# So what happens when you get caught riding at night?



## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

I live in Silicon Valley...and feel landlocked in terms of considering night rides (I hope the responses are not jump-to-conclusion, #cancelculture response. 🙏)

1. Get a ticket? How much? Mail it in or show up to court? Guessing it's between $100-$500? (Rangers work late into the night?)
2. Is the ticket like a parking ticket? Go on DMV or some record that I can find employment? 
3. Does the ranger take you to jail or confiscate the bike? (LOL...had to ask)
4. Your name gets added to the bandit list? You go to jail on subsequent stops.

I'd bet the details differ based on the location and jurisdictions. Thanks in advance for sharing what happens. 🙏


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

don't ride dirty.

/solved


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## ctxcrossx (Jan 13, 2004)

I live in CT. I've had a few run-ins like this in the parking lot. Pulling the bike out to go on a ride, police pulls up and "asks if I'm packing up for the day"... Bike goes right back on the rack and head for home.

My assumption is that I would get something for trespassing. I don't think my car would get ticketed though. I suppose if I was already riding and they just came upon my empty car, they could ticket the car for a parking violation. I would think they would have to hang around and wait for me to come back to verify that I was actually trespassing though.


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## VThuckster (Jul 10, 2010)

Why can’t you night ride? Seems like an arbitrary prohibition.


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## k3nnyd (Jun 10, 2009)

The state park near me is open til 10:30pm so like 1.5 hours of dark and like 2 hours more of dark by the Fall/Winter. Some parks say closed at dusk but the trail sign says open til ~10pm. If you are within hours, there's nobody stopping you. 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


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## 834905 (Mar 8, 2018)

Fight the cops.


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

Thanks for the dirty answer. ?

Do people realize we really don't own the land or the home we "buy" ? Most of them are saddled with awful mortgages.

You don't own anything if you have to keep paying on it to live there.

So we pay taxes and the people own the land (well gov't...who work for us.. LOL). But we can't ride in the trails that we pay taxes on...

Just pissing into the wind...thanks for reading. ?



127.0.0.1 said:


> don't ride dirty.
> 
> /solved


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

Death and taxes...mask or don't mask....ride here, don't ride at night...blah blah.

Not looking to start breaking laws and become an outlaw.

I have done a night local park trail (Los Gatos Creek) and it's cool to ride with limited vision.

I want to go ride all the great trails at night....but everyone gives you that look "dude you'll get busted or dude don't ride dirty.". What the pho? We legalize marijuana but we can't go ride at night?

Wet paint.



VThuckster said:


> Why can't you night ride? Seems like an arbitrary prohibition.


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

SingleSpeedSteven said:


> Fight the cops.


ROTFLMAO 👍


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## Squirrel in the Spokes (Apr 9, 2021)

“Sorry I didn’t realize it was dark”


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

I'm lucky I live somewhere I don't need night vision goggles for midnight missions.


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

Tonight we packed lights in case we got caught riding at night. It was a good call since we waited until about 8:30 to let the heat die off.


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

I still don't get it. What's wrong with riding at night? What am I missing?


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## Squirrel in the Spokes (Apr 9, 2021)

Many parks where I live close at sunset


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

In NZ you can ride any damn time you choose!!

#LuvNZ

Sent from my Asus Rog 3


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## Squirrel in the Spokes (Apr 9, 2021)

Yeah, but did you guys get to wear masks for an entire year? I didn’t think so


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## uzurpator (Dec 8, 2005)

America. Home of the free.
I ride just about any time I please.


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## Darth Lefty (Sep 29, 2014)

It’s a good way to meet all the people who live there.


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## ctxcrossx (Jan 13, 2004)

Cutaway said:


> So we pay taxes and the people own the land (well gov't...who work for us.. LOL). But we can't ride in the trails that we pay taxes on...
> 
> Just pissing into the wind...thanks for reading. ?


I understand what you're saying, but that doesn't mean there aren't rules. Our parks basically close at night. Thus, no night riding. With your argument, it sounds like we shouldn't have to follow rules because we pay taxes for it and "own" it. I think it's reasonable to make sure people are safe (because they're stupid) and prohibited from going in there at all hours. At night, there would be many more calls for lost hikers, and injuries. Not to mention any illegal activity that may start popping up.

