Your topic re: drinking & snowmobiling is truly offensive. 14 people died this year, and the 20 or so per year for how ever many, and there is no mention beyond a one night headline of the incident. A NEWS person is killed - and NOW this is a DAILY news story. While ALL of these deaths are extremely tragic -- each of them set out for a recreational purpose other than to be killed. The exploitation of this at the hands of one of your own is of very bad taste.

While your story may have positive concerns, and strive for good - it comes across cold and callus to the other victims.

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Sue,
First of all there will be more accidents and fatalities this year due to this being the best snow conditions for almost 10 years. There are already laws on the books against intoxicated use of a snowmobile and reckless driving. Adding more regulations will not help. Educating our young people to drive safer will help a lot. There are lots of young people out there who do not drink but drive way too fast and have more "guts" than brains. They need to have direct contact with people who have been injured or have lost family and friends due to reckless snowmobiling. Having a beer and a sandwich at a bar and driving do not cause problems. Sitting in the bar for hours and drinking way too much and then climbing on their snowmobiles is the problem. We can't understand why people would sit in a bar in the winter when they could be out enjoying the trails. People who are not responsible in other facets of their lives will also spoil the sport of snowmobiling. It's hard to legislate common sense. People have to understand that it's not how fast you go but how you go fast. A twisty trail is no place to ride fast. A flat stretch of straight trail in a field or a thicky frozen lake are places to go fast but only after one checks them out for bumps and holes, stumps, etc. For the most part snowmobilers are good people who ride safe and with recent education programs they are increasing in number. We never hear about them, only the careless idiots who ruin the sport for the rest of us. We have snowmobiled since the 70's and have never had an accident or drink so much we could not properly handle the sled. We love the sport, the beauty of the trails and the don't need more legislation; just inforce what we have.
Kathy and Ron
Medford WI

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I just read the article in the Lakeland Times, Minocqua's newspaper. www.lakelandtimes.com If I read it correctly both Michigan and Minnesota have stricter OWI laws. When you are charged with driving a snowmobile drunk it effects your state driver's license. Since they started doing that the number of deaths drastically have been reduced. Michigan averages 1 death out of every 15,200 registered snowmobilers, Minnesota 1 death of out of every 17,900 and Wisconsin 1 out of every 5,900. Wow!! Most of the snowmobiling done is in Vilas and Oneida County. I bet if you checked into it there are the most bars per square mileage on the trails as well. It makes me really (TICKED) that PINHEADS like (local bar/restaurant owners)are more concerned about what is in their pocketbooks than they are concerned about these families that lose their loved ones to this deadly sport. It brings on a totally different light to the subject when you are buying the seasons registration that you might be one out 5,900 that won't live to see the next day. Are the lives of these men up for sale?? It isn't going to hurt the economy here, just the income that comes in from alcohol. Minnesota and Michigan has dealt well with the change, what is the problem up here?? People like (name your local pin head restaurant/bar owner that is doing shots with the snowmobilers thinking about his own paid for Spring Vacation somewhere warm and sunny off all the profit of his booze sales)?? What a CROCK!! I'm sure David Savini from Channel 2 News in Chicago has gotten great response from everyone else on changing this to be a more secure and safe sport and not from the bar owners. (He had the local whose who following him monitoring and putting their 2 non cents in about how they didn't agree that their bars overserved the snowmobilers) The only resistance, I am sure, will be from the bar owners. Boo Hoo!! Get into a real job that doesn't put a price on snowmobilers heads!! Your friend, Susan Louise
PS My husband's family switched from this area to the UP area for snowmobiling over 20 years ago because of the congestion and crowds. They felt it was safer. I guess they were right.

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I understand that some people believe that it is the sole responsiblity of the snowmobiler that drinks too much & then runs into a tree, but that person is not the only one that is affected. There are always others that are affected by a fatality. The law enforcement, EMTs or first responders that have to pick up the pieces are people that are affected no matter how many times they have to do it. And let's not forget the families & friends of those "indistructable" snowmobilers that have to live the rest of their lives thinking what if....

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We have to make a statement to those who choose to be irresponsible in their lives and we need to disallow them the opportunities to find blame in outside sources. ie: the bartender, the lack of sufficient law enforcement, the frequent stopping of snowmobilers which is 'annoying' and cuts into the tourism revenue with negativity, the 'disease' of drinking, and blah blah blah blah blah. Folks, it is not complex and the answer is simple common sense. "Those who are enjoying the snowmobiling sport must expect the highest level of responsibility for their actions!!!!" Don't drink and drive.

