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Can I just check with those who probably know better?
Am I allowed to walk along a footpath in England pushing my bike?
I think this might have come up before, but I'd like to know for sure.
Just had a massive row while walking and cycling the dog with a local farmer family who physically barged me and hit my bike with fencing pliers and generally lost their shit just because I was walking my bike and my dog through their land.
They had loads of angry signs on the gate saying no bikes ridden or pushed but are they actually allowed to say that?
Happy to be proved wrong but I thought that it was ok as long as I wasn't riding?
It probably isn't. This is England after all. ****** up to the last. 😠
I really hate stuff like this. I honestly can't understand what harm they think I'm doing by walking along wheeling my bike. I just can't understand how folks can summon up enough angst to go to the lengths they did when I'm literally doing no harm. I asked them this but they said it didn't matter. I guess it doesn't 🙄
Someone doing untold damage to a footpath recently...
It’s legal to push your bike along a footpath
Can you possibly show me this for deffo in law? I feel like I want to go round with a print out.
It's what I said to them but as I was saying it I realised that might just be my interpretation.
Thats terrible Kayak, they shouldn't have acted like that, there was no need and a simple explaining on their feelings would have been sufficient.
I've only had one run in with a landowner, who got a bit shirty, but i threatened to beat the shit out of him if he didn't wind his neck in, and that pretty much settled that.
I was taught, on my cycling proficiency test... that bikes should be pushed along the road while walking on the footpath
this was some 35 years ago...
so i guess if that's true then it could you were in the wrong, but no one ever is going to confront you on it, so i you'd think at least
Assault is definitely a criminal offence, so is criminal damage (to a mountain bike).
When this comes up normally there is reference to it being a grey area. That whilst a pram is considered a 'usual accompaniment' to a pedestrian a bike isn't. Neither is a horse. So both a cyclist walking a bike and a rider leading a horse are committing trespass. But as I say, such thoughts are normally accompanied by "it's a grey area". So....it's a grey area.
More to the point - what's going on in sad little life of people wanting to enforce/make a fuss about this? Baffling and very much says more about them than it does the law.
In other news, living in Scotland rocks!
Dont confuse pavements with footpaths, very different rules apply.
Where is this? Can we organise a mass [s]trespass[/s] walk along pushing our bikes?
I'm not an expert on this but I do have a modicum of understanding (a guy from cycling UK did a good report on it a year or so ago).
In brief though a footpath is a legally protected right of way. Cycling on it is only illegal per se if there is specific local legislation to that effect. Otherwise it is a matter for the landowner and you. And would be a civil matter at most (ie you can't get nicked for it). As I understand it the landowner would have to prove trespass and that ultimately boils down to whether or not he/she can prove unreasonable use of the footpath on your part. Unreasonable use seems to be utilising the public right of way in a manner that isn't in line with how such rights of way are normally used. In the past protesters on a verge and a lady pushing a pram have been found to be reasonable users.
The article in question is here - https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/campaigns-guide/cycling-on-footpath-trespass
In brief though, there is no way he could prove trespass in a civil court if you're pushing a bike and very little chance if you're riding it. On the other hand if he and his family pushed and threatened you and struck your bike, you'd probably have a case against him!
edit to my above - this 'briefing' by cycle uk is their case for why what you did was fine.. page 7.
I was taught, on my cycling proficiency test… that bikes should be pushed along the road while walking on the footpath
this was some 35 years ago…
This is kind of a classic example of a common misunderstanding. You are kind of right - in that riding a bike on a footway is illegal - and I'm not sure about the pushing aspect; but the key thing is understanding the difference between a footway - a path running next to a road (usually, but not always, pavement) and a footpath. They are different and the rules governing each are very different. So that which was taught in the cycling proficiency has no relevance to the OP's situation
As @funkrodent says - a bike is technically (by the letter of the law) an "unnatural accompaniment" so pushing / carrying it isn't allowed.