Additionally, we have situations like this...








Supreme Court Upholds $2.9 Million Award In Bike Injury Case


The state Supreme Court has upheld a $2.9 million judgment against the Metropolitan District Commission, saying the regional water and sewer authority was not entitled to immunity from a claim filed by a bicyclist who was seriously injured on its property more than a decade ago.




www.courant.com




Where a woman ran into a gate while riding at a park and won the suit. That wasn't even at night!

Furthermore, if we get to disregard the rules for being there at night, why should other people who pay taxes have to follow the rules as well? ATVs, dirtbikes, 4x4s....we won't have to worry about night riding because the trails won't be worth riding when everyone else is done.

To sum it up, people are stupid. We have rules because we are stupid. We are often our own worst enemy.


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

Squirrel in the Spokes said:


> Yeah, but did you guys get to wear masks for an entire year? I didn't think so


The pox hasn't mutated to infect hobbits apparently.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

We've been injecting Janola for years!! 

Sent from my Asus Rog 3


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## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

Squirrel in the Spokes said:


> Yeah, but did you guys get to wear masks for an entire year? I didn't think so


Yeah, that is why NZ had so many more avoidable covid related death than the US.



ctxcrossx said:


> To sum it up, people are stupid. We have rules because we are stupid. We are often our own worst enemy.


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## VThuckster (Jul 10, 2010)

ctxcrossx said:


> I understand what you're saying, but that doesn't mean there aren't rules. Our parks basically close at night. Thus, no night riding. With your argument, it sounds like we shouldn't have to follow rules because we pay taxes for it and "own" it. I think it's reasonable to make sure people are safe (because they're stupid) and prohibited from going in there at all hours. At night, there would be many more calls for lost hikers, and injuries. Not to mention any illegal activity that may start popping up.
> 
> Additionally, we have situations like this...
> 
> ...


Liability is a terrible reason and someone should really oppose that week of the lawyering industrial complex. Go skiing in Europe and there is no additional cost to your ticket to cover their ads when you hurt yourself. 
That said, I can think of a few good reasons to have a particular trail network closed at night. Perhaps there are certain wildlife nesting activities that need to be protected, similar to closing beaches at night during turtle nesting season. I generally need a logical reason to abide by any particular law. I don't just go out all constitutionalist like, but many rules don't make sense and should opposed in some way.


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## Bacon Fat (Mar 11, 2016)

It depends on where you get caught. I know people that have received trespassing tickets for being in the park after dark. And I have read stories of bike being confiscated for being on federal land. 

When night riding at a park that wasn't allowed, I would park down the street from the trailhead and ride in without lights on. Luckily I now live in an area that realizes people still want to use the park after work and in the winter, its going to be dark.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

ctxcrossx said:


> I understand what you're saying, but that doesn't mean there aren't rules. Our parks basically close at night. Thus, no night riding. With your argument, it sounds like we shouldn't have to follow rules because we pay taxes for it and "own" it. I think it's reasonable to make sure people are safe (because they're stupid) and prohibited from going in there at all hours. At night, there would be many more calls for lost hikers, and injuries. Not to mention any illegal activity that may start popping up.
> 
> Additionally, we have situations like this...
> 
> ...


From the article...

As they headed back to the parking lot at the end of their ride, Blonski rode her bike in the wrong direction on Red Road, about 20 mph to 30 mph, with her head down.

Not sure why she won the lawsuit.... Pay attention to where you are riding?

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## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

To the OP, can you not ask on a more local forum how things are handled when you ride at night in that area and get caught?


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## Fairbanks007 (Sep 5, 2009)

plummet said:


> I still don't get it. What's wrong with riding at night? What am I missing?


In central Connecticut there are a few popular riding spots on township property that are surrounded by residential areas. The homeowners, right or wrong, don't like seeing lights from riders shining into their homes. They're also not too crazy about "strange" vehicles being parked in their neighborhoods, nor the noise that groups of riders sometimes make setting out on a ride or just after returning. These homeowners have complained to the township authorities loudly enough and long enough that night riding is banned in these locations.


