[Closed] Please do not ride on footpaths.

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I'll get the kettle on.

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No. And footpaths are just as fair game as any other, however any footpath that's being badly eroded/suffering from waterlogging should be avoided by common sense.

Just think, we have no distinction of footpaths up here and we all get along just fine, both bikes and walkers - who'd have thought all you need is a designation to get everyones backs up and cause mahem.

(loving being the first person to bite)

Would never even consider it. Nope. Never ....

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uh-oh.

I though I'd get this one going...

Pay some consideration for why it is a footpath and not a bridleway

why is that exactly?

Not only are you eroding the path

but lets be honest arent there enough decent areas to ride?

depends on where you are... but in general I'd say no, the more the better.

Just out of interest as you are telling me where to ride, in your opinion should I be wearing a helmet? 😉

..........should be avoided by common sense

...especially if common sense has phat tyres on it's bike.........

I'll ride where I want thanks. Happy trails.

http://www.cheekytrails.co.uk/

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Bridle ways are covered in horse muck and hoof ruts near me.
A bike makes no more mess than a walker (probably less).
I always give way to pedestrians and horses when I am on the bike. Smile, take care and ride where the urge takes you.

Some of the best singletrack sections are on footpaths. Now, I'm not going to stop doing singletrack because you say so as that will mean this site is pointless!

i can see the need for 'walkers only paths' - if only to keep bikes away from wobbly old people, or maybe to protect steep/inappropriate paths from erosion or whatever.

but there is no* logic behind the designations as they stand.

i can show you quiet, over-grown, stone-armoured, footpaths that i'm not allowed on.

i can show you busy, boggy, eroded, bridleways that i [u]am[/u] allowed to on.

until the council/government/whoever get around to sorting out this nonsense, i'll use my own common sense, and ride where i think it's appropriate.

(*not even a tiny bit)

I dont care where I ride noting wrong with it ....some of the footpaths are better and I ride them at speed !!!!

The footpaths round by me are great. When there is a red traffic light I can use the footpath to go round it.

No riding on Scottish footpaths then.....

less walkers to shout "boo" at on bridleways

😆

The footpaths round by me are great. When there is a red traffic light I can use the footpath to go round it.

Those are pavements, not footpaths.

sorry dad

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Pay some consideration for why it is a footpath and not a bridleway

Because the landed gentry in Herefordshire campaigned of a wimpish, idle and pathetic civil servant charged with the job, for footpath classificaiton over bridleway classification when the definitive map was set under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

The distinction had no basis in use, prescription or history. It made for a stupid application of an ill defined process as demonstrated by some of the paths round 'ere that as they cross the border from Worcestershire into Herefordshire change from bridleway to footpath arbitrarily in the middle of their run, with no other way of leaving the bridleway but turning around.

So I ignore it. I ride whatever I like with the caveat that if I think my riding might cause damage sufficient to incite a case for trespass and restitution by a court demanding I pay damages then I wont ride there. Otherwise, it's up to the landowner or his agent to make a case if he can.

As for any other bylaws - they'll just have to catch me and get my name & address.

LOL at the stw massif...# pulls up chair #...+ 1 stoner 😉

There are plenty of places I won't ride a bridleway because it is in bad condition or overrun with walkers. There are plenty of places where I will ride a footpath as often I'm the only one who'll be using it and I won't cause unreasonable damage. Just needs a little bit of common sense.

Then again, if someone feels the need to stop me tell me how they think the "law of the land" works, I'm happy to listen to them. I'm also happy to then just carry on my merry way...

Rachel

oh, and;

...but lets be honest arent there enough decent areas to ride?...

no, not really. i live in Sheffield, the ROW office have decided that bridleways should be 2metres wide and smooth enough to allow access by wheelchair. As a result our bridleways are now smoother and straighter than our roads.

As for any other bylaws - they'll just have to catch me and get my name & address.

Ha Ha Ha you'd better hope I don't catch you as I have both 😈

If Im caught on the one of the GRs that dont allow bikes I'll probably get repatriated to Algeria 🙂

ahwiles - most of the DH runs in Morzine are smoother than the roads in Sheffield...

