[pfunk]

Out on a local ride today. There's this little slice of singletrack. Maybe I'm not supossed to ride there. There's this sign, but I usually ride past it really fast, and I'm not quite sure what it says. Anyway.......

So lets just say I'm poaching. Today I stop at the bench with a view, and what do I see - a half eaten bag of cheetos and a bunch of other trash. I carry it out, because I can't stand litter. I mean how hard is it to carry your crap with you when you leave. There are trash cans everywhere (it's a city park).

I may poach from time to time, but I carry out what I bring and usually anthing I find that was left by others. So what do you think is worse?

 

[pacman]

Out on a local ride today. There's this little slice of singletrack. Maybe I'm not supossed to ride there. There's this sign, but I usually ride past it really fast, and I'm not quite sure what it says. Anyway.......

So lets just say I'm poaching. Today I stop at the bench with a view, and what do I see - a half eaten bag of cheetos and a bunch of other trash. I carry it out, because I can't stand litter. I mean how hard is it to carry your crap with you when you leave. There are trash cans everywhere (it's a city park).

I may poach from time to time, but I carry out what I bring and usually anthing I find that was left by others. So what do you think is worse?

Littering is worse, it's always an eyesore. Poaching may and should leave no trace.

 

[brado1]

Litter Just Pisses me off!

So what do you think is worse?

You know in this age of awareness with nature and all it takes is just a little effort to through your sh!t away in a trash can and yet 70% morons around with this "out of sight. out of mind " mentality. "not my prob anymore" here in South Carolina it's a joke to drive down the hwy. so much sh!t.... even in the NC forest on the the service roads , beer cans, bottles, amazed at how much trash there is. pisses me off!

I have been guilty of some really good poaches... and felt guilty afterwards...but most have been done by accident or had to take a a detour / shortcut for some reason or another.

 

[Soloracer]

a half eaten bag of cheetos

Sorry you lost me at the free cheetos -- some people have all the luck! What was the question again???

 

[noslogan]

littering!!

If you poach a trail, that usually means that the trail already exists.
Litter didn't exist before, well, it existed.
Litter is evidence. Proves that a poacher was there. "It was prolly one of those mountain bikers that doesn't respect the trail" is what one might hear.

 

[Hollis]

Touch call

Poaching can be much worse, it depends on the area poached.
Slippery slope...I know
Private Propery vs Metro Park vs Wildlife Area vs Wilderness Area.
I do know its very bad when the Forest Service parks next to your truck!

 

[chainsmoker]

nice!!!!

Sorry you lost me at the free cheetos -- some people have all the luck! What was the question again???

very good.

later, j

 

[george_da_trog]

george

 

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

I hate litterers...they suck

 

[Trevor!]

I hate litterers...they suck

Ditto. It sucks. Be it a cigarette butt or a food wrapper it's disrespectful to the environment and generally inconsiderate.

 

[trailrash]

Littering is definitely worse, but, here in Texas, there's no way in HELL I would poach a trail...too much private land. When you go on someone's property without permission down here, you run the risk of getting shot.

The ecological surveys I do for work require me to be on LOTS of private land, and I have to make damn sure I have access. I've had guns pulled on me 3 times...not very enjoyable.

 

[crashedandburned]

So what do you think is worse?

Littering. If I see someone throw trash out of their car like a bag of trash, NOT stuff like bannana peals or apple cores, If I can get their plate #'s I call the local PD and report them. Don't know if they ever follow up, but hey if just one A-hole gets a $1000 fine for being too damn lazy to wait till they get home and throw their crap away then it's worth it.

 

[davis]

another example of "relativism"....

I'm sorry, but I can't stand the rising tide of "relativism" in our current society. I believe that some things are simply black and white, despite what our media outlets would have us believe. Littering is wrong, period. Poaching is wrong, period. Picking up litter while poaching doesn't make the poaching relatively less wrong. Just my opinion.

