Get Involved in the Community
5 Join with other local organizations to build positive exposure. Holding charity runs, trail cleanups, raffles and fundraisers in conjunction with other groups-even non-enthusiasts-can provide a great opportunity to show local residents and politicians that four-wheel-drive clubs and organizations can be a positive community force.
Build Relationships With Local Media
6 Don't overlook this crucial step. Contact local newspapers and radio/TV stations to publicize events associated with the OHV community. Make use of online bulletin boards and classifieds to do the same thing. Conveying positive messages about who we are and what we do can help build grassroots support for our cause, even among non-enthusiasts who might not know about us but who believe in preserving access to public lands like we do.
Invite Officials to Your Events and Participate in Theirs
7 Provide legislators with the opportunity to meet members of the enthusiast community whenever they're in town. Attend public hearings regarding land use issues when possible and make your voice heard when given the opportunity to provide feedback. Notices of public hearings are available online at the government agencies' websites, and via lobbying organizations such as Blue Ribbon Coalition.
Build Coalitions
8 Create coalitions to add strength in numbers and ensure that the rights of all OHV enthusiasts are represented. Join a state or local four-wheel drive association, a lobbying organization such as the SEMA Action Network or Blue Ribbon Coalition, or a business council, such as Off-Road Business Association. Consider volunteering some of your time as an officer and form regional and statewide networks to develop a unified message to lawmakers. Develop partnerships with other groups with similar interests and concerns, such as hunters, fishermen, RV owners, ATV riders, and mountain-bikers, always keeping in mind that there's strength in numbers.
Spread the Word
9 Take this information to your next club meeting or trail ride, or post it online. Share this information with other enthusiasts who are willing to help us fight to preserve access to public lands.
Register and Vote
10 Exercise your right to support pro-access candidates. Constituents are an elected official's number-one priority. Without your vote of support, they wouldn't be in office, so make sure you're registered to vote. Look at it this way: If you're of legal age and not registered, or you simply don't bother to vote, you've got no reason to complain about the government you get-and you're not helping the rest of us, either. So get up, get into it, get involved, and go vote.
-The Four Wheeler staff