinity of the high tide line. any parking must be perpendicular in between the lanes of travel and the water. most of the gray areas are marked with signs that have a crossed out jeep symbol on them. they're lost in storms sometimes, but i've always found everything to be pretty clearly marked between those and the keep off the dunes signs.

Quote :

"there are a lot of first time beach drivers out there who don't think about these things."

yep, that is the problem. the same dumbass yankees on vacation clogging up the paved roads are the same ones running in front of the parking area, in front of fisherman, and generally driving outside of the designated areas. you've also got your token 3 sheets in the wind rednecks doing it too.

it really comes down to common sense and taking responsibility for your actions. even if there weren't rules/signs in place you can take a look around and see where not to go for the most part. some people just don't have any. it shouldn't be the governments job to spell things out. normal traffic laws aren't. it's the responsibility of the driver to be aware of any applicable laws/rules. signs on paved roads are little more than general guidelines, just like the signs in ohv areas.

Quote :

"That being said, blanket prohibition in the interim is not a solution."

definitely not. it's a huge foot in the door for opponents to ohv's.

[Edited on July 19, 2007 at 2:05 PM. Reason : .]

7/19/2007 2:02:41 PM

Quote :

"New Jersey "

it's the fucks from New Jersey and New York that drive 10 feet into the sand and sink. I refuse to stop and help.

7/19/2007 2:32:45 PM

oh, i'll help them. they're getting 20 ft. of slack in the strap, foot on the floor, sand flung all over, and drug all the way out to the pavement.

we'll sit down there at the main entrance sometimes just to laugh at the idiots, drag them out, and send them back up nc 12.

seems like ohio people are the worst in my experience.

7/19/2007 2:45:00 PM

haha, we went to Freeman Park (north end of carolina beach) a couple weeks back and it's amazing at the number of idiots who go out there. As soon as we got off the pavement, a guy apparently forgot he needed 4 wheel drive in a stock f150. He just sat there and buried the back end.

There's a good sized pool of water down near the inlet that kids normally play in. When we first got there, a Montero Sport was sitting there with the hood up. After midnight, a bunch of girls talked a guy in a Land Rover to go through it at full speed. That didn't last very long. Then some guy was hauling ass down below the high tide line and the damn patrol officer chasing him almost ran into us. It's worth the money just to go watch the stupid things people do though.

[Edited on July 19, 2007 at 3:49 PM. Reason : ]

7/19/2007 3:48:48 PM

Quote :

"no its just a bleeding heart judge with a sea turtle tattoed on his ass being a pussy."

haha
sad and probably true

7/19/2007 4:38:55 PM

well, its not like he's wiping his ass with the constitution... unlike the executive branch

7/19/2007 5:42:15 PM

^Is it to much to ask for you to keep political debates in the soap box instead of bringing them into a debate over a judge? We all have our opinions on political issues, why don't you TRY to stick to those that apply to the threads subject?

7/19/2007 8:34:34 PM

^^he's being an asshat either way, using the actions of a single person to further his own agenda and punish the majority. i'd kinda call that wiping his ass with the constitution imo.

7/19/2007 8:47:40 PM

Quote :

"^huh? texas has some of the highest speed limits in the country. lots of 75 zones, and even some 80 daytime zones in west texas. even commercial trucks and private vehicles towing are allowed a max of 65 iirc."

it happend 4 years ago and lasted 8 months ish


they went from 65 -> 55 -> 75 cause they had less accidents with the higher speeds the cops were allowing.

7/19/2007 10:14:33 PM

Quote :

"it's the fucks from New Jersey and New York that drive 10 feet into the sand and sink. I refuse to stop and help."

werd, fuck them. I love seeing those pricks head out there on a hot afternoon with fully inflated tires.
Only time I've ever pulled an idiot out was an asian family in a Honda minivan.
They had it buried in the middle of the entryway and were just sitting in it scared shitless.

7/20/2007 7:52:35 AM

heading down to nags head this weekend and eveything posted on the internet looks like driving is still open to ohv.

anyone been down there recently and know if driving on bodie is open?

8/2/2007 10:48:21 AM

Quote :

"no its just a bleeding heart judge with a sea turtle tattoed on his ass being a pussy. "

ftw

8/2/2007 8:01:28 PM

bodie what? Here's the latest info for driving in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. http://www.nps.gov/caha/parknews/national-park-service-beach-access-report-for-july-26-2007.htm

8/2/2007 8:43:07 PM

bodie island, on the north side of the oregon inlet. i read that report, i was just curious if anyone had any recent first hand experience.

8/2/2007 9:22:59 PM

I've been going to Ocracoke at least once a year since i was 7 years old and we started taking SUVs out there about 10 years ago. Every time i've been there the NPR is trolling the beach and pulls people over when they do something wrong, and is even a nice enough guy to talk to the obvious new people about what they can and can't do. In addition to that, the beach is pretty good at self policing itself... if you fuck around beyond reason someone will let you know. It's pretty sad to see that someone is trying to ruin that.

8/3/2007 1:43:09 PM

no one calls it bodie island, except for the lighthouse, because it isn't an island anymore.

8/3/2007 1:53:43 PM

^^^someone i know was down there last week and had no issues accessing any of the ohv ramps.

8/3/2007 2:31:22 PM

^thanks

^^the area just north of the inlet is often called that, just like it's listed in the report you linked

[Edited on August 3, 2007 at 3:13 PM. Reason : a]

8/3/2007 3:13:30 PM

no one out here calls it that, at least the people I talk to. we just go by areas (carova, oregon inlet, etc) or ramp numbers.

8/3/2007 3:56:35 PM

i was out camping at frisco beach (near hatteras) on wednesday, and i can tell you for a fact that there were a ton of folks out driving on the beach, near ramp 49.

8/4/2007 9:32:32 PM