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@andyrm. Thanks for the advice. Will wait and see what happens in the coming days before deciding what action to take.
I thought it may be worthwhile putting up a map showing the trails in this woodland. The red flags indicate where the nails have been found this time.
Front page news in this weeks Carmarthen Journal
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/more-deadly-nail-traps-found-14527111
Was also on BBC Wales today yesterday and BBC radio Wales at 9am this morning followed by a phone in about cyclists and their relationship with pedestrians and car drivers etc. Some interesting folk phoned in. Particularly perturbed by the chap who said he really dislikes cyclists ringing their bells behind him. Give me strength.
On a good note the nail traps seem to have ceased for time being. Maybe all the press coverage has got through to the pea brained tool doing it.
This is by no means meant as a criticism - particularly given the nasty nature of the traps and the possibility of it not just being a bike tyre that was punctured by them. I would say the OP had no choice in reporting it.
But I guess now you will find out what the powers that be hold as their real attitude to mountain biking. I really, really, hope that they don’t say “that’s it, that’s the watershed, we can’t have this going on any more, it’s too much hassle, bikes are banned, full stop”. The arsehole who put these things down might still ‘win’. If they are not caught and restrictions go in, then he/she will have won.
Don’t underestimate how much a lot of folk hate us for enjoying the countryside in a manner of which they do not approve.
@dannyh . Yes I share your concern and realise we have to tread (or ride) carefully here. I too sincerely hope that bikes aren’t banned from this woodland. Thankfully, I get the feeling that the authorities are on our side and see no issue with riding here, and that the real issue is the bad person who is laying these potentially lethal traps.
EDIT - read it properly ignore this bit!
You could always report it as a pedestrian, which might make the press coverage and social media reaction focus on the nails, rather than a tedious list of things people don't like about cyclists.
Particularly perturbed by the chap who said he really dislikes cyclists ringing their bells behind him. Give me strength.
I'm not surprised, when you have a bell, there are those who will tell you that it's startling and impersonal, and why can't you just call out "Hello". and when you try that, there are those that will tell you that you should have a bell...Can't win really.
Yes, probably right, should have guessed the media would play on the cycling thing. In fairness to myself I did find one of the traps when walking (with my bike). Given the long history of cyclists using these woods I guess it didn't seem an issue. The issue isn't who found it and their medium of transport but the traps themselves, and thankfully that seems to be where attention is focussed by the authorities.
That's why I got a timber bell. Constant gentle ringing that shouldn't statle folks!
God forbid I ever come across such a trap however if I ever do I will be reporting it to the police as a walker not a bike rider and expect to get a better response from them, and the media generally.
Also I was walking with my small child who nearly had it go through their foot (I have no children) but you get the point, raise the profile make people consider who else might get impacted not just antisocial horrible bike riders
Quite. I did make the point of saying its likely to hurt a walker or runner more than an antisocial or otherwise cyclist
