I have been srufing and driving the beach since the mid 60's. It has not changed much except for the building of condos. We surfers are aware of the land and beach. Keep the beach open and address those who abuse. Do not punish all for the actions of a few. In the mtns. of NC we use hikers to notify our rangers of abuse, description and/or vechile plate no. is what we report. It works.... The same can be done here. Call the Pisgah Forest Ranger District or the Chimney Rock District. Roy T. Ford, age 59 and counting.

To hear this terrible news is almost as bad as hearing a friend has died.

Please visit the following website and sign the petition. This is a grass roots movement which needs everyone's participation. http://www.savehatterasandocracoke.com/ This ban will be financially crippling to the local businesses of Ocracoke and Hatteras Island.

Each year I make the trek Cape Hatteras area to tent camp with my 12-year old son and an invited friend. The beach drive is our most favorite thing to do. I won't say where, it's a secret; 'solitude'. I attended the USCG aviation school up the coast in Elizabeth City and served in Miami, FL and Barbers Point, HI. In Hawaii, I taught swimming (7-year olds), certified guardsmen for water safety and life guarded two surfing beaches and two pools. I then colleged in the Los Angeles, CA area while living in both Redondo Beach & Palos Verdes. When I moved 'inland' to Atlanta, GA and ultimately to the mountains of E. Tennessee, I still had an attraction water. I have land on both a river (a trout stream) and a lake (6-acre 50' deep pond in a gated community) and became active (VP) in a river clean-up group. At 66 with my turn up, I gave my son a life membership in the Surfrider Foundation; we're now working on beach etiquette. GOOD & RESOECTFUL KIDS have become our most endanger

Vehicles don't belong on the beach. It's just that simple. Quit whining and start walking you selfish tools. Love, Paul

Paul guess you have not been to the Outer Banks? Or Mexico or Central America? Try it some time it sure beats pulling up in a parking lot and standing on the walk over to check the waves. So I guess what you mean by walking is... from your car in the parking lot to the nearest known break. Have fun with that, and be happy that you are such a unselfish TOOL! Not Lovin Paul

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT, PLEASE CHECK OUT islandfreepress.com. Please call your rep's in DC and ask them to support free & open access to OUR beaches in the CAPE HATTERAS NATIONAL SEASHORE RECREATION AREA. - NOT LOVIN PAUL EITHER

I've been to Hatteras twice in my life. It reminded me of places out west where if there were no road, you could still go there. This is a very rare thing on the east coast. Over crowding and new developments are clogging neighborhoods, and ruining inland natural habitats. Measures can be taken as they are here in RI to protect nests and natural habitat without completely restricting "use" of the area. Rash deciscions will recieve results that will not be popular to the community or the visitors that love this stretch of sand. To cut off access to this open territory would hurt fishermen, surfers, birders, windsurfers, nature seekers, tourists, small business owners, landowners, and taxpayers. Let's face it, you can't get anything done without money. So why bite off the hand that feeds you. Obviously both sides hold interest in what the land has to offer, this can't be onesided. Rember, this land is your land... this land is OUR land.. sincerely, chris in ri

Try walking, it's not that hard. Most of the people that drive their cars on the beach are far too overweight anyway. It will do them a lot of good and save them money on gas.

Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness. Enough said, this is what will be lost. Your Constitutional Freedoms...... Wake up everyone and fight the real issues. We The People are worth protecting. Protect the true endangered species - HUMANS. The wildest form of the Aniaml Kingdom. Sincerely, Rob Beedie Global Surf Network

I am sad to have been using the same name as the other "Hatteras Local". How rude! You give the people of this island a bad name! And you of all people should know that there isn't a lot of parking here. And the little that is here gets filled up pretty fast in the summer. I hope you don't think we should use the dunes. And how to you purpose we get to the beach when we can't park on the side of the road; we live in one of the village neighborhoods and we have small children to take to the beach. I could prob. go with just myself and not snacks or such but small children can't. They need drinks to keep them from being dehydrated and if you plan to make a day of it; they will def. need something to eat. That would be a little hard if you had to walk over 3 miles to the closest access. Give me a break! You really should think about others and not be so nasty by calling names and saying such rude things. I bet you don't have any kids and that is why you can side with the

My family owns a beach house in Nags Head near the end of Old Oregon Inlet Rd. I drive on the beach every chance I can get. I love the outdoors and respect the land. Every offroader knows this saying, "Tread Lightly". The present restrictions to beach access are responsible and protect the wildlife inhabiting the area. That is the fact of this case, therefore these groups have no basis for their arguement. Furthermore, if you have ever been to Oregon Inlet in the peak summer months you know that the entire strech of beach is packed with trucks and suv's. This is a major attraction in the OBX. Banning driving on the beach would virtually eliminate a significant source of income for the business's that thrive off of this short influx of profit. Also, I find that many of these environmentalist causes are unrealistic and invasive to our economy and personal freedom. It wouldn't suprise me for one of these groups to put forth a motion to ban mankind. Visit treadlightly.org

I read somewhere in a article of this mess that the possibility of ensuring drivers and their vehicles are properly licensed. It may not be a bad idea. After 10+ years in law enf., if someone isnt licensed,it's because somewhere along the line they couldnt abide by the law. Is that who we really need on the OBX? Also I agree with the 'tread lightly" idea. You see that further south..Avon, Waves, Buxton, etc. But go to Oregon Inlet on any given day and it gets to be a " monster truck show". People running in 4-low when its really not necessary. Stomping the gas and driving too fast. By doing this they dig ruts in the sand and ruin it for the majority of those who surf, fish, and enjoy the beach. I can see where those actions may lead to closure of the access points as well. I also feel for the businesses that may be affected by a closure or drop off in visitors to the island. I would like to think that a happy medium will be met. However, I see those who use the beach as their own worst

Born and raised in beautiful Eastern North Carolina I now live in Vail, Colorado and just now heard about the proposed closing of many OBX beach driving accesses...I understand the reasoning behind the closures is to save the birds??? I wouldn't know percentages but isn't a large portion of the OBX already wildlife protected areas??? I would be curious to see the numbers on how many acres are already "people-free" areas...and what that number breaks down to percentage-wise. I grew up surfing, surf-fishing, in-shore and off-shore fishing from southern Long Beach, NC all the way up through northern Nags Head, NC and have many fond memories...My family would spend three to four weeks in these areas in the off seasons, helping to spur the local economies and would generally spend entire summers surfing and fishing our way up and down the coast in the summer. Don't get me wrong...I love wildlife and protecting it as necessary...but I can not agree to what local bird-lovers propose. With the e