It seems the NH local law enforcement has a new source of revenue! I have heard of five separate incidences of police using radar on the trails (three at the state line). All trails are 30mph? On the lakes you’re allowed 50? Is this just New Hampshire? Or are their states implementing the same strict laws in the Northern Americas? ……. Personally I’m boycotting “Live Free or Die” * http://www.snowmobileworld.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif PO

It seems the NH local law enforcement has a new source of revenue! I have heard from five separate incidences of police using radar on the trails (three at the state line). All trails are 30mph? On the lakes you are allowed 50? Is this just New Hampshire? Or are their states implementing the same strict laws in the Northern Americas? Personally I am boycotting Live Free or Die

Most states have some sort of regulations relating to snowmobiles. Here in Minnesota 50mph speed limit unless marked slower (and there are marked areas). They also have checkpoints on the most common trails where they check you for Insurance, Registration, Drivers Liscense, Trail or Stud permits, Snowmobile Safety Certificates, noise levels AND you may get a breathalizer.(DUI)

Some areas the 50mph speed limit is just way too slow, usually the ticketing is related to accidents or special occurences. I have seen the officialls (here it is the Department Of Natural Resources, DNR) stop whole groups and give "safety warnings" instead of the tickets.(Nice of them)

BUT, if you have ever overshot a turn into a tree, or hit a finger drift that launched you 10 feet straight UP at 100+mph, or tried to launch an approach ending up on a car..........

I got a ticket a few weeks ago. speed limit on trail is 45 no speed limit on 99% of lakes a few do have them though. Back lake in Pittsburg has one after dark lots of people killed running into shore after dark. Tickes go 46-65 $72 66-75 mph $120 over 75 must appear in court. None of this affects your drivers licence Most of the time you wont be stopped unless over 60 mph. I was 67mph and written up for 65. Most tickets are issued by State fish & game officers not local law. $10 increase in reg fee was to provide more policing such as this. BTW I think it STINKS!!!!!!!!!!

ZRTMTNCAT, in Minnesota you do not need insurance on your sled. I have went round and round with people on this so I always say check the DNR website that will tell you right there! So if you get a ticket for this dispute it!

DNR Website? Could I have more inf on this?

zl440cats - allow me:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/trails_and_waterways/snowmobiles.html

i can't believe you guys don't require insurance......

Got yanked a week ago in old forge. D.E.C. cops had radar gun on trail rondale road going to trail 10. Got me at 70 in a 20. They can patrol that spoty because it is state land. I didnt get a ticket by throwing some names around but they definetly seemed serious.

Now you guys got me thinking again, I am currently trying to find the exact info! I KNOW FOR SURE I read it somewhere. Will post it when I find it!

Just spoke to the DNR in St. Paul MN and they said that Insurance on snowmobiles is strictly up to the user and is NOT REQUIRED. I could not find that printed on thier site so I called.

boots - are you sure that is ALL *insurance? *what if you hit and kill someone? *who pays if their family sues? *or you injure someone and they sue you?

Here in Ontario, collision insurance is up the rider. *But you had better have liability insurance or face a heavy fine. *It is an ENFORCED law.

thundercatzr,
I am just going by what I saw and what the dnr said, It doesnt make much since to me either maybe something to do with the no fault law we have. I am going to investagate this further, but they said MN law does not require insurance on snowmobiles. I believe there are a few other states with this same law in place. I will get to the bottom of this!!!

Insurance is OPTIONAL in the state where hardly anything is allowed,, http://www.snowmobileworld.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

You are right, there is nothing in the rule book that says insurance is required. But I am keeping my Full Coverage just in case of an accident.

As for Minnesota being strict, DUI or 100 MPH: Go Directly To Jail. 3 times you are out.

Hell in New Hampshire we don't even have to have insurance on our road vehicles.

Got stopped in michigan they check your vin# and your reg# drivers lisc.# to make sure they match did not ask for insurance?http://www.snowmobileworld.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

to thundercatzr and arcticcatboots-
I believe if you don't have insurance (or adequate insurance) on your snowmobile or car or whatever, if you get sued they are going after your homeowner's policy.

Law enforcement in NH is high this year. *4 rides been pulled over 4 times. *One looking for a stolen sled and the other for registration. *All were just courtesy checks but have got a speeding ticket from them in the past. *To my knowledge it is 45 mph un less posted and no limit on lakes unless it is a marked trail. *They are there and do have radar guns.

Is it just me, or has anyone else that has been to the UP this year noticed the ever increasing presence of the DNR? *I spent the beggining of the year in McMillan (west of newberry) and had no trouble finding the DNR's green pick up every day. *I did manage to pick up an $80 fine for not riding far enough on the shoulder of the road, and yes it was part of the marked trail system. *I guess, I cannot complain because I was doing well over the speed limit when I got caught. *After many years of going to the UP, this is the first citation that I have gotten *While he was writing my citation, I did have a nice conversation with him (at least he was friendly). *I found out some very interesting things.
1)If you are from out of state and get a citation, make sure that you have $50 dollors bond money. *If not, you get a free ride to jail
2)They do not check insurance. *I thought insurance was required, but I guess not. *I will still always carry it though, just in case. * * *
3)This particular officer said that they are going to start pushing for a speed limit to be passed on all trails. *As of right now it is a "Reasonable Speed" limit. *He said it will still be a couple years before they get anything passed. *

and finally when riding on a county road, ride to the far most right that you can. *I was riding on the right hand side of the right lane but he said that was not good enough. *Sorry this was so long, but I hope that it can help from someone else getting a citation because they seem to be out in force this year. http://www.snowmobileworld.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

They keep up all the laws they'll kill the sport. *MN has way too many laws - bars close at 1, can't buy beer on Sunday, and you can't sit at the parks and have a beer even on a nice summer day!!!

As always Law Enforcements response to the enforcement of laws is directly effected by pressure from the public and special interests groups. The cops just didnt decide to go out one day pick on snowmobilers for the hell of it. Snowmobile accidents/deaths seem increase every year and most of these are caused by speed and alcohol. Dont kid yourself if you think that they are only stopping you to check your registration or because you were speeding. Thats just their "probable cause" to initiate contact with. An experienced cop doesnt have to get a breath test from you to know if you've been drinking. They look for slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, divided attention cues, and smell of alcohol. There were more Snowmobiling while Intoxicated arrests in Minnesota the last two years than at any other time. And as a side note, the DWI siezure laws in Minnesota also apply to Snowmobiles. This means if you've had previous DWI arrests on your driving record in the last ten years your snowmobile could be siezed by the Law Enforcement Agency that arrests you (becomes their property). In the area I ride when they do their snowmobile saturation patrols they will even put a plane or a helecopter in the air to help locate snowmobile that decide to run the check point. Dont get me wrong Law Enforcement focuses on more than just alcohol offenses, they actively check VIN numbers looking for stolen sleds, and do alot to make the trails safer just by their prsence. I personally dont mind being stopped. if your legal its usually a short encounter and your off again.