Offroad-Express

righto it will be a brief rant and over quickly

I recently saw photos on facebook of a trip around the south coast of Wellington last weekend and I voiced my disapproval of the vehicles driving where they shouldn't have been.

Some of you may have thought I was just being picky etc etc, but here is just cause for my concern, this is an article that appeared today from a Wellington City Councillor......................


Last warning for south coast vehicle users

Vehicle access to Wellington's south coast could be stopped if trail bike and four-wheel-drive owners keep going off tracks and seriously damaging the unique and fragile environment.

More damage was done over Labour weekend but the off-road mayhem is an ongoing problem.

Wellington City Council's Natural Environment Portfolio Leader Councillor Helene Ritchie says the Council and landowners are upset at the stupid and dangerous antics of some 4WD drivers and trail bike riders using the coastal track between Owhiro Bay, Red Rocks/Pariwhero and Karori Stream.

"Some locals and walkers are calling for the road to be shut to vehicular traffic except for bach owners and special events," she says. "At this time, we don't want the irresponsible minority ruining it for the majority but if behaviour does not improve, the Council will look to further restrict vehicle access or stop it completely."

Vehicles are allowed through the gate at Owhiro Bay every day except Sunday - to allow walkers one day of unhindered access. The Council, bach and land-owners, the police and the Cross Country Vehicle Club have been working together for years to educate drivers on how to respect the South Coast environment.

But increasing activity by some vehicle users is destroying some coastal washout areas on private land past Pariwhero/Red Rocks. The coastal environment is harsh and plants take a long time to grow, and longer to recover. The area is also an important home for native lizards and birds, as well as seals, and rare insects including the spear grass weevil and the geometrid moth.

"This is a fragile coast, not a 4WD playground," she says. "Once one vehicle goes off the formed track, others tend to follow their wheel marks. Once you've had five vehicles over something, the damage is very difficult to make good. As well as the damage to plant and animal habitats, huge tyre tracks make it look vandalised."

Local landowners are also upset at people illegally accessing their properties from the coastal track. Private property signs have been shot at and driven over.

"Like us, they value the coast and its unique environment and are upset at the environmental damage," Cr Ritchie says.




So could all you users please take note of the bloody signs they put up, otherwise you will lose all access and yet another area will be closed off to us

rant over

SKID

I agree Skid
although I would assume and hope they arn't associated with ore or any clubs
also the guys that go off on the grass verge around upperhutt river road and rip it up thats not 4wding

Yep fair call skid .... theres a sign at the gate which gives information as well as signposts marking where to keep off .....

Maybe we need some use it properly or loose it signs?

Completely agree. I love that track through devils gate etc if I feel like giving the 4wd a gentle stretch but I always stick to the road/track and only go as far as the CVCC training area.

I would hate to see it closed because of a few dickheads, but how do you stop them? Its like trying to stop young kids pulling patches in their road going coffins in Totara Park where I live.

Agree on the River Road grass areas too, see that a bit, but if I do I will go and have a word from now on. Problem there is not only 4wds, its motorcross bikes as well, even through the football ground at Awakairangi Park. It is clearly sign posted, no motocross bikes but the ones who do it are the ones who dont care.

It's going to be a struggle to stop/convince these things from happening. Thats when the councils start to regulate and we will all miss out I think, unfortunately

It's rare for me to post here, but have to advise some vehicles proudly displaying ORE stickers were seen hooning beyond Karori Stream and have been reported to the authorities

This Saturday is the rubbish collection organised by Barry Insul, and the cops will be in attendance checking vehicles - so you have been warned.

There are now many people around who are armed with cameras only too willing to snap away at idiotic behaviour - they are being emboldened by WCC announcements in the press threatening closure

At the end of teh day, a likely outcome will be like so many places - everything locked up - but hey the Clubs will be still able to get keys and the freedom drivers will be the ones who suffer. Then again, it is the freedom drivers and trailbike riders causing all the mayhem

Andy

Andic wrote:vehicles proudly displaying ORE stickers

sounds more like a dig at ORE to me, Rego numbers and photographs are more relevant and evidentual than website stickers, even though these aledged hooners were beyond Karori Stm well past the populated areas of the coast if they were behaving dangerously or destructively I dont think you'd find any on here would condone it

Vehicle conflict on the coast is nothing new it was around over 30 years ago when I was a teenager around there on motorcross bikes and it was probably around well before I was born, it'll always occur when you get a conflict of recerational user groups, the walkers dont like the intrusion and presence of vehicles, the mountain bikers dont like the vehicles and pretty much anyone other than vehicle users dont like the presence of vehicles around there. In general I'd say the vehicle behaviour is pretty reasonable around there these days, there is always going to be somebodys behaviour thats questionable and if anyone knew the answer to solving that we would have had it years ago and there will always be someone hiding behind the bushes just waiting to make a complaint about anything they can think of to complain about just because they have different views about how receration should be managed around there

well said.^^^^^^^^^^^
And it applys right around the country to

and lets not confuse ORE stickers with the OFFROAD EXPRESS decals that came out on so many Jappa Imports.... As mentioned above, rego details are more important to single out culprits...

