This is in response to the editorial about all-terrain vehicle safety statistics (June 4).

Maine has roughly 62,000 ATVs. How many trails are statewide for ATVs? And how many for snowmobiles?

Many snowmobilers can start their ride from their house, not many ATVs can do that. How many hours are spent on ATVs compared to snowmobiles? I can operate my ATV 12 months out of the year.

How many weeks are there for snowmobilers? I know snowmobile owners who averaged 40 to 50 hours this past season due to the shortage of snow in certain parts of the state.

Sen. Bruce Bryant of Dixfield, who has proposed compelling riders to join ATV clubs or face stiff financial penalties, should work with other legislators, paper companies, Plum Creek and others to open land to ATV riders.

I have nothing against anyone who is a member of an ATV or snowmobile club. Many times I ride my ATV by myself with permission from landowners in my area. I’m turning 70 this year, and have owned an ATV for about 30 years. I don’t need taming from any club. I have taught my sons and grandchildren to hunt and ride ATVs the way they should, and they do.

The Sun Journal’s views on ATVs are inaccurate. If riders had more access to paper company lands, there would be less injuries. As it is now, many ATV owners ride on land without trails but for ones they create themselves with landowner permission.

I paid $33 last year to register my ATV. What has the state done for me?

I shouldn’t have to load my ATV on my truck and drive 40 to 50 miles to find an ATV trail. There are thousands of acres, owned by paper companies, with logging roads that are no longer used. Why not open those roads to ATV owners, with permission from paper companies? Trucks and four-wheel-drive vehicles already use those logging roads.

At my age, going 10 to 15 miles an hour on an ATV, what damage can I do?

Controlling ATVs should be the goal of ATV owners, not legislators.

I won’t join a club.

Hopefully, people will wake up and speak their mind. Statistical analyses can obscure issues. ATV injuries cannot be compared to snowmobiles. Time spent on ATVs and time on snowmobiles are not close.

We should raise the safety alarm for all riders – ATVs, snowmobiles, cars and boats.

There are thousands of law-abiding ATV owners like myself. Legislators should leave us alone.

I respect others who belong to a club. Respect me for not being a club member.

Robert Morin, Lewiston