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## ctxcrossx (Jan 13, 2004)

VThuckster said:


> Perhaps there are certain wildlife nesting activities that need to be protected, similar to closing beaches at night during turtle nesting season. I generally need a logical reason to abide by any particular law. I don't just go out all constitutionalist like, but many rules don't make sense and should opposed in some way.


In my eyes, that's a bulk of the problem. You have limited knowledge of the situation at best. You're seeing a posted sign and you have no idea why it's there or the process that it went through to get put there. From your perspective, you see no issues so you'll just do what you want. They really have to post a justification for you to follow the rules? How do you know it's not some other mating season or something like that for other animals. They really have no obligation to explain that to you. And you're just assuming that you are in the know on all the details.

I think this is coming across as more confrontational than I meant it to be, but our job is to follow rules not interpret them. If you want to do that, then you should join the boards and governing bodies of the places where you ride.


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## ctxcrossx (Jan 13, 2004)

ctxcrossx said:


> In my eyes, that's a bulk of the problem. You have limited knowledge of the situation at best. You're seeing a posted sign and you have no idea why it's there or the process that it went through to get put there. From your perspective, you see no issues so you'll just do what you want. They really have to post a justification for you to follow the rules? How do you know it's not some other mating season or something like that for other animals. They really have no obligation to explain that to you. And you're just assuming that you are in the know on all the details.
> 
> I think this is coming across as more confrontational than I meant it to be, but our job is to follow rules not interpret them. If you want to do that, then you should join the boards and governing bodies of the places where you ride.


To add to that, I think a perspective that might make more sense is if you're a parent. There are many situations where your child is going to think that a rule you come up with is stupid, but you don't go and detail every single justification for everything that you do...Even though you might have really good reasons to do them.


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## Squirrel in the Spokes (Apr 9, 2021)

I always wondered what a Lawful Good would be like in real life

also while I don’t have kids I’ve always found it easier to get my nephew to do what I say if I give him him the reason why


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

plummet said:


> I still don't get it. What's wrong with riding at night? What am I missing?


Would you really like me list all things that the gov't tells people what we can or can't do? 🤪 We either vote them in there or they create jobs filled with people with FUDs. P.S. There are some good and smart people there. 👍


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## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

Perfectly legal here. Good thing too, it's too hot


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## chansel (Feb 28, 2012)

Ride where you want, when you want. Don’t be a dick…rules to ride by


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

For those asking what is wrong with night riding...

OP is clearly disguising a common fun thing, nigh riding, by posting in a Light thread when he lives in a location that is illegal to ride at night.
Instead of asking about it generally or per his region, he decided to make it sound more legit.

I do not know why some locations close at night. Perhaps it is because they are remote and more difficult to get life support to save a person at 2:00 a.m. in pitch black forest regions. 

All we can take a way from this thread is that there are laws that will be broken because you don't ask for what a punishment is without planning to go forward with the crime.... so to speak.


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

Ok. So the parks are closed but riding on the roads and around the streets is still ok?

If this is the case, ride from home or park your vehicle quite a distance from the park. The good thing about riding at night in parks that your not supposed to is that there is typically nobody in them to tell you off. 

All you need to do is zip in and out of the park without getting nabbed. Once riding streets your legal. So you wont/cant be told off for riding on streets. If someone sees lights in the park and goes to the entrance to get vehicle number plates.... there isnt any vehicle there...... It is always ideal if you can go in one entrance and out another. That way if anyone sees you going in and waits for your return,,,, you never return.


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## Hippo04 (Sep 17, 2009)

ctxcrossx said:


> They really have to post a justification for you to follow the rules? How do you know it's not some other mating season or something like that for other animals. They really have no obligation to explain that to you.


Actually they have. The officials are there to serve people, not the other way around.


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## r-rocket (Jun 23, 2014)

You can be charged with an infraction.

"805.4 Bicycle Operation After Hours No person shall possess or operate a bicycle, unicycle, or similar device on District lands before or after Official Hours, except with prior written authorization of the General Manager or the General Manager's designee"

"SECTION 301.VIOLATIONS OF ORDINANCE, MISDEMEANOR OR INFRACTION Unless otherwise stated, any violation of this Ordinance or of any rule or regulation adopted by the District is punishable as an infraction. "

If you are a real jerk about it to a Peace Officer or a Prosecutor, and give them attitude that because you pay taxes the rules don't apply to you, it can quickly escalate to you being charged with a misdemeanor.

