Farmer gets very very nasty toward mtb group, help required, please.

I need advise/help in regard to a farmer who keeps on giving persistent very aggressive abuse to my group on night rides ? We cross his land on a clearly marked and fenced off bridleway approximately once a month during our night rides and on the occasional Sunday. I have thus far been very polite, shown him my map and told him we are quiet when we pass his live stock (half a dozen sheep), that we close all gates and are doing no harm.

He generally brings his “large son” in a land rover to the end of the bridleway, waits until we have gone through the last gate and then starts to get abusive and confrontational ?, before following the group back to the main road hurling abuse from his vehicle.

I realize the good folk on here may fry me for asking , however I would like to sort this matter in a professional manner.

Any help would be great, cheers Nick.

Complain to your local rights of way officer.

Option 1: Video him being abusive then report to the police
Option 2: Deploy extreme violence

Don't s'pose you know a copper who rides do you? This sounds like a very unplesent man, with a big chip on his shoulder.

Cinnamon Girl of these parts has had farmer issues in the past, maybe she can help?

EDIT
Whereabouts is this?

Police

Well, first you need to find his shoes… 😉

epicsteve's suggestion 1 sound right.

ROW officer in the local authority for the location of the bridleway.

Coppers I imagine ultimately if you think it's worth it and feel it's worth the hassle / waste of their time etc. Personally I wouldn't bother with the plod but hey ho …

Whats the basis for his complaint?

Report the situation to the rights of way officer, and video the farmer on your next ride – then report to the police I would say.

I guess mention it to the police anyway, then if the farmer takes it further, you already have the upper hand in looking like you want the situation diffused.

I like the idea of finding a couple of coppers who ride. That would sort it out fairly sharpish I imagine.

Local rights of way officer should take an interest as well.

In the first instance, call your local ROW officer – they're usually quite helpful. THe police won;t be interested until things escalate, which you are aiming to avoid. Where are you based / riding?

Ignore him.

Local ROW officer in the first instance – our local ROW people take stuff like this very, very seriously.

not sure ROW officer can help unless he is actually obstructing the right of way

also not sure it's a waste of police time, surely we pay taxes so the police are there to deal with such things. Fair enough they are overstretched and understaffed in moat areas but that doesn't you just stop using the facility

Police.

Sounds unacceptable to me. That said, I'd try and find him during daylight and ask him what the problem is. It might be that they have had problems with crime at night- not unusual- and are very suspicious of any activity after dark. Explain that you're not up to anything dodgy, you're acting responsibly (make sure he understands that) you have can continue to use the bridleway with or without his blessing, but you'd prefer to keep things friendly and hope there aren't any problems in the future. If he continues to act like a complete nob-end then ROW officer/police depending on what form that takes.

If it is because he has a problem with crime at night and you can talk to him, point out that simply by being there, you reduce the risk of crime as your average tea-leaf doesn't want several sets of 1000 lumens highlighting his activities.

I had a similar scenario a while back. Did nothing at first which was taken as a sign of weakness on my part, and caused the aggro to increase. Didn't get confrontational, just got enough details and went to see plod informally. They went round and had an informal chat. No more trouble.

ride somewhere else?

its not worth the agro surely?

mrmichaelwright – Member

not sure ROW officer can help unless he is actually obstructing the right of way

Intimidation is illegal too. Seriously, ROW officer is your first port of call

I'd avoid videoing, you are only going to upset him more. Crouch_spud has the right approach. Go and talk to him during the day and find out what his problem is.

I have no problem with farmers getting aggressive and have over many years realized you get good and nasty people in all walks of life, however some of the people I ride with are just getting into mtbing and they felt very threatened by this farmers behaviour. My concern is that when new riders go out and navigate for themselves as is the ultimate aim they may be off trail or just not sure of their rights. This farmer in my humble opinion would crucify anybody who was mistakenly on his land.

The trail is below Gillamoor heading north towards Rudland Rigg on the North Yorkshire Moors. Anyone else on here had dealings with this chap.

Cheers Nick.

id invite him on local radio and have an informed balanced debate about it

what kind of abuse is he hurling?

get it video'd, show it to the police.

I wouldn't poke a video in his face but the RoW officer or the (good suggestion) "nod to the plod" sound positive ways to deal with it, rather than getting all hoity-toity.

ride somewhere else?

its not worth the agro surely?

Hardly shows any backbone or blighty spirit old chap 😉

This is your next step

http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3042

Thanks for the help and just to make things clear.

This chap has over the last most recent 3 incidents driven up from his farm house to hurl abuse, swearing and general very aggressive manner, and then followed the group down the road to his farm turn off.

When I was ridding during the day earlier this year, I spoke to the man politely, explained what we do, why we ride here and that we would be using bright lights across his land probably once a month. I know I didn’t need to do this however I have done my utmost to avoid confrontation. He was still very aggressive but at least I tried and he seemed to accept my right to use this bridleway during that conversation.

I could just not use this trail but I have genuine worries for the safety of other mtb’ers.
Spoke to police and they are not interested so going to try ROW people.

Thanks folks and cheers Nick.

suggest get local ROW officer to confirm is a bridleway (or other) before involving police unless it is clearly signposted
(funny how those signs disappear)
ROW people find it easier with Map references or similar email will be on Local Authority web site usually under highways you can then show response to police to support yr complaint and reduce any local police visit becoming a cosy chat / cup of tea / moan about poachers and people coming out from towns not understanding country ways etc etc etc

Nick
There is this:- Rights of way feedback form – but in this case is worth the effort?
I should chill. Just accept thats what happens when riding that bridleway. He's never actually done any harm. I still cant work out how he gets his Land Rover to the end of the bridleway so quick, unless he is just sat there night after night waiting for us to come past….in which he has a v sad life and we win 🙂
besides gives us something to complain about for the rest of the ride.

which farm is it ? may be one we've had issues with as well

mart

B'jesus the forum is falling apart, where are the calls to pee in his boots or own him with bombers?
😆

Though I'd advocate videoing him, you don't have to stick a phone/camera in his face to get a decent video you can show people as proof, maybe if he reaslises you aren't going to be intimdated into stopping using the bridleway, and you will be following it up using every legal means he will get the message. Otherwise talk to the fed's [edit: I'd insist on talking to some-one like the duty sergeant because you believe this is could escalate into something worse – make a note of who you spoke to even if they won't do anything, you have proof you tried to deal with it] and your local Row officer, I'd do both so that if anything did escalate you have 'proof' you were trying to sort it out amicably pre any 'situation'.

Beat the living shit out of him and hang his head off your Thompson stem as a warning to all other farmers. (as he would do to a fox)

Is that better Zippy 😆

where are the calls to pee in his boots

I refer the poster to my original post up there.^

Mr p h the farm is marked on the map as Grays, to the left off highfield Lane heading NW out of Gillamoor, the bridleway is clearly marked and runs paralell to this lane from Faddell Rigg turning left 400mts before Grays where it changes to a footpath to Grays farm. It is a 100% clearley marked bridleway.

Cap Tang : This man is a danger to other mtbers and I intend to do something about him, his behaviour and attitude is not acceptable.

Nick.

Beat the living shit out of him and hang his head off your Thompson stem as a warning to all other farmers. (as he would do to a fox)

As he MIGHT do to a fox, surely?

not the one i was thinking off but he sounds a right tosser !!!!!!

I would certainly write a letter to the local police so that should things get worse, there is something on file. The police would generally have a word with him anyway after that just to let him know they're in the loop

C

Firstly, you're within your rights to use this path so I'd not be concerned once you can overlook the abuse. If the ROW office don't do anything then you're kind of on your own.

Secondly, having tried to be reasonable he's obviously still got a problem but he's obviously not prepared to share that with you, so that's his perogative.

My personal approach would actually be to use the path more often (maybe co-ordinate this with other riders so that the path is used every day!), I would expect that he'd soon get tired of hurling abuse if it became a weekly, or daily event! Petty, but ultimately entertaining.

If it ever gets violent of threatening then you're still in the right and then get the police involved.

Apart from the obvious, sensible suggestions – mass ride every night for a week. 😉

Result….ROW man very interested to speak to me further, this chap was already under watch ??
and on a lighter note…..Just an idea ? How about I get my lot, say about 20 riders, we then get 30 good folk of STW and do a night ride up this bridleway ? Probably meet the chap at the top of his lane and have a group hug

Thanks for all the help (and the funny aggressive bits) cheers Nick.