Quote:
Originally Posted by Bumbo
Most of my powerline driving is in an OHV area, federally owned BLM land.
Would it really be trespassing at that point, almost seems like it would be easement for the power company.
Not expecting to be insured if in a regular vehicle, but in a properly insured ATV/UTV, I don’t see this being a problem. It often times serves as a “road” for most people traveling the area.
Curious to hear your thoughts.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jordanrb81
So no if you're on BLM land you're fine. another state variance, my apologies. Here in New England BLM means something TOTALLY different. More to your point the power company owns the land that the lines are on and the land the trails to service those lines is upon. They also prosecute. I am friendly with certain cops in certain towns, they are tasked with stopping both ATV an automobile trespassers. if it's a designated OHRV trail on BLM land I imagine that would be like those we have here in the White Mountain National Forest, and you're fine.
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Yeah, a bunch (most?) powerlines in the SW are designated roads or OHV trails. I did not know those tracks in the NE are owned by the power companies. There is so much BLM land around, it is a great fortune to live in the West if one is into the outdoors.
Also, the OHV areas around, say, Phoenix, are HUGE by the standards of what I see on maps of the Midwest or the East Coast. They are not just parks for people to fool around either. They are BIG chunks of BLM land/nature open to recreational use of all sorts. It would be interesting to see if any tracks within them are excluded from coverage. I actually doubt that because they are either designated street-legal vehicle routes of designated ATV/UTV routes. I am sure I would not be covered if I were crazy enough to take on an ATV trail. But I think the rest is probably covered as those are not merely "play areas" for toys like in eastern parks. I avoid the OHV areas anyway because of the crowds and the fact that all sorts of people do target practice all over the place. Thankfully, there is no need to go to an OHV area to drive real 4x4 tracks around here though some tracks in OHV areas make for good practice runs. The enormous majority of dirt roads and 4x4 tracks for street legal vehicles in AZ are outside of OHV areas.
It has never occurred to me that someone might ask their insurance to cover, say, a door damaged while negotiating an obstacle! But, yeah. I can see people do that. Totally.
As I said above, the one time everyone would try to get coverage, included myself, would be due to a rollover. The only solution to that is not to take unnecessary risks.
If someone wants to test the limits, an old beater or a Jeep rental
from the right outfit is the way to go. By testing the limits, I do not mean the main routes of unique trails like Hells Revenge and Fins and Things or Broken Arrow where you go up and down slickrock fins. I mean seriously off-camber, awkward obstacles, like on Moab Rim, or the hardcore obstacles on Hells. I mean, why would anyone cover a street legal vehicle going up the Escalator? That's playing, fooling around, not getting anywhere. There is no reason for a regular street focused insurance to cover that, imo.
