Hey all,

I am glad to had found a place like this where I can post my peace of mind. Here is my story. If any one mines reading. I am a 31 year old disabled man living in Brooklyn, NY. Since I can remember I have always had obstacles in my life due to the disability. So growing up was kind of hard watching my friends go from bigg wheels to bicycles to motorcycles. In that time I have tried my best from sitting down on skate boards to having my friends pull me around with there bicycles on my wheel chair. When I turn 18 I was glad that I got the opportunity to drive. Needing to of course cause I can say that public transportation in NY is the worse. From bad stares when riders had to give up there seats on the bus to cab drivers charging a little extra for use of there trunk for the wheel chair. So getting a car was a plus. But, wasn't the same I had never lost that feeling of wanting to feel free with the wind blow in my face like I saw so many enjoy when they were on there two wheeled machines. So that brings me to where I am at now in life. I was privileged now at my age not only get one but two quads. One for me and one for my beautiful wife. And its not the make nor the models of these machines that make them so great but the freedom and feeling I get, and you guys know what I mean when you ride something that makes you feel so free. When I am on my quad its like I forget I am in a wheel chair I don’t even have the chair with me when ever I ride or ever get to ride. That’s what brings me to my gripe. Like I said before I am from Brooklyn, NY if many of you fellow new Yorkers know that riding ATV's on the streets is a BIG NO! NO!. But what make them so different from Mopeds the store owners use to deliver food or basic bicyclist on the road right now. And what law am I breaking if the speed limit on the street is 30-35 and my ATV only goes up to 40 and I don’t pass the speed limit what am I doing wrong. If my ATV is fully registered and fully insured plus I have a motorcycle permit, what rule am I breaking? If I follow all the rules and regulations the same way I do when I drive my car then what wrong am I doing? If I ware the proper gear such a USDOT helmet and protection cloths who’s life am I risking? Or would you rather I go spend the little money I have and by a noise making machine like a three wheel Harley and just wake up the whole neighborhood when I go from my house to the store with my wife to get milk. Or would you rather me in a little handicap electric scooter crossing the street at 5 mph waiting for the next speed demon in his car making me worse then what I am right now. Or better yet would you rather me home sitting in front of the TV like most disabled people do and just watch my life pass me by. Well I don’t plan to. I am not asking for the world to change for me but I am hoping that I can change my world. Look I am not asking for pity I just want to able to ride I know NY doesn’t want hundreds of these all over the city but tell me how bad would it be. I rather get hit by another quad then hit by a car LOL (JOKE) But, seriously if there is anyone that cared enough to read post this far Thank You and if you know any one that can help me Please Let Me Know. Cause I really hate getting pulled over and asked to get off the vehicle again. Sincerely, A Fellow Rider.
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First, wecome to the board! There are a few of us fellow NYers here. Most from upstate. I don't think you'll get pity here, just a lot of friendly ATV riders. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

There are some hard facts about NY that are important here. In nearly all of the state, ATVs are illegal to ride on public property. Further, ATVs are not street legal. They don't meet basic requirements like turn signals, horn, etc. The DMV still requires you to register and pay, but the state just takes your money and gives nothing in return. The DMV specifically forbids these to be driven on roads, unless the local town specifically allows it. It is the law and there is not much we can do about that. I don't agree with it, I don't like it, but that's the fact.

What's the chance that you could move upstate? You could move to an ATV tolerant town. The DEC has provisions for ATV use on public lands for handicapped people. Check the NYS DEC website for info - I don't know the details. They may allow for your wife to go with you. How about weekend trips upstate to go riding?

 

Momento summed it up very well.

It sucks that we have no local areas and we have to drive a couple of hours for legal riding.

 

I wish the laws and rules we lived by were much closer to common sense thought, but they arn't...
My best guess is the reality of your situation simply isn't and never has been for any Senators/Gov...any polotician for that matter.

