Aspects of motocross tracks

Just a couple of things that came across my computer screen while researching fire risks posed by motocross tracks - if you're wondering, the general consensus seems to be "high".

That's the sign the Motorcycling Australia requires to be posted at motocross venues as part of its "Guidelines for Inspection and Licensing of Tracks".  I didn't see any mention of that in the Gatton Star article promoting the track to kids and families.

And then, on Molalla Blog I found a long and sad story about what it is like live near a motocross track.  If you want an idea of how many people are out there combing the internet for material on motocross tracks, Molalla has had 62,478 "hits".  This little blog has had 1,110 hits in six weeks.  I hope not to be writing about motocross in the Lockyer 61,000 hits from now.

The following are just a few excerpts from the blog.

"In essence, the lack of code enforcement, the total disregard Thomas has shown for the land and the lives of the people who surround the site, Thomas’s failure to get permits before creating a facility and the fact that this “park” has already been commercially promoted now has created a state of high anxiety between local residents and the motocross users. Thomas has no connection to the local community since he lives in Happy Valley instead of at the subject property.

The tension and fear caused by the motocross users has completely changed the way local residents must live their lives. The culture of commercial motocross is not conducive to the safety, piece of mind, commercial farm/forest activities and the general well being of local long time residents."
 ...
"All of the neighbors I have met are distressed about the years they have had to endure the noise, dust, trash, worries about fire and general disruption to their legal farm/forest activities due to the motocross track in their midst. Rural people like to spend lots of time outdoors, especially in the dry months, now families hesitate to invite visitors over for summer events for fear of being subjected to noise and dust. Families can’t trust the safety of children playing in the woods and fields adjoining tracks; if the motocross “fans’ are willing to verbally abuse and menace neighbors, what might they do to children or adults who confront them if trespassing should occur? Given the camping with up to 250 site users/4 days week proposed by Thomas, and the location near private adjoining woods and fields that aren’t readily visible from owners’ residences, there is little doubt that “camping” use would eventually spill over fence lines as park “users” seek new grounds to explore."
 ...
 "I contacted numerous other Counties about existing motocross facilities and it is obvious that even permitted facilities have on going problems with complaints from neighbors. The growing piles of complaints against Mr. Thomas, including the finding of “guilty” on a noise violation in May, prove that the community would have little faith in Mr. Thomas’s interest in complying with “conditions, and that the community would further endanger itself by having to serve as the conditional use code “police’ in a place far from the offices of code enforcement, agency reps, and the Sheriff.

The August 5, 2010 “Findings and Final Order” for the Thomas Noise Control Citation No. 10-2531 noted “five pages of CCOM detail reports showing numerous complaints of noise” on the Thomas property – yet Thomas, who failed to appear, sent a message that he was “not aware of the noise ordinance”."
 ...
"... it is clear that MX has been poisoning its own well around the world for years."