Texas SB155

[rastus]

SB155 has made it to the Governor's office to sign off on. So I am
asking that each and every one of you please take a minute and go to the
site below and email him with a message stating something similar to the
following:

I am against SB155 because it takes away the constitutional rights of
the people of the State of Texas by blocking access to their only
"public" dry river beds and completely discriminates against the
handicap since they will not be able to access the river beds by
vehicle.

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact

[Comfortably Numb]

I really doubt the Governor of Texas gives a rats ass what those of us in Colorado think. Just like the Governor of Colorado wouldn't give a damn what citizens of Texas think about a Colorado law.

Sorry we can't really do anything for you here.

[rastus]

You're absolutely right.

but for the people in Texas who like and enjoy visiting this board, they might very well be interested in it.

[Butt Head]

Originally posted by rastus:
I am against SB155 because it takes away the constitutional rights of
the people of the State of Texas by blocking access to their only
"public" dry river beds Do you mind telling me how poeple have a constitutional right to tresspass on private property when it is a dry river bed? Is this in the Bill of Rights or is there some amendment about this or are you talking about the TEXAS constitution? What makes you think dry river beds are "public"? I thought Texas was 99% private property and all the BLM land is in west Texas near El Paso. I thought SB155 was about protecting PRIVATE land. Do I have this wrong?

[ramdodger]

Since it's 'SB', and since the TX Gov is signing it, I would bet it's a TX deal. Don't get yer pantys in a bunch Butt Head. ;)

[76 warlock]

Maybe why so many texans spend their vacations in colorado

[jonboy]

there are a lot of popular 4x4 trails in TX that have a portion of the trail running through dry creek beds...I understand both sides of the coin....also know there are a lot of run-ins with locals when wheelers drive through those dry creek beds...

[Butt Head]

Originally posted by jonboy:
there are a lot of popular 4x4 trails in TX that have a portion of the trail running through dry creek beds...I understand both sides of the coin....also know there are a lot of run-ins with locals when wheelers drive through those dry creek beds... I hope your not saying that its okay to drive on private property without permission. I think there is only one side of the coin -- (morally and legally). I'm not into situational ethics like the greenies (THEY say laws don't apply to THEM but only other people). I think locals should be able to control who drives on there property.

[jonboy]

no, not saying that at all. Just showing one side of the argument. The theory is that you can't "own" a section of a river. Which is true under TX law, probably the same in CO. For example, even if a river runs through your land, you can't build a structure within the banks, like a damn, etc. Also, it is not considered trespassing if you are in a boat and travelling on the river. Only if you get out of the banks. So the wheelers are saying, there should be no difference between a river with water and a river that is dry at the time. If you can float it in a boat, why shouldn't you be able to drive a rig down it? The fact that it has water shouldn't be determinative as to the legality of your presence. If you had a rig on 44's, you should be able to just drive down the river right alongside a boat...

Big debate in TX. There are a lot of rivers in TX that people float down in inner-tubes and rafts, and when the river gets low, the people that own the land claim that the "dried" portion is theirs, and yell at people for getting out of their tubes to walk across low spots to access the deeper spots further down river.

[Butt Head]

Hmmm.... I guess I don't see how you can get a rig in or out of a river without driving on the banks. It seems to me that driving in rivers gives some what of a bad impression of the sport, even if it is legal. I have to admit I've never had the urge to take my rig to Texas, but I guess the law is different there than it is here in CO and if I feel like driving in water I now know where to go.

[jonboy]

Agree that driving in rivers may be a bit strange - I was just trying to point out that in theory you could do it if it had water in it - not like anyone in TX goes wheeling in a river with water in it......and as for entering / exiting the river, there are plenty of public access points to the rivers - for the larger ones there are boat ramps, etc, and the smaller ones have roads that lead to them normally.

[jonboy]

Well this is a moot thread now - the TX governor signed SB 155 into law now. No more riverbed wheeling for TX residents.

[ct90yj]

In Colorado you can float legaly thru private land, however if you touch the riverbed, it's trespassing.

it's a detail, but a big one IMHO

[KC]

That sucks, dry river beds are some of the best places to go in Texas. Anyone have a link to the actual law that went into effect. There was a law against it before, but usually there was a technicality you could get by on. I think it was something to do with them being non-navigable.

Oh well at least there are new places like Katemcy for you to wheel at that are probably better wheeling anyway.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=1674180