Bogtrotters ride the Ben on a bank holiday!

Yes in reality walkers often do give way quite happily to bikes, but a little bit of awareness/appreciation that actually they don’t have to do this would be nice.

So maybe it would have to be one weekend or bank holiday

Fine to do it on a weekend or bank holiday if you did the descent late in the day when no-one will be coming up IMO.

Mark – Resident Grumpy
Big Bud, you are misrepresenting our stance. The bog Trotters rode perfectly legally

Incorrect, as has already been explained above (see SOAC about giving way to walkers, behaving responsibly etc. etc. etc.), but as you are happy to ride your local trails illegally, why should you care eh?

You might not like the land access & use laws in England and Wales but most folk like them the way they are in Scotland. We’d like to keep it that way and behaving like a knob isn’t going to help

if you did the descent late in the day when no-one will be coming up IMO.

I think being overtaken from behind is far more annoying and disruptive that having someone visibly approaching from the front!

I think being overtaken from behind is far more annoying and disruptive that having someone visibly approaching from the front!

I rode Ben Lomond on a gorgeous sunny day, and we set off down not long before sunset – we only saw maybe 3 people left on the mountain apart from us by that time.

I rode Ben Lomond on a gorgeous sunny day, and we set off down not long before sunset

having arrived at the summit at 9am in the hope of missing the crowds that would have been a dull day, particularly in the snow!

[*]the walkers thank you for your consideration but i think this means its more dangerous for the rider as they cannot be certain they have been seen and heard and you dont actually care about the walker…nice spin though

If you give way what difference would it make to the rider…you are giving way whihc means stopping/slowing anyway ?

at root we have a clash of philosophies, one holds that we must all observe whatever rules, laws and codes there may be if we are not to have our access further restricted, with the vague hope that things may one day even improve, the other that unenforced laws are merely abstract concepts and that in fact we can ride more or less where we like. I go with the latter in the absence of any credible evidence for the former, which I rank alongside homeopathy or astrology

at root we have a clash of philosophies, one holds that we must all observe whatever rules, laws and codes there may be if we are not to have our access further restricted, with the vague hope that things may one day even improve, the other that unenforced laws are merely abstract concepts and that in fact we can ride more or less where we like. I go with the latter in the absence of any credible evidence for the former, which I rank alongside homeopathy or astrology

I don’t see the point in dressing it up as a pretentious philosophical debate – it’s just about not acting like a dick. The Scottish access code is something to be applauded, based on simple common sense and consideration to others – why is it so difficult for some people to follow it?

I don’t see the point in dressing it up as a pretentious philosophical debate – it’s just about not acting like a dick. The Scottish access code is something to be applauded, based on simple common sense and consideration to others – why is it so difficult for some people to follow it?

this, this, and this again.

I don’t see the point in dressing it up as a pretentious philosophical debate

I wasn’t, I was just making a statement not involving dicks…

The fact is you are allow to ride a bike on Ben Nevis, so the philosophical point is irrelevant (even though I happen to agree with it).

The issue is the the time and manner that it was ridden.

I was just making a statement not involving dicks…
FAIL.

why is it so difficult for some people to follow it?

FWIW I think they thought they were

perhaps TJ should market some shoulder leprechauns which are programmed to shout (in his voice) “give way to walkers”, “be responsible as defined in subsection….” etc when subjected to vibration for those of us unfamiliar with the letter of the law ? I’d like one in blue please.

AndyP – Member
I don’t see the point in dressing it up as a pretentious philosophical debate – it’s just about not acting like a dick. The Scottish access code is something to be applauded, based on simple common sense and consideration to others – why is it so difficult for some people to follow it?

this, this, and this again.

And again.

unenforced laws are merely abstract concepts and that in fact we can ride more or less where we like.

There are lots of things I could do and get away with- punch pregnant ladies in the face, steal bikes, drink and drive, peole traffic [ if i was good at it] tyhe argiment is sophists and even then I am being kind to it.
Lets just hope the walkers dont take a simliar path [ see what I did there] to you and just ignore the rules and kick you off your bike when you pass as no one can enforce it so its just abstarct. you would be on her edefending their right no doubt SFB and upholding your principle if everyone did it rather than just you.
You are not so daft you cannot see the consequences if we all did as you did or we all did as we please.

Like grum said it is just about not being a dick

I’d like one in blue please.

If it’s blue it’s a Smurf.

There are lots of things I could do and get away with- punch pregnant ladies in the face, steal bikes, drink and drive, peole traffic

perhaps so, but I only want to do harmless fun things

You are not so daft you cannot see the consequences

but that’s exactly the point, I’ve been riding where I like for ages with no apparent consequences (other than fun), and even when numerous STWers ratted me out to the park authority for Stanage, with ample photographic evidence from me, nothing happened (apart from a lot of STW static)

If it’s blue it’s a Smurf.

I’m cool with a TJ smurf – quite apt really 🙂

perhaps so, but I only want to do harmless fun things

Are you trying to tell me that what I choose to do is not harmless or fun…why do you have the right? …have we not already established that this is all personal etc and “responsibility” is my personal choice etc

I have been hitting pregnat ladies for ages and nothing has happend to me yet etc
Your argument is pish in that ity can be used to justify anything

Nice to chat again anyway SFB

you are happy to ride your local trails illegally

It’s not illegal to ride a bike on a footpath in England or Wales.

I’m a bit late to the party, but yes, the rider in the video is a fanny.

Jesus – I really thought this thread was funny – but now…come on, bloody hell lets not agree about a different topic now!

Like grum said it is just about not being a dick

but that’s such a flexible interpretation – I think you lot are pretty silly (if well meaning) for buying into a delusional conformist mindset and unnecessarily limiting your god-given (so to speak) freedom – but that’s your choice.

have been hitting pregnat ladies for ages and nothing has happend to me yet etc
Your argument is pish in that ity can be used to justify anything

I don’t actually believe you Johnnie, but I’m not trying to justify myself, I don’t need to. I’m just making a pragmatic point that the only limitation on your freedom to ride is your own choice. And going where some people might wish you not to is hardly evil or violent.