Riding a motorbike trial today I had a very weird encounter with a "counrtyman"

Had to go back to the van as I snapped a brake lever on the first section. A man resplendent in tweed shooting jacket approaches me out of his landrover. "you tell me your name and the club organising this"
"Why" I reply and then he just goes mad.

He was livid that he had slowed down whilst driving past where riders had parked on the verge and no one had thanked him. He then told me I was rude and had no class or breeding and he would get the landowners to stop the trial.

Then he demands I turn my bike off, to which I responded by saying he should turn off his landy. Next we was off on the "you people" etc etc told me I had no morals and people like me "was the problem with the country" etc. He then accused me of living in Witney literally screaming it in my face. WITNEEEEEEYYYYYYY 😯

I was so restrained, the training from work paying off, I asked him his name and address so the club could contact him. He jumped in the landy called me scum and drove off.

Crazy crazy man 😀

haha. Sounds like he is a bit crazy. I guess he's lucky it was you he flipped out at. Im not saying i would have, but i'm sure somepeople wouldnt have been so pleasant back.

To much cider?

ah you met captainflasheart

more like stella

Was it Captain Flash Heart?

Damn too slow.

The best way to respond to **** like that is to be extra nice and happy. Winds them up more.

I had a similar encounter yesterday, but I was out on a cheeky ride on my mtb. Some old bat even grabed my by the shorts in her attempt to stop me proceeding along the footpath. Of course, I agreed with her that I shouldnt ride on footpaths. Then rode off.

are you Witney scum though?

Trimix – you were totally in the wrong, not a similar encounter at all.

Is this your man…?

I had a similar encounter yesterday, but I was out on a cheeky ride on my mtb. Some old bat even grabed my by the shorts in her attempt to stop me proceeding along the footpath. Of course, I agreed with her that I shouldnt ride on footpaths. Then rode off.

Trimix – you were totally in the wrong, not a similar encounter at all.

Why is (s)he totally in the wrong? Unless the 'old bat' was the landowner, it is not their concern. Not having a protected right to ride on a footpath does not make it either illegal or wrong.

This chap is MP for Witney. Was it him?

Cameron always look like a smug toff

Regardless of whether you have a run in on a footpath, you're in the wrong if you are riding along it. Nothing to do with landowner, it's not permissible. Clue's in the name.

Nothing to do with landowner, it's not permissible

the absence of a right of way does not mean you cannot be there, only that you may be held liable for damage you do to the track surface etc (which accrues to the local authority when there IS a right of way). And only the landowner and their agent have a right to ask you to leave private property

Regardless of whether you have a run in on a footpath, you're in the wrong if you are riding along it. Nothing to do with landowner, it's not permissible. Clue's in the name.

Nope i'm afraid your wrong. A footpath is a right of way for walkers (and this is the important bit) without preducice to other access.
I.e the fact that you have a right to walk there does not mean that you can't ride there.

So we can ride on rights of way designated as footpaths?

So we can ride on rights of way designated as footpaths?

you can ride anywhere

So no more 'cheeky rides', then? All legal?

You're wrong a footpath is exactly that, no bikes no horses.

Check the CTC or Ramblers websites.

Anyone ever been prosecuted for riding a footpath though? and how were they slow enough to get caught?

Nope Jools, you're wrong. A footpath is a right of way for walkers, that all it means. Generally that will mean that there isn't a definitive right of way for cyclists and horses, but an absence of a right of way, is an entirely different thing to access being prohibited.
I suggest you do more checking :

Ok, so we were a bit cheeky on Saturday. Saw a few walkers. The route was tricky and rocky so it was a slow plod rather than quick singletrack.
Saw one group they were polite(as were we). Another group-different path but close enough to see-stopped and watched as we made our way over a particuarly large rocky section.
However the third group of 4, well 1 woman had a right one on her.
The short of it YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE,ITS A FOOTPATH.
We just said hello and nodded, we were pleasant enough to the rest.
We had moved up off the path with plenty of time before they reached us. They would have never have thought they were in any danger.
A bit shocked and annoyed at her attitude and reaction.

