Driving in ditches illegal?

honda75 · Aug 9, 2014

Just back from a trip to the Bighorn Dam. Stopped for gas at the Nordegg Store and was surprised to see a 3-page handout from the RCMP with a whole bunch of infractions and fines identified.

Many of them were news to me. I had no idea it is illegal to ride in the ditches (from treeline to treeline) on Highway 11. I don't know if they are about to start enforcing this, but be careful out there.

Another one that surprised me was the fact that its apparently illegal to not be in possession of the Bighorn Backcountry trail map when riding anyway in the PLUZs.

Be careful out there!

somethingnuw · Aug 9, 2014

honda75 said:
Just back from a trip to the Bighorn Dam. Stopped for gas at the Nordegg Store and was surprised to see a 3-page handout from the RCMP with a whole bunch of infractions and fines identified.

Many of them were news to me. I had no idea it is illegal to ride in the ditches (from treeline to treeline) on Highway 11. I don't know if they are about to start enforcing this, but be careful out there.

Another one that surprised me was the fact that its apparently illegal to not be in possession of the Bighorn Backcountry trail map when riding anyway in the PLUZs.

Be careful out there!

wow must be no crime down that way... up here you can ride in ditches and on the road... just show common sense... cops have better things to do!.... i'd hope?

but thanks for the heads up!

arff · Aug 9, 2014

I posted this on the long weekend at Bighorn.

As far a ditch riding the RCMP in Rocky mentioned it's not allowed.

AB RANGER 007 · Aug 10, 2014

Do a search for the ALBERTA TRAFFIC SAFETY ACT, then SEARCH the COUNTY that you are going to ride in, there "could be" some different regulations there that would allow one to ride on/in the ROADS/DITCHES. see Part 6, Section 120/ (4) (a,b,c) (eg, County of Parkland and the Count of Sturgeon).

Bruce

K B 4 Y G.

LBZ · Aug 10, 2014

In Clearwater County you can ride on all the TWP and RR roads.
Kinda BS if you ask me. Gotta have reg and insurance but can't drive them in the ditch or down the gravel.

jjack · Aug 10, 2014

somethingnuw said:
wow must be no crime down that way... up here you can ride in ditches and on the road... just show common sense... cops have better things to do!.... i'd hope?

but thanks for the heads up!

ya but you have remember where we live guy,It is illegal to ride in ditches,but could you see a cop giving the head monkey from a large oil company a ticket,wonder where his next post would be.

You should come up hill this winter.

Braap! · Aug 10, 2014

I live in Rocky and the cops wave to me when I'm sitting in the ditch having a break and I got no visible plate on my dirt bike but my sled does. I've seen them in the bush on quads giving people tickets for no insurance etc but never for riding in the ditch . I sometimes leave right from town on my bike and they've never bothered with me ever and they see my bike in the back of my truck every day.. and btw Rocky has one of the highest crime rate of atv's in alberta , our atv theft is worse than the city of calgary and our town is only 12 thousand people.

teeroy · Aug 10, 2014

riding in the ditches is against the law around here as well. not really enforced tho, everyone still does it.

ChillySeven · Aug 14, 2014

It's always been illegal to ride an OHV on any provincial road allowance in Alberta, but like some have mentioned riding on county controlled roads is up to the county you are in. Some cops just have to pick the low hanging grapes...

j335 · Aug 28, 2014

When I was a kid I asked the RCMP around NE Alberta about this. They told me the rules were you need to be ~31-33 ft away from the road... but they said wear a helmet, drive responsibly and there won't be a problem, that's the only time they really do enforcement.

imdoo'n · Aug 28, 2014

Times are changing, They are now enforcing it in rocky, red deer area

Iron Horse Racing · Aug 28, 2014

Live in theCounty of Strathcona....thou shalt not ride anything anywhere anytime....unless on private land, and no tried the were just riding for our farm to a friends farm, he didnt care, havegotten ticket's and warning's on quads and sled's, even talked to riding a horse in theditch, he said he could give me a ticket under the County’s nuisance bylaw….

I very politelytold to start writing….he walked away…

somethingnuw · Aug 29, 2014

sorry it took so long... seems you guys got hit by the anti fun police... appears all we are good for is paying taxes to the dark whole called gov't that use to work for us... end rant

anyhow, took a while but i went and asked RCMP up here having coffee one morning... the said, "we don't care" cross the hwy at 90 degree angle and ride responsibly... i guess it helps being surrounded by reserves where it's common to 3 or 4 kids ditch banging a quad at 80 with no helmets...

i think it comes down to what is or isn't an issue to your local gov't???? maybe start sitting in on town counsel meeting so when they complain to the rcmp boss' about what to inforce you can call them on their petty BS... personally i don't want my tax dollars wasted following quads in ditches because if so.. i'd just power up and disappear .... stupid works both ways

MarkCos · Aug 30, 2014

With a long list of rules like that
theres no fun left in OHV ride ing

ditch the Sumer ride ing and stick with just sledding

Gsxrgrizz · Mar 30, 2015

honda75 said:
Another one that surprised me was the fact that its apparently illegal to not be in possession of the Bighorn Backcountry trail map when riding anyway in the PLUZs.

I would LOVE to see them try and enforce that one!!!

jackelope · Apr 9, 2015

Gsxrgrizz said:
I would LOVE to see them try and enforce that one!!!

The problem for me... I would prefer not to be a wanted criminal running from the law... I live in gibbons and although the snow was **** this year, there has been times in the past where sheriff,RCMP, bylaw officers have tried to pull us over, and I can't see anything good coming out of that so we just rode off into fields. Not that I feel good about doing that but why would I stop for a pile of fines??

Gsxrgrizz · Apr 9, 2015

I have no desire to be a criminal either not was I advocating running from the law. I just don't see how they can say it is mandatory for you to be in possession of map...especially when most of us carry a GPS already

Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

Teth-Air · Apr 9, 2015

So I too don't want to worry where I ride so for the past 15 years I only ride legal on/off road motorcycles that are registered for the road. (other than sleds in the winter) I ride on any gravel roads, and then shoot up single track and back again. Really a great legal loop hole. Forget the ATV's and SxS's, only a bike will hone your skills too.

imdoo'n · Apr 9, 2015

Gsxrgrizz said:
I have no desire to be a criminal either not was I advocating running from the law. I just don't see how they can say it is mandatory for you to be in possession of map...especially when most of us carry a GPS already

Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

thinking someone is feeding you a line of BS on the map!!!

hadster · Apr 18, 2015

Normally they will not bother you around here, BUT a huge difference on a long weekend in the summer season. At those times they most often have a zero tolerance policy.

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