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Found a nail trap with charming message on the underside placed on a path in open access woodland in lodge wood near Lampeter at around SN 57186 49072.The same problem has happened periodically over the last five or so years but this has been the first time in a couple of years. Take care if you are out in these woods. Police informed.
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The appropriate action would be to find the person responsible and shove that item up their arse.
Doubt anything will happen, but we’ll done for informing the rozzers and take care out there.
Presumably the other little stick was through the trap into the ground to ensure it stayed the right way up?
And if a kid in wellies had stood on it..........
Scum.
Well yes that thought has crossed my mind. Or maybe nail their feet to a root. But I’d prefer to let the police and NRW deal with this loonpot.
Yes a stick each side in an attempt to reinforce it. It moved pretty easy mind so a pretty rubbish job. Last time it was piles of broken glass and individual sharpened nails in roots. Psychopath.
They have just re-released Bombers...
I wonder, if they want people to keep to the foot path, how they managed to place such a contraption there.
Some twisted people out there..
It’s on a not so oft used bit of singletrack that has, according to those who have been using the woods for the last 40years or more been in existence for ages. It’s not a new recently built trail but it’s this particular little used path that some dangerous nut job clearly feels belongs to them, and them alone. Strange, when the whole woodland is open access so one can wander wherever they like. Some right retards about that’s for sure!
The irony being it looks like it would do more damage to a walker /child /animal than it would do to someone on a bike..
Is the intent just to keep anyone or anything from going there?
I guess that’s the intent. No doubt someone local who has a strange sense of entitlement to public access land. Yes would do more harm to a child or adult walking. If I’m cycling on this track I’m generally going up very slowly and always got an eye out for hazards.
So does it mean that MTB'king has been officially allowed on the footpaths???
Really makes me wonder what goes through a person's mind when they set out to do something like this!
I'd be tempted to shell out on one of these:
On the basis that these bastards can never resist popping back to check their handiwork.
@medoramas . No, mountain biking isnt officially allowed in this open access woodland but plenty of people use it for cycling, walking and ive even seen the odd horse rider in there. I would say this and the previous traps are likely aimed at cyclists but as pointed it this is most likely to be most dangerous to walkers - as is almost certainly the case with previous problems in this woodland with piles of broken glass and individual nails left in stumps and roots. Such objects placed on path are potentially deadly to any woodland user. The question of whether mtbing is allowed in this woods isn't really relevant? There are no signs saying no cycling, and ive seen plenty of kids riding round in there as children have done in woods all over for years. If someone has a beef with cyclists using the woodland this certainly isn't the way to deal with it - what they are doing is a criminal offence. The writing on the trap is bizzare as its open access woodland so you can go where you please.
@martinhutch. I thought about that a couple of years ago when this happened before. My understanding at the time was that the relevant authorities were going to employ this kind of thing, as the woodland is also home to a number of badger setts and there are certainly a number of sickos round these parts who in addition to trying to harm people are fond of a bit of animal abuse. Putting cameras up for this purpose is apparently easier to do from a legal point of view than an individual putting up cameras to watch out for what humans are up to.
No, mountain biking isnt officially allowed in this open access woodland but plenty of people use it for cycling
Cycling is not allowed on open access land unless there is a pre-existing tradition of access.
Sounds like you have that, so you are allowed.
https://www.gov.uk/right-of-way-open-access-land/use-your-right-to-roam
I am told by some in the town that back in the early to mid 90s the woods were periodically used for mtb races, before insurance became an issue apparently. I can imagine that a few laps of these woods would be pretty intense. Its pretty much nothing but steep up or steep down. So yes, there is a tradition of use for cycling, without (to my knowledge) problems of illicit trail building or conflict with other users (aside from the nutjob who lays these traps)
It certainly wouldn't take much effort to prove an existing tradition of the woodland being used by cyclists for at least the last 30 or more years...
I know a few people who ride those woods so I'll give them a heads up, cheers.
I'm really struggling to see how the police cannot take this very very seriously. Its no different than me setting up a 'rambo trap' on a path.. Ie its intention is to seriously injure or maim. You fall on that and you are pretty much screwed ..
As above I'd be seriously tempted to try to find out who set it up if it was on my trails.. .People like that need a good hiding
Yes they need a good hiding for sure but I see little point in depressing myself by encountering this idiot, let alone getting into a confrontation that could get me into trouble. I’ve considered a wildlife cam myself, but don’t want it to get nicked. A stake out could be lengthy, depressing and I have many other things to do. The police seem to be taking it reasonably seriously and are liasing with NRW to get it sorted. I’m still using the paths several times a week, by foot or by bike and just keeping a close eye out. What we can’t do is let an idiot who does this sort of thing spoil public use of open access areas.
