Anyone that rides a 4-wheeler has heard it all from people who do not ride them regarding the abuse of the land, the litter left behind and private property damaged. For anyone that is a responsible rider of 4-wheelers, they know this isn't true of the majority of riders and public awareness should be made about that fact.
In fact, one of the number one reasons many people ride 4-wheelers with their family and friends is to enjoy the scenic beauty of nature . If you're a little tired of getting beaten up by people who just aren't informed and making judgment calls based on some one-sided press; get some facts and be ready to counter the bad press with the good news that 4-wheelers can do.
First of all, know that the 4-wheeler trails are carefully monitored in national forests and other state and federally managed lands to ensure that the trails are never damaged to the point they can not reclaim themselves. Periodically, trails that are used are closed so the vegetation can take the trails back over, during this time other riding trails are opened.
As far as litter, most riders of 4-wheelers follow the standards set forth by Treadlightly and practice "leave no trace" riding. Many 4-wheeler riders are dedicated to leaving the land better than they found it and this includes doing trash pick ups on trails to return them to their pristine beauty.
Many 4-wheeler groups donate their weekends to trail clean up and also meet with private land owners to ensure it is permissible to cross their lands. If the land owner is adverse to having riders on their land, the groups design riding trails around private property to ensure everyone's rights are respected.
Make anyone that dislikes 4-wheelers aware of the good that can be done by the riders and if you know someone that is giving other 4-wheeler riders a bad name with their riding habits - make it a point to educate them in proper trail etiquette. You'll be doing something positive for everyone.