"805.5 Failure to Vacate a Closed Area No person shall fail or refuse to leave a Closed Area when notified of the closure by a Peace Officer. Violation of this sub-section is punishable as a misdemeanor. "

"SECTION 301 When any violation of this Ordinance or of any rule or regulation adopted by the District is punishable as an infraction, the prosecutor may file a complaint or make a motion to amend an accusatory pleading specifying that the offense is a misdemeanor. "

Da Rulez

If too many folks make a habit of it, it will just hand ammo to the folks who would rather see bikes banned on Silicon Valley area trails so they can have them all for themselves (yea, that's a real thing that is happening). Then every time you ride the trail day or night it will be an infraction.

How about contacting the General Manager and asking what it would take to get "prior written authorization" per the rules?


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## Squirrel in the Spokes (Apr 9, 2021)

I’m not a lawyer, a land manager, or in anyway affiliated with the parks but I’d assume prior consent would require either an event or you have work to do at night (research maybe?) and not “I want to have fun.”

Honestly OP the real question is how strict the enforcement is. Where I am in the north bay it’s fairly lax night riding enforcement, I know plenty of people for whom it’s the only time they can ride in the winter months. Personally I like late rides with sunset views so my rides end at night even though I started before the park closed.


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## 834905 (Mar 8, 2018)

Cutaway said:


> Would you really like me list all things that the gov't tells people what we can or can't do? 🤪 We either vote them in there or they create jobs filled with people with FUDs. P.S. There are some good and smart people there. 👍


What is your intent with this post? Are you just trying to get everyone here to validate your feelings that the government is full of meanies who won't let you ride at night?

Either go ride and risk getting a ticket, or find another place that allows night riding. This isn't difficult.


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## ghettocruiser (Jun 21, 2008)

The posted hours on "no use of park facilities" here is 12:01am-5:30am. The parking lot gates usually close a bit earlier.

However I've seen other official sources list bike trails as 24-7 for travel.

Either way, I'm having a really hard time believing anyone would care.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Places I know that have closed trails at night do so primarily for emergency response reasons. First off, the staff aren't patrolling the parking lots or the trails themselves at those hours because they're on reduced staff levels. Second, if there IS an emergency they get called for, it's more difficult for emergency personnel to reach the site, and likely more risky in the dark.

Usually places like this are city parks, but also occasionally state parks, too.

Then you have the reason that even if night riding is permitted, it's going to be a lot less busy at night. And given that people who wish to hide their activities might choose to engage in said activities at night to avoid notice, it's a little easier for law enforcement to keep them out of said places at night. 

Where I live now, city park facilities close at night. But the USFS stuff doesn't.


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## 834905 (Mar 8, 2018)

ghettocruiser said:


> Either way, I'm having a really hard time believing anyone would care.


In defense of OP, he's in California where stuff is actually enforced, unlike most places. I have a trail system near me that doesn't allow night riding, and if I got caught doing so I'd probably just be asked to leave (if that). In Cali that's most likely a ticket.

Perks of living in a place with a jillion people. If you get lax with the rules with one person, you might come back to 100 doing the same thing the next day.


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## VThuckster (Jul 10, 2010)

ctxcrossx said:


> In my eyes, that's a bulk of the problem. You have limited knowledge of the situation at best. You're seeing a posted sign and you have no idea why it's there or the process that it went through to get put there. From your perspective, you see no issues so you'll just do what you want. They really have to post a justification for you to follow the rules? How do you know it's not some other mating season or something like that for other animals. They really have no obligation to explain that to you. And you're just assuming that you are in the know on all the details.
> 
> I think this is coming across as more confrontational than I meant it to be, but our job is to follow rules not interpret them. If you want to do that, then you should join the boards and governing bodies of the places where you ride.


