Solo night riding in t’Yorkshire Dales last night there was a bit of lamping activity going on and at one stage I ended up in the glare of their spotlight for a few nervy moments.
I am sure they cannot be too thrilled about the presence of night riders disturbing their activities anyone had any experiences with this furtive creatures of the night.
Found it disconcerting being alone on the moors with these guys shooting in such close proximity….

Depends to some extent if you’re dealing with legal or illegal limping

Legal lampers tend to know their own ground pretty well, so are a lot more aware of safe backstop and what roads/prow might be around, and pretty cautious as they are often using more powerful weapons, eg. If foxing

Illegals and nomadic travellers however, can be a right dodgy bunch.

Regardless, as a general rule you’re pretty darned safe as you’re out on a bike with a big light on the front and a flashing one on the rear

I’d be more concerned if I was out walking a gingerish rat dog without a reflective collar on though… .

There are some very shady folk involved in lamping. We were forced to move house when a violent drug dealer who was also a lamper, just out from 10 years for robbery with violence, moved in next door and life became very unpleasant. He and his spawn were the roughest people we have ever known and the 24 hour barking and whining of their dogs made sleep impossible, not to mention the parties with loud trance music in the garden.

Aye hopefully should be safe with the lights etc however its easy to convince yourself you are not when you are approaching them on your own (you know how the mind wanders on these solo excursions!).
I can imagine there are some right shady geezers involved guess you just don’t know who you could be dealing with at all….

There are some very shady folk involved in lamping. We were forced to move house when a violent drug dealer who was also a lamper, just out from 10 years for robbery with violence, moved in next door and life became very unpleasant. He and his spawn were the roughest people we have ever known and the 24 hour barking and whining of their dogs made sleep impossible, not to mention the parties with loud trance music in the garden.

Is my irony radar calibrated? Please tell me it is?

We were forced to move house when a violent drug dealer who was also a lamper, just out from 10 years for robbery with violence, moved in next door and life became very unpleasant. He and his spawn were the roughest people we have ever known and the 24 hour barking and whining of their dogs made sleep impossible, not to mention the parties with loud trance music in the garden

Relevance of lamping to him being an utter shitbag?

Nope.

Anyway, the season if very closely defined. At the moment, it’s open season on 29ers and 650b, but another week or so until the 26er season opens.

Ex lamper here. I once accidentally shot a hedgehog but never an MTBer. I think you are pretty safe with your lights etc making you look not much like a rabbit. Start having a bit of alfresco friskiness and you may be in trouble, if all the lamper can see is a little white bum going up and down…….

Relevance of lamping to him being an utter shitbag?

Chance of him even being able to own a gun being a convicted violent robber/drug dealer?

Nope.

Lol.

Try riding up in Cathkin Braes. Lamping is not the nocturnal activity I worry about

S’pose I am not really scared of being shot by accident more about their reaction to me trundling along and spoiling their fun

Depends to some extent if you’re dealing with legal or illegal limping

😀