Rioting=Ok, Dirt bike on your own property=Jail

[xPlorer48]

I know one of his neighbors so there is an opposing view. They don’t live next door but close enough that the noise interferes with their ability to enjoy their property. This has been an ongoing battle for 8 years. The original owner has allowed friends and family to ride and infrequently. He didn’t charge a fee but received donations for maintenance. Since the current owner bought the property the noise has escalated. There is a contract people sign that absolves the owner of any liability. They pay a fee. The property owner doesn’t live on the acreage but is now allowing RVs to park there.

I mainly agree with your positions rkcarguy, but he is ruining the quality of life for neighbors. I do agree, however, with you about the lack of arrests or law enforcement regarding the flag burning and graffiti on our municipal buildings. But, that is just due to Bellingham’s woke politicians and bureaucrats.

We live in a rural area with the same zoning. Our new neighbor cut down a boatload of alders and cedar then proceeded to ride on his dirt bike. We can’t hear it from inside our house but can in the adjacent wooded areas. It was a one off occurrence and we have heard nothing this year. However, if he persists and invites friends over (which, I understand is legal), we know of some code violations they are guilty of to threaten to report unless the activity is limited.

Many people buy in rural areas for quiet and solitude. Our area remains quiet except for legitimate building, maintenance and yard care plus kids and neighbor that insists on revving up his Harley coming home.

[Diana Holbrook]

It does sound like it's not just a guy riding his own bike on his own property, it's a guy who is using the property for a private ORV CLUB. A commercial activity that attracts more riders and more traffic. That is not OK without some environmental and neighbor impact study and approval.

[StealthRabbit]

This does sound far more complex than "Property OWNER riding (alone) on HIS property" (which is NOT ok in many areas).

Making it a 'commercial operation' (receiving fees, admission or spectators), or even inviting friends frequently would be frowned upon, and likely illegal according to land use laws. (of which WA has plenty).

As a lifelong rural dweller, motorcyclist, and ex-racer I'm not taking sides with this guy from what I read.

Jail may have been necessary and legal to curtail activities. Some WA neighbors would implement a more lasting and much cheaper solution .

[SusVelo]

Been going on since 2012, what does it have to do with protests?

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by simply1

Been going on since 2012, what does it have to do with protests?

This is sort of like a false dichotomy trying to show how backwards things are since folks seem to hate protesting and the rioting (supposedly 'allowed') that follows . You could add whatever ridiculous thing you want with protesting like that seems un-American like:

* Rioting = Ok, burning trash in your own backyard = go to jail
* Rioting = Ok, shooting guns in the air on the 4th of July = go to jail
* Rioting = Ok, eating your neighbors' chickens that got into your yard = go to jail
* Rioting = Ok, Riding your ATV and doing wheelies up and down your neighborhood streets = go to jail
* Rioting = Ok, <fill in the blank>

[rkcarguy]

So I see some posts regarding support of bicycles while being against dirt bikes, and want to share a "story". Please note I haven't rode either in decades so I have no dog in the hunt personally.
One popular riding area, we used to share with mountain bikers and horseback riders as well as the occasional hiker. Motorcyclists ( at least everyone I knew) were always careful around the horses, we'd shut down our engines and coast by to assure we wouldn't startle any horses for example. Despite this, these groups complained about the dirt bikes constantly and eventually succeeded in banning us from this area. Well a couple years later the hikers started complaining about the mountain bikers and horses/horse poop and got them banned as well.
There is still lake and bay fishing, boating, kayaking, skiing, plenty left to complain about people having fun.
So, keep on complaining and maybe we'll all have nothing fun left to do.

[Diana Holbrook]

I think everyone responding so far is talking about motorized dirt bikes when we say bikes... The complaints are about noise, and from a noise standpoint there is not really any difference between dirt bikes and ATVs.