Mud riding costing county thousands in damage

The secluded roads are often unmemorable, residing in the middle of nowhere and going exactly there – nowhere in particular, except home to a few folks. 

These roads are often far from the conscience of society, especially in dry times, only appearing to go somewhere when people need to get away from civilization.

But for a segment of the population, these dirt roads spring forward to the front of the minds after rains, for often they become playgrounds for some with big trucks and mud tires. 

Drivers pilot these vehicles in ways that slip, slide and toss mud everywhere, which provides an element of danger and “fun” that proves too intoxicating to resist. However, these maneuvers destroy thoroughfares for those who actually need them, and that is a problem that officials hope to stop.

Coffee County Commissioner Dean Smith raised the issue at the last commission meeting Monday, saying he has heard complaints from residents who live on the roads. 

“I have them even getting papers to close the roads. We’re pleading to the parents, your kids are mud riding. It’s costing the county extra time and money to fix them,” he said.

Coffee County’s lead engineer, Randy Tindell, said money is not budgeted for repairs solely due to mud riding, but a study on one road a few years ago revealed an extensive cost --$5,000 to repair a quarter-mile section.

"There’s blading and we either add a whole bunch of rock, which is very expensive, or we let it dry out and blade it/reshape it and let the normal traffic compact it,” he said. 

While the issue is problematic, Tindell said fortunately most of the roads that are routinely targeted after each rain storm have “low housing density.” For those who live on those roads, though, it does provide serious problems, especially for emergency personnel if they are needed, he said. 

Also, it prevents farmers from having access to their properties in order to keep operations flowing properly. 

Sometimes, people’s private property is destroyed in the process, Coffee County Sheriff Office chief deputy Ronnie Whitworth said. 

Tindell said after mud riders destroy a road, it often needs a few days to dry out before county road crews can begin to fix them. 

“Kids don’t consider that. The goal is to get the vehicle as muddy as he can to impress the girl that’s beside him or to (outdo) the other guy with a big (four-wheel drive) truck,” he said. 

Over the years, road crews have tried numerous solutions to prevent mud riders from playing on county roads. One solution in particular has started to work, adding huge pieces of gravel. Tindell said mud riders fear riding through large gravel pieces will damage their vehicles. 

Because of that concern, though, Tindell said the remedy has not been used on high-traffic dirt roads where many people live. 

While it can cost the county plenty of money to make the repairs, parents or children can be forced to pay the damages if caught. Whitworth said anyone caught mud riding can face a low-level misdemeanor charge, like Class C misdemeanor criminal mischief. 

Whitworth said it is hard for deputies to make arrests of mud riders. Since criminal mischief is a misdemeanor charge, deputies have to see the act in progress, and most CCSO vehicles cannot handle driving on wet, muddy roads.

Whitworth, though, pleads to the public to stop the acts because of another reason: safety. 

“It is very, very dangerous. A lot of wrecks happen,” he said.