[NorCal4life21]

a place i like to go with a friend is next to these railroad tracks where theres a bunch of mud, water and good stuff that we all love and have flowing through our blood. kids make dirt jumps, which have been slightly controversial but nobody really cares. could there really be trouble we could get into for wheelin' by tracks and theres a bunch of unused space, especially sense the railroad is shut down?

 

[mudferret]

Find out whose property it is, and ask permission. Even though the railroad may be shut down, they probably still own the land.

 

[xtremeoff-road]

You will want to be careful, Railroad companies are very weird about their property...used or not, if they own all that land they will not want you on it.

 

[1bille1]

Is it posted, "no tresspassing"? If not ,then wouldn't worry much.

 

[elgecko]

Even if it's not posted "No tresspassing", the responsible thing to do would be to research the access issues. Failing that, it'd probably only be a warning or ticket.

 

[NorCal4life21]

there are no signs that i know of. we've been using this property for bike jumps sense ive been living in the area, like 15 years. i actually am trying to get ahold of people who will know anything, but the railroad company has pretty much left the area. i cant remember how long its been sense the tracks have been used.

 

[bb609]

a place i like to go with a friend is next to these railroad tracks where theres a bunch of mud, water and good stuff that we all love and have flowing through our blood. kids make dirt jumps, which have been slightly controversial but nobody really cares. could there really be trouble we could get into for wheelin' by tracks and theres a bunch of unused space, especially sense the railroad is shut down?

If you really want an answer, stop by the local PD. You can probably guess what they will tell you but at least you will know. On the other hand, what you have already said sounds like a pretty good excuse the first time you get caught!

 

[elgecko]

A call or trip to your local County Assessor's office will get the legal owner of the property.

 

[NorCal4life21]

If you really want an answer, stop by the local PD. You can probably guess what they will tell you but at least you will know. On the other hand, what you have already said sounds like a pretty good excuse the first time you get caught!

lol yea, theres construction going on, on the other side (its pretty good sized land) and when me and a couple friends go through they cheer us on. its fun can the people who live around there get involved, too. yea, you're probably right about the Police.

 

[calamaridog]

Bicycles/kids draw less attention than pick-up trucks. If you can go there legally, then have fun. If not, then pay the price.

 

[Intrepid]

tracks...cops...

I brother got a rather large fine for wheeling on trails NEAR some tracks, a cop must have seen him from the road because he FOLLOWED him onto the trails in a crown vic. My brother said the fine was worth it to see a cop destroy his front end on a trail. Then a couple months later he was on a trail that came down a loose steep hill that ended on some tracks. He was alone and couldn't get his jeep back up the hill so he rode down the side of the tracks and someone called the police and now he is heading off for his second time in court over it, I geuss the railroad is pressing charges. The cop said he should have used a couple come-a-longs and slowly pulled himself back up the hill. (of course he only had one) I hate cops...

 

[Mike]

I hate cops...

Yeah, me too. I really hate public servants who do their job when people are tresspassing. Damn cops.

Later,
....Mike

 

[calamaridog]

LOL

Can a mod please move this OUT of the Land Use folder...

This thread is embarrassing.

 

[BigBadBob0]

The question was legitimate, some of the responses are questionable. This is the kind of debate that needs to happen to educate people about what is right vs. wrong.

In response to the original question: the answer is most certainly that you are either trespassing or destroying public property depending on if a private entity owns the land or the government.

Regardless of the legal issues involved here, let's look at the ethical issue. Are you being a nuissance? Are you making all pickup truck drivers look like a bunch of hillbilly punks by tearing up land? Is your motor making enough noise to piss off people living in the area? Suffering the consequences of your wrong doing shouldn't be the thing that worries you the most. A few construction workers cheering you on should hardly convince you to do anything.

The proper thing to do here is control "your blood" and take your off-road excursions to places designed for off-road driving. It doesn't matter how far away it is or how long it takes you to get there, it's the right thing to do.

 

[BigBadBob0]

I hate cops...

Maybe the next time your brother is tempted to wheel where he shouldn't (and alone on top of that) he'll think twice and take his rig somewhere legitimate.

Every person you piss off by driving on private property is another person joining the force to close trails to off-road vehicles.

 

[Point45]

hey man, i used to live in novato and there was a spot parralleling the tracks....we were making a video for school and being stupid jerks, rippin around and trying to be cool. the cops came and said that everyone on the freeway was callin us in. we got off with a warning, and if i could do it over again i wouldnt.

in santa rosa i doubt you can wheel. its not worth it and a lot of the the deptments are giving tresspassing and vandalism tickets.... even if you can do it, your going to look like an ass, lead by example and dont go wheeling in town. but if your that hard up to go "wheeling" on a "lot" of land. call up the find an officer down town and ask.

but you would have a lot more fun, making a day of it up at pilsbury or cow mountain

the railroad still owns the land btw.

 

[Intrepid]

public servants who do their job

Apparentely you mis-read the post, I didn't say I hate public servants who do their job, I said I hate cops, I have found that those two descriptions don't always abide within the same person.
However, I do agree that the more you act like an ass and piss people off the more you damage the whole off roading world, however, along the same lines, cops who feel the need to act like dicks who are all hyped up on a little authority all the time ruin the public servant image of cops everywhere.
Also who on this forum has never seen an unposted trail somewhere along the road or by some powerlines or out in the woods somewhere and driven in to check it out. Now if a cop came in and said, "hey you are not allowed to be in here, you need to leave, this is a warning." thats cool, but there is no real reason for him to scream at you, treat you like an asshole, and threaten you.
Don't even pretend you don't know what I mean.

 

[Point45]

Apparentely you mis-read the post, I didn't say I hate public servants who do their job, I said I hate cops, I have found that those two descriptions don't always abide within the same person.
However, I do agree that the more you act like an ass and piss people off the more you damage the whole off roading world, however, along the same lines, cops who feel the need to act like dicks who are all hyped up on a little authority all the time ruin the public servant image of cops everywhere.
Also who on this forum has never seen an unposted trail somewhere along the road or by some powerlines or out in the woods somewhere and driven in to check it out. Now if a cop came in and said, "hey you are not allowed to be in here, you need to leave, this is a warning." thats cool, but there is no real reason for him to scream at you, treat you like an asshole, and threaten you.
Don't even pretend you don't know what I mean.

your an idiot.

 

[Intrepid]

So as to not to create more disagreements in the wrong section of the forum I will refrain from posting negative comments regarding your person, have a nice day and I really like your geo metro, tell you husband I am sorry for bashing cops.

 

[GOT COPE?]

a place i like to go with a friend is next to these railroad tracks where theres a bunch of mud, water and good stuff that we all love and have flowing through our blood. kids make dirt jumps, which have been slightly controversial but nobody really cares. could there really be trouble we could get into for wheelin' by tracks and theres a bunch of unused space, especially sense the railroad is shut down?

you should obtain a county "plat" map. This will list the owners of each piece of property. Try your county courthouse, they should be able to help you get a map.