I never said the reason needs to be posted, but it should be available upon request. Unless it's private land of course. In the case of nesting turtles they do provide the reason on the sign and there is universal compliance. Many places put up closed signs so they are not liable if you proceed, but really don't care either way. There are many rules that are either unreasonable or do not address the desired problem but negatively impact others for no reason. And I never said just go and do it anyway, I said they should be opposed in some way. But I will say that sometimes defiance is appropriate when done for a reason that one is prepared to defend. I don't see closing public land so people don't get hurt in remote areas to be reasonable, or even it were, to be reasonably applied. Otherwise many other activities in far more remote areas than a Silicon Valley woodland would be closed.

A local example we have is night skinning and skiing. Some resorts post their grooming schedule and advise recreators where and when to skin and ski. People there get along great with the groomers. Other mountains try to stop people and not only fail, but there are more close calls with groomers and skiers. Is it right for people to ski down a closed trail at night and come accross a groomer? No, but they do anyway. Many of these problems are easily solved with reasonable dialogue, but sometimes you come across a jurisdiction that is bent on authority. I was born in CA, but won't live there again. To many unjustified rules, laws and compulsions for me.


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

Just because..... I all of a sudden want to get portable lights and visit the local community park for a 2:00 a.m. bbq and sit on the swings, swinging lonely.
I will only risk:
being on park property after it has closed.
Maybe send a fire departement if somebody sees me "starting a fire" at the park (in a bbq pit). Who knows whatever. I mean I either get caught or I don't. Bigger question though, if I am hauled away -what happens to the food I was using for my picinic?

Agree with some posts above -this isn't difficult. There are risks and penalty. and you want to, just go do it. 
This thread should not still be active with a silly as it is and that it isn't going anywhere. OP is slowly moving it towards government and political talk though. That all get it ended sooner than later.


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## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

Slowly?



Forest Rider said:


> Just because..... I all of a sudden want to get portable lights and visit the local community park for a 2:00 a.m. bbq and sit on the swings, swinging lonely.
> I will only risk:
> being on park property after it has closed.
> Maybe send a fire departement if somebody sees me "starting a fire" at the park (in a bbq pit). Who knows whatever. I mean I either get caught or I don't. Bigger question though, if I am hauled away -what happens to the food I was using for my picinic?
> ...


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

ctxcrossx said:


> To add to that, I think a perspective that might make more sense is if you're a parent. There are many situations where your child is going to think that a rule you come up with is stupid, but you don't go and detail every single justification for everything that you do...Even though you might have really good reasons to do them.


Night riding is an experience (did some riding in the city park trails)...just wanted to see what could happen since it is forbidden practically everywhere. I've done night skydives legally. FAA makes it possible. How awesome would it be to ride SDF, JNT, Skeggs, Saratoga Gap, Wilder, Rocky Ridge, Fremont Older, etc. etc. etc. etc.? Heck, I'll pay for some night pass or something....

People are crazy trying to change everything and anything these days (argue and divide), so asking a question about the night riding falls into the same debacle I guess.

Sorry for asking...


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Night riding is a normal thing in my area of northern Texas, especially in winter when it gets dark early. Fun for a late night summer ride too.


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## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

Deleted.


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

Cutaway said:


> Night riding is an experience (did some riding in the city park trails)...just wanted to see what could happen since it is forbidden practically everywhere. I've done night skydives legally. FAA makes it possible. How awesome would it be to ride SDF, JNT, Skeggs, Saratoga Gap, Wilder, Rocky Ridge, Fremont Older, etc. etc. etc. etc.? Heck, I'll pay for some night pass or something....
> 
> People are crazy trying to change everything and anything these days (argue and divide), so asking a question about the night riding falls into the same debacle I guess.
> 
> Sorry for asking...


As a Silicon Valley refugee, i can tell you MidPenn is one of the most anti-mtb land managers out there. Speeding tickets are usually around $350, so I would expect night riding to be the same.

I'm not sure about Demo, but that sounds like a Pandora's box I'm not sure I'd want to open.

I know EBMUD allows riding up to 10pm. That's gonna be your best bet for night MTB unless you decide to drive out to Stockton or maybe Ft Ord where no one cares. Yeah, check with MORCA. Maybe Ft Ord or Toro are night ridable.


