Few tickets issued to people breaking ban on ATV use in Alberta
原始发布日期： 2016-05-11 发布者：李方字变大 字变小
No complaints from the public are coming in about the ban on ATV use, government saysATVs pose risk due to extremely dry conditions 0:47 Few tickets have been issued to people caught riding ATVs on public land since the Alberta government announced a province-wide ban last Friday. "There have been some tickets issued, very few," said Shannon Phillips, minister of environment and parks. In some cases, it was simply a matter of conservation officers explaining the ban, she said. "Many people who hadn't heard about it simply said, 'Yes, this makes sense,' and they parked their ATVs," Phillips said.
The use of all-terrain vehicles on public or provincial park land was banned as of May 6 because of the risk of starting a wildfire. (CBC) There have been no complaints filed with the provincial government about the ban, which was put in place at the request of the Alberta Off Highway Vehicle Association, she said. The ban, put in place May 6, applies to recreational use on public lands, including designated trails. It does not apply to those who use off-road vehicles for farming, enforcement or business purposes. A decision on when the ban should be lifted will be made in consultation with fire experts, Phillips said. While it's rare for an ATV to start a wildfire, the owner of Expedition Rentals in Edmonton supports the ban. "We don't want to start creating more hazards ... while they're trying to deal with this situation that's going on in Fort McMurray," Richard Wharmby said. 
Richard Wharmby, owner of Expedition Rentals, said it's "very rare" for an ATV to start a wildfire. (CBC) There used to be a problem with sparks coming out of the exhaust systems of ATVs, he said, but designs have changed and that doesn't happen anymore. "It's basically parking in long grass, after riding an ATV hard, that would cause some sort of an issue," he said. But that could happen with any vehicle, and the ban on ATVs is just one measure to prevent fires from starting. Renting out quads and side-by-sides is a big part of Wharmby's business, and while he expects the ban will cost him customers for a while, he isn't overly concerned. He's watching the weather forecast and is optimistic that rain is on the way, which might allow the ban to be lifted. "In the end, it's all about the safety of Albertans and the safety of our support personnel," Whalmby said. "Right now, with them all being taxed as much as they are, it's best just to stick with this little ban as it is and hopefully things improve." |