 

Welcome to the board, NY is tough on ATV's but i think that will change. NY trial pass is one step in the right direction and will help organize ATVer's and support our sport. I haven't heard about many places down state to legally ride, or at least where no one bothers you. Fortunatelyup in Central Ny Utica Noth , mos to f teh DEC and state guys are pretty cool and don;t say to much about riding on stat land. If you go further north up to Tug hill then you can ride legally. Unfortunately Tug HIll has grown to the point that chagnes will be made to help better maintain the sport. I live bout 40 minutes south of tug hill on RT 12 which is the northway out of Utica. It is not uncommon on a Saturday to see 100 plus ATV's going North riding . On Tug hill this year I have never seen so many peopkle riding. I went up there twice in the past month and seen at least 150 to 200 ATV's and there are numerous trails to go on so I know I mist several more. Even though it is seasonal road riding it is scenic and legal. Plus it is nice to put 100 miles + on in no time. Hope you have success in finding riding areas.

Chris

 

I like to THANK YOU all from my deepest heart. It is really nice to see so many that took the time to read my post and the some that took to reply. Since the last I wrote it. I must say that I did get caught and was pulled over not to far from home. Due to the fact that I am disabled and riding without my chair and the fact that I had insurance, registration, license proper gear and that my quad had all the so called regulations such as headlight, tail light, and signals. The officer let me off with a big intimidating WARNING. Told me he didn’t what to see these in his f * # % @ing face again or he would take them in. I must say since then I have been scared to ride again. Shame due to the fact that I love it so much. So I have been brain storming so many things as in how can I be able to obtain some information on making a place for use to ride. Look all the places that the state gives other people, like skating parks for the skaters and bike paths for bicyclist. I even saw a spot driving in the city where people where learning how to trapezes. There has to be an unused lot some where in this big state of NY that no one is using and can make a dirt track for us to at least have fun in. For god sake they can even charge us that way us ATV riders and the city can gain. I have even thought about trying to get sponsors that can help me out. Like I said before I am not trying to change the world I am just trying to make it a fun one. But until then I thank you all again and if ANYTHING I mean ANYTHING close to me comes along please let me know I will be there ready to ride! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Welcome to the forum[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

You should move to some little mountain community where you can drive it anywhere.

In some places,,,they have replaced cars.

what kind of bike do you ride?
have you had to modify it to accomodate your handicap?
what are you limitations (if you dont mind me asking)?

 

oh yeah,,,howdy old neighbor

my family is from Bay Ridge

 

I dont know if its an option for you but....... while you cant make a 4 wheeler street legal, you can make a 3 wheeler street legal. (figure that one out)
I have seen people remove the rear swingarm and replace it with a MC type swingarm.
Add street tires, signals, ect,ect.
Then you can get a plate for it.
Legal in all 50 states. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Well I am not ready to move yet I will be in two years to FL I don’t know if that will make any difference but I guess out there I will have to fight some other laws. I really don’t ride any thing to fancy I really brought it cause it made me feel safe with all the features it’s a Helix 2002 Made by Dinli http://www.dinliusa.com/products_helix.html I stared out with The Beast http://www.dinliusa.com/products_beast.html but after learning and butting my *** on that one I passed it on to my wife. The Helix is a bit faster and like I said it has more features. I know it’s not like the big boys but it fits my size being disabled I am not so big. I didn’t do any modifications to it I am not so bad on it, since I have all the upper body strength I can control most of it. I am paralyzed from the waist down so my legs just sit in place. And the rest is fun riding. As for the three wheeler thing I kind of started like that with the Mini Harley’s they were selling around my area which they also banned as well. And to tell you the truth due to the lack of balance I busted my *** on that so hard I refuse to try it again. LOL, So I got the quads and I refuse to give it up. I am going to keep looking there has to be some place we can call ours and ride. I won’t let NY run me out of my town what I look like a Dodger. Thx Again Guys!