[Closed] Interesting countryside access discussion

The irony of this is, the 'crossers that piss people off are not normally the ones hanging around to have a chat with.

What you came across were not mountain bikers, they were dick heads. I'm not a fan of the noise that goes with 'crossers nor getting sprayed from their back wheel but if they're on a legal trail what can I do? If they're riding courteously then the noise is less and there is no roost. Same way that I slow down for other trail users. No reason why we can't all play nicely.

My advice if you want it, ignore them and crack on.

Could and e-bike work for you. Best of both worlds?

E-bike has been tried.

There's no reason to stop crossers using the few trails they've got left over here in the Dales. Did you ask them how they'd feel to get told off for using BWs?

While you're on here, would you mind heading over to the Scar House byway descent in Nidderdale and do a bit of wheelspinning to start shifting all the bloody gravel they've dumped on the good bits?

You were on a byway so all good, enjoy it.

Ultimately I guess the issue is going to be the lack of legal access options open to you and whether thats enough scope to keep you interested for any length of time. Which leads on to whether motorised vehicles should have greater access than they do currently and personally I think not, sorry.

My reasons are mostly based on the noise as for me one of the great things about the countryside is the peace so if fully electric (possibly speed limited) motorbikes were used I expect my position on greater access would soften a bit.

Personally I don't think things with engines have any place in the "countryside". Appreciate you didn't break any laws, unlike the knobs who have been tearing up my local woods for the past few weeks.

I like to get outdoors at least partly for the peace and quiet of it and motorbikes ruin that.

What about a segway?

Possibly a bit over dramatic, but whenever this subject comes up, I always end up thinking of "First They Came" by Neimoller.

My reasons are mostly based on the noise as for me one of the great things about the countryside is the peace

For the same reason I'd ban groups of 3+ of any activity. The racket a group of MTBers or a bus load of walkers can make is as bad as a motorbike.

Modern trail bikes are below 90dba to be honest you would need to be within 20m to hear one, Crossers are motocross bikes not trail bikes - I don't think we need any more access we just don't need the ramblers trying to close what's left. Electric motorcycles are on there way so that may change attitudes.

They've managed to get legal vehicle offroading down to about 2 to 3% of all trails*(used to be about 5%) I actually gave up as there isn't that much local stuff, anyway as far as I'm concerned join the TRF and crack on.

What you came across were not mountain bikers, they were dick heads.

Anyway back to access for health/disability folks - should we have a blue badge thing? For electric vehicle access to bridleways?

Personally I don't think things with engines have any place in the "countryside".

Best tell those pesky farmers making all that noise/mess and ruining the countryside for everyone else.

First they came, yep I have raised that conundrum before. Ramblers don't like MTBs, I am waiting for the first bobble hat casualty that gets flattened by an MTB to hit the press.

Anyway back to access for health/disability folks - should we have a blue badge thing? For electric vehicle access to bridleways?

I think the whole footpath/bridle way/by-way thing needs an overhaul. It was never designed to cope with the pressures it is currently under. In fact, it was never really designed at all.

Best tell those pesky farmers making all that noise/mess and ruining the countryside for everyone else.

No need, I don't tend to walk or ride on agricultural land, but I expect you knew that didn't you?

So you showered people in mud because you didn't like their view, then wonder why people have a dislike of certain types of user? Just because it's legal for you to be there doesn't mean you have to conform to the stereotype.

I showered them in mud because they told me I should "stay at home" when I had politely asked them what they suggested. To be frank it's a bit like saying you can't leave the house if your legs don't work- they did not proffer an opinion it was a simple insult.

What you met weren't mountainbikers, but tribal cocksmurfs* who don't want someone from another tribe enjoying *their* countryside. They come in all shapes and sizes and think that they have a _right_ to be there, but that the right to access should be removed from others that they don't personally approve of.

The only blokes I've ever met on motorbikes were a decent bunch of blokes, one of which, like you, couldn't ride any more. I had a chat with them about how beautiful the Peaks were and we headed off in opposite directions.

* wombles aren't selfish

What about Orinoco I just don't trust the furry fella..

should we have a blue badge thing? For electric vehicle access to bridleways?

Surely you can use a regular max-15mph ebike on a bridleway already?

And if you're on a byway well, I would just get on and use it.

Some interesting thoughts on ebikes here:

http://forums.mtbr.com/california-norcal/new-signage-auburn-no-e-bikes-1041081.html

Can't ride an e bike as angina kicks in even with limited effort, thought about "modifying" one but don't fancy the implications if I get caught by plod.