It certainly wouldn’t take much effort to prove an existing tradition of the woodland being used by cyclists for at least the last 30 or more years…
Has to be unchallenged though I presume, the same as proving any other right of way. I.e. if at any point in that time the landowner has had a "no cycling" sign or told someone on a bike to bugger off then the clock would start again.
The only sign I’ve ever been aware of is the recent one from NRW warning of dangerous objects on the path in question put up a couple of years ago and it also stated that the police were informed of this problem. This disappeared about a week ago. The anecdotal evidence of mtb races in the 90s suggests conflict between users has not been much of an issue. Aside from this idiot and his dangerous objects I’ve personally had no problems and have only ever seen one motocross bike in there in the last few years.
And this is why I don't go to Wales. Much safer here in Norfolk
Much safer in Norfolk. No-one would want to hurt a relative after all 🙂
Another one found today right on path. I had spotted some disturbed mud and leAf litter on one side of a root and on checking found a trap. Think it gave me a flat on the first lap. The photo shows it uncovered - it had been covered in leaf litter. Again, it’s cost me a flat but would cause serious damage to a walker. On path at sn 5725149149.
On taking it to police they seem to think it’s no more than a public nuisance offence until injury occurs.... strikes me that it’s attempt to cause serious injury at the least
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and a charming message on underside!
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This has nothing to do with rights of way, or the right to ride a bike there, so why raise the issue?
Inform local paper maybe, get it publisized?
Just been talking to some youths who ride the woods very regularly. They had found traps there a few years ago and confirmed to me who is likely behind this. A local landowner who not surprisngly sounds like a total coward. Apparently he had been shouting at them in the woods but scarpered when one of their fathers turned up...
I concur it has nothing to with rights of way or the right to ride there. It’s about dangerous weapons being left on public land that at some point will cause harm. However I am aware that using this open access land for cycling could be a potential issue.
And yes - local papers to be told, the police said they would also do this....
Oh hell....
I would be mounting a well camoed up camera at the site of one of these traps for sure. He WILL go back to check if they are still in place as someone said.
Totally predictable human behaviour.
You would be amazed how hard it can be to spot one of these cams if situated right, even if you are looking for them, which this arse hat isn't! 😠
This has nothing to do with rights of way, or the right to ride a bike there, so why raise the issue?
I started it as a joke, which seemed to be not understood (that someone wants you to go back riding on the footpath)... 😉
As a solution would some printed and laminated signage on the all entrances to the woods with a message like this work?
"Beware of nail traps! An individual has been spotted planting dangerous objects on the trails. He has been photographed and identified by the police, who are currently working on the matter"
Beware of nail traps! An individual has been spotted planting dangerous objects on the trails in a deliberate attempt to injure the public.
A child has recently been injured by one and Police are asking for help from the public.
Be vigilant and report any information or suspicious activity to your local police station on *******.
*picture of trap here*
Beware of nail traps! An individual has been spotted planting dangerous objects on the trails in a deliberate attempt to injure the public.
A child's face has recently been injured by one and Police are asking for help from the public.
Be vigilant and report any information or suspicious activity to your local police station on *******.
*picture of trap here*
wait, isn't the target here the 'walker(s)' given that the first sign states 'now f-off walker'? Im not following this as anti-mtb as such..
confused.
i don't think it's an L 😉
3 days in and no one has mentioned the slippers?
This place has changed.
A local landowner
I assume its not that hard to check his handwriting as the idiot has written a confession and I agree on getting a camera
This is just such a dangerous thin to do - annoying as a cyclist but we just get punctures I dread to think what could happen t a child or an animal
3 days in and no one has mentioned the slippers?
That checkered thing? I thought it was an oven glove or maybe a tea cosy.
We had a couple of people putting up fishing wire at neck level in some local woods a few years back, viet cong style. Used to get saboteurs when I did tree work too.
In my experience the sort who do this sort of thing are pretty thick and stand out in a crown as they're, you know, odd. Creepy odd, and generally sad and lonely. Not always but someone who goes to the effort of writing messages probably is. You'll know if you meet them put it that way.
Now published on a news site - https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/more-deadly-nail-traps-found-14527111. Sadly, the slippers didn’t make it past the picture editor.
