A section of ATV trail in Houlton, Maine has caught the eye of local police following a run of complaints about riders speeding and acting recklessly near a school. The trail runs behind the Region Two School of Applied Technology , and Houlton Police say the reports have prompted them to step in before the situation gets worse.
Police Chief Timothy DeLuca said the trail sits closer to a school than most riders are used to seeing, which is part of what makes the recent complaints such a concern. The route ended up in its current location after problems developed along its previous path, so it was moved to where it runs today. DeLuca made clear that if the reckless riding continues, the trail may have to be rerouted again.
A good deal of the area’s trail system runs across private land, and that fact carries more weight than casual riders might assume. DeLuca said solid relationships with landowners are essential to keeping the trail open at all. When riders speed or drive carelessly, they jeopardize those relationships, and one landowner revoking permission can erase access for everyone who uses the route responsibly.
The chief said the department’s top priority is keeping the youth and students in the area safe. Earlier in the day, DeLuca spoke with the president of the ATV club that manages the trail. The club plans to add more signs in the area to reinforce safe riding and remind people that they are passing close to a school.
Police were quick to note that most riders play by the rules. The problem, in DeLuca’s words, is that it only takes one person riding recklessly to spoil it for everybody else. The Aroostook Riders ATV Club repeated that message, asking members and visitors alike to slow down and use extreme caution. The club made the point that this is not a trail the community can afford to lose.
For riders anywhere, the lesson is simple. Trail access frequently rests on private landowners and community goodwill, and both can disappear quickly when riders handle shared routes carelessly. Mind your speed near schools, homes, and any place where the trail passes close to people, and heed the posted signs. Keeping a trail open is far harder than losing one.
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