In Texas, riding isn't just something we doāitās something we grew up with.
Many of us remember our first time behind the handlebars of a four-wheeler, bouncing across the back 40 at sunset. Or hauling feed in the side-by-side while your granddad barked out directions from the passenger seat. Or cruising down a dirt path with nothing but wind, dust, and the smell of summer around you.
Riding is part of who we are.
Itās not a luxury. Itās not a phase.
Itās a way of life.
We ride to check fences, move supplies, feed livestock, and get from one end of the property to the other before breakfast.
We ride because itās more efficient than hauling a truck where a UTV fits.
We ride because it's part of the job.
We ride to see family down the road.
We ride to pick up a bag of dog food from the feed store.
We ride to take our kids to the park, or just to get out of the house for a few minutes on a warm Texas evening.
Not everyone is comfortable on a motorcycle.
Not everyone can afford or justify a second car.
But a street-legal side-by-side with lights, belts, and mirrors?
Itās the right tool for the right person.
We donāt ride for the thrillāwe ride for the function, the freedom, and the feeling that no other vehicle offers.
This isnāt just about ATVs.
Itās about access, identity, and a way of life that deserves to be recognized, respected, and legalized.
In Texas, wide open space is part of the beautyābut it also means distance. A neighbor might live five miles away. The store might be across a two-lane highway. The family property might stretch across acres of brush, woods, or open land.
We ride because it bridges those gaps.
We ride to check on neighbors, swing by a cousinās place, or show our kids the land we grew up on. For many of us, a ride isnāt just transportationāitās time spent with people we love.
Itās a 15-minute ride that turns into a memory.
Itās a trail that becomes a story.
We donāt ride to escape community.
We ride to stay part of it.
Some towns donāt have a city bus. They donāt have Uber. They barely have a sidewalk. But they have roadsāand those roads are used every day by people on UTVs and ATVs making do with what works.
A dad dropping off lunch at the school
A worker heading to the next job site
A grandparent checking the mail down the gravel road
Theyāre not outlaws.
Theyāre neighbors.
And they deserve the right to ride legally and safely.
For many Texans, the land isnāt just propertyāitās home, work, and history all in one.
We donāt ride to dominate itāwe ride because we know it.
We ride because we respect it.
We ride because itās part of us.
Ask any Texan why they ride, and chances are the answer wonāt be āfor fun.ā
Itāll be:
āBecause itās easier.ā
āBecause it saves gas.ā
āBecause itās what Iāve got.ā
For thousands of people across this state, riding an ATV or UTV isnāt just a choiceāitās the smart, affordable, and efficient option for everyday life.
Not everyone can afford to put miles on a $70,000 pickup just to grab groceries or drive between fields. A side-by-side can do 90% of those short trips at a fraction of the fuel costāand with less wear and tear.
When you're only going a few miles, why fire up the F-250?
Less gas. Fewer emissions. Smaller footprint.
In towns and counties that embrace short-distance UTV travel, traffic drops, parking becomes easier, and people rely less on oversized vehicles for simple errands.
A side-by-side isn't just a ride. It's a:
Tool for hauling
Seat for passengers
Space for gear
Platform for hard work
Vehicle for real life
Whether you're running down the road for feed or heading to your neighbor's place after dark, a well-equipped ATV gets the job done safely, cleanly, and comfortably.
Riding isnāt some reckless thrill.
Itās a practical decision made by people who know what works.
Texans ride because it makes sense.
Itās time our laws made sense too.
Riding isnāt just something we do todayāitās something we teach tomorrow.
Many of us grew up learning how to ride on the familyās old four-wheeler. It wasnāt just about the thrillāit was about responsibility, balance, and self-reliance.
We teach our kids how to ride the same way our parents or grandparents taught us:
How to respect the road
How to wear a helmet
How to ride smart, not reckless
How to take pride in the tools we use
Weāre passing down:
A connection to the land
A sense of control and freedom
A way to get around that isnāt tied to tech or traffic
A tradition of self-sufficiency
The next generation of Texans wonāt just inherit a truck or a trailer.
Theyāll inherit the values that come with the ride.
Right now, a 17-year-old with a license and a street-ready side-by-side can legally operate a motorcycleābut not their familyās UTV.
What message does that send?
That rules donāt make sense?
That doing things the right way still gets you in trouble?
That safe riding is punished while unsafe riding is ignored?
Thatās the wrong legacy.
We want the next generation to inherit a better system:
One where safe riders are protected.
Where clear laws reward responsibility.
Where riding is something to be proud ofānot something done in fear of a ticket.
Weāre not just riding for today.
Weāre riding for our kids. Our grandkids.
Weāre riding for what comes next.
If thereās one thing that sets Texas apart, itās our independenceānot just in politics or culture, but in the way we live.
We build.
We fix.
We move through this land on our own terms, in our own way.
And when the road doesnāt go far enough, we make our own pathābecause thatās what Texans do.
We used to ride the trail on horseback. Now we ride with roll cages and LED lights.
Same spirit.
Same grit.
Same reason: because it works.
And just like no one told our grandparents they couldnāt saddle up and head into town, we shouldnāt be told that we canāt use a safe, insured vehicle to do the exact same thing today.
Texas has always led with common sense and self-reliance.
We donāt need flashy solutions. We need freedom that fits our reality.
And the reality is this:
Texans ride.
We ride responsibly.
And we deserve the right to do it legally.
We ride because this is Texas.
Because no one knows our roads like we do.
Because our land, our lives, and our vehicles deserve respect, not restrictions.
This isnāt just a bill.
Itās a reflection of who we are.
And weāre riding forwardātogether.