Snowmobile Saftey Course

[fishnowworknever]

Who in the hell came up with this law? Anyone born AFTER 1976? How does that work?

So I'm 33 years old and need this course, however my brother who is 5 years older than me and just crashed his sled doesn't need it? What does that extra 4-5 years do for you snowmobile safety wise?

I can see anyone under 16 needs to take it, that's understandable...hell even 18 or 21. But I'm a grown man, I drive an ATV, truck, boat, used to have a fast sports car but yet I can't drive a snowmobile on a lake going no faster than 10mph towing a portable and have an ice auger on the back and no where NEAR a state trail or any trail for that matter.

As you can probably tell, I got a ticket.

[leech~~]

That's because they knew everyone after 1976 smoked pot and were going to hit trees! Funny thing is I got my safety cert with a mail in form, back in the day before 1976!

[crappiegetter]

It's the law that's how it works no different from the firearm safety, boaters safety or any other thing you need to be certified in if born after a certain date. I'm 30 and have had mine since I was twelve so I have no problem. And age has nothing to do with being a better operatorof a snowmobile.

[fishnowworknever]

I understand it's the law, what I'm saying is it's complete B.$. to stamp a random date on there and start throwing tickets out. It USED to be anyone under 16 needs it.

I do not need a boaters safety course to operate my boat, and there is no law stating you have to take a class if you're 18 or older.

I can own a firearm with no training classes what so ever.

It's not that I don't want to take the test, I actually have the CD's being mailed to me, but a warning would have been a little more on the appropriate side instead of $135 ticket.

[fishnowworknever]

That's because they knew everyone after 1976 smoked pot and were going to hit trees! Funny thing is I got my safety cert with a mail in form, back in the day before 1976!

Haha That gave me a good laugh.

[fishersofmen]

I agree it was rediculas for them to just throw a date out there like they did. Has never made sense to me.

[dan z]

Been this way for a few years now. I think the course is a great thing.

[BoxMN]

FWIW - as someone who has a few sleds and pays the insurance, and others use my stuff, I think it is pretty cheap price of admission to spend an hour or two getting the cert to at least know a little bit about safety before people hit the trails. Remember, not everybody has been around them since they were little, and most guys won't be brave enough to even tell you "I don't know which is the throttle or brake" and that happens!!!!

My grandkids got their certs, and my stepson did too, though his sister was literally 3 days ahead of the cutoff! haha, chapped his hide, but I made him get it or no ridey on my sleds

Personally, I think EVERYBODY should have to get a PWC cert before they get on them, as nobody is afraid of them, and they wreak havoc on the lakes... but that is another rant, haha!

[fishnowworknever]

Now that I know they changed the law for whatever very important reasons, eventually...everyone will need it! And that's not a bad thing at all.

But hey, if you're 85 years old, give 'er hell old man! No course needed for you!

My problem is, like I said, the last time I checked (which was a while back) you still had to be 16 and under. The random year makes no sense and I'm forced to pay $135 for a law that makes no sense.

Speaking of safety courses...I bet a majority of those on MTKA that own a yacht have all taken their boat safety courses as well.

[alumacraft3]

As an out of state 27 year old do I need to take a course or test to ride a sowmobile in Minnesota?

[fishnowworknever]

Good point! No, you don't...

[LABS4ME]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. I know in WI out of state or not you need it. And WI arbitrary date was set at 1986. I know... my son's friend recieved a warning for no snowmobile safety cert. But only a warning and put out of commission on the spot.

I have to agree... if you can drive a 300hp bass boat 70 mph across the lake without brakes and a 300hp car on a busy freeway... why would they require a snowmobile safety cert? and yes I got one when I was 12 and I'm now pushing 50... so it matters not in my case. I just don't get the fact that if I didn't have one, I could go buy a new 1100 turbo and get after it without worry... my neighbor who is 25 would recieve a ticket... makes no sense, other than: A) it's the government and very little they do makes any sense and follow the money trail! That is the one and only driving force behind it!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Dave S]

I'm seeing a lot of bickering with no research to back up the rants here.

Often times laws like this are put into place to curb injuries or fatalities.....NO KIDDING RIGHT!!!! When the law was put into place and how it relates to the current generation may have dictated what year this was retroactive to. Without looking back to see when the effective date was implemented, I would guess it may have been somewhere in the 80's based on the age group involved in the majority of accidents with injury or the majority of citations issued to snowmobilers within a certain age group. Then turning the clock back to some random date based on what they would have claimed to be historical data.

Maybe all of the above seems like a bunch of hooey, but it's the best explanation I can come up with.

I do know as the laws relate to ATV's and the retroactive date, the case can be made that accidents including injury or fatality was greatly decreased once the safety training was implemented. In fact the average age of those now involved in the majority of accidents is 50 years old on ATVs. Leads one to question who really needs the training these days, kids or adults?

LABS,

following a money trail from the safety training and see where it goes? Seriously? If you think that the MN DNR safety training is a big revenue provider for the DNR, you're grossly mistaken. By the time supplies are provided for a $5 turkey clinic and the data is entered into the DNR database, there's no income to be had. Same goes for a $15 ATV or snowmobile course.