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## theMISSIONARY (Apr 13, 2008)

LOL never thought I would see trail networks that are closed to night riding, the only place down here I cannot ride at night is a privately run bike park


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

stripes said:


> As a Silicon Valley refugee, i can tell you MidPenn is one of the most anti-mtb land managers out there. Speeding tickets are usually around $350, so I would expect night riding to be the same.
> 
> I'm not sure about Demo, but that sounds like a Pandora's box I'm not sure I'd want to open.
> 
> I know EBMUD allows riding up to 10pm. That's gonna be your best bet for night MTB unless you decide to drive out to Stockton or maybe Ft Ord where no one cares. Yeah, check with MORCA. Maybe Ft Ord or Toro are night ridable.


Thank you for the helpful response. It is responsible and highly community-centric input. Thanks again.


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

theMISSIONARY said:


> LOL never thought I would see trail networks that are closed to night riding, the only place down here I cannot ride at night is a privately run bike park


Yup...in California...anything is possible. And the majority of residents just accept because gov't said so. Ugh...


VThuckster said:


> Why can't you night ride? Seems like an arbitrary prohibition.


California...(maybe elsewhere too?)


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## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

Cutaway said:


> Yup...in California...anything is possible. And the majority of residents just accept because gov't said so. Ugh...
> 
> California...(maybe elsewhere too?)


Seems like you really want this thread to be closed.


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

ctxcrossx said:


> I understand what you're saying, but that doesn't mean there aren't rules. Our parks basically close at night. Thus, no night riding.  With your argument, it sounds like we shouldn't have to follow rules because we pay taxes for it and "own" it. I think it's reasonable to make sure people are safe (because they're stupid) and prohibited from going in there at all hours. At night, there would be many more calls for lost hikers, and injuries. Not to mention any illegal activity that may start popping up.
> 
> Additionally, we have situations like this...
> 
> ...


I hear you. I see your point about stupid people including me. We are stupid. The current rules in Silicon Valley trailes are "it's my way or highway." So, either ust follow the rules because they exist (existed for a long time) or you break 'em if you dare. There is nothing inherently wrong with night flying, night scuba, night skydive, night surfing, night [add something here]. So choices are...move out of California, don't ride at night, break the rules, or spend time to change the local authorities (likely futile). And take snarky shots from the MTBikers who are not interested in night rides.


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

SingleSpeedSteven said:


> What is your intent with this post? Are you just trying to get everyone here to validate your feelings that the government is full of meanies who won't let you ride at night?
> 
> Either go ride and risk getting a ticket, or find another place that allows night riding. This isn't difficult.


Ever heard of the "not my monkey, not my circus"? My intention was to hear from those who tried and got caught. What happened? I asked in my post to not be nasty, judgmental. So, I was being a stupid human being responding with an in-kind snarky comment. Never did night riding or not interested? Move on. Right? Now, I'm responding to you why I said what I said.

My post was for exactly that....what is the financial and legal risk of riding at night? So far, I see the risk of pissing off people who are not interested in night riding or think it's stupid. A classic posture of "why do we need a woman POTUS? everything seems fine." <-- sorry I have no clue where this comment is going...


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

Cutaway said:


> Yup...in California...anything is possible. And the majority of residents just accept because gov't said so. Ugh...
> 
> California...(maybe elsewhere too?)


Do you want to disobey all rules/laws or is it just the one?
I dare you drive to the trails at dark wearing a seatbelt with a beer.

I live a few hours from the Bay Area and I can ride at dark all I want. It's not a California thing. It's a localized thing.
Stop making this political. You clearly have no idea whatsoever of what your talking abut and just taking it out on your government hatred.

You state that there are always things trying to get changed. You are right. You should try to get the laws reversed for your local trails. You know where to start? I really don't either, but I know it isn't on a bike forum with complaints, noless without even a simple suggestion of where to get the change to happen.
All you've done so far is to come here looking for justification of how to ride illegally and complain about the rule that is preventing you from doing something you enjoy.