Andic wrote:- but hey the Clubs will be still able to get keys and the freedom drivers will be the ones who suffer. Then again, it is the freedom drivers and trailbike riders causing all the mayhem

Andy

yeah, coz those local clubs who have designated trip leaders and obtain keys through the correct authorites are never the ones to blame for destructive damage to areas

oh wait, recent activity at Sutherlands leads me to believe that statement to be wrong

rant over, typical to blame the general public over the clubs

skid wrote:

Andic wrote:- but hey the Clubs will be still able to get keys and the freedom drivers will be the ones who suffer. Then again, it is the freedom drivers and trailbike riders causing all the mayhem

Andy

yeah, coz those local clubs who have designated trip leaders and obtain keys through the correct authorites are never the ones to blame for destructive damage to areas

oh wait, recent activity at Sutherlands leads me to believe that statement to be wrong

rant over, typical to blame the general public over the clubs

What happend there Skid??

I know they have a strict booking system as I am a trip leader for there

Hey, before this gets into a stone throwing match, is there anything contructive that could be done??

Its always a good drive when your in Welly and bored of shopping, so would hate to see it closed of

For example, the patrols that are run at Woodhill by the local clubs in Aux, they are a mixture of recovery, behaviour and security.

Would local clubs, or even a club or just a concerned group of people be interested in patrolling the area on long weekends.

All it would have to be is a drive in, drive out type deal, educate the odd person here and their, camera and note book ready for any muppet action.

You won't catch everyone, but the word will get out that the clubs are patrolling it and policing it.

It will deter the pedal heavy mongrels, and put the council into a spin as they realise you guys have taken matters into your own hands and are going to be a force to reckoned with if they ever try and close it off.

Just the thoughts of an out-of-towner that likes to visit the area

cops are doing a blitz on saturday, unless your fully legal dont go round there because its technically a public road and you will get ticketed

So, as far as driving round red rocks is concerned, and sticking to formed tracks. Is it okay to drive on the sand below the high tide mark (so long as respect and right of way is given to walkers/fishermen etc) to me this seems like the best place to be,cause when the tide comes in all your tracks are gone. Obviously in some bays this is the only place you can drive.

bda4130 wrote:So, as far as driving round red rocks is concerned, and sticking to formed tracks. Is it okay to drive on the sand below the high tide mark (so long as respect and right of way is given to walkers/fishermen etc) to me this seems like the best place to be,cause when the tide comes in all your tracks are gone. Obviously in some bays this is the only place you can drive.

yeah mate theres pretty good signage around there telling you where not to drive, theres a lot of regeneration in the sand dunes and at the bases of the hills and thats where vehicles need to stay away from, quite a lot of the regeneration has been roped off and bollards and boulders and stuff put up as a barrier to keep everyone out, so long as you dont run the fishermen over and keep your speed down around people you'll be fine down on the beaches

DieselBoy wrote:Hey, before this gets into a stone throwing match, is there anything contructive that could be done??

Its always a good drive when your in Welly and bored of shopping, so would hate to see it closed of

For example, the patrols that are run at Woodhill by the local clubs in Aux, they are a mixture of recovery, behaviour and security.

Would local clubs, or even a club or just a concerned group of people be interested in patrolling the area on long weekends.

All it would have to be is a drive in, drive out type deal, educate the odd person here and their, camera and note book ready for any muppet action.

You won't catch everyone, but the word will get out that the clubs are patrolling it and policing it.

It will deter the pedal heavy mongrels, and put the council into a spin as they realise you guys have taken matters into your own hands and are going to be a force to reckoned with if they ever try and close it off.

Just the thoughts of an out-of-towner that likes to visit the area

This is a brilliant idea and also an opportunity for social club meets around the coast at the same time as patrolling and saving the occasional rookie from the sand.

High Seas Close Vehicle Access To Red Rocks

The high seas that pummelled Wellington’s South Coast overnight have caused the closure of part of the vehicle access track to Red Rocks.

Parts of the track, past the first community of baches, have been washed away and it is very dangerous for vehicles in some areas.

Access will be closed for at least two weeks while the Council assesses the track.

For people’s safety the Council advises not to try and use the beach to gain access to areas further along the coast.

For more information contact:

Clayton Anderson, Communication Advisor, 801 3695 or 021 227 8595

rolla4wd wrote:I agree Skid
although I would assume and hope they arn't associated with ore or any clubs
also the guys that go off on the grass verge around upperhutt river road and rip it up thats not 4wding

I agree as well with what Skid said, in Ashhurst we have a designated play area, but some tossers still find it necessary to drive through the newly planted and barked area along the road side up to the gate, and pull out small fence post bollards and garden edging. For what gain ?? just to prove they could do it, but they won't have a go at the harder stuff further up the river. M4WDC already have a list of no go places and soon this area will be added to it.

my 2 c's

cheers
Greg

Wellyranger wrote:High Seas Close Vehicle Access To Red Rocks

The high seas that pummelled Wellington’s South Coast overnight have caused the closure of part of the vehicle access track to Red Rocks.

Parts of the track, past the first community of baches, have been washed away and it is very dangerous for vehicles in some areas.

Access will be closed for at least two weeks while the Council assesses the track.

For people’s safety the Council advises not to try and use the beach to gain access to areas further along the coast.

For more information contact:

Clayton Anderson, Communication Advisor, 801 3695 or 021 227 8595

Bugga all the fun starts after I leave.