 

[sirbikesalot]

how about "defeatism". Some day, it's all gonna be developed anyway, so you may as well poach it and enjoy it now.

I'm sorry, but I can't stand the rising tide of "relativism" in our current society. I believe that some things are simply black and white, despite what our media outlets would have us believe. Littering is wrong, period. Poaching is wrong, period. Picking up litter while poaching doesn't make the poaching relatively less wrong. Just my opinion.

 

[Skookum]

I'm sorry, but I can't stand the rising tide of "relativism" in our current society. I believe that some things are simply black and white, despite what our media outlets would have us believe. Littering is wrong, period. Poaching is wrong, period. Picking up litter while poaching doesn't make the poaching relatively less wrong. Just my opinion.

Wow you're right! Dammit that means i'm going to have to give up rape and murder....

This guy has a point though, using litter to justify poaching a trail doesn't make you right and it doesn't help in getting trail access opened to trails. If you're gonna poach at least don't be disillusioned about it, you're doin a no-no. Alot of times there are really no reasons for some trails to be closed to mt. bikes, join an advocacy group in your area and get involved with getting those trails open instead of picking up trash when you're not supposed to be there....

 

[davis]

flawed logic...

how about "defeatism". Some day, it's all gonna be developed anyway, so you may as well poach it and enjoy it now.

So, let's say there's someone that I strongly dislike. Someday, like everyone else that's ever walked the face of the earth, they will die. Therefore, I should just murder them now, right???

I'm not trying to stir up a bunch of [email protected] here, I was just expressing my opinion on the original question. I'm done. I've got to get busy practicing keeping my opinions to myself from now on.

 

[AscentCanada]

Littering. If I see someone throw trash out of their car like a bag of trash, NOT stuff like bannana peals or apple cores, If I can get their plate #'s I call the local PD and report them. Don't know if they ever follow up, but hey if just one A-hole gets a $1000 fine for being too damn lazy to wait till they get home and throw their crap away then it's worth it.

Why are banana peals and apple cores less of an eye sore? Does a coke can or bag from chips look worst than road kill? Throwing scrape food from your car attracks wildlife to the road, and BAM Bambi gets it...

How about stuff like that on a trail, is it any better? Now you've attracked bears to a trail, big mean scary bears scaring little kids because they have been figured out that trails and trailhead have apple cores... BAM ranger gets the bear.

Just something to think about when you think its ok because its just an apple core...

 

[crashedandburned]

Why are banana peals and apple cores less of an eye sore? Does a coke can or bag from chips look worst than road kill? Throwing scrape food from your car attracks wildlife to the road, and BAM Bambi gets it...

How about stuff like that on a trail, is it any better? Now you've attracked bears to a trail, big mean scary bears scaring little kids because they have been figured out that trails and trailhead have apple cores... BAM ranger gets the bear.

Just something to think about when you think its ok because its just an apple core...

Because I know that they'll be gone in a few days because they're biodegradeable. Plastic trash bag and diapers are not.

 

[pfunk]

a million shades of grey

I'm sorry, but I can't stand the rising tide of "relativism" in our current society. I believe that some things are simply black and white, despite what our media outlets would have us believe. Littering is wrong, period. Poaching is wrong, period. Picking up litter while poaching doesn't make the poaching relatively less wrong. Just my opinion.

Just for the record, I don't entertain the notion that one trumps the other. It's just that littering, in my opinion, is a lot worse than riding a bicycle in the dirt. Was curious to see what others thought.

 

[Ken in KC]

I agree

Just for the record, I don't entertain the notion that one trumps the other. It's just that littering, in my opinion, is a lot worse than riding a bicycle in the dirt. Was curious to see what others thought.

One is destructive to the environment and the other is an arbitrary rule. There's not much comparison.

And Davis, it's not black and white. Your analogy is extreme, IMO. The comparison I wold use is the difference between driving 5 miles over the speed limit on the highway and assualting someone. Both are against the law but driving over the speed limit is far less harmful than punching someone in the face.

Ken