That said, trespass is a civil offence, not a criminal one and the most the landowner is allowed to do is ask you to leave via the "nearest appropriate way" which can include back the way you came. Any hint of threats or physical violence is a far more serious offence.
It's worth reporting to the police but without witnesses or video footage, it's unlikely that much will come of it. Even if the police just go round and have a word though, that might be helpful.
Where was this out of interest? Not the exact location if you don't want to say that but a rough area?
Where was this out of interest? Not the exact location if you don’t want to say that but a rough area?
Near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
I was walking the footpath to get to the bridleway that goes back to 'Radford Semele'.
Just to clarify, it's a footpath as in off-road, not a paved pavement.
the most the landowner is allowed to do is ask you to leave via the “nearest appropriate way” which can include back the way you came. Any hint of threats or physical violence is a far more serious offence.
They did ask me to go back to the gate and leave my bike, then I could walk through without the bike.
I declined. Not a great situation 😐
It’s worth reporting to the police but without witnesses or video footage, it’s unlikely that much will come of it. Even if the police just go round and have a word though, that might be helpful.
I'd be tempted to suggest that a policeman borrows my bike and pushes it along the same footpath (in plain clothes, of course) so that they can witness the behaviour first hand
Turn his livestock into sausages and hammer them into his fields.
I shall take a ride down there in a couple of weeks.
Also to clarify, it was 3 females.
Lady maybe in her 30s, her daughter and her mother. All of them barging me, trying to stop me passing.
I can confirm it's fairly difficult to get a fatbike and a big dog over two large gates with 3 women jostling, pushing and shouting at you whilst blocking said gates. 😂
As above, it's a grey area. There could be a specific bylaw that bans bikes on footpaths regardless of if they are pedaled or pushed which overwrites basic English law but most likely the guy is just a nob.
get your phone out and start video recording in those situations. You are perfectly within your rights to push a bike on a footpath. Did you turn around?
I'm up for a bolshy mass protest next weekend. Anyone else likely to be in the area, by coincidence?
They aren't allowed to barge you or hit your bike. That's assault, and you should be reporting it to the Police.
The rest is mere detail.
You are perfectly within your rights to push a bike on a footpath.
Well this is the thing. Am I well within my rights? Some of the above doesn't really suggest I am.
Did you turn around?
No. I was totally...
Crank v Brooks was the case I was trying to recall. It's mentioned on p7 of ^ that Cycling UK paper. Once I read this years ago I decided if ever I was challenged riding a bit of cheeky FP, i'd dismount and become a pedestrian (quoting Crank v Brooks if needed 😂). So, well within your rights, especially if you had dismounted. (ByeLaws aside)
STW has had this thread a few times before
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/wheeling-your-bike-on-a-footpath/
Last time I read about this I seem to remember reading that there was a test case for someone pushing a bike along a footpath, and it was determined that a bike WAS in fact a normal accompaniment to walking in certain circumstances, so it's ok.
But even if it wasn't, it'd be a civil offence meaning that the landowner would have to sue you for the damages incurred by you doing it. Assault however is a criminal offence.
My thoughts
First report the assault to the police, they shouldn't be as aggressive as they are, getting a briefing from the local plod might calm them down
Second, put a bridleway claim in on the footpath with the local council, just to wind them up
Third report the incident to local rights of way people at the council
Let the ramblers association know (or other local walking group) know there may be history here
You could always state that "you believe higher rights exist on the PRoW and that you will continue to exercise them until settled at a public inquiry" perfectly legitimate
Finally go again and put the bike on your shoulder, film any reaction, tell them thanks for the YouTube income and don't forget to like and subscribe
How are your raspberry powers? I finds a near constant rasp is preferable to talking in such a situation.
Interestingly, the one and only time I've been harassed by a landowner was when I was riding the bridleway that goes from Radford Semele to the Fosse on your map. It was 30 years ago, mind you. Must be something in the water around there.
