Your Feeling about Using 'No Trespass' Private/Gov Trails

[The duke]

Between me and the nearby trails is a busy and quite dangerous street. But there's another route to the trails via a government maintained service dirt road for power lines. It intersects service dirt roads for the water district. All these dirt roads have multiple "do not enter, government property" signs and vehicle gates that are wide open on either side, allowing bikers and hikers easily around on well worn trails.

I've seen bikers, hikers and dog walkers on these trails and recently started using them instead of risking my life with texting drivers on city streets. I've also learned that they let out onto private streets, which I've started using as well.

I stay well away from electrical towers or fenced areas. I've seen water dept. workers who wave to me and I leave private roads as quickly as I can. I really like spending my whole ride in nature, away from cars and fumes. Am I making a big mistake? I dont want to cause trouble or give ebikers a bad name....just want to have good, safe fun.

 

[Ant]

Private, maybe not... but seem to remember reading about a speech about 'government' being 'of the people, by the people, for the people...' so, if you are a people person, 'government property' is your property anyway, go for it... just remind any government employee who asks about you being there that they are working for you. Your safety comes first anyway.

 

[6zfshdb]

There are many such service roads where I live, mostly for access to power lines & gas pipelines. All are gated and marked "No Trespassing". As is the case where you are, these roads are occasionally used by hikers, bikers and ATV riders. Policing is sporadic and usually done by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources. (DCNR). The few citations I'm aware of were issued to ATV'ers. Aside from injury liability, the main concern is erosion caused by tire rutting on steep sections which makes the road impassible for service vehicles. I'm not aware of any hikers or MTB'ers being cited for trespassing but it is certainly a possibility.

I would really like to see these roads opened up to e-bikes but landowner liability is a big issue which isn't easy to eliminate.

 

[harryS]

No Trespass means exactly that to me, no matter who owns it.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

So what I hear you saying is that I can ride my bike through your lawn and tomato patch every day, and maybe step inside and use your loo?

Please be serious.

Both common courtesy and common sense require that before you do anything like that you must secure permission from the property owners.

 

[Ian Moone]

Between me and the nearby trails is a busy and quite dangerous street. But there's another route to the trails via a government maintained service dirt road for power lines. It intersects service dirt roads for the water district. All these dirt roads have multiple "do not enter, government property" signs and vehicle gates that are wide open on either side, allowing bikers and hikers easily around on well worn trails.

I've seen bikers, hikers and dog walkers on these trails and recently started using them instead of risking my life with texting drivers on city streets. I've also learned that they let out onto private streets, which I've started using as well.

I stay well away from electrical towers or fenced areas. I've seen water dept. workers who wave to me and I leave private roads as quickly as I can. I really like spending my whole ride in nature, away from cars and fumes. Am I making a big mistake? I dont want to cause trouble or give ebikers a bad name....just want to have good, safe fun.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell. ? Or another way to put it, Why make waves where there's no water, right ! ?

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Don't Ask, Don't Tell. ? Or another way to put it, Why make waves where there's no water, right ! ?

That will work well...

 

[Ian Moone]

That will work well...

Yep, I have that sign lol !! Luckily none of the area's I ride in have any ! ?

 

[indianajo]

Coming from a state where 99% of the land is private no trespassing, we Mountaineers don't take it too seriously. Don't be stupid. Don't cross the trestle or through the tunnel with no man duckouts on a live track . Don't go 15 miles into the abandoned coal mine without rolling out a string to get back. Don't get too close to guys operating backhoes bucket trucks or dozers. Especially the downhill side. Don't take somebody's prize genseng. Don't put ruts in somebody's fire road.

 

[The duke]

So what I hear you saying is that I can ride my bike through your lawn and tomato patch every day, and maybe step inside and use your loo?

Please be serious.

Both common courtesy and common sense require that before you do anything like that you must secure permission from the property owners.

I happen to live in a SoCal beach area. Signs say no dogs on the beach, but there are hundreds. Signs say no bbqs, no liquor, no smoking, but everyone does it. Signs say beaches closed at dusk, but there are hundreds of people on the beaches at night.

Coming from a state where 99% of the land is private no trespassing, we Mountaineers don't take it too seriously. Don't be stupid. Don't cross the trestle or through the tunnel with no man duckouts on a live track . Don't go 15 miles into the abandoned coal mine without rolling out a string to get back. Don't get too close to guys operating backhoes bucket trucks or dozers. Especially the downhill side. Don't take somebody's prize genseng. Don't put ruts in somebody's fire road.

Now that's some down to earth advice!

 

[HonoraryOrange]

Coming from a state where 99% of the land is private no trespassing, we Mountaineers don't take it too seriously. Don't be stupid. Don't cross the trestle or through the tunnel with no man duckouts on a live track . Don't go 15 miles into the abandoned coal mine without rolling out a string to get back. Don't get too close to guys operating backhoes bucket trucks or dozers. Especially the downhill side. Don't take somebody's prize genseng. Don't put ruts in somebody's fire road.

And always keep a good eye out. The last thing you want to do is run into a hidden weed growing operation out in the boonies, too Only ever happened once, but when your trail opens up on that field and you see it, and you know it isn't legal there, you turn around quick lol