Viewing 40 posts - 41 through 80 (of 108 total)
  • foot paths – what's the worst that could happen?
  • piedidiformaggio
    Free Member

    Some bloke with an out of control Springer Spaniel had a go at me for riding on a footpath once. I’d stopped quite a way before him to allow him past. The out of control spaniel then bit me. I’m afraid at that point I pretty much lost it and by the time I’d got my torrent of abuse out, I think the walker was then covered in spit 😆

    mansonsoul
    Free Member

    There is no way threatening someone with a gun is anything like acceptable in these instances. Laughing at them holding their shotgun is the best way to teach them this. 😀

    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    all this rubbh about landowners pointing guns at you. Does everyone think that every landowner in the UK has a shotgun and is going to go wandering his land with it, pointing it at cyclists? Because thats certainly not my experience…

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    nbt
    Full Member

    ok, the actual wording of “rights” is clearer than most people think

    http://www.kent.gov.uk/environment_and_planning/countryside_access/about_public_rights_of_way/using_public_rights_of_way.aspx

    Footpath

    For walkers only. You are allowed to take a pram, pushchair or wheelchair along a public footpath but please be aware that many routes may not be physically suitable for that purpose. Public footpaths are mostly waymarked with yellow arrows.

    BUT!!!

    Although footpaths, bridleways and restricted byways exclude motor vehicles, this is without prejudice to any higher public rights that may exist. For example, in certain cases private access rights may exist.

    It may be argued that the path you are using *should* carry a higher status and thus you are entitled to use it. It’s that key phrase “without prejudice” that counts.

    There are exceptions to this where a local bylaw has been passed, e.g. in the Peak District National Park there’s a bylaw making it an offence to ride a bicycle on a footpath. I’ve yet to hear of this rule being enforced, though.

    Oh and with respect to the zebra crossing case, the judge made it clear that it was becase the cyclist had dismounted PRIOR to cirssing the road – if they had set off riding, then jumped off the bike, the situation would have been different

    Having said all that, my personal position is to ride paths based on suitability for biking, and be nice to people that I meet

    sefton
    Free Member

    how about snatching the gun of them and beating them with the handle end? 😈 then going on a bizerk killing spree of “off the lead dogs”, motorbikers & Rangerover sport owners?

    Keva
    Free Member

    I had a farmer wave a spade at me once from the other side of a gate as I was opening it to get through.

    strong farmers accent
    Your not meant to bring your bike through here

    well I am and you can’t stop me


    I’ll have you with this spade sonny (waving it around)

    really, I wouldn’t try that if I were you…. as I walk through the gate get on my bike and ride off… he didn’t try.

    Kev

    I ride footpaths all the time with no problem.
    I think it makes a big difference what type of footpaths you ride though.
    I wouldn’t try to make my way along one of the footpaths on the Malverns on a sunny Sunday afternoon, that would just be asking for trouble.
    I can spend hours linking up the footpaths around remote villages on the Worcestershire/Shropshire border and not meet another cyclist, pedestrian or land owner to complain about me being there.

    D0NK
    Full Member

    Think I’ve had 1 experience of walkers telling me I shouldn’t be on the footpath I was on – and several experiences of of walkers telling me I shouldn’t be on the bridleway I was on. Have had people going in the same direction as me on a go slow right in the middle of the path but you get that on bridleways too.

    So, you have a legal right to pass and repass along a public footpath while pushing a bike.

    I read several times on the web (not 100% sure how accurate they are) that a bike is not a natural accompaniment so you can’t use that argument.

    If a land owner or their agent does collar you then give em 50p for trail damage and leave via the quickest reasonable route, if you are 90% of the way along the FP you could argue to carry on, if you’ve just got onto the FP turn back. Anyone else complaining about your presence on an FP just say “silly isn’t it” and carry on, don’t get all defensive, shouty or sweary.

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    thebrick, the problem with that case is its pedestrain crossing, not a footpath through someone’s garden…

    This is why I typed this bit.

    Although this was not a case on a public footpath, it was on a crossing starting on a footway (i.e. what we think of as a pavement beside the road which is illegal to cycle on) the case clearly establishes that if pushing a bike you are a pedestrian.

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    I read several times on the web (not 100% sure how accurate they are) that a bike is not a natural accompaniment so you can’t use that argument.

    This dose seem to be ta sticking point but I have not seen a decent argument that pushing a bike or carrying a bike is any different to pushing or carrying any other goods.

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    where exactly you ridding in the west pennine moors? there are loads of bridleway and conscetionaryy ones around the area esp Rivvy [not all marked on OS – where exactly are you riding?
    in reality no local walking groups will occasionally say something to you. the bigger the group of them or you the more likely a comment is. Riding paths when it is a busy sunny weekend is asking for trouble IMHO
    DONK loads of walkers confront you but you are just going too fast to notice so your mates get the grief instead.

    I can spend hours linking up the footpaths around remote villages on the Worcestershire/Shropshire border and not meet another cyclist, pedestrian or land owner to complain about me being there.

    Big trail quest community then 😉

    ir_bandito
    Free Member

    heh! sorry Brick!

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    No bother. This is the internet where things should not be taken too seriously.

    grittyshaker
    Free Member

    The specific example of whether a bike is or isn’t a “natural accompaniment” to a person walking/pushing along a footpath appears not to have been tested in law.

    Certainly this was the argument incoherently made to me by the halfwit who pushed me in the chest in his use of “reasonable force” to eject me from his land at the top of Altar Lane near Bingley some time ago.

    Link to thread here – http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bingley-riders-landowner-alert

    When I queried this, the local RoW officer appeared unable to challenge the landowner’s position in asserting their rights against me as a trespasser.