Turn his livestock into sausages and hammer them into his fields.
As ever, STW never fails to lift the mood of the depressed. Thank you 😄
Turn his livestock into sausages
During all the arguing, I said that I'd lived round here most of my life, ridden and walked all over the county and never had met such incredibly negative and aggressive landowners as they were. She asked where I lived and I told her Leamington Spa.
She then says, 'oh a bloody townie. I bet you're a bloody vegan too'
😂😂😂
I'm a veggie, but I didn't tell her that. 😉
That said, trespass is a civil offence, not a criminal one
Isn't that about to change?
As said above this is a grey area I have done the same pushed my bike on National trust land in the past to get to a Bridleway and a member of staff went nuts at me for even doing that so you just cant win had the same issue the other year when I just parked my trail bike just of a byway in Wilts to have a stop and someone moaned about that so now I just cycle footpaths from time to time a lot of this anger has come from the first two months of lockout just look around at the signs up in places that have never been their in the last 20 years.Farmers are a strange bunch.
Possibly pushing a bike on the pavement is an offence:
S. 72 Highway Act 1835
If any person shall wilfully ride upon any footpath or causeway by the side of any road made or set apart for the use or accommodation of foot passengers; or shall wilfully lead or drive any horse, ass, sheep, mule, swine, or cattle or carriage of any description, or any truck or sledge, upon any such footpath or causeway; or shall tether any horse, ass, mule, swine, or cattle, on any highway, so as to suffer or permit the tethered animal to be thereon;. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2; every person so offending in any of the cases aforesaid shall for each and every such offence forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding [F3level 2 on the standard scale], over and above the damages occasioned thereby.
The "lead or drive" bit. It doesn't refer to bikes, but it was 1835...
Farmers are a strange bunch.
Red sky at night, gerroff my land
La la la I cant hear you, ive been deaf from birth, yes its rather unfortunate,isnt it a lovely day, please stop touching my bike, i dont understand what your screaming.
Why are ypu so angry? Maybe some therapy would help. Have a great day, bye.
Red sky at night, gerroff my land
Red sky at morning, but keep handing over the subsidies you townie scum.
Pavement != footpath
Pick it up, turn it into luggage and tell them to **** off.
Or keep riding and tell them to **** off.
Simple choice.
She then says, ‘oh a bloody townie. I bet you’re a bloody vegan too’
Whereas she's spent her whole life a full 1.5 miles from Leamington high street in the remote wilderness of @52.28163,-1.517062,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x48773134f8c8a587:0xc558ff5e604fbae3!2m2!1d-1.5200789!2d52.2851905!1m5!1m1!1s0x487733f66fdf658b:0x14063ea2d991a7a8!2m2!1d-1.4965271!2d52.2781581!3e0">Radford Semele 😂
As others have said, they were bang out of order.
I used to be really diligent about not riding on footpaths. But during the first lockdown and riding local I just thought, bugger it and started riding footpaths.
I don't ride like a tool and 99.9% of people are fine. Only time I've had grief was when riding a wide gravel footpath that's effectively a road, for access to some old cottages. Woman drove up to me and said I shouldn't be cycling here. Just laughed at her and carried on.
Red sky at night
Hay bales alight 😉
Lumping all farmers together as a strange bunch and suggesting they unfairly benefit from subsidies isn't helpful is it. It's the kind of 'them and us' b0ll0cks that stirs this 5hite up.
Might also be worth recording this as a missing link, sounds like perhaps it should be a bridleway if you’re needing it to get to a path that actually is one? https://www.cyclinguk.org/missinglinks
Lumping all farmers together as a strange bunch and suggesting they unfairly benefit from subsidies isn’t helpful is it. It’s the kind of ‘them and us’ b0ll0cks that stirs this 5hite up.
