Ok, I'm a PA resident and already resent like heck that I have to buy a NY registration just to ride in NY state. (We can make it there in about 15 minutes) Now according to the article I pasted below, if you are not a member of a NY club, it will be $100. Increase club membership, fine but now it will cost us a hundred bucks to ride into NY? I guarantee you won't see much of that. We'll just go east or west instead of North. Why would they penalize us so much for entering NY and spending our dollars there on food, gas, etc when we would be helping the tax base. I don't need a NY registration to drive my car across the border!

The speed limit burns me too. I understand the point but I also think most highway speed limits are bs also. We tend to legislate down to the lowest common denominator in this country and for speed limits, we legislate everyone down to people with little driving skill. It's the same thing on the trails. (I'd also like to know what percentage of that 1/3 they reference was ALSO alcohol related- it's easy to make statistics say what you want them to say)

It's disappointing because I've met so many cool guys up in NY state on rides and now there will be not just a hundred dollar line between us but a line of principal.

Opinions?

ARTICLE:
ALBANY, N.Y.

A new law establishes a 55 mile-per-hour snowmobile speed limit on public trails and lands starting in late February.

Signed by Governor Pataki and effective in 180 days, the measure makes a narrow exception for races and rallies that get permits from the state parks commissioner.

In a memo, bill sponsors said one-third of crashes are directly related to speed.

New York has more than 10-thousand miles of trails. Nearly 170-thousand snowmobiles are registered in New York.

The law increases the snowmobile registration fees to 100 dollars for non-club members, leaving the current 45-dollar fee for snowmobilers who belong to the clubs.

Jim Jennings, executive director of the New York State Snowmobilers Association, says -- quote -- "We'll take the speed limit. It'll make the activity safer."

He also tells the Syracuse Post-Standard that the snowmobile clubs build and maintain trails, and the main purpose of the bill is to increase club membership.

He says about 80 percent of owners don't currently belong.

Sucks for sure, but it seems to be a fact of life.

Up here in Ontario we pay $180 (after Dec.1, it's $230) for a trail pass and if we want to ride in Quebec, it's another $200. Granted we do have many more miles in trails than you and can choose not to ride in Quebec as well, but it's not fair to the ones near the border of both provinces who would have their snowmobile area cut in half if they chose not to get a trail pass in both provinces and just travel eastward and not westward and vice versa.

Btw, our maximum trail speed limit in Ontario is 50 kilometers per hour and not 55 miles per hour.

How does that grab you?

I'll agree on the point of the speed limit. Not a big fan of that. But as far as the fee, I'm all for it. Here's why: in order to keep our trail systems (no matter what state), we need to support the clubs that make the trails possible. We can do that by either helping out with setting up the trails for winter, or by joining the club to help financially. It would be preferable for both things to happen, but money is a good start. When I travel to Michigan, I always make some sort of donation to the club (or clubs) in the area to help support them. Seems like the least I can do.
It sounds like they do want more snowmobilers to get involved with the clubs, thus the price hike if you're not a member. Seems like a great idea to get more people involved.
As far as paying into the tax base, how much of that money helps fund the trails?
I guess I don't see why someone wouldn't want to support the trail systems that they ride on.

50kms/hr!? What is that about 40mph? That's downright stupid. So you guys have one blanket speed limit applied everywhere?!

The problem is (and I'm sure the NY residents will back this up) NY state will not use the funds to support the trail system. The state is almost bankrupt as it is and is fundraising any way they can. Drive down the interstate in NY and you'll see what i mean. I-90 and I-86 are now littered with fundraisers in hiding. NY tends to be bass ackwards when it comes to most legislation. Any of you NY contractors want to chime in on Sect 240 law??

Our registration is dirt cheap right now and the bill was just signed in PA allowing funds to be diverted to our beloved interest. Before this, it was pretty much all on the clubs. I finally actually own my own (I didn't own my 96' until i broke it..know what I mean?) sled and will be joining Thursday night at the members meeting because I know how important it is to support.

