Requiring a license: more protection or just restriction?

MAT-SU -- From Big Lake to Juneau, Alaskans are calling the reinterpretation of a 1978 law as requiring all snowmachiners to have drivers' licenses both silly and impractical. Some Valley residents, however, claim the law might aid in curbing a growing problem.

Earlier this winter, the Alaska Departments of Natural Resources and Transportation jointly produced a brochure that states a person must have a driver's license -- and therefore be at least 16 years old -- to operate a snowmachine on public lands.

Alaska State Troopers, however, say that because of both staff limitations and community opinion, they will not be actively enforcing the law.

"It will not be a high priority," trooper spokesman Greg Wilkinson told the Frontiersman this week. "We won't be chasing kids across fields on snowmachines."

Whether or not it has been enforced yet, Valley residents are still concerned about the law. Bill O'Hara, owner of the snowmachine dealership Bill's Cat House in Big Lake, said he has heard a lot on the matter from his customers.

"They kind of take umbrage, saying, 'How dare they?' And I kind of agree. It seems silly," O'Hara said. "How are they going to tell someone their kid can't ride a snowmachine?"

O'Hara argues the interpretation of the law would open a can of worms that would include requiring driver's licenses to operate four-wheelers, tractors and even a canoe with a motor on it.

As for snowmachines specifically, O'Hara said enforcing such a law would be nearly impossible. Unlike automobiles on main roadways, snowmachines are not confined to any one corridor, so tracking down individuals and asking to see a valid driver's license seems unlikely.

"There are literally thousands of trails that lead to the Big Lake area," he said. "And if you don't see one that suits you, you can make your own."

Valley Rep. Vic Kohring found the driver's license requirement so ludicrous he promptly introduced legislation that would exempt snowmachines.

"Why just have a law for law's sake … why not have a dialogue?" said Kohring's legislative aide Mike Krieber. He said Kohring is hoping his proposal will begin a statewide discussion.

"Let everyone have input so we can try to determine if we should have local options versus any hard and fast statewide rules," Krieber said.

But not everyone is convinced it is such a bad idea to more closely regulate snowmachines. Twenty-three-year Valley resident Bob Weber said he has been pushing for years for people to acknowledge existing laws regarding snowmachines, and he believes more will have to be enacted as snowmachiners get more and more out of hand, endangering themselves, pedestrians and motorists.

Weber described seeing a 4-year-old boy driving his own snowmachine, following his parents as they crossed traffic. Weber said he frequently narrowly avoids mishaps with snowmachines as he is driving around the Wasilla area.

"I've had them come at me in the middle of the night on the wrong side of the road with no headlights on," Weber said. "I've had them come around me on the left side as I was making a left-hand turn."

At the least, Weber said, a law should clearly remove liability from a driver in the event of an accident with an irresponsible snowmachiner.

"The bottom line is that if we're going to allow snowmachines, we need to have some sort of rules and regulations," he said.

People on all sides of the issue point to the handful of laws already on the books banning snowmachines from roadways except in certain situations, requiring them to have basic working equipment such as lights and brakes and requiring them to be registered with the state of Alaska.

"They've got all the teeth they need," O'Hara said. He said Alaska State Troopers do not have the manpower to enforce these existing regulations, much less any new and sweeping laws such as the driver's license requirement.

Weber, however, contends that the money and staff should be put into the effort. Each weekend, he said, his neighborhood is bombarded by hundreds of snowmachiners.

"Just put a cop on a snowmachine … one weekend would stop 90 percent of them," he said. He said a combined effort to educate and enforce could bring snowmachiners in line.

O'Hara doesn't see this type of enforcement effort as likely, however. He pointed out that legislators have become known for complaining about not having enough money.

"And I don't expect to see a 1,000 new troopers next year," he said. "We don't have enough police to deal with what we have today."

When it comes down to it, O'Hara said, it becomes a matter of personal responsibility. He has organized a safety clinic in Big Lake for the past seven years, and said it is up to individuals and parents to make sure they are safe.

While snowmachining is a growing thrill sport, O'Hara pointed out that many Alaskans still use snowmachines for basic transportation and to bring wood and supplies to their cabins.

"It seems silly to penalize them for the misbehavior of a few," he said.