Cyclists!!

[Goldenstar]

Agreed they shouldn't be there, but my point is, they SHOULD be on a bridle path. And as a horse rider, i'd rather they were on a footpath! Where i used to keep my horse there was a beautiful long canal path. Top section, wide and grassy, bottom section rutted with pot holes. Have a guess which was the footpath and which was the bridlepath. Yup, grassy bit for walkers, rubbish bit for riders. But because cyclists HAVE to use the bridle path, they put down some sort of hard tarmac type base right the way along, to make it a proper cycle path. So what happens now? Everyone walks on the bridlepath/cyclepath! And the footpath is left abandoned. So there i am, cycling along the cyclepath one sunny sunday morning, and some fat woman with a dog decides to have a go at me for cycling too fast...on a cyclepath! Well, i wont repeat what i said to her, but she got the shock of her life. I appear to have gone off on a tangent...but i can see both sides of this, and as a cyclist, yes we do trespass - we have to, in order to make the most of the beautiful countryside. But we are respectful with it.

OP - maybe a note on the style is the way forward? Or if its a popular route put some chairs out and offer to sell tea / cake, you'll make a fortune! : )

You don't have to trespass you chose to , you chose to enter people property for your pleasure when you have no right of access .

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I just dont understand why we can't have an access all areas, for riders, walkers and cyclists. I think it is very sad when you are out and about enjoying the countryside, and someone objects to that so much that they go to the effort of pulling logs out across the path to spoil your fun. Very sad indeed.

move to Scotland, seems to work round our way but then, there are far fewer people

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

Not horsey, but, we live on a private single track lane that leads up to a public footpath, it is fairly steep and our front door is literally on the track, the tractor runs over our door mat when it goes up. The track is not on the OS maps as a public footpath, but it is used as such mostly by locals. We are on the side of a hill, over the summer and this week we have had mountain bikes coming off the hill and past our door at a rate of knots, a tradesman working here last Friday was really shocked at the speed the last guy went past. Two points really, 1, they really have no right to be riding on the track at all, and 2 the speed they go they are going to cause a nasty accident at some point, if we or our dogs go out the front door as they come past, or as there are two blind bends on the track they could hit a walker or a car, there are three houses on the track so cars etc use the track. So the question, who do we talk to to get them stