Bradford Council ‘footpath ranger’

Stepping back to the start here, though, the key is not to do any escalating of your own. Sure, if they get shouty and aggressive it might become necessary, but otherwise I just try to be as ‘grey’ as possible. Many of these self important types want to be offended by something. Don’t give them more of what they crave.

If they refuse then they are just a Countryside Unofficial Numpty Trailwarden.

I can see that phrase being adopted

I emailed Bradford Council to find out if he was genuine and they have confirmed he was nothing to do with them. So jumped up Countryside Unofficial Numpty Trailwarden fits the bill perfectly…

I emailed Bradford Council to find out if he was genuine and they have confirmed he was nothing to do with them.

When I was a lad we had one of these retired idiots with nothing better to do who would patrol the council playing field to make sure that noone was playing on it. Used to call himself the “warden” and would have a go if he felt that your face didn’t fit – i.e. you were in possession of a ball and/or were on the field and within fifty yards of his property. Tweed, badges and loosely fitting dentures clacked away as he lectured you about “damaging” or “vandalising” unspecified things.

He had the distinction of being the first adult I argued back at, in retrospect nine year old me should have told him to “piss off” like the older kids did. He complained to my friend’s mum about gobby me arguing with him, she did tell him to “piss off”.