livedarklions

If the fine was lower, it wouldn't be much of a deterrent.

And I think the fine fits the crime. Calling it obscenely high just begs the question.

UniChris

Exactly. The goal of a legitimate regulation should be to entirely prevent the illicit behavior, with the result that no one is ever assessed the fine anyway. It's pretty hard to accidentally climb over a high fence.

Contrast something like NYC's "stipulated" fines program where commercial operators agree to just pay some percentage of parking tickets without challenging any of them. Such an illegitimate program exists to let things like parking in the bike lane simply be a cost of doing business.

Camilo

Because cyclists and hikers both f up trails by cutting switchbacks and other things that decrease effectiveness of erosion control tactics. They also spread out trails around inconvenient terrain. In general, left to their own devices, harm the land.

My guess is that this particular incident in the op is the result of a long standing problem by users who think they know better than land managers and the hefty fine reflects the ongoing problem and ramped up enforcement that is necessary.

livedarklions

Exactly!
The existence of a trail is, pretty much by definition, a disruption of the soil. It's erosion all by itself and erosion tends to spread, even without further human intervention. You point out also the domino effect, one trail leads to another and another after that.

indyfabz

When I did my first backcountry backpack trip (7-days in Glacier N.P.) not cutting switchbacks was one thing I learned early on from my guide. We encountered a few good-sized groups out for day hikes doing it. He even spoke up to one group about it as the passed us going in the other direction.

Joe Bikerider

And your point is? Getting back to the original post he got caught hoisting his bike over a fence to access an illegally created trail in a restricted watershed. I think $600 was too low. Should cost at least $1000 for the obvious infraction and not understanding about laws.

livedarklions

That's what I find so ironic about all these people whining about the size of the fine--obviously, if the fence isn't deterring them, the fine has got to be high if there's any chance for it to deter.

frogman

Exactly.......... And he is complaining about getting caught. This is hilarious !

squirtdad

easy answer is not speeding just like not crossing climbing a fence

Kat12

And, of course, in the world {full} of "things that are unfair because people with a lot of money don't have as much of a burden as people who don't have a lot of money"... I would say this is pretty far down the list in importance.