I heard I might get hassled or told it is not allowed.

They have rules at Burning Man?

yes, they do... sorta. I believe a lot of discussion is involved. In any case, there was a thread about this a couple weeks ago...

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=10342&p...

thanks

thanks. useful.

i have been bringing buggies to burning man since '05 and here's the deal. i've been hassled once, a ranger came up to me, while i was tacking my way out of the walk in camping area, where i was living. he was on a bike, and told me it wasn't allowed since i would exceed the 5mph speed limit. he told me he may have to confiscate it to be held at their offices. i said no, it wont be necessary. i don't remember what happened that day, but i think i generally didn't even try to buggy until the event was over.

since then, i have ridden my buggy there during the event several times, and i have seen other people there on buggies too. you just have to use common sense and not do anything that you think anyone would find dangerous or objectionable. buggying naked is fine, but don't do it thru a crowded area, don't try to show off to anyone. there's plenty of space out in "deep playa" where you can buggy and no one will bother you. you can be at center camp and just barely see someone out in the open playa on a buggy the playa is so big, even within the fenced in city.

however, the last 3 years, the condition of the playa has been so terrible, that it's not conducive to buggying, not unless uv got bigfoots, and even then, not so sure it would be any fun. the surface the past few years has been very torn up and full of moguls and soft, deep powdery mounds and crunchy crusty deep and bumpy playa. there's nowhere to you really rip, and you need to be really powered up just to be able to schlog through the bumpy dusty playa.

years ago it was different. i'm not sure if the playa's been #@%$#!ty lately BECAUSE of burning man and the thousands of camps and tens of thousands of rebar driven into and pulled out of the playa, plus all the trenches that need to be dug for power lines coming from generators for camps and art projects, or if it's caused by high winds while the lake is trying to dry(as i was told by one guy, and kinda makes sense, but it really looks like someone's been through there with a large commercial farm tiller). if anyone who lives around those parts can shed some light on that, i'd really love to know because i've always been curious.

could be that this year the playa is flat and smooth like it once was, but i wouldn't get my hopes up too high.

bottom line is, yes u can bring your buggy and ride, AWAY from the crowds. i'm sure there will be others who will tell you differently as i think the official word is they're not allowed, or it's a grey area. but if u see a ranger truck, either try to outrun em (impossible) or just wave and smile, and try to be safe. worst case scenario is they lecture you or threaten to confiscate it for the duration of the event, but u just tell em ur heading back home to put it away, and then take it out another time. odds are u wont run into the same person, and u just play dumb, like it's the 1st time u were told. happy sailing.

-ssameer (mykl)

oh yea, and u MUST turn it into art, or it's not allowed to be out zipping around out there, and it will also be less likely to get stolen that way too.