In this issue:
Areas:
Pinjar North / South Loops graded
Gnangara Harvesting
Spring Burns
Advocacy:
ORV Registration and Liability
Jail for Quad Rider
Events
Outdoors October
RTRA AGM
Metro Rd Cleanup
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Helping to save your riding areas
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Dear Member
Getting towards the end of another year - soon there will be hot weather and dust and slippery pea-gravel to contend with. What better motivation to get out there and lap up the last of the moist grippy trails and perfect visibility!
But before you hop back on the bike here's a quick catchup on what's been happening - and what's coming up. Read on ...
Outdoors October - Pinjar Open Day

A reminder to all RTRA members and their families that the Pinjar Open Day is this Saturday October 4 as part of Outdoors October.
The morning will commence at 10am with the bi-monthly carpark cleanup, then there will be the opportunity to ride the trails, find out about the next stage plans for the area and sample the new practice MX circuit.
Our friends at the Department of Parks and Wildlife will once again put on a barbecue. If you haven’t yet brought the family to Pinjar this will be the ideal time to do so.
Outdoors October is getting bigger - there will be over 100 events listed this year - and we want trail bike riding to be one of the main activities promoted. So go on, get riding!
Also check today's West Australian for details of the Outdoors October photography competition. It will be great to get some family riding pics submitted to show trail bike riding in a positive light.
RTRA AGM - October 21
Another October reminder - the RTRA Annual General Meeting is on October 21. We will be holding this at the Oxford Hotel Leederville again and as in previous years we will keep the formalities to a minimum to maximise the socialising time.
More details, together with the formal Notice of AGM will be emailed to all financial members soon. The event is FREE for paid-up RTRA members. Numbers are limited so book your place now.
Prescribed Burns throughout Perth in Spring
DPaW has advised us that the spring prescribed burning season has commenced. Information about current burns is available at http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/fire/prescribed-burning/burns
Obviously it is best to avoid areas where burns are planned, however if you come across a burning operation please slow down and follow the directions of signs and DPaW staff.
Pinjar Trails Graded
North and South Loop trails were graded last week! DPaW have given these sand trails a good going over and de-whooped them ahead of this Saturday's Pinjar Open Day for Outdoors October.
All paid-up RTRA members were personally notified last week on the day the trails were graded. if you didn't receive an email you might need to check that your membership is current.
Jail for Quad Rider a Reminder to us all
A four year jail term has been imposed on a quad rider who was deemed responsible for the death of his pillion passenger in a crash at Lancelin two years ago. It should be seen as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks it's cool to go racing up and down access roads, carrying pillion passengers on vehicles not designed for them and not wearing helmets or protective gear.
The adrenaline rush is often part of the fun of riding - but save it for the trails and the circuits. No one is impressed with donuts or wheelies in the car parks or access roads and with so many families now enjoying trail riding the chances of cleaning up a youngster are growing every week. Enjoy - but take care!
Gnangara Harvesting
A timber harvesting operation is currently underway within the Gnangara ORV area and in adjacent areas of the Gnangara pine plantation. The Gnangara ORV area is being thinned. Other areas at the eastern end of the pines near Gnangara Road and the area immediately north of Gnangara road are being cleared to allow for the widening of Gnangara Road and other road improvements.
The timber harvesting operations will be taking place between Monday and Friday for the next 3 weeks (until approximately 17 October). Harvesting machines will be operating in the pine plantation during this time and trucks will be operating on access roads between Gnangara Road and Trainor Road.
The ORV area will be closed during these times for safety reasons.
It is recommended that you do not use the Gnangara ORV area until further notice.
Metro Road Cleanup Reminder - November 8
A quick reminder that our Metro Road cleanup day is on Saturday, November 8 at 9am.
We had an amazing turnout last year and transformed the area. There is less to be done this year - which just means we'll all get out riding sooner. Please help out if you can, especially if you can bring a ute or large trailer and help cart some of the rubbish away.
Offroad Vehicle Registration and Personal Liability
We’re often asked why Off Road Vehicle Registration only allows people to ride in gazetted Off Road Vehicle Areas.
The main reason is because this type of registration does not include any Third Party Personal Insurance.
If you or your kids have an accident and injure someone you can be liable for anything up to millions of dollars in compensation costs. Once your capacity to pay is exhausted the claimant can then go after the land manager for the balance on the basis that the land manager was negligent in their duty of care by allowing an unregistered vehicle to be ridden in that area. It's not hard to see why local and state government agencies wouldn't want to leave themselves open to this risk.
By contrast, anyone entering a properly signed and declared Off Road Vehicle Area is assumed to recognise the inherent dangers and be there at their own risk so the liability risk to the land manager is much lower.
In places like Victoria which have a ‘no-fault’ insurance scheme this issue doesn’t arise - which is why recreational registration can be made available relatively cheaply.
Spread the Word
If you think the RTRA is having a positive impact for riders, just think how much more effective we'd be if we had double the members. It's actually not that hard - all it takes is for each member to find one other rider to sign up. If you have riding buddies who are not yet members of the RTRA, please forward them this email and give them a prod to join up.
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