Power line trails

[lt1fire]

What is the law on power line roads here in NC. In cali it was pretty much up in the air unless it was posted no trespassing. The house I just bought has powerlines just down the road with some very muddy and in some places, that I can see, steep trails that follow them. Are they open for following in your own truck or is it a grey area, or is it a big ass ticket if caught doing it??

 

[southerncruiser62]

Technically it is private property and considered trespassing. It's is not encouraged, however often people don't pay much attention to the law. I think as far as the law goes it would depend on the officer and who sees you. Also pay attention to common gamelands, many wildlife officers are very strict to having unauthorized individuals/vehicles on that type of land.

 

[lt1fire]

Technically it is private property and considered trespassing. It's is not encouraged, however often people don't pay much attention to the law. I think as far as the law goes it would depend on the officer and who sees you. Also pay attention to common gamelands, many wildlife officers are very strict to having unauthorized individuals/vehicles on that type of land.

Darn I thought I had found a play ground about 1 minute from my house

 

[little_joe]

Power companies (and gas, pipeline, etc) usually have easements on private property. So unless you have the property owner's permission, stay off.

I got stopped and harangued just for walking my dog along a gas pipeline easement here.

 

[LukeO]

Before all the yankees moved here powerlines were no problem.


By yankees I mean non locals...


Now everybody want to sue somebody.

 

[1974FJ]

I will add that back in my high school days, i rode along on some of these trails and ended up with 50+ roofing rails in my tires, sounded like quarters flinging off my wheels, realized they were nail heads when all four tires were flat.

 

[fj40z]

I almost had the same thing happen to me a couple of years ago in my 40, luckily I stopped just short and didnt pick up one nail. Never went back there again. I will say this and I am by no means advocating wheeling where it is not wanted, but if it is not posted the cops can do nothing more than make you leave if someone calls them. If it is posted and you wheel it and somebody calls the cops then youre toast.

 

[BigRed08]

on regular trespassing yes. unless you are told to and you refuse, or unless there are signs posted every hundred feet ( i think that's the distance) then there is nothing a police officer can do.

However, as previously mentioned there is a state law that forbids public use of utility right of ways. IT also includes contruction sites. trespasssing sign or not.

slide on over to NC4X4.com the topic has been discussed quite a bit. in fact, it's pretty much hammered into the newbied heads.

 

[Keep]

A friend and I were checking out a spot someone recommended that turned out to be owned by a Greensboro utility company, water I beleive. It was the first time I had explored the area when a truck full of guys pulled up. The driver starts taking pics of our trucks and license plates and yelling at us that they're sick of us tearing up the area and are going to have our vehicles impounded. He turned over the pics to the Greensboro police.

Fortuntely for me the buddy I was with was then a Chapel Hill cop. He explained the situation to the Greensboro officer who just warned us not to go back.

That was the first and last time I wheeled somewhere I wasn't 100% sure was legit.