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Knowing this areas as I do, they are probably more concerned about a bike being on the forest than the robbery.
Sounds a bit odd. Be interesting to hear the other side of the story...
Hmmm, what makes me think that theres more to the story than 'mountain biker attacks and tries to steal camera of sweet and innocent dogwalker'
i have the feeling the scenario that occurred was:
1) MTB'er may have been somewhere cheeky.
2) The guy with the camera went to take a pic.
3) MTB'er didn't like it.
4) Words exchanged.
5) MTB'er tried to get the pic deleted.
6) Ruckus ensued.
7) Reporter at the East Grinstead Courier did what local journalists do, and turned everything up to 11.
If this was a robbery attempt, then I'm a plaster cast recreation of the 1920's.
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There's definitely a lot more gone on there. Why the mention of biker rode into his shot for a start?
My guess is they had a little "discussion" about bikes not being allowed there and things escalated.
i have the feeling the scenario that occurred was the MTB'er may have been somewhere cheeky, the guy with the camera went to take a pic, MTB'er didn't like it and tried to get the pic deleted, and a ruckus ensued.If this was a robbery, I'm a plaster cast recreation of the 1920's.
Quite, but it is all grist to the mill for those who would seek to ban us from everywhere except the roads.
I suspect it went down like this:
biker riding along
walker: Oi!! You're not allowed to ride your bike on here.
biker: whatever!!
walker: OK, I'm gonna take your photo and give it to the authorities.
biker: Oh no you're not.
walker: oh yes I am.
biker oh no you're not
walker: done it na na na nanana na
biker: gimme that camera you ole biddy
walker: theft!!! help!!
Edit: I live about 5 miles from where this took place.
So someone with 2 bikes and all the kit trying to steal a cheap/old camera (judging by the quality of the pic in the article)? And 'disabled' is a word thrown around a bit too easily of late.
Edit: I live about 5 miles from where this took place.
You realise the police are monitoring this thread.
Better go and move that orange bike out your garage for a few days.
I have an alibi.... plus, no orange bike.
How was he riding 2 bikes at the same time? 😀
Mention of his ownership of a different bike also suggests that this bloke and the walker have previous. I suspect the chain of events was as described at least twice above.
Correct response is not to try to snatch the guy's camera, though. Much better to tell him to **** off and that it is still a long road from taking a photo to getting anything actually done to stop him riding there, or prosecuted.
Unfortunately by rising to the bait, the rider will have made this situation a lot worse, and escalated any likely response from landowner, police etc.
On occasions I have come across walkers who will deliberately place themselves in harms way to provoke an incident, so they can go to the police or whoever. I just slow right down or stop for people now. The mentality of these people is hard to understand, but easy to categorise. Narrow-minded and holier than thou NIMBYism basically.
Unfortunately, that land is owned and run by "these people", which is why mountain bikes aren't allowed on there.
looks like an orange soul to me
The fact the 'victim' knows he has a different bike, doesn't help him to not look like a local busybody.
The victim, 37, who has difficulty walking, was with his pet greyhound taking photographs of butterflies when the cyclist rode into shot.
Doesn't that sound like an idyllic evening out? Shame on that brute of a bicyclist!
As we've essentially got a blurry shot of a cyclist and thereafter it's just hearsay, let's jump our conclusions even further across: Fido, left to fend for himself whilst [b]Victim, 37[/b] rummages about in the bushes for "butterflies" gambols happily around the place. Sees relatively fast moving cyclist and runs along to join in (I've never had a greyhound, but I presume they like running), who's not impressed with this. Some shouting at dog ensues, [b]Victim,37[/b] emerges from bushes flushed and flustered at having his beautifully composed shot of "butterflies" disrupted, some shouting at people ensues, allegation of "is that your dog's shit in the bag on that tree?" levelled, photo taken, much fist shaking and threats all round, cyclist buggers off, [b]Victim, 37[/b] makes it to twitter first.
etc etc.
How's about that then?
Don't worry, although initially reported as attempted robbery due to a confrontation and struggle at the scene, it turns out that [b]Victim, 37[/b] has still got his camera!
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He is described as about 5'11", 13-14 stone, tanned, with salt-and-pepper hair and blue eyes.
How did he manage to taste his hair? Can't be too many people around with savoury hair
Don't worry, Victim, 37 has still got the camera!
That must have been a risky google image search...
Already bookmarked for later perusal 😈
I hope his pictures of wildlife are better than the above picture otherwise he needs a new hobby.
I hope his pictures of wildlife are better than the above picture otherwise he needs a new hobby.
He was focusing on a close-up of a butterfly, which the nasty mountain biker startled away as he tore into shot.
Didn't you read the story?
😉
Unfortunately, the horse riding loonies who control the forest will use this as yet further evidence as to why mountain biking should never, ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever be allowed on the Ashdown Forest.
