Editor's Note: Here is some timely commentary by Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association (SSA) executive chairman Rick Dolezsar in which he cautions against the use of loud cans and trespassing—why give cause for conflict?
At the festival (Provincial Snowmobile Festival) our SSA CEO, Chris Brewer, made some strong remarks concerning trespassing on posted land and loud cans. The trespassing issue is pretty simple—if there are signs or if you are close to yards, livestock or residential areas, use your common sense and stay away from those areas. We have a huge sparsely populated province with amazing and expansive areas of Crown land in the north, so there is no reason to ride in areas that cause conflict with a landowner or resident.
The loud exhaust issue may not be as simple as some of the more senior administrators or board members think. This, I believe, is a double-edged sword as we are always looking for ways to get more young people involved in organized snowmobiling. To complicate the matter even more, we all know that organized snowmobiling is much different now than it was a decade or two ago: the advent of crossover and free-ride sleds—along with the increasing number of mountain sleds being purchased for prairie and parkland riding—indicate a new trend away from traditional trail riding.
First, having gone through many phases of snowmobiling and the joys of aftermarket exhaust systems myself, I understand that installing and enjoying such accessories in itself is not a crime. However, not following the principle of “quiet in, quiet out” when you are around populated areas can be. Some will say this is no different than the loud pipes on a Harley motorcycle, and while there is some truth to that statement, these cruisers are being operated on public roadways where they have a legal right to be. Snowmobiles, on the other hand, are normally operated on what we might call borrowed land, whether that is a permissioned trail across farmland, around the outskirts of a town or village, or under our land-use agreement with the provincial government. So you see, whether we like it or not, it does make our situation a lot more precarious, thus all the more reason to show the utmost respect for others in order to keep our borrowed privileges.
I am sure there is a wide variety of different opinions on this subject even within our existing board of directors, but as representatives of Saskatchewan snowmobilers we have to maintain a responsible position on this matter. Really, it is up to you as riders, because if complaints continue to increase, so will the pressure on provincial legislators to do something to curb the issue. Right now, “quiet in, quiet out” is the softest position we can take, so help us to remain at that level by getting the message across to those who need it.
