A spokesman said ...

[thirdcrank]

My attention was attracted to this by the reference to a 60mph speed limit. It's a narrow lane, so narrow it has no central white line. I presume the reference to "Irish bowls" gives a clue to who's playing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-be ... s-42015424

Here's a streetview.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.73229 ... 312!8i6656

[Cyril Haearn]

Great, sport as traffic calming %=+)

Looks like 60 mph would not be possible there, anyone with local knowledge?

[meic]

Which crime(s) are they committing?

I remember once seeing a law banning football on the public highway, it carried a 20 shilling fine.

[drossall]

It's sometimes been said that a derestriction sign is different from a 60mph limit.

Strictly, it means that there is no speed limit on the road, other than the national limit that applies to all roads (except motorways and dual carriageways of course). Where there's a specific limit, there's an implication that it is possible to drive at that speed along that road safely, given the correct circumstances. Where there's a derestriction, there is no such implication - it's just that no specific limit has been set, so it's all up to you.

I'm not sure what I make of the story. On the one hand, roads are not primarily there for games, even if children a century ago would have used them for that without raising an eyebrow. On the other hand, the picture makes it look as though anyone doing more than about 30 mph down there should be up for reckless driving.

[thirdcrank]

A dangerous game being played by a crowd on a country lane in Welham Green is putting pedestrians and drivers at risk, police have warned.
The game, known as Irish Bowls, involves between 30 and 40 people at a time and the aim is to throw a metal ball along a winding road in as few throws as possible and can last for hours.

People have reportedly been taking part in this past time along the length of Bulls Lane in Welham Green for the past two years.

Steve Hynes, Welwyn Hatfield South's safer neighbourhood team sergeant, said: "The stretch of road where this game is played in Welham Green is open to motorists and pedestrians.

"The speed limit on the road is 60mph and motorists using it can turn a corner and find a group of 30-40 people playing this game on the road in front of them.

"This is not only highly dangerous for the players and the motorists, but it is an offence under Section 161 of the Highways Act and those involved could face prosecution."

Anyone with information about Irish Bowls being playing in Welham Green or any other area of Hatfield is asked to contact to report it via the non-emergency number 101.

http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/l ... xdzTOkM.99

I presume the underlying issue here is that there is some sort of travellers' site nearby in New Barnfield.

http://travellerspace-gypsyroads.blogsp ... -site.html

[meic]

From the Act.

)If a person plays at football or any other game on a highway to the annoyance of a user of the highway he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding [F3level 1 on the standard scale].

I take it that level 1 is no longer just 20 shillings. However this is not an offence any more serious than a bit of careless parking and a lot less serious than many, many more offences which the Police regularly ignore.
Whilst it probably isnt just plain racism against the travellers, it is certainly a very selective bit of policing and reminiscent of Horizon's thread about the offence of "causing consternation to the motorist".

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=82343&hilit=consternation

[Samuel D]

I spent some of my childhood in County Tyrone and often saw this game being played, usually on a Sunday. If there was a law against it, I never saw it enforced. Nor did I ever hear anyone complain about it, but perhaps they wouldn’t have complained to a child. As far as I’m concerned, if you drive around a blind corner hoping the road to be clear, you deserve to drive into the occasional obstacle – hopefully a fallen tree rather than a pedestrian, cyclist, schoolchild, dog, herd of sheep, parked vehicle, or any number of other common obstructions.

The present case sounds like the usual harassment of Travellers.

[pwa]

A 60mph limit on a country lane often means that the highways people couldn't be bothered assessing what speed is actually appropriate for each and every lane, so just put a blanket "whatever you think" over the whole lot. The quietest lanes around here are National Speed Limit. So if you wanted to take your children out for their first experience of cycling on a road, and wanted the quietest of roads, you would end up on a 60mph single track lane that sees a handful of local cars each day. Around here those lanes are mostly twisty and up and down, and car speeds are low. 60mph doesn't happen.

I see people playing bowls along a country lane as very civilised and I welcome it. Just as I welcome the horse riders, the hikers and of course the cyclists.

[Samuel D]

I see people playing bowls along a country lane as very civilised and I welcome it.

You’ve put your finger on how it feels to me, too. This sort of thing is the very fabric of society!

[rmurphy195]

It's sometimes been said that a derestriction sign is different from a 60mph limit.

Strictly, it means that there is no speed limit on the road, other than the national limit that applies to all roads (except motorways and dual carriageways of course). Where there's a specific limit, there's an implication that it is possible to drive at that speed along that road safely, given the correct circumstances. Where there's a derestriction, there is no such implication - it's just that no specific limit has been set, so it's all up to you.

I'm not sure what I make of the story. On the one hand, roads are not primarily there for games, even if children a century ago would have used them for that without raising an eyebrow. On the other hand, the picture makes it look as though anyone doing more than about 30 mph down there should be up for reckless driving.

No, there is no such implication at all, and anyone who drives thinking there is needs to update theier skills and attitude..

[Cyril Haearn]

I spent some of my childhood in County Tyrone and often saw this game being played, usually on a Sunday. If there was a law against it, I never saw it enforced. Nor did I ever hear anyone complain about it, but perhaps they wouldn’t have complained to a child. As far as I’m concerned, if you drive around a blind corner hoping the road to be clear, you deserve to drive into the occasional obstacle – hopefully a fallen tree rather than a pedestrian, cyclist, schoolchild, dog, herd of sheep, parked vehicle, or any number of other common obstructions.

The present case sounds like the usual harassment of Travellers.

Did you go to church before or after?

Similar games are played in north Germany, Holland, Spain but not in Wales I believe because of the hills

Could be a good second sport if one gets sick of cycling %-)

[thirdcrank]

Re harassment of travellers. I fancy it's the opposite: policing by media release. I doubt that this is some picturesque version of pétanque and the local police will be under pressure to "do something." And here it is.

[pete75]

Re harassment of travellers. I fancy it's the opposite: policing by media release. I doubt that this is some picturesque version of pétanque and the local police will be under pressure to "do something." And here it is.

If it's illegal to play the game on public roads then the police are merely doing what they're for when they enforce the law. They are certainly not harassing anyone.