No I agree. That's not my view at all. I'm always very respectful and courteous. I won't lie though, yesterday I may have used the odd bit of language I wouldn't normally but I've never, ever been physically pushed and threatened like that.
I mean they called and accused me of many things and so I'm pretty proud of my restraint really.
To be honest, as that comment above shows, the lockdowns are very likely the reason why a lot of landowners have become so aggressive from the get go. I think they see themselves being overrun with the general public and all the aggro, lack of care and respect and litter that this always entails.
Most of us here ride the odd footpath now and again I'm sure and in the past it's rarely been an issue as overall, we tend to be respectful and leave no trace.
I think the lockdowns have made everything much worse for sure.
This is what I was, as calmly as I could, trying to get out of them. That, yes I was pushing a bicycle and they thought that was against the law in some way, but really, what possible harm was I doing and why would they go so far out of their way in a beautiful day to get incredibly angry and borderline violent for a bloke simply walking his dog and bicycle along a footpath?
They weren't interested in my asking of course, just kept repeating that I wasn't allowed.
They said could I not read signs, did I drive up to Give Way signs on the road and just ignore them? I pointed out that there was a bit of a difference between an official metal sign on the road, than a scrawled mess on the back of a sheep feed lid. Just because you make a sign, doesn't mean that it's law.
I think this would be a really good thing for a cycling magazine to look into. There must be examples of this all over this backward little England.
I can't think of a magazine whose readers might have an interest in this sort of thing though... 🤔😉
Edit-Thanks Hannah. Nice to have input from one of you guys 😊
The “lead or drive” bit. It doesn’t refer to bikes, but it was 1835…
That's a brilliant find! Three years ago it snowed on this date, and I've just been reminded on FB of my 3 year old daughter breaking the law by pulling her 5 year old brother along on a sledge on the pavement.
What about carrying a bike, over the shoulders, on a footpath whereby none of the bike is touching the ground?
As @funkrodent says – a bike is technically (by the letter of the law) an “unnatural accompaniment” so pushing / carrying it isn’t allowed.
That said, trespass is a civil offence, not a criminal one and the most the landowner is allowed to do is ask you to leave via the “nearest appropriate way” which can include back the way you came. Any hint of threats or physical violence is a far more serious offence.
It’s worth reporting to the police but without witnesses or video footage, it’s unlikely that much will come of it. Even if the police just go round and have a word though, that might be helpful.
This is correct. It might be worth looking into making a claim, especially if the link would be useful. Even if a successful claim is unlikely, it's free and will only cost your time, but has the potential to cause a headache for the landowner.
Sounds scary. In order to protect yourself from the violent people who have previously made threats to your person, next time, if you see them, jump on your bike and ride to cover the ground more quickly.
Whether there’s a law here is an interesting discussion but practically speaking kind of irrelevant. Some people are just arseholes who inexplicably hate people on bikes. Don’t sweat it.
As @funkrodent says – a bike is technically (by the letter of the law) an “unnatural accompaniment” so pushing / carrying it isn’t allowed.
No existing right != “not allowed” or illegal. Is a kite a natural accompaniment to a walk? No. Is some batshit farmer going to contest you taking your kite across their land? (Stopping to fly a kite would be a different matter, but not what we’re discussing here).
It's really not a grey area, A footpath is a public place. To suggest then that a bicycle is an "unnatural accompaniment" you're saying that cycling in a public place is unnatural. Is that what you really think the law says?
Report the incident to the cops, and then carry on what you're doing.
On a slightly different note, regarding being pushed:
I was riding on a bridalway through a local farm when the elderly owner / worker drove a quad bike at me. I logged it online with the local police (chronological, factual, not subjective), the police visited the farm and then me at home.
No real outcome, but it hopefully made the guy aware that high risk behaviour wasn't without repercussions.
Maybe you could log having hands laid on you?
“unnatural accompaniment” so pushing / carrying it isn’t allowed
You can carry, that's well established, otherwise you are claiming a bicycle is a restricted item in a public space like a knife or a gun.