    It appears, in the Bradford area at least, that a pushed bike on a footpath, is not considered a natural accompaniment and that you are, therefore, trespassing when you do so.

    That said, I’ve ridden the trails (BWs & FPs) round Bingley for years and very rarely encountered any objection (I always try to be “nice”). The objection and disproportionate reaction of the aforementioned landowner was a complete one-off (I’d ridden along it without objection in the past but pushed that day due to the appearance of new, more assertive, signage) and quite unsettling. I don’t use that footpath to push my bike along these days.

    sefton
    Free Member

    Around Turton,Edgworth,

    brassneck
    Full Member

    If we have to give way to horses on bridleways (which I do, it’s only good manners), why aren’t motor vehicles obliged to do the same to all on higher access levels?

    Most landowner exchanges go along the line of:
    ‘You can’t take that bike across there’
    ‘Bet I can’
    ‘Go on then’
    .. and settling down to watch me hurt myself.

    Apart from the Earl of Cardigan who has been miserable about public access of all sorts to Savernake every time I’ve had the misfortune to bump into him.

    Zulu-Eleven
    Free Member

    Anyone else complaining about your presence on an FP just say “silly isn’t it” and carry on

    Personally, and after a good few years of being involved in ROW law, I’d say that this is the best advice on the thread! 🙂

    sefton
    Free Member

    yeah I’m going to adopt that one (instead of F@#K YOU) 😆

    that was a joke BTW I always make a point of being “over polite” to walkers 😉

    grittyshaker
    Free Member

    Yep, the “silly isn’t it” line works for me.

    Except for the incident referred to above.

    PimpmasterJazz
    Free Member

    My understanding always was similar to the above, that if you’re caught you’re technically trespassing. If you’re then asked to leave and do so then there’s nothing else that can be done (you could have wandered there by accident); if you refuse, then it becomes a civil offence.

    peterfile
    Free Member

    i would have though the worst that could happen would be injuring someone using the path.

    not that it is any more risky than riding on a bridleway, other than perhaps the finacial reperscussions!

    If you are riding illegally, i don’t imagine that your insurance provider will be paying out in respect of any 3rd party claim that might arise as a result of you riding the path.

    So if you happen to wipe out a 42 year old banker (who needs 6 months off work as a result of his injuries), out for a casual weekend stroll in his loafers, you might find yourself on the other end of a pretty expensive action, with no insurance to bail you out, and a less than impressed judge who also doesn’t like his country pursuits spoiled by some “maniac” charging down paths he’s not supposed to and wiping out innocent bankers.

    PimpmasterJazz
    Free Member

    Those poor, hard-done-by bankers. 😉

    sefton
    Free Member

    aren’t bankers on the “hit list”?

    buzz-lightyear
    Free Member

    Never give your name in these situations.

    sefton
    Free Member

    john smith 😉

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    so essentially ride where you like hit folk then lie about your details. I have no idea why walkers objetct to us using paths we cannot legally use

    sefton
    Free Member

    fair point – don’t leave lone walkers alone to die on footpaths!

    R.lepecha
    Full Member

    john smith

    Will Barrow.

    jonb
    Free Member

    Why are some paths restricted and some not. What is the historic basis for allowing walker in some places but horses in others?

    I used to just wherever the path was suitable. NEver encountered any real problems other than the odd angry walker. It’s worth bearing in mind that you are in the wrong in the eyes of the law so be polite and thoughtful to other users to avoid unnecessary confrontation.

    You can be prosecuted for trespass but no one’s business except the landowner or his representative.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    Never give your name in these situations.

    [Capt. Mainwaring voice]

    Don’t tell him your name Pike!

    [/Capt Mainwaring voice]

    still makes me smile 20 years after I first heard it.

    D0NK
    Full Member

    Never give your name in these situations.

    “My name’s simon f barnes and I’ll ride where I damn well like”…….no?

    BTW not taking any credit for “silly isn’t it” I either got it from cheekytrails or off here.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    thing is with sfb that he’ll always have about 50 Bogtrotters in tow so he’s never goign to feel particularly threatened?

    D0NK
    Full Member

    Why are some paths restricted and some not

    my (internet) knowledge is that bridleways have to be maintained by local parishes/councils so when the definitive map was drawn up if a council didn’t fancy paying for upkeep it was classed an FP. Hence why some ROWs go BW…FP…BW.

    thepodge
    Free Member

    Sheffield has a bylaw that states “bicycles are not allowed on footpaths”. this gets round the natural accompaniment argument.

    piedidiformaggio
    Free Member

    “bicycles are not allowed on footpaths”

    Ride on the verge then!

    thepodge
    Free Member

    well as Sheff council are a bunch of nobs regarding rights of way, I tend to ignore their rules

    andyfla
    Free Member

    I have always found mentioning the Kinder mass trespass of the 1930’s helps get the conversation started with a rambler …..

    joao3v16
    Free Member

    Riding on footpaths is a civil (?) offence.

    But only if you get caught.

    Que?

    Crime is acceptable if nobody catches you?

    Interesting concept…

    ourmaninthenorth
    Full Member

    I shall soon (if it ever goes through) be moving to West Lancs. The other side of the M61 from the West Pennine Moors.

    As a consequence of the limited foresight of Lancs CC when it classified almost every RoW as a FP, I shall be making use of plenty of FPs crossing fields while out doodling about on my SS cross bike. I’ll be sensible about where I go, and what I ride over.

    If challenged, I shall use the “it’s silly” or “Kinder” arguments.

    ourmaninthenorth
    Full Member

    Crime is acceptable if nobody catches you?

    Excellent. Shame that trespass (unless in a very specific way under the CJA 1993) is not a crime….

Viewing 40 posts - 41 through 80 (of 108 total)

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