Tony, it's READING into her statements that you need to stop. You are getting yourself into a huff when you don't need to.
I know some won't agree with this but I am pushing forward with a plan to implement a pass requirement, just haven't decided exactly how. There are two parts that I want to try to implement.
1) An annual or bi-annual requirement to attend a work party to get an annual or bi-annual trail pass.
2) A one time 4x4 education/safety class required by all users, like a boater safety class. It would be required to get your trail pass (and maybe ORV tags for specific vehicles). I'd like to see this implemented across all ORV users and maybe someone like WOHVA would be able to implement/manage something like this.
On both of these I'd propose a 2 year implementation plan. As people start going to work parties, they get their passes even though they are not required until say, Jan 1, 2010 and all initial passes are good until Dec 31, 2112. If a user cannot attend at least one work party in the next two years, it's my opinion that we don't want them on our trails.
The education classes would be offered at every "official" work party. I say official because I am wanting the PNW4WDA to manage the education class and with the limited volunteer hours they wouldn't be able to have people available everytime someone wanted to go out on a trash run. I'm working this over on the PNW4WDA site. I have a battle ahead of me there as well.
A user would have to attend one work party to satisfy BOTH components over the next two years.
Binder, those people that have taken the time to do the education class and get involved with the work parties are simply less likely to be idiots on the trails. They will have a better respect and understanding of what's expected of them and a better respect for the work that goes into the trails. So yes, I do feel that someone with a pass is less likely to go off the trails and yes, it is much more efficient to be able to check for passes - no pass = a ticket, than it is to enforce resource damage with limited staffing.
This would have to be supported with a good advertising campaign at the trailheads, 4x4 shops, websites maybe posters at the DMV and so on. I two years, everyone that wheels would know that the pass is required and how to get one. Only people from outside the state would be able to purchase a pass.
Do I think the DNR or the USFS would go for this, "I" hope so. I don't see why anyone would be against better education of the 4 wheeling community and improved volunteer support in maintaining our trail systems.
Big Picture ----- better maintained trails and improved volunteer support is a huge PR boost for the community as a whole. It would bode well towards long term development of new trails and trail systems as we would have a working successful model to implement and we can show how well our trail systems can be managed for both an environmental and user standpoint.