What is grey is whether you can push.
When it's carried it's luggage, when it's pushed it's transport
I'd definitely consider reporting to the police. If they've gone that far with you (actual violence) they may go further with someone else (actual physical harm).
These things can escalate over time. Help the next person and report IMO.
Sorry I was actually trying to quote the post by @crazy-legs from yesterday. Reporting the incident to the police is probably worthwhile, not least so there is a record of it.
Whether or not you think the law is unfair or unreasonable does not really change it. The only point I was trying to make was that if the op wants to do something to improve access, or to frustrate the landowner, they should make a claim for higher rights.
When it’s carried it’s luggage, when it’s pushed it’s transport
How would you categorise a suitcase with wheels?
I am saying farmers are a strange bunch not as in angry people like the thread just the people I have met over the years delivering to farms and driving around North Cotswolds.
Ah, Radford, now it makes sense…
How would you categorise a suitcase with wheels?
Or indeed, dozens of feet protruding from the bottom, and when annoyed many large teeth.
Well, I've done an online report to the police. See if owt happens.
I was hesitant to do it really, what with it being a their word against mine thing.
3 of them, 1 of me. They could easily say it happened the other way around unfortunately.
Hmmm. 🤔
Anyway, see what happens. I thought it worth doing just so there's a log. Might have happened before, might happen again.
How would you categorise a suitcase with wheels?
How would you categorise a suitcase with wheels with a bike inside it? how would you categorise one of those ride on suitcases for kids?
Anyway, see what happens. I thought it worth doing just so there’s a log. Might have happened before, might happen again.
From the sound of their reaction, you probably aren't the first person to encounter this behaviour. Logging your incident on its own may not get the Police to go out and have a word, but if your the latest report, or the first of several, you may have helped get the ball rolling.
I sympathise with farmers, they have to deal with some right idiots causing problems in what is their workplace, but that doesn't justify taking it out on the next reasonable person who just comes along.
England's access rights need a complete overhaul, but it needs coordinated action, not lots of individual wannabe heroes kicking off at individual farmers.
Cycling UK are one of few organisations where cyclists and lawyers converge, and they think that it is highly likely that a case defending pushing a bike on a footpath would succeed. Details on page 6 of this PDF
and they think that it is highly likely that a case defending pushing a bike on a footpath would succeed
Yeah I think some of the opinions of lawyers involved in ROW I've read, have argued that there's a pretty good reason why organisations like the Ramblers haven't chosen to take "John Mountain-Biker" to court to get a definitive answer.
an “unnatural accompaniment”
Jesus H Christ. I knew UK *ahem* English rights of way laws were batshit crazy, but the fact that you can't push / carry certain things on a footpath is beyond comprehension for me.
I've known most of my adult life that British democracy is just a pretence, and that the feudal system never went away, but sometimes it still really shocks me.
Well technically it's nothing to do with feudalism because anyone is allowed to become a landowner but yes it is daft.
However most people just don't care. Move to South Wales if you like no-one gives a crap.
I’ve known most of my adult life that British democracy is just a pretence, and that the feudal system never went away, but sometimes it still really shocks me.
The Tooting Popular Front is alive and well!
Jesus H Christ. I knew UK *ahem* English rights of way laws were batshit crazy, but the fact that you can’t push / carry certain things on a footpath is beyond comprehension for me.
Oh yeah, it's insane!
RoW in England is a mess of historical usages, mapping errors & corrections, landowner rights all wrapped up in an archaic, outdated, outmoded system that originally evolved centuries ago mostly to keep the plebs away from the landed gentry. It's adapted very little since then to account for the vastly easier access to the countryside and people's methods of getting about - the idea of taking a bike off-road has only really been around in "modern" usage since the early 80's when the first MTBs started arriving on the scene (and yes, you can go back far further with Rough Stuff Fellowship etc but that's up there with wild camping; a few hardy people do it but in such small numbers and with such minimal impact that it's never worth bothering about).
