Although there hasn’t been much snow this winter, snowmobilers are the first ones out when we do get some snow. With snowmobiles operating comes some complaints to the Onaway Police Department.

The city allows snowmobiles to be operated along any of the side streets in the city but they must obey a 25-mile per hour speed limit zone and obey all traffic signs. In addition they must stop at every intersection they pass through.

Snowmobiles may not cut through yards or other private property and may not run down any of the highways (M-68, M-211, M-33) in the city limits. They may cross the major highways but may not run down the side of them.

Snowmobiles are not allowed to operate on sidewalks, including those along Washington Avenue. Onaway Police chief Jim Gibson said that snowmobiles are allowed to go from point A to point B but not to simply race around town or back and forth down the side streets.

Gibson said he has had a few complaints so far this winter about some snowmobilers racing around neighborhoods and cutting across yards. He said he caught someone operating a snow machine along M-68 recently.

“People have been pretty good so far. But there are always a few that won’t follow the rules,” said Gibson.,p> The rules are in place for safety of both the snowmobilers and other motorists as well as to keep noise to a minimum in neighborhoods.