So could we have told her we were allowed to be there-she was infact mistaken?!
TBO i would have liked that very much!

Bit of hair splitting going on 😉

Check the CTC or Ramblers websites.

What do they know about it?

Regardless of whether you have a run in on a footpath, you're in the wrong if you are riding along it.

Let's suppose (as is in fact the case) I know the owner of a field across which a footpath runs. He knows I ride on it – it's nothing special but it's on my way home. He's not fussed I ride on it. Am I 'in the wrong'?

Let's suppose I'm riding in an area I know quite well, leading a group. It's a nice day and there are two ways back to where we're parked, one is a BW but we used that last time so I fancy the other way. It happens to be a fp. Halfway down the farmer pulls his landrover over to us pass and gives us a cheery wave. At the bottom his son opens the gate for us. They don't own the land, they're long term tenants. Am I 'in the wrong'?

Let's suppose I'm riding along a BW and, at a parish boundary, it turns into a fp. I keep going and do no damage. Nobody observes the event. Am I 'in the wrong'?

1 woman had a right one on her.
The short of it YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE,ITS A FOOTPATH.

So could we have told her we were allowed to be there-she was infact mistaken?!
TBO i would have liked that very much!

You could certainly have asked her (politely) why she felt it was her business where you were.

Aye, but it's important hair splitting 🙂
The local farmers I've talked to have said they don't give a monkeys about cyclists on footpaths. If bikes on footpaths were prohibited I wouldn't be able to ride on them even though the landowner had given me permission (or not expressed a preference), likewise tractors wouldn't be allowed on farm tracks that have a footpath running on them. It is quite important to remember that footpath does not mean 'no bikes' unless the landowner or agent says so, well apart from if there are local bye-laws which there are in some areas) that specifically forbid bicycles.

I dug deeper and seems I was wrong cycling on a footpath only becomes an offence if a local bylaw or private landlord deems it a no cycling path or maybe not as below.

A Footpath means a highway over which the public have a right of way on foot only, not being a footway [Section 329(1) Highways Act 1980]" So, clearly the assumption must be that bicycles are not allowed to be ridden on them.There are exceptions where the landowner or local authority allows their use by cyclists and this is usually signed as such. Just because there isn't a sign sayin 'No Cycling' does not mean that one can assume you have a right to cycle there.

Would love a definitive answer on this..

Would love a definitive answer on this..

Ride where you want giving respect to other users. If someone with the correct authority asks you to stop, do so.

Mind you, the two guys I was digging with today were questioned by the old bill so I may not be a good example to follow

the two guys I was digging with today were questioned by the old bill

congratulations to them on running out of crime 🙂

Anyone ever been prosecuted for riding a footpath though? and how were they slow enough to get caught?

Nobody will ever be prosecuted for trespass as it is a civil matter and not a criminal matter. A trespasser could technically be sued.

Anyone ever been prosecuted for riding a footpath though?

I was tried and found guilty by the STW massive

😆 the supreme court of STW 😆 a little knowledge and all that! 😀

Great, I'll go and find some old bats to wind up on a 'footpath'. Rights of way, laws, etc etc – load of old tosh, clearly.

[/quote]A man resplendent in tweed shooting jacket approaches me

Holly crap! Toff fight!!!

Seriously, been to Witney, nice place! You should try Birmingham, shoot first ask questions later!

load of old tosh, clearly.

No, just not a criminal offense, do keep up!

Great, I'll go and find some old bats to wind up on a 'footpath'.

That's the kind of attitude that give MTBers a bad name.

Ride where you like (within the bounds of common sense) but don't go looking to wind people up. That's not on.

but don't go looking to wind people up. That's not on.

you have just described my life 🙂

TMH – it was a reference to Trimix's first post 😉