It's my son you ran into as his last living memory was being forced off the trail and flying airborne into the trunk of the tree. It was my granddaughter who at age 9 will spend the rest of her life looking at pictures of the dad you killed with your drunkeness and machine, instead of having a real live dad. It was my husband who will spend the remainder of his life at the nursing home at age 54 after having been a rider because of your excessive alcohol consumption followed by a drive on your machine.

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When snowmobiling started there were over a dozen manufacturers and those who were hearty souls and mechanically inclined made up the majority of the sport. Now there are only four manufacturers and those old "bone shakers" have been replaced by smooth riding comfortable machines. You can buy a sled that is far more powerful and faster than those raced in Eagle River less than 20 years ago. This all puts more responsibility on the rider to make good and safe choices in the way they ride and how much they choose to drink. Consider this...an 800cc or 1000cc snowmobile has roughly the same horsepower to weight ratio that the #17 Ford NASCAR Nextell Cup car Matt Kenseth will be driving at the Daytona 500 in a couple of weeks. Would you drive that thing after too much to drink? George

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Sue: All of us know the risks. We all know most people are drinking including myself. Do you lock yourself indoors in case something bad might happen? How many die from Cancer and Heart Attacks. If I die on my sled, please tell the undertaker to leave the smile on my face!

Bryan

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In my opinion it's not the snowmobilers manufacturers like one guy said. How can it be the snowmobilers manufacturers fault they dont make you buy the 150hp snowmobile you do. So what I'm trying to say is It's all personal preference. I have snowmobiled for 10 years and I have lost friends to drinking and driving cars and I don't want to end my life that way. I enjoy the sport enjoy meeting new people but don't have to drink to have a great time. I just got home yesterday from Hurley, Wi and we we're there for 3 days and didn't think of drinking. All I guess I'm saying is it's personal choice. I think about the DNR making this law for a night time speed limit is a flat joke. I found a web site about a mounth ago that told me how many tickets we're sighted last year for each kind of ticket. I was shocked when I saw the DNR gave out 5 speeding tickets for the WHOLE STATE for the whole season. Now we are paying $30 to ride the trails and the DNR is keeping that money and what are they doing with it. THEY ARE NOW ENFORCING THE LAWS SO WHY HAVE THEM. I drive no faster that 65mph at night and am a very safe rider. I just wish if the DNR is going to have a law on speeds and they are saying these accidents are all because of alcohol and speed well than get out there and give out tickets. I won't ever stop snowmobiling I here on the news almost every accident is caused by alcohol and speed but when there is a big event in the area at night do you ever see a DNR out. Like the news ancor who died in Eagle River. That was the biggest weekend for Eagle River as far as tourism and where we're the DNR? Sitting at home sleeping. Evan when it gets cold out like when it was -20's a few weeks ago. I was out riding those trails but you won't ever see a DNR out when it's that cold. I never have. Sinceraly, boondocker man.

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Living in the Northwoods, I constantly am reminded of the link of alcohol and snowmobiling. Ride your sled around the area, or even drive in you vehicle and count the number of sled at the bars. True, most of these establishments serve food, but by my observations the main draw is alcohol. My family went to dinner Saturday evening and fourteen snowmobilers arrived at the restuarant. When we left, every single one was at the bar drinking. Did I check their glasses for alcohol? No. What is your guess what they contained?
We live on a lake with a fine view of three trails. During the evening hours of 55mph speed limit, I see VERY few sleds going that slow.
Slow DOWN. Don't drink and ride. My teenagers are not allowed to ride at night because of other riders who disregard both prohibitions.

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having some drinks help you. but having to meny have are the problem of crashes and the problem is the drivers falt. if you are with someone who had to meny drinks you should call someone to pick them up or take there keys away. and most of the crashes happen on sharp turns while going down hills and when sober they are hard to do i should know.
taylor

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You can't make an intelligent comparison on whether the problem is getting worse unless you compare the length of the snowmobiling season. This is the first year in a long time that much of the state can snowmobile...not just a few northern counties. AND, the season started much earlier. Although the numbers seem worse the accidents/miles ridden may actually be the same or down. Yes, the ultimate responsiblity resides with the snowmobiler. Those who drink and drive sleds without responsiblity would probably be on the road in a car if not on a sled. Don/Medford

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Simply stated, you shouldn't have to include alcohol to have a more enjoyable time doing anything.