Not sure I agree about it being wrapped up in the feudal system (plebs vs gentry). Essentially ROW in this country is a post-war concept following creation of the The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. Look on any OS map about the extent of rights-of-way and we do pretty well given that much of this is privately 'owned' through historical concepts. There are other historical concepts that support RoW access, things like Inclosure/Enclosure and Tithe maps where parcels of land not used for agriculture (and therefore not liable for taxation) may be deemed to be a means of public access - like all those walled lanes you probably know of, that are marked as footpaths on the map.
However I agree 100% it's messy, inconsistent and needs further reform at the 'national' level (Scottish model please) - local authorities who are tasked with classification and maintenance of the definitive maps are just too skint and disinterested to give it the attention it deserves given the huge societal changes since the 1949 act. CROW was the only significant reform we've had and that doesn't help mountain bikers.
For anyone who isn't aware, read up on the 2026 cut off date for the recording of rights of way using pre-1949 evidence. I'll link to the BHS as they obviously have a vested interest in bridleways https://www.bhs.org.uk/our-work/access/campaigns/2026. There's no way there will be major RoW reform before 2026 so it's a worthwhile thing to pursue.
A suitcase on a public footpath in the middle of a farmer's field is (I would imagine) quite clearly an unnatural accompaniment. People do not tend to go for walks in the countryside with a suitcase on wheels. Its also considered luggage which as pointed out above is luggage so quite clearly its a natural accompaniment... and someone said there is no grey area.
There is some text somewhere, I'm not sure if its from an actual case in law or just an example where they explain a man with an umbrella was prosecuted for trespass. The person in question had disrupted a bird shoot by flapping the umbrella and disturbing the birds. You'd think an umbrella would be natural but the argument was walkers tend not to use umbrellas as they tend to be impractical and so it was considered unnatural and therefore he was liable to prosecute.
a man with an umbrella was prosecuted for trespass
This is a slightly different issue, relating to the criminal offence of 'aggravated trespass' rather than the civil matter of trespass. Presumably the defendant was disrupting the shoot from a PROW, so they had to claim that an umbrella was not a natural accompaniment to prove the trespass part of the offence.
Be interested to see if the prosecution succeeded. Seems like a bit of a stretch to argue that someone who is in theory just walking from A to B on a public footpath should not have an umbrella with them vs a raincoat.
'The bike = natural accompaniment' is one of those things that really needs someone to test it in court.
The "unnatural accompanying" phrase I think comes from a case in 19th C before bikes (as we know them today) were invented. Plus I think The DfT has confirmed as recently as the 90's that you're a ped if you're on a path/footway and you're pushing a bike.
The umbrella case is true (although 125 years old!)
Harrison v Duke of Rutland.
Harrison was standing on a footpath running through a grouse moor, raising and lowering an umbrella to disrupt a grouse shoot. The duke’s servants restrained him and the matter went to court. The court found his umbrella waving constituted trespass because he was not using the path to pass and repass but as a platform for his protest.
It wasn't to do with an umbrella being a natural or unnatural accompaniment, it was to do with the fact that although he had every right to pass and re-pass along a PRoW, he was doing so in a manner designed to cause nuisance to others.
Jesus H Christ. I knew UK *ahem* English rights of way laws were batshit crazy, but the fact that you can’t push / carry certain things on a footpath is beyond comprehension for me.
It's people's interpretation
Sometimes people are strange
People with land and therefore a economic interest are strange with added £ incentives
That said, trespass is a civil offence, not a criminal one
Isn’t that about to change?
So far as this thread is concerned no. The changes relate traveling communities and for want of a better term, "trespass with motor vehicles"* there is no inclusion or intention for the bill to relate to ramblers, MTBer, equestrians or the like. Noise that it might is a brilliant distraction from the actual content of a wholly reprehensible bill.
