Ditch bang'in ?????

Taz

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Best advice I could say is phone your local RCMP if your not sure, it appears that some county's do allow it by the way there bylaws are written Strathcona definitely aint one of them.
 

BonBon

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It seems to me by this here thread and by all the things I've heard from police officers etc. that it all depends on how and what area, you're riding! If you're riding like a total boob than you deserve to get a ticket! But if you're doing what you do in the ditches and not bothering anyone the cops aren't (normally) gonna chase down a snowmobiler just to give them a ticket!! And that comes right from the horses mouth!! I have a "friend on the Force" and that's pretty much exactly what he said! They have better things to do than to be chasing down some dude on a snowmobile cuz he's riding in the ditch. :) Anyway just my 2 cents, cuz I'm with you johni_t I like to bang the ditches!!! LOL! :D
 

ZRrrr

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Each county can set their own rules for the ditches and off highway vehicle use. Otherwise the Highway Traffic Act takes precidence.

God bless Parkland County. They have always been very progressive. Could teach Strathcona County a few things.
 

Taz

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I hope this will shed some light on the topic I emailed Alberta Transportation this was the reply.


Thank you for your inquiry regarding the operation of snowmobiles.



Snowmobiles are considered "off-highway vehicles" and as such are required to have both registration and insurance if operating on public (crown) land.



You are not required to have registration and insurance if individuals are only operating the off-highway vehicle on their own private land or on someone else's private land with the express permission of that land owner.



A driver's licence is not required on public land unless a person is operating the off-highway vehicle on a highway under the conditions listed below. Minimum age to operate an off-highway vehicle unsupervised is 14 years. Younger children may operate an off-highway vehicle if under the supervision of someone 18 years of age or older in close proximity to the child.



Off-highway vehicles are not permitted to operate on anything that falls within the definition of "highway" in section 1(p) of the TRAFFIC SAFETY ACT unless the local road authority (municipality) passes a bylaw specifically permitting such operation. In the case of provincial highways, the Minister of Transportation may by 'order' or 'permit' authorize off-highway vehicles to be on a highway, otherwise such operation is not permitted. The definition of highway is as follows:



"highway" means any thoroughfare, street, road, trail, avenue, parkway, driveway, viaduct, lane, alley, square, bridge, causeway, trestleway or other place or any part of any of them, whether publicly or privately owned, that the public is ordinarily entitled or permitted to use for the passage or parking of vehicles and includes

(i) a sidewalk, including a boulevard adjacent to the sidewalk,

(ii) if a ditch lies adjacent to and parallel with the roadway, the ditch, and

(iii) if a highway right of way is contained between fences or between a fence and one side of the roadway, all the land between the fences, or all the land between the fence and the edge of the roadway, as the case may be,

but does not include a place declared by regulation not to be a highway;



You will also note from the above definition, that highway also includes the ditches along either side of the roadway. Off-highway vehicles may, however, cross a highway by the shortest, most direct route, provided that the operator has at least a Class 7 licence, is not carrying any passengers, stops before crossing and yields to any traffic on the roadway.



Once again thank you for your inquiry.



Bob Podlubny

Driver Safety Education Specialist

Alberta Transportation

Driver Programs and Licencing Standards

Ph (780) 427-6690

Fax (780) 422-0833

e-mail bob.podlubny@gov.ab.ca




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To: Debbie Lamoureux
Subject: Riding in the ditches.

We are having a discussion on snowandmud.com and there seems to be confusion from this statement:

A snowmobiler is prohibited from riding on any portion of a highway (Section 120 (2)(b) of the Traffic Safety Act).

· Snowmobilers may ride in ditches alongside highways for a specified amount of time during daylight hours only with special permission granted from the provincial government for a special event, or special permission (bylaw) from the municipal government.



Are the ditches not considered part of the highway?? We would like to get clarification just so we don't give bad info. I would appreciate any assistance.


Thanks for your time.





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TrailCrusader

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Here is the link to Sturgeon County's bylaw which permits riding. I thought at one time you could only ride along the ditch of 3-digit highways. Rather than primary highways.
Sturgeon County is very different from Strathcona County.
 

LinkTank

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Strathcona County is brutal about pretty much everything.

I think there's a law against drinking your neighbours beer out here!:beer::beer::beer:

Think I might do both tonight!!
 

Taz

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If this doesn't give you all the info you need....... HEELLLP!!!!!!!!!!! This is all I can do to answer the original question..... Ditch bangin?????
There are some Counties that allow it DAH!!!!
 

Iron Horse Racing

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Last year my son and I were stoped by the bylaw guys in the ditch just west of South cookig Lake, he made us call and have the wife bring the trailer and load them. We got away with a warning, but he pulled out his book of BS and showed us the written word that satated thu shalt not.....

He was the same guy that was at Ministick checking for plates and insurance...he made a killing that day...

We avoided him as we rode the ditches there that weekend as well....

Havent seen him this year but then again havent been to ministick much as theres not much for snow....only done the ceremonial tour past the old chimmy once this year....

Snow today....pray to the snow gods.....shovelling builds mussel so we can ride longer....
 

RETODD

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Last year my son and I were stoped by the bylaw guys in the ditch just west of South cookig Lake, he made us call and have the wife bring the trailer and load them. We got away with a warning, but he pulled out his book of BS and showed us the written word that satated thu shalt not.....

He was the same guy that was at Ministick checking for plates and insurance...he made a killing that day...

We avoided him as we rode the ditches there that weekend as well....

Havent seen him this year but then again havent been to ministick much as theres not much for snow....only done the ceremonial tour past the old chimmy once this year....

Snow today....pray to the snow gods.....shovelling builds mussel so we can ride longer....


Three words "County of Strathcona" ... Parkland Rocks!!!

:whipped:
 
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