Can you not get e-bikes where the effort is all done by the motor, with your feet simply resting on the pedals? No idea if this means silly costs, just trying to think outside the box.

If you're all nice and legal and not being a dick (loud pipe, roosting shit everywhere, not giving way to more vulnerable trail users, generally being-a-dick type behaviour) then potter on OP, potter on. It's the arseholes who ride on bridleways and footpaths that tar green laners with the 'arsehole' brush.

Can't ride an e bike as angina kicks in even with limited effort, thought about "modifying" one but don't fancy the implications if I get caught by plod.

Just do it. As long as you don't ride it like a dick, uphill or down, or rag it around in town, it is highly unlikely to ever attract attention.

I always found riding a motorbike off road strenuous especially when it gets stuck in mud.
Are these trails you can ride without dabbing?
If it's a legal trail tell them to do one.

Sounds like no-one did themselves any favours in that encounter.

Personally I don't think things with engines have any place in the "countryside".

Yup farming should return to horse and plough and harvesting by sicklel.

OP some knobs ride mtb's. You where in a byway legally enjoying the countyside as much as anyone and thats all there is to it.

Best tell those pesky farmers making all that noise/mess and ruining the countryside for everyone else.
No need, I don't tend to walk or ride on agricultural land, but I expect you knew that didn't you?

unknown - Member
Best tell those pesky farmers making all that noise/mess and ruining the countryside for everyone else.
No need, I don't tend to walk or ride on agricultural land, but I expect you knew that didn't you?

Err... no. I just think it's pretty obvious that given the context and the quotation marks around the word countryside that I'm not talking about agricultural land. I've yet to meet a tractor or combine harvester in my local woods or half way up a Munro, and I've yet to go for a ride around the local farmer's fields.

Legal trails are very easy and rarely do you get stuck, angina is a funny thing I can lift very heavy things with no symptoms - it goes wrong when your heart rate is raised for sustained periods (in my case 5 minutes over 120 bpm and I am ****ed and with micro vascular angina it can take 1 to 2 hours to get over it unlike ordinary angina, the nitro sprays have no effect. It's a shit condition and if you like mtb/walking it's life changing - trust me lifts in big buildings become your friend.

So I suppose my negative (roost) response to the ignorant t**ts that told to stay in the house.

Interesting to see how they would feel with this type of angina.

OMB, people have views, however, until the law changes I guess they can wrap those views in an old 26" tube and wedge it up their arse using some ceramic grease.

Get out there and enjoy the countryside. 😀

Get out and enjoy yourself if it's legal your fine, any pompous idiots you bump into, don't sweat it they're the ones with the issue not you.

Hope you are well OMB. Also hope you are managing to get out and do some green laning in the countryside.

Not helpful to the OP but....

And old man and an old woman get married. On the wedding night she starts to undress to do the usual wedding night things and says to her new husband:

'I have to tell you, I have acute angina'.

He replies 'yeah, your t&*s aren't bad either'.

Enjoy the ride OP.

You met some people with crap attitudes, if you had told them that and rode off, there's a small chance that they might have thought about it, discussed it, and saw you as the betterer man.

The way you dealt with it means that your just "that old tosser on a motorbike" to them now.

Getting back to the original question I have a couple of suggestions. You could get yourself a trials bike and try some beginner (motorbike) trials, plenty about, probably one on near you nearly every weekend. Bike could be petrol (old or new, 2T or 4T) or thanks to Electric-Motion, battery powered (I have ridden one and can report fantastic bike with huge range)
As you already have the trails bike you could also try LDT (Long distance trials), I'm a recent convert after years of enduro's and H&H's, so basically a great day green laning with some trials sections thrown in, all on road legal bikes and normally incorporating land not usually available to green laning, I'm doing my second one this weekend.

don't fancy the implications if I get caught by plod.

There will only be 3 or 4 policemen in the country who know what ebikes can and can't legally do. And they'll be traffic cops who won't want to get mud on their BMW's by following you anywhere.

When I meet motorbikes on trails, some are polite and decent, some are cocks. The former, I overlook the noise and smell because a good attitude is more important and I appreciate that.

I'd prefer they were all on electric motorbikes though 🙂

Just [s]do it[/s] break the law. As long as you don't [s]ride it like a dick, uphill or down, or rag it around in town,[/s] get caught it is highly unlikely to ever attract attention.

I used to a fair bit of green laning before everything within a sensible distance got re-classified as permissive byways. If you're lucky enough to have proper byways available then go for it, obviously using trials tyres. 😉