Booby Traps around Saddleworth

Oldham Mountain Rescue Team have posted a warning to mountain bikers regarding booby traps set around Dovestones in Saddleworth. The traps are reported to include cords tied between trees and boulders in landing zones.

Take Care and report anything suspicious to the local police.

I used to ride up Oldham way but stopped after we found pieces of wood with nails driven through concealed on the trail. I’m pretty sure I know who it was, not sure if there might be a connection. It’s not far I guess?

Well it was worth you mentioning, it’s already here http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/warning-chew-plantation-dove-stone-reser#post-4526761

That was Crompton moor btw.

Out of interest, if you caught somone doing this, what would you do? I’m guessing that the kind of person who would take such umbrage against mountain bikers isn’t the kind of person who would stack up to a fight, so maybe doing them over there and then, quietly, leaving them wimpering in a wet ditch? Or would you be noble and try to obtain their details and report them.

Tough call. Thoughts?

I don’t think I’d stoop to that level. I’d be taking it to court – bear in mind this attempted GBH (if you do something know that you could well injure someone, it’s treated as though you had made a deliberate attempt for anything short of killing a person) and thus carries a possible prison sentence

Grab them and phone the police.

I already have an irrational fear of piano wire strung between posts/trees.

Out of interest, if you caught somone doing this,

Post up quickly on here for Tons phone number! 😉

camera phone pic and follow them home/to car.

No idea what they would be charged with and I expect it would be nigh impossible to convict without eye-witness evidence of them creating traps.

and I expect it would be nigh impossible to convict without eye-witness evidence

So make sure they accidentally fall into one of their own traps 😉

Some booby traps spotted earlier

I already have an irrational fear of piano wire strung between posts/trees.

We had some guy here in New Mexico doing exactly that across MTB trails with thin, stainless steel wire between trees across a steep, fast, downhill singletrack. At least one rider hit one of the wires and suffered some minor cuts to his arm–fortunately he was a tall guy and it hit him below his neck.
A hiker spotted him placing other traps and followed him to his car,then reported the description and license number. Since it was on federal land, he ended up in federal court and was fined $2000, 360 hours of trail repair work and 1 year of probation.

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news/71856/children-injured-in-wire-trap

😯

It made the MEN – at least it’s getting good coverage. Some very short sighted comments from the usual anti-cycling brigade.

Link

Whilst we’re on the subject, what’s the best way of stringing the good bits in Saddleworth together without too much road work, do people think?

Some muppet is also placing used car tyres on a cycle track on the wirral, have moved 5 tyres in different places in the last week.All on unlit parts of the track,thankfully good bike lights help.

been on northwest news this lunchtime, police are investigating (good)

MTBer was being interviewed saying “you can get up to 30-40mph” (baaaaaad)

Buck 53 – not many miles of bridleway around here so cheeky trails are the name of the game. There’s a lot around dovestones and most of it is stuff worn in by bikers as opposed to footpaths which minimises walker/biker confrontation.

I’d be willing to show you some trails.

If I thought someone was doing this on my local trails, I’d use it as a great excuse for a bivvying stakeout!.

Sorry Aazlad, only just seen your reply. Very kind of you to offer but my fitness is atrocious at the moment and I’m very much a pootler rather than a pinner, so I’m not up to riding with others at the minute.

Might look you up in a few months when I’m in better shape to see if the offer still stands.