NEW ATV LAW ALARMING!

CLASS 2 ATV LAW GOES INTO EFFECT DECEMBER 12
Nicollet County Sheriff, Dave Lange has alerted the county board and the public works department of a new law going into effect on December 12, 2006. The new law was explained in communication from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Class 2 ATV’s are a new two passenger vehicle being sold. In reality they are like small pick up trucks. Ads in the farm magazines show the vehicles which are made by Polaris, Artic Cat, Bush Hog, Polaris and others as being utility type vehicles. The problem is that these larger Class 2 vehicles cannot be operated in road ditches or slopes of road right-of-ways. Instead the new law will allow them to be operated on the extreme right-hand side of the road, including the shoulder of trunk, county state-aid, and county highways. They can also be operated on city and township roads unless prohibited or restricted by the city or town.
OPEN BOTTLE PROVISION DOES NOT APPLY
Here’s the kicker on the use of these vehicles and the new law. People driving these vehicles can be drinking alcoholic beverages while driving on the shoulder or edge of a narrow county or township road. The open bottle provisions specifically exclude these types of vehicles and it would generally not be a violation of those provisions to have an open beer while driving a Class 2 ATV. It sounds like a forumla for trouble to me and the county commissioners of the District 7 Association of Minnesota Counties agree. They passed a motion to oppose and possibly work for the repeal of this law. The action will place the issue in discussion and possible inclusion in their policy platform for 2007-8. end