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## Squirrel in the Spokes (Apr 9, 2021)

All the best things in life are illegal


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## hansdie (Sep 12, 2018)

To answer the question…If you get caught you will receive a ticket and will have to pay the fine or go to court. If you want to night ride legally Henry Coe or the East Bay (ie Pleasanton Ridge,..) are the only areas I know where it’s legal in the bay area. You may want to take some time and search the World Wide Web or this site, the topic has come up before and people have been ticketed, bikers and hikers.

But just a reminder to everyone, California is huge and just because you can’t do something in one area of the state doesn’t mean you can’t do it in another


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## Cutaway (Jun 5, 2021)

hansdie said:


> To answer the question&#8230;If you get caught you will receive a ticket and will have to pay the fine or go to court. If you want to night ride legally Henry Coe or the East Bay (ie Pleasanton Ridge,..) are the only areas I know where it's legal in the bay area. You may want to take some time and search the World Wide Web or this site, the topic has come up before and people have been ticketed, bikers and hikers.
> 
> But just a reminder to everyone, California is huge and just because you can't do something in one area of the state doesn't mean you can't do it in another





Forest Rider said:


> Do you want to disobey all rules/laws or is it just the one?
> I dare you drive to the trails at dark wearing a seatbelt with a beer.
> 
> I live a few hours from the Bay Area and I can ride at dark all I want. It's not a California thing. It's a localized thing.
> ...


Yes, dub dub dub-u is the place where infinite number of *typewriters* would inevitably end up writing works of Shakespeare. My Google search pointed me to mtbr.com about night riding. Then, I posted in the *Light and Night Riding* forum where interested members would provide helpful suggestions.

Will check out Henry Coe and Pleasanton Ridge. <-- Thanks, this is helpful. Glad I heard about them from this forum.


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## hansdie (Sep 12, 2018)

Ha ha&#8230; not sure how long you have been MTBing in the Bay Area but you are an outlaw. Because of this you just have to be smart about what you do. For example no speeding at Fremont Older, no riding illegal trails when there's a helicopter overhead  and no MTBing in Marin!


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## 834905 (Mar 8, 2018)

Cutaway said:


> Ever heard of the "not my monkey, not my circus"? My intention was to hear from those who tried and got caught. What happened? I asked in my post to not be nasty, judgmental. So, I was being a stupid human being responding with an in-kind snarky comment. Never did night riding or not interested? Move on. Right? Now, I'm responding to you why I said what I said.
> 
> My post was for exactly that....what is the financial and legal risk of riding at night? So far, I see the risk of pissing off people who are not interested in night riding or think it's stupid. A classic posture of "why do we need a woman POTUS? everything seems fine." <-- sorry I have no clue where this comment is going...


That's not a very good assessment of what's going on in this thread. Most people like night riding. Most people just find a legal place to do it. You're asking a community of people who are consistently concerned over access to trails if you should ignore the rules and do whatever you want. Why is it so absurd that people are telling you not to break the rules?

Again, do what you want. Don't expect to go online and have people tell you that it's cool ignore rules, especially in a place like California where trail access is always teetering on being taken away anyways.


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

Cutaway said:


> Ever heard of the "not my monkey, not my circus"? My intention was to hear from those who tried and got caught. What happened? I asked in my post to not be nasty, judgmental. So, I was being a stupid human being responding with an in-kind snarky comment. Never did night riding or not interested? Move on. Right? Now, I'm responding to you why I said what I said.
> 
> My post was for exactly that....what is the financial and legal risk of riding at night? So far, I see the risk of pissing off people who are not interested in night riding or think it's stupid. A classic posture of "why do we need a woman POTUS? everything seems fine."


California has been the most litigious state around. Can you imagine the lawsuit if someone had to be airlifted out of there? No one in Silicon Valley likes to take personal responsibility for anything.


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## NoCanSurf (Feb 19, 2021)

from a DLNR standpoint, cars parked in parks overnight are often the result of _people up to no good_: homeless, drug use, stolen and abandoned, etc... So there is some concern from law enforcement when they see a car in park parking lot at night.

There is (at least with the DLNR) a concern for a car parked overnight, means there's the possibility that someone hasn't come out from their hike, bike ride, etc. and that could mean a search and rescue.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Speeding tickets? On trails? What?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

Shark said:


> Speeding tickets? On trails? What?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


Yep. There's certain areas they hang out. At the middle of Long Ridge where it hits a saddle, we called that Ranger Ridge because they would always sit there with their radar guns clocking and ticketing MTBs over 15mph. $350ish.