Rachel

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I'll ride on the basis of a tracks suitability thank you. Some "footpaths" are actually farm access landrover tracks round here, I reckon that's suitable for a bike too...

Stoner has it off to a tee except this bit

that if I think my riding might cause damage sufficient to incite a case for trespass and restitution by a court demanding I pay damages then I wont ride there

I would insert 'that if I think my riding would have a significantly detrimental effect on the trail given the prevailing conditions, or if I suspect that a collision with another trail user is likely given the location and usage of the path'

Footpath = wheelpath

Having done my share of greenlaning, I can see the issue from both sides.

Unfortunately the enjoyment for motorised off road got seriously curtailed with restrictions on the lanes used.
Once that was brought, the legal traffic was forced on to a much restricted selection of routes. Naturally these get overused, leading to even more closed and the situation getting worse.

Luckily, I can't see that happening with pedal power, as it's much harder to trace people and both for the lack of numberplates from those making some pretence of legality and less noise etc too.

Possible that as a typical knee jerk, some bridleways could be downgraded, making it worse for those that stay 100% legal though.

Footpath:
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Bridleway:
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Footpath:
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Bridleway:
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Do you get the point yet?

yoss - yep that's the only other condition i hold myself to: some paths I wont ride on round here before its dark just to avoid conflict with dog walkers. I dont need to ride the path during daylight hours so it would be churlish to do so, knowing that there's bound to be a dog walker or grumpy oldie on it.

there's a difference between riding any path and riding every path, or even any path at any time.

Round here I'd be walking more than riding if I didn't use footpaths. I always give way to others and dismount if i think I'm might cause offence. I even smile and say hello to dog walkers (who IMHO do a lot more damage than your average cyclist). None of our local trails (cheeky or otherwise) suffer from errosion.

geebus - Member

Once that was brought, the legal traffic was forced on to a much restricted selection of routes. Naturally these get overused, leading to even more closed and the situation getting worse.

Aye. How to instantly half erosion- double the number of trails.

I'm glad I live in Scotland where we have sensible access regulations...

Oh, and the "aren't there enough other trails" argument is mince.

The OP is conspicuous by his absence...30 odd responses & he hasn't replied to any of them....

TROLL???

One of the areas I ride in had a vast expanse of moorland bridleway. Some bridleways are infact shooting access routes for landrovers, the designation of which changes to footpath, then back to bridleway. There are also some very good linking footpaths on which I have yet to see a boot print, let alone a walker.
All of which were originally cut by boot and hoof as trade routes and as access to the mines.

All fair game.

Similarly, there is a section I have walked down near the Tees which, in areas, would make some seriously sweet singletrack, but I do not use this as access and usage deem it not suitable.

Another argument which I have pondered over is woodland trails which are not designated at all. Chopwell woods for example has some good official fc trails. It also has some far better hidden trails. At what point did the now legal trails become accepted as they were once 'cheeky'.

As title. Not only riding on footpaths but when they are in a wet condition is even worse. Pay some consideration for why it is a footpath and not a bridleway, plenty of decent bridleways in the country anyway. Not only are you eroding the path, you are creating a bad reputation for all your fellow mtb'ers. As a biker I feel a winging so and so for saying this, but lets be honest arent there enough decent areas to ride?

So blah aside, the problem with cyclists on footpaths is "trail erosoin".

Trails erode. Thats what they do its just what happens to them, like cliffs erode, I don't think mtb'ers ride on cliffs - were not that hardcore (yet). So to say that the ONLY reason not to ride on footpaths is that we might erode them in pretty much the same way as any other user or the elements is utter pish.

There's been some interesting recent case law about the act of creating rights of way. (I studied it recently with the head of the caving society archives)

If I can find an online copy of the appeal court finding (for anyone who has an interest in law) its interesting over turning of some very bad case law and reaffirming of some principles set by his godship, Denning.

EDIT: here we are. For the legal geeks:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200607/ldjudgmt/jd070620/godman-1.htm