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As a past bartender. We can not always know how much a person drinks before they arived at our establishment. It is the responsililty of the adult drinking and the people they are with to know thier limit. One person can have 6 drinks and it won't show the next has 4 drinks and starts slurring. Their medical problems, medications and so many other factors that enhhance the effects of alchol. We don't know if they have eaten either. To hold bartenders responsible we would have to give them at least 20 questions before we can serve them. When you have twenty customers you don't have time for the general questions, let alone all the other factors related to how drinking is going to effect them. This a no win situation no matter what.

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Arthur is beautiful! Reminds me of my grandson Parker who is about the same age.
Now on to the serious business at hand...Who should take the responsibility in all the many alcohol related snowmobile deaths. Certainly the riders themselves MUST take responsibility as they are all adults and should know better. However, I also blame the bars where the alcohol is served. They rely on the snowmobile trade for a great degree of their winter trade. I've seen it in the bars. I have never been able to figure out why drinking and snowmobiling have always been linked together so much; poker runs, charity runs, etc. One would never think of telling people to go from bar to bar using cars for the means of transportation and call it a poker run or whatever. I personally don't think the trails should be allowed to go anywhere near a bar...a restaurant, yes, but nowhere near anyplace where alcohol is served. Now, we know that is now the way it is. The two go hand in hand in the winter. Never a good idea. I long ago gave up snowmobiling because I was afraid of the alcohol fueled snowmobile drivers. It scares me to death when I see little kids on snowmobiles with their parents on these same trails. Please! someone do something about this!
Mary B. Wausau

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This is a tough subject. I do not think that the bartenders can be blamed though, it is there job to do what they do and it would be hard to know what everyone has had to drink. I do feel that the driver and "adult" passengers are to blame. If you are riding with someone you should be aware of what they are consuming for your own protection.

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The media only points out the negative statistics of snowmobiling. When was the last time the media quoted how many snowmobiles are registered in Wisconsin? How many are drawn to the northern area where there are miles and miles of excellent trail conditions? How much money is brought into these areas? What is the percnetage of snowmobile accidents compared to the number of snowmobilers on the trails? Ever notice that the accidents mentioned that end in fatalities are 1-sled accidents? There are always a few bad apples that can give us snowmobilers a bad rap, but we need to start hearing more positive statistics. Snowmobile trails lead to taverns!! They always have. Most people will drink responsibly. I would be interested in know to what degree alcohol was a factor in these deaths. And what were the other unmentioend factors--like icy corners, health issues, etc. This is the "buzz" sledders talk about on the trails and at pit stops.

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I feel, that the laws set here in Wisconsin and other states allow people to endanger other people's lives when it comes to drinking and driving. Our laws are set to give drunk drivers another chance and another chance and another until it's too late. You keep giving a person who drinks and drives little slaps on the hand and they won't learn their lesson. Eventually, they will get behind the wheel drunk, again, and this time not only might they endanger the lives of other but they may take them as well!

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While any recreational injury or death is unfortunate, it's unrealistic to think it can be reduced to zero. Our trail system has a history of going from bar to bar,an old culture from long ago when average trail speeds were only 15 - 20 mph and you needed to stop and warm up somewhere. Many riders now do abstain from alcohol until the sled is put away for the day. Still, we only hear about the bad things. I believe harsh penalties may help, but that also would require more enforcement,which costs more money. There is a tangled web of politics surrounding drinking and snowmobiling, so this issue won't go away anytime soon. Ultimately everyone needs to be responsible for themselves.

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it's a matter of personal responsiblity - resting entirely on the shoulders of those who drink and drive Rick

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Sue, I am a 64 year old man who in the past truely enjoyed snowmobiling. We did out share of drinking while we were out on the trails as well. BUT! we did not have the sleds that went 100 and more miles an hour. I truely believe the manufactures are the biggest blame to the problem. Grant you, the people must and do have a large responsibility to maintain their drinking and driving.
Back in my days of snowmobliling we did not have the grand highways to ride on like they have today. But it all comes down to the SPEED. Take away the high speeds and the accidents go down. These are only my thoughts. Have a good day.

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There should be an alcohol tax, like the cigarette tax. That might discourage people from going overboard.