The fact the 'victim' knows he has a different bike, doesn't help him to not look like a local busybody.
or the victim of repeated attacks by an unhinged lunatic who needs to be locked up before he kills someone (sounds silly but that's how it could be presented if you have an inexplicable hatred of bikes)
A silver helmet? sounds more like a case of attempted anal probing!
mikey 74, you must live awfuly close to me as Ashdown forest is pretty much on my door step, and every thing you say is so true, run by and for the horsey types without a moments thought for anyone, i'm sure if they could ban ramblers and family picnics they would.
Who owns the Forest?
I believe East Sussex council own the forest, but it is managed by an appointed commitee (or similar) who essentialy from what i can tell appoint themselves with bugger all democratic process. There are also several by laws that are unique to the forest if i remember correctly.
Butterflies at 6.50pm, surely it would be going dark / sunset at around that time?
Butterflies at 6.50pm, surely it would be going dark / sunset at around that time?
Probably meant moths.
Is the cyclist giving a Gareth Hunt coffee shake in that pic ? 🙂
Probably meant doggers
Ahh. The rare flashing dogger moth. Make sure you don't touch them, as you'll get a weird residue on your hands.
I believe East Sussex council own the forest, but it is managed by an appointed commitee (or similar) who essentialy from what i can tell appoint themselves with bugger all democratic process. There are also several by laws that are unique to the forest if i remember correctly.
Sounds as though they could be cousins of the New Forest Nazis then! Ghastly lot. 😐
Excellent - so if, as we suspect, this is actually an altercation over cheeky riding, the muppet on the bike has just set back any possibility of permissive riding in the forest by about 500 years.
Terrific 🙄
New Forest Nazis
I think the actual Nazis were a bit more strict that stop people from cycling.
There is an Act of Parliament from 1974ish governing the Forest.
I did read the wretched thing some years back and I think it is Section 2 that deals with bikes, but I remember it being a bit open and could refer to prams and didn't prevent you walking it across the forest, although I am told the wardens go apeshit if you walk a bike onto their car parks.
One arsehole whose dog went for me when I was riding there, had the cheek to then have a go at me for cycling over the forest when I shouldn't, when in reality I was on one of the legal bridleways at the time (Crow and Gate to Kings Standing Clump!!! I think). Another arsehole dog walker challenged me when I was illegal and I said "Wow".
The truth is that both of those Ws were dog walkers and given that the forest is a sanctuary for ground nesting birds such as the Nightjar, dogs are way more likely to do lasting damage than I ever will.
On their signs they tell you bikes are banned because they cause erosion. Horses are allowed and they rip the ground up more than we ever will AND every track on the forest will show tyre tracks from "them" driving their bloody four wheel drives across it to fulfil their official capacities, such as looking after the sheep grazing it, or cropping back trees...why do you need a four wheel drive near you to do either?
In honour of our comrade's dastardly deed I really must get myself back there and put some tyre tracks in their mud just to let them know they are not winning.
In fact I'd love to see a mass bike trespass there.
Bastards......bollocks to them
I'd suggest the Ashdown Forest would be the ideal place for a mass bike trespass.
That and the New Forest 😉
I've just read the article...sounds like a bollocks attempted robbery to me...and you are right, there are obviously several things they are not telling you.
Give them a real robbery and they probably wouldn't do anything about it!!!
Is he riding a Soul?
Nightjars in Surrey? Are you ****ing kidding me?!
With the amount of rambling and off the leash dog scurrying and shitting that accompanies any nice bit of green land near a big conurbation there's not a snowball in hell's chance of such a sensitive bird nesting there.
Usual "if only things were like the 1930s again" bullshit being used to mobilise opinion against biking off road.
This all boils down to NIMBY tosspots who think that just because they have paid a premium for a house in a nice rural area then they should be allowed 'unsullied' access to the local countryside. And no, I've paid a lot for my house, so being required to pick up my dog's shit is beyond the pale. Someone else can clear that up, I pay my taxes, some oik can do that. Etc. Etc.
The rider in the OP has let us all down. By giving the local 'too extreme for the golf club, so has to resort to the ramblers' NIMBYs something to really go at, the repercussions are obvious.
Sad to say, but killing them with kindness is the best way. Just seeing someone pumping themselves up to have a go and then watching them squirm and backtrack as I am almost embarrassingly courteous really tickles me. Most end up having to ignore my cheery "good morning" and so they are made to feel (rightly) that they are the churlish prudes with the problem. Such moments are worth a hundred "**** offs".
no-one seems to be asking the really big question, namely: what tyres was he using? 😉
By the way, Ashdown forest is legendary for its highly forward thinking, positive and welcoming attitude to mountain bikers. Don't worry, it's only because they can't burn witches anymore.
The sad thing is that the Ashdown Forest is a massive area and there is certainly scope to create a mountain bike loop around the perimeter, whilst still keeping them away from the main honeypot areas for walkers and horse riders. If done properly, it could also be built in a very sustainable way, causing minimal erosion (certainly much less than the horses that use it now).
Unfortunately, sense was thrown out the window decades ago so it will never happen, at least not for several generations.