Bikehike.co.uk. curtailed by litigation culture.

[meic]

Not a does anybody know but an information posting for those that use it.

Bikehike used to be excellent for preparing a route and then sending a link to others so they could look at it.
I just went to do exactly that but he has stopped that particular facility.
I am not blaming him at all, i am very gratefull for what we had when we had it.
It just sucks that the litigation culture can be used to stifle any co-operation between people by offering to sue someone who lends you a hand.

I had quite a few of my routes just on bikehike and I have possibly lost them now.

You can still make the route, download it, store it in your own computer and post it directly to your friends. They then have to be familiar enough with the system to load it inorder to look at it.

[anniesboy]

Thanks for posting this information,it seems your routes will be available for a little while.
See this from the site,click on it to enlarge

[Mick F]

Yes, I noticed that this morning.

I had quite a few routes in there, and one or two I've referred to for the benefit of LEJOGers more than once or twice.

I now can't log in and even if I create a course then try to save it,

I get the message:
Closure of Bikehike Route Database
I have received legal advice that, in spite of any disclaimer on this site, there is no guarantee against possible litigation as a result of having routes assessible via this website.
As a private individual I am not prepared to expose myself to this risk (however small) and therefore have reluctantly taken the decision to close the bikehike route database.
Note - the site itself will not close - just the route database.
For a start the facility to save routes to the database has been closed. In the near future I will also close the facility to search for routes in the database. In the meantime I suggest all users download their routes to their PCs.
I apologise for the inconvenience caused. I hope you can appreciate the reasons.

[anniesboy]

I can still log in and find the routes I have saved.

[geocycle]

Is this due to the mapping license??? Or is it in case someone hurts themselves following a route?

[gilesjuk]

I'm sure all that is needed is some disclaimer which you agree to when you create an account.

[Si]

Glad this heads up came along - I was about to put all my routes on my website - shall not bother if they might go AWOL.

A great pity as this was a great site an resource.

[Mick F]

I've also used http://www.mapitpronto.com/ but it's not very user-friendly, and it's a Yank site.

BikeHike was wonderful. It still is, it's just that you can't save your routes any more. I can download them ok and view them on my Ascent programme, but I can't refer them to others. It was a great system that you could demonstrate what you were saying by people just clicking onto the link.

I suppose it means that some of the threads on here will be a little pointless now.

[Si]

Well, there's always the CTC's version of the system...just a pity that it doesn't handle off rod so well, least ways, it didn't the last time I tried.

[vernon]

Mapmyride.com does a similar job.

[IGrahamL]

Does anyone have any idea why having a database of routes available to the public is open to ‘possible litigation’
Not being a member of the ‘someone’s to blame lets sue’ generation, I’m perplexed

[benm]

Does anyone have any idea why having a database of routes available to the public is open to ‘possible litigation’
Not being a member of the ‘someone’s to blame lets sue’ generation, I’m perplexed

Probably due to the use of OS mapping for other than personal use - at least that is one potential problem.

The potential problem is that if someone follows a route, as documented on bikehike, and something goes wrong which could be attributed to the route, rather than the cyclist's own incompetence, they could attempt to sue the supplier of the route which would possibly be bikehike - they would at least be the first port of call for the ambulance chasers

B.

[Graham]

The potential problem is that if someone follows a route, as documented on bikehike, and something goes wrong which could be attributed to the route, rather than the cyclist's own incompetence, they could attempt to sue the supplier of the route which would possibly be bikehike - they would at least be the first port of call for the ambulance chasers

I'm trying to think of the possibilities of "something [which] goes wrong which could be attributed to the route". I'm struggling to think of such an event.

It is a sad reflection on the gap between the "real" world and the "legal" world that excellent facilities like BikeHike are diminished by this nonsense.

[meic]

I imagine the scenario is for a hiking route that takes someone too close to a cliff, into fording a river where it is too deep or fast etc.
Or cyclists the wrong way up a motorway. They could be foreign visitors or just plain stupid.

[geocycle]

While I would not criticise the organiser for taking this decision it does seem strange to me (as a non-professional) that a simple liability disclaimer cannot suffice. Like the many of the myths that were banded about concerning litigation following path clearing ater the snow, this does seem another example of law that is unlikely to be upheld providing due diligence is observed. All a very sad reflection on our society.