Follow the money trail? Give me a break

[dan z]

Not that the $15 goes along ways pertaining to state usage. It the people you meet and the things you can be reminded and learn. Sounds simple but safety sometimes needs to be taught

[DTro]

I bet the tickets generate quite a bit of revenue though.

My opinion is that if I have a license to drive a motor vehicle than I should be found to have the competence to operate a recreational vehicle.

[LABS4ME]

Lep7mm,

You really think I'm talking about the 15 dollar reg fee? I'm not that stupid or ignorant... Give ME a break!

The $100 fine is a whole nother discussion! I do believe many laws and rules are governed with additional revenues in mind. Trut me, the govt starts out creating a new law, reg such as this with safety in mind... But it evolves quickly into just another stream of money... Look no further than the seat belt law... Done to create compliance in wearing a belt, started out as warnings only, then can issue if pulled over for a different offense and now a primary poffense... It's about the money now...don't kid your self... Again I wear mine, but had a buddy drive one block to the gas station and a cop turned around in the street and roared up to him in the gas station parking lot... Asked why he didn't have hs belt on? He said he just got lazy as he literally only drove 1 block to grab some pop at the gas station... He then proceeded to write him a ticket with a hefty fine... Yep it's only about safety!

Good luck!

Ken

[Dave S]

Fines increase for the same reasons everything else rises in cost. The wages to pay the people to process fines, or should I just say the overall administrative costs, increase every year.

Don't like the fines, don't do the crime. Don't like the laws, talk to your representative.

Financially the only ones who win at any of this are lawyers and insurance companies. Certainly not law enforcement or the DNR.

[LABS4ME]

Now I understand why the fines are high .... Thanks

[Scott M]

While I tend to agree that having an automobile driver's license should be par for the course with respect to operating snowmobiles, this may not be a direct analogy, but here goes: I teach firearms safety (in the middle of a class this week actually). We always get a handful of adults that take the course. Most are adults that want to learn with their kids but more commonly are there because they don't have a permit and want to hunt big game out west in states that require firearms safety training for nonresidents. They grumble and take the course, but most admit they have or exhibit bad gun handling habits. To make a long story short, sometimes 20-30 years experience just means you've been doing it the wrong way for a very long time.

I do have a snowmobile, ATV, firearms, and boat safety training permits for my employer. I've operated all those vehicles and equipment safely on my own time, but they made me take or in some cases re-take the training. Somebody just gets the short end of stick. For the snowmobile crowd, it's anyone born after 1976.

[crappiegetter]

My opinion is that if I have a license to drive a motor vehicle than I should be found to have the competence to operate a recreational vehicle.

You may have the knowledge to drive a motor vehicle but with some people no matter the age common sense goes out the window the second they jump on their toys to play

[LABS4ME]

And vehicles on the road... If you are going to drive like a jerk, the mode of transportation matters not. Firearms training is separate, there is no 'crossover' training. Ie: drivers Ed, I think can handle multiple vehicle safety... But where will you learn firearms safety?

Again, I too have all my safety certificates, but I believe that in the case of 'vehicle' permits, your license should suffice after you turn 18.

Good Luck!

Ken

[quackersmacker]

I've always wondered the same thing. I'm older then the date of Dec 31, 1976, and still have my cert, and yes I've done a little research on this. This seems to be the only date that is set in stone, every other cert depends on the age of the user. To say all common sense get thrown out the window like some have suggested is funny, that can happen on anything from a sled to a boat to cross country skis, it all depends on the user! I've been debating it for a couple of years and now I'm going to write some letters looking for answers on this issue. I'll be sure to pass any info on to anyone who wants it.

[fishersofmen]

Been this way for a few years now. I think the course is a great thing.

Yea the course is fine. I personally don't understand the significance of popping a cd in the laptop and mailing in a $10 fee but it is what it is. I was more talking about the random date. At 35 I need to take the course but my 36 year old buddy doesn't. Makes no sense.

[Alagnak]

Yep. Complete Bee S. If it's so important, than require it for everyone. The random date is a joke. The online class is a joke too- [iF] a guy wanted he could just click his way through it and print it off in 5 minutes. Bascically the same as just paying $50 for the cert in the mail.

Being from out of state originally- I had never heard of this law until It was presented to me in the form of a ticket. I sent in a copy of the certification and never paid the fine/never had a follow up in the mail.

So, even if they didn't tell you that you could do that- you MIGHT get lucky on the ticket if you do the cert right away.

[BoxMN]

Just heard that my neighbor's kid (16) got a ticket, so maybe I am just hearing about it more, or they are policing it more now.

Either way, I kinda like Alagnak's idea of just requiring everybody to do it, though in a few years that will be it by default It doesn't take long, and I do think it helps over just a "drivers license" as how many times do you need to know what side of the ditch to ride in while in a car?... haha! Well, sometimes for some I guess I'll plead the 5th from long ago...