One of the news items this week has drawn attention to the old problem of illegal practising on land/sections used for the SSDT. This jeopardises the event and the Club are rightly concerned about. Once again, the selfish few threaten the enjoyment of thousands (riders and spectators on holidays).

 

Surely it can't be too difficult to scare off/catch the perpetrators?? They must be locals (Lochaber area or slightly beyond) because nobody is going to drive from even the North of England to do this, let alone those from south of Birmingham...!

So if they live local they are threatening to spoil the fun for others who don't live locally for one week a year 

 

It's a beautiful country I live in, it should be there for all to be enjoyed, all the time. 

They in the past have been non locals coming up for the trial early to get some illegal practice in.

They were a complete nuisance in Glen Nevis last year.

The locals know where you can practice 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, cabby said:

 

 

It's a beautiful country I live in, it should be there for all to be enjoyed, all the time. 

Providing of course they have the necessary permissions to do so, and gain their enjoyment legally without causing a nuisance.

Edited April 26, 20179 yr by cleanorbust

I very much doubt riding the odd rocky stream in the middle of nowhere will cause much of a nuisance, have you heard how loud a trials bike is from a mile away ? neither have I. 

Doesn't make it OK.

Neither does speeding on the public highway, guess what ? It happens, get over it. 

In the eyes of the law, the landowner, the SSDT committee and anyone else whose opinion matters, trespass is trespass.  Doubt whether telling a landowner to get over it will get very far in keeping our sport alive.

Slightly off topic with the following observations.

Take a piece of common / fell land were locals have ridden motorcycles for near on many many years. Mostly there are no objections. Then some offcomers / townies move into the area with their view of what should / should be done in the countryside. Also by coincidence a reasonably local club finds out it can with the permission of the landowners run a trial on the land. The sight of 100 bikes infuriates the offcomers who then lobby the Police, Councils and YDNP to try to get all vehicle off the fells. Who should be allowed to continue to access the land - the club or the locals.

Recently there have been article in two local papers complaining (Way OTT in my opinion) about damage cause primarily by 4 WD offroading.

I was in the lake district (Bassenthwaite) this evening. All over the fells walker damage clearly visible and in areas a helicopter is having to lift materials to repair the paths.

If motorcyclists were causing this "wear" there would be an outcry. Why one rule for bikers, another for walkers. Remember how the walkers gained the right to walk virtually wherever they want - by a mass trespass on Kinder scout. Walkers unite behind one very effective lobbying organisation in particular (The RA) Motorcyclists and other off road vehicle users belong to several different groups, none individually large enough to lobby effectively. Unless all the motorcycling / off road bodies come together and lobby effectively our sport will be squeezed out of much of the countryside bit at a time.

And that is my very point, the land owner, probably passed down from centuries ago. How anyone can own the land like up there is beyond me, it belongs to everyone. 

Not so. That's why the SSDT has to obtain permission to use every square mile of off-road land the trial uses, year after year. Every yard of the route belongs to someone, none of it is owned by the general public en masse.

Edited April 27, 20179 yr by cleanorbust

1 hour ago, dadof2 said:

 

Take a piece of common / fell land were locals have ridden motorcycles for near on many many years. Mostly there are no objections.

If this is indeed classed as common land there is by legal definition a right to roam, and an unequivocal prohibition on the use of motor vehicles. Sadly that isn't changed by custom and practice over the years, even when such activity has been generally accepted.

Edited April 26, 20179 yr by cleanorbust

5 hours ago, 4ourtea said:

One of the news items this week has drawn attention to the old problem of illegal practising on land/sections used for the SSDT. This jeopardises the event and the Club are rightly concerned about. Once again, the selfish few threaten the enjoyment of thousands (riders and spectators on holidays).

 

Surely it can't be too difficult to scare off/catch the perpetrators?? They must be locals (Lochaber area or slightly beyond) because nobody is going to drive from even the North of England to do this, let alone those from south of Birmingham...!

That's right, locals that love the sport and grew up in place should not enjoy themselves all year round for the sake of others from everywhere else! Selfish few....  Your arrogance is staggering!  I'll say no more.

8 hours ago, dadof2 said:

Slightly off topic

Yep you are right completely off topic talking about land use in England

Edited April 27, 20179 yr by gizza5

8 hours ago, cabby said:

And that is my very point, the land owner, probably passed down from centuries ago. How anyone can own the land like up there is beyond me, it belongs to everyone. 

So to play Devil's advocate, on that basis - your garden and all the land surrounding your house should have public access too?

Land is land and a Scottish fell is the same as your garden - it belongs to someone