And, amazingly, no frothing anti-cycling rants in the comments,
Add racially aggravated something or other to the potential charge sheet. I'm correct in reading Asian on that last trap?
Signs were put up several times a couple of years ago. The sign on “nail trap alley” as I call it I found removed a couple of weeks back and tossed to one side, then a few days later removed for good and thought “ere we go again, nails or glass etc any day now...”
yes the slipper, one of a pair of homeys , it’s mine and pretty grubby, but quite cosy. What more can I say, would hurt if one trod on a bed of nails in em.
One thing for sure about this woodland is that it’s important people still use it. I got the impression from the lads I spoke to who found the nail traps a couple of years ago that they now avoid the particular sections of trail where the nails were found.
Personally, and probably unlikely to happen, I would like to see the NRW/council owned open access woodland and common land in abundance around Lampeter opened up for more public use. A good deal of it isn’t SSSI etc and maybe has the essential ingredients (hilly, gravity, very little use by anyone else) for bike trail building.
Is there a "spotted" group for the local village/town on Facebook? If so, post in there too, maybe carefully drop tge hint of who it is too.
When the Ron Davies thing kicked off again in Caerphilly and it was proved to be him, I did a blog post compiling all the media (bbc, times, etc etc), then shared on Facebook with a sponsored post. Geotargeted to everyone in Caerphilly (not just mountain bikers) to ensure maximum damage to his already destroyed reputation. Turns out it did the trick and turned a lot more locals against him than already were.
Try and get some evidence, then if you want help, let me know 👍
@andyrm. Thanks for the advice. Will wait and see what happens in the coming days before deciding what action to take.
I thought it may be worthwhile putting up a map showing the trails in this woodland. The red flags indicate where the nails have been found this time.
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Front page news in this weeks Carmarthen Journal
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/more-deadly-nail-traps-found-14527111
Was also on BBC Wales today yesterday and BBC radio Wales at 9am this morning followed by a phone in about cyclists and their relationship with pedestrians and car drivers etc. Some interesting folk phoned in. Particularly perturbed by the chap who said he really dislikes cyclists ringing their bells behind him. Give me strength.
On a good note the nail traps seem to have ceased for time being. Maybe all the press coverage has got through to the pea brained tool doing it.
This is by no means meant as a criticism - particularly given the nasty nature of the traps and the possibility of it not just being a bike tyre that was punctured by them. I would say the OP had no choice in reporting it.
But I guess now you will find out what the powers that be hold as their real attitude to mountain biking. I really, really, hope that they don’t say “that’s it, that’s the watershed, we can’t have this going on any more, it’s too much hassle, bikes are banned, full stop”. The arsehole who put these things down might still ‘win’. If they are not caught and restrictions go in, then he/she will have won.
Don’t underestimate how much a lot of folk hate us for enjoying the countryside in a manner of which they do not approve.
@dannyh . Yes I share your concern and realise we have to tread (or ride) carefully here. I too sincerely hope that bikes aren’t banned from this woodland. Thankfully, I get the feeling that the authorities are on our side and see no issue with riding here, and that the real issue is the bad person who is laying these potentially lethal traps.
EDIT - read it properly ignore this bit!
You could always report it as a pedestrian, which might make the press coverage and social media reaction focus on the nails, rather than a tedious list of things people don't like about cyclists.
Particularly perturbed by the chap who said he really dislikes cyclists ringing their bells behind him. Give me strength.
I'm not surprised, when you have a bell, there are those who will tell you that it's startling and impersonal, and why can't you just call out "Hello". and when you try that, there are those that will tell you that you should have a bell...Can't win really.
Yes, probably right, should have guessed the media would play on the cycling thing. In fairness to myself I did find one of the traps when walking (with my bike). Given the long history of cyclists using these woods I guess it didn't seem an issue. The issue isn't who found it and their medium of transport but the traps themselves, and thankfully that seems to be where attention is focussed by the authorities.
That's why I got a timber bell. Constant gentle ringing that shouldn't statle folks!
God forbid I ever come across such a trap however if I ever do I will be reporting it to the police as a walker not a bike rider and expect to get a better response from them, and the media generally.
Also I was walking with my small child who nearly had it go through their foot (I have no children) but you get the point, raise the profile make people consider who else might get impacted not just antisocial horrible bike riders
Quite. I did make the point of saying its likely to hurt a walker or runner more than an antisocial or otherwise cyclist