*So if you like to park in non designated places in your camper van it might have a bit of an impact.
It wasn’t to do with an umbrella being a natural or unnatural accompaniment, it was to do with the fact that although he had every right to pass and re-pass along a PRoW, he was doing so in a manner designed to cause nuisance to others.
Exactly. Your right to be on a public right of way is actually pretty limited. You're permitted to be there in order to pass from point A to point B. Almost anything beyond that can theoretically be construed as trespass. Flying a kite from a public footpath? TRESPASS! Stopping to sit on a rock and admire the view? MOVE ALONG PLEASE. Having a picnic? You MONSTER.
It's obviously woefully anachronistic since the vast majority of footpaths in 2022 are used for recreation, not transport.
The CyclingUK statement/article up there is actually really good and interesting.
without having yet read through all of the replies, so apologies if someone else has mentioned it but many years ago as a law student I relied on a House of Lords finding from about 1901 that someone pushing a bike on a footpath was entirely lawful and that 'the bicycle was merely an appendage to the pedestrian' (or somesuch)
I'll see if I can dig it out if not already provided by anyone else.....
they had to claim that an umbrella was not a natural accompaniment
Someone had better tell that bloke off Coast.
The 'natural accompaniment' of walking is whatever you need or wish to carry with you whilst walking, surely? I could have any number of things in my rucksack, couldn't I? If I want to take say, a teddy bear so I can take a photo of it in some particular location, is that an offence? If I have purchased a tennis racket from someone who lives in the countryside do I have to avoid any PROWs on my walk home simply because I'm carrying a tennis racket? It's absurd.
We should have a mass trespass where we walk FPs carrying 'unnatural' but perfectly benign accompaniments just to demonstrate how the law needs to be changing. And no-one would care one bit if we were carrying teddy bears, tennis rackets, bottles of perfume, envelopes, 13mm sockets, USB cables, wetsuits, or any number of random objects.
teddy bears, tennis rackets, bottles of perfume, envelopes, 13mm sockets, USB cables, wetsuits,
Thats a weird peek in to you inner thoughts there Molgrips, you must attend some interesting parties 😀
I would have smugly pointed put that I'm glad I'm in Scotland but we seem to have our share of high profile asshats trying to restrict access up here too.
crazy-legs
The umbrella case is true (although 125 years old!)Harrison v Duke of Rutland.
Harrison was standing on a footpath running through a grouse moor, raising and lowering an umbrella to disrupt a grouse shoot. The duke’s servants restrained him and the matter went to court. The court found his umbrella waving constituted trespass because he was not using the path to pass and repass but as a platform for his protest.It wasn’t to do with an umbrella being a natural or unnatural accompaniment, it was to do with the fact that although he had every right to pass and re-pass along a PRoW, he was doing so in a manner designed to cause nuisance to others.
Thanks for the correction.
I would have smugly pointed put that I’m glad I’m in Scotland but we seem to have our share of high profile asshats trying to restrict access up here too.
Only cos the Scottish Outdoor Access Code favours the public, and in its inherent simplicity come the opportunities for those with access to lawyers to make interpretations particularly on the words 'sensible' and 'reasonable'.
The English equivalent were it ever to arise would look like it was written in conjunction with HMRC.
molgrips
We should have a mass trespass where we walk FPs carrying ‘unnatural’ but perfectly benign accompaniments just to demonstrate how the law needs to be changing. And no-one would care one bit if we were carrying teddy bears, tennis rackets, bottles of perfume, envelopes, 13mm sockets, USB cables, wetsuits, or any number of random objects.
Those to me are all natural, you would normally carry them if you had them about your person, normally you would ride a bike so having a bike and not riding it would be unnatural.
Wasn't the pushing a bike = pedestrian something about a zebra crossing? I think that's more applicable to pavements and not footpaths? Which considering how vague this all is I would expect to make zero difference.