hemo wrote:The odd cyclist will be the least of worries, soon it will be scroats on e - scooters.
What do you mean, soon? Motorised scooters are already terrorising footpaths, public spaces, bridleways, cycle paths and any other surface they can find, a few are young children but yes, i'd describe the majority of the adult users as ne'er do wells, wearing the full on uniform of bb cap, hoody and baggy trousers.
Watch out Mick, they'll be on a path near you very soon.
Convention? what's that then? Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
I do wonder why thete is such a selfish demand to grasp more territory. If a cyclist has ridden every bridleway, restricted byway, BOAT, UCR and ORPA in the country plus the rest of the permissive stuf such as FC routes, they could just start again. Strangely alongside this greed is the desire to stop other legitimate users having any access to routes legally theirs. I am talking about motorised stuff. CROW killed lots of this , depriving legitimate local people of their recreation and access to satisfy greedy incomers.
Let's be clear about this. The only people excluded from Public Footpaths are people who cannot walk. Everyone who can walk has access to Public Footpaths. The only restriction is on what you do when you are on them. I cycle in places where cycling is allowed and I walk in places where only walking is allowed. In that way I have access to the Public Right of Way network. The only people without that access are disabled people, but that is another matter for another day. The shops are open so go and buy some boots! You'll like it.
If riding a bike on the footpath is a criminal offence. Presumably if miscreants are apprehended and prosecuted thry get a criminal record? If so, they wont be able to get a visa to visit the USA, because Brits with a criminal record are excluded. That means no more Mickey Mouse visits to Florida!
Al
Reuse, recycle, to save the planet.... Auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Boots. Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can...... Every little helps!
thirdcrank wrote:AFAIK, in the US pavement = surfaced road.
And a pavement in the US is a termed as a sidewalk. Is it correct that cycling on a footpath in the uk can get you a criminal record? I think you said it?
Al
Reuse, recycle, to save the planet.... Auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Boots. Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can...... Every little helps!
Along the same Public Footpath along the Cornish bank of the river this afternoon with doggie, and considered taking a photo (on my phone) of the bike tyre tracks and the horse hoof prints. Doggie wanted to keep going!
Who actually cares that it's a Public Footpath, and visibly signposted at either end? I care .............. but the horse riders and the cyclists obviously don't know, and/or perhaps don't care in the slightest.
In the current usage of the word "footpath" in E&W and the route of Mick F rambling, cycling "thereon" (to use a legally friendly sort of term) is not a criminal offence but generally a civil trespass. Although "Trespassers will be Prosecuted" is a well-known sign, it is, as I believe our learned friends say "A wooden lie." (See link below)
Now, driving a carriage on a footpath at the side of a road (nowadays generally referred to a footway) is a criminal offence. Whether it's sufficiently heinous to merit being prevented from visiting the US I don't know. And to reiterate, it's not connected with Mick F rambling. (See countless earlier threads.)
Now, driving a carriage on a footpath at the side of a road (nowadays generally referred to a footway) is a criminal offence
Ah, I see. I thought I might have the pleasure of informing pavement cyclists they were risking their frequent excursions to Disneyland. I spent two weeks in Florida a few years ago, fascinating wildlife, Everglades, history, beaches and of course the Cape. No need whatsoever to visit tackyland to enjoy the place. If you have a criminal record its very difficult to get a US Visa. If its ever involved drugs its nye on impossible.
I never rode a bike on footpaths, Rambling groups in the lanes were bad enough. Seemed to be mostly deaf!
Al
Reuse, recycle, to save the planet.... Auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Boots. Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can...... Every little helps!
Footpath riding. Civil offence, not criminal. Also, unless you're the landowner or an appointed representative, it's none of your business so - and I mean this in the nicest possible way - stop hassling people about it. You also have no idea if the landowner has tacitly agreed to horse/bike riding, maybe turning a blind eye. If it bothers you that much, report it to the landowner and leave it with them.
Footway/Pavement riding: essentially decriminalised unless you're literally mowing down pedestrians in a shopping street.
Mick F wrote:Who actually cares that it's a Public Footpath, and visibly signposted at either end? I care .............. but the horse riders and the cyclists obviously don't know, and/or perhaps don't care in the slightest.
I wrap my hand in. Pointless going on about all this. Who actually really cares?
Footpath riding. Civil offence, not criminal. Also, unless you're the landowner or an appointed representative, it's none of your business so - and I mean this in the nicest possible way - stop hassling people about it. You also have no idea if the landowner has tacitly agreed to horse/bike riding, maybe turning a blind eye. If it bothers you that much, report it to the landowner and leave it with them.
Footway/Pavement riding: essentially decriminalised unless you're literally mowing down pedestrians in a shopping street.
It is everybody's business when our Public Right of Way network is misused by arrogant folk who do just what they want because nobody can stop them, so get used to being hassled when you ride on Public Footpaths. You make your own problems. Apart from a minority of Public Footpaths that could easily be reclassified a Bridleways with no inconvenience to anyone, I have zero sympathy with you.
Just because something isn't a criminal offence does not mean that it isn't an offence. Deliberately dropping litter isn't a criminal offence either. That doesn't mean that it is right. It just means that you aren't likely to be prosecuted so you are probably going to get away with it.
Last year my wife and I did a walk on unfamiliar paths and followed a Public Footpath that descended a steep sided valley on a forestry estate. We were there because we were following the Footpath shown on an OS map. But that bit of path had been ridden repeatedly by downhill MTBers, which was clear because as it twisted and turned it had berms or bankings with tyre marks, and we were worried in case a fast moving MTB came down behind us. Vegetation wither side meant we had nowhere to go to get out of the way if that happened. We have effectively been intimidated out of ever walking that Public Footpath again.
Last edited by pwa on 22 Jul 2020, 9:49pm, edited 1 time in total.
...off topic I know, but when I was training for LEJOG and while I was on LEJOGs, I came across familes on footpaths / trails walking their dogs. There was no way in a million years that I was going to object to a family out enjoying themselves, my time is not so precious that I need to spoil other peoples' joy. As I approach I call out "Don't worry, don't worry, they're dogs, I'm OK" and I manouevre past, usually saying "Hi dog" as I go through. A shared path is not really shared if one group are always worried and looking over their shoulders.
With horses I call out "Am I OK to go through?" and get waived through with a friendly comment, sometimes I thank them and say "Thanks, Its a young bike and easily spooked" which gets a laugh....usually.... or if I'm knackered I ask "Do you wanna swop?" In Cheddar back in 2010 I had stopped to talk to some horseriders and one of the horses was sniffing my handlebars, I said to it "These are called brakes, evolution didn't give you those" which got a laugh.
