Something I don't get, why can't we find some middle ground. I hike in the mountains and have a quad. Offroad driving attracts me too, and a walk in nature is good too. With such words and stupid comments on both sides we won't achieve anything, just greater divide between us, not more peace in nature, and not permitted driving in some areas. That some of us drive on hiking trails I don't understand either. I avoid those trails from afar, don't want conflicts, and don't enjoy racing among people either. If I end up on such a trail, where driving is mostly allowed anyway, I definitely ease off the gas. But then the looks are all weird like: "what are you doing driving here" even though he himself drove on the same road with a car 5 min ago. On the other hand I can't understand the other side either, who are oh so great quasi-mountaineers and forest fruit pickers, who don't respect others' property at all, and go to the hills also via some "shortcut" and cause 10 times more damage than e.g. me when I drive on some logging trail that's already torn up by heavy forest machinery. Just ask some farmer how he feels when after some unannounced abundant visits he has half-broken fence, trampled grass and parked cars in every possible hole etc. Here I think the state is most to blame, some are allowed everything, the other group which admit it is still minority practically nothing. Here you say how we should go to some polygon - how? there are none. Wherever in SLO there were initiatives for a polygon everyone was against, and if one was opened they quickly closed it under pressure from locals.
The state should allow some areas where quad driving would be permitted. Of course away from hiking trails so as not to be in the way.
A bit more cultured dialogue on both sides, and I'm sure we can reach some compromise. Among us quad owners most are ready for it, are you ready for it too?