Voters in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin will vote directly in November on whether to allow off-road vehicles and UTVs on city streets. The ordinance has failed to pass the city council twice so far, but a petition from supporters of the measure collected enough signatures to put it on the November ballot in city elections.
The ordinance itself is quite elementary: it would allow ATVs and UTVs to be driven on the streets of a diminutive town at the speed limit by a licensed driver. The arguments for and against this solution have also been exhausted: supporters claim that allowing off-road vehicles on the streets is good for tourism. Opponents worry about noise, road safety and pollution.
Similar disputes took place throughout the country, including: a few years ago in Moab, Utah. We will be watching what happens in Wisconsin Rapids. This is a sensitive issue and both sides have decent arguments. It also touches on the question of whether UTVs can or should be considered road vehicles at all.
Off-road trails are undoubtedly a tourist attraction, but noise and bad behavior on the streets are much more noticeable when perpetrators are seated in raucous, strange-looking vehicles illuminated by vivid lights. Ultimately, there is a sustainable way to introduce such laws, but there must be consequences if the responsible drivers among us look bad.
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