Other places too, but that was one I was familiar with as you'd always see them there.


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## VThuckster (Jul 10, 2010)

We are talking about a state that filled skateparks with sand because skaters were not complying with Covid regulations.
Fortunately a few citizens showed up on dirt bikes to protest.








Coronavirus closure: Dirt bikers take to San Clemente skate park filled with sand amid stay-at-home orders


Crews have poured sand at at least two Southern California skate parks in an effort to discourage skateboarders during the coronavirus pandemic.




abc7.com


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## Pisgah (Feb 24, 2006)

Shark said:


> From the article...
> 
> As they headed back to the parking lot at the end of their ride, Blonski rode her bike in the wrong direction on Red Road, about 20 mph to 30 mph, with her head down.
> 
> ...


Gate liability isn't limited to bikes. The article says the gate was open in the past, and that the land manager started closing it. The article doesn't say whether the land manager added warning signs before the gate, but I doubt it did. Similar lawsuits have been brought by car drivers who hit gates that get closed after long periods of being open.

The same thing happened near me to a driver who hit a gate in a curve that was suddenly closed after years of being open. I'm not sure the outcome of the suit, but the land manager (the state) subsequently removed the gate entirely.


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## 834905 (Mar 8, 2018)

VThuckster said:


> We are talking about a state that filled skateparks with sand because skaters were not complying with Covid regulations.
> Fortunately a few citizens showed up on dirt bikes to protest.
> 
> 
> ...


What an absolute nightmare to clean up once they decide to open it again.


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## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

SingleSpeedSteven said:


> What an absolute nightmare to clean up once they decide to open it again.


That thing is not that big and they can just dump it on the beach next to it.

Maybe they can use some of the guys they caught riding in parks at night for clean up.🤪


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

Cutaway said:


> Yes, dub dub dub-u is the place where infinite number of *typewriters* would inevitably end up writing works of Shakespeare. My Google search pointed me to mtbr.com about night riding. Then, I posted in the *Light and Night Riding* forum where interested members would provide helpful suggestions.
> 
> Will check out Henry Coe and Pleasanton Ridge. <-- Thanks, this is helpful. Glad I heard about them from this forum.


I owe you an apology.
I did not pick up on your post count, seeing you are new.
I took your initial post in vane thinking it was just another trouble maker thread.

I understand now why it's in this sub-forum and how you found it.
Carry on, however please note politics are not allowed to be discussed. You are balancing on pushing the limit vs. having a good conversation. You are definitely free to say how bad it is that the trails are closed, but if you start making the closures a political agenda you may find they will close this thread. 
I am {_a little_} surprised they are allowing the conversation to continue discussing ways to ride illegally.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

if you know the rules for a site, and break them,
rule breaking sucks. it isn't cool, hip, or anything else but a shitty decision by lesser folk

only serves to make us all look like asshats. rules being broken left and right everywhere by jerks.... and not just riding bikes.

does the world really need one more knob... breaking rules ?

get over yourself, harden up, and toe the line. that is what is cool, being responsible

sure it's just a ticket or getting chased down, or getting lit up and warned off. act like a grown up and don't bust rules in the first place. dirty riding is BS


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## shekky (Oct 21, 2011)

Cutaway said:


> Yes, dub dub dub-u is the place where infinite number of *typewriters* would inevitably end up writing works of Shakespeare. My Google search pointed me to mtbr.com about night riding. Then, I posted in the *Light and Night Riding* forum where interested members would provide helpful suggestions.
> 
> Will check out Henry Coe and Pleasanton Ridge. <-- Thanks, this is helpful. Glad I heard about them from this forum.


my understanding is the marin headlands are legal to ride at night. i rode at night there for years and years, never hassled by rangers but i saw plenty of them in my day. 

i got yelled at by a cop for not having a bright enough tail light on the road part and that's about it.

there ain't much singletrack to speak of but there ain't too many people out there at night to give riders hell about it. good place to take a gravel bike at night.


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## patski (Dec 12, 2005)

With lights these days, there is no dark...


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