It's closer to 30mph

SWRules well if you come to vermont the non-resident pass is about $80. But you guys complain that the speed limit on trails and land is 55 mph :lmao: In vermont the speed limit is 50 mph...ON THE LAKE!! And its 30 mph on the trails!! :cussing: not saying i follow these speed limits but i have gotten 2 tickets for speeding across the lake at 100+!! not to sound like a bad ### but the only reason i stopped is b/c there was 2 auxillary officers on sled one coming at me and one behind!! What is your speed limits on lakes and rivers out there?? SWRules

The New York State Snowmobile Association is tackling the issue of reciprocity between states. This is something we are all interested in. I hate I can ride in Allegeny State Park, but cross into Pa. and get a ticket for not being registered in the state-is just stupid. As I said, we at NYSSA are working on this issue and hope to have soem news soon. I feel for you living in Pa. and not being able to ride here, but here are some facts:

The 2-tier registration does not go into effect until next fall (Not in Feb.). The speed limit goes into effect on Feb. 27th. You might not like the speed limit, but guess what-we have it. This applies to funded trails and public lands only. The speed limit is better than other states and Ontario-that's a fact.

I'll throw some other facts at you: The reasoning for 2-tier is that there are approx. 160,000 registered sleds in NY. There are approx. 21,000 club members in NY. Who do you think uses the trails? Who maintains them? Doesn't seem fair when you look at it that way, does it? If you join a club, your registration NEXT SEASON will still be $45, if not, it will be $100.

I'm a member of the Board of Directors with NYSSA-just so you understand where this is coming from. There is more info at the NYSSA Website (http://www.nyssnowassoc.org). Before you do anything please read some more about this legislation. Also, it would help a lot if your state association in Pa. was to take up the cause of reciprocity-more voices make more noise=politicians will listen.

Oh yeah-the speed limit-remember, this is supposed to be a safe and family oriented sport-not trying to be Tucker Hibbert on the trails.


I'll agree on the point of the speed limit. Not a big fan of that. But as far as the fee, I'm all for it. Here's why: in order to keep our trail systems (no matter what state), we need to support the clubs that make the trails possible. We can do that by either helping out with setting up the trails for winter, or by joining the club to help financially. It would be preferable for both things to happen, but money is a good start. When I travel to Michigan, I always make some sort of donation to the club (or clubs) in the area to help support them. Seems like the least I can do.
It sounds like they do want more snowmobilers to get involved with the clubs, thus the price hike if you're not a member. Seems like a great idea to get more people involved.
As far as paying into the tax base, how much of that money helps fund the trails?
I guess I don't see why someone wouldn't want to support the trail systems that they ride on.
[/b]
JT,

$10 of each registration goes to DMV for administrative expenses, the rest goes to the state trail fund which pays for insurance and is turned back tot he clubs for trail funding. After 2-tier, you join a club, $35 goes tot hte trail fund or if you don't join a club, $90 will go to the trail fund. And you're right, this is designed to get more people into clubs, helps financially and with the volunteer base, and it gives the state association a method to communicate with these snowmobilers we have no contact with now. We have a huge voter base if we get them altogether-the politicians listen to numbers-21,000 vs. 100,000 members-who do you think they'll listen to and pay more attention to?

reciprocity between the states?

Read PA's language.
"Pennsylvania registration is NOT required for:
Snowmobiles owned by nonresidents covered by a valid registration in their state, province or country that honors Pennsylvania registration; "

PA will honor any state's registration that will honor ours.
That's not very nice of you NY. :slick:

I'm not even going to get into the speed limit argument. I'll just have 20 people telling me I'm irresponsible or some crap like the Tucker Hibbert comment. Most speed limits are complete bunk legislating everyone down to the lowest common denominator. (by the way, I'm an underwriter for a large regional insurance company, not some 16 year old kid with no fear.)

The story I heard was Vermont started doing it to NY, so NY saterted doing it to others, and PA reciprocated. I know that sleds w/o PA. registration can't cross the bridge and go to the Inn w/o fearing for a ticket.

Like I said, we (especially me) feel it is STUPID to have to register in other states too.

The 55 was given to us by the assembly-we were told take it or we will force something worse (45, 35 etc.)-it was a grandstanding play by a politician to get his name in front of his constituents. As I said, the law is for funded trails and public lands-our interpretation means that doesn't include lakes as we have no trails on lakes and lakes are not land. We didn't like it but it was the lesser of 2 evils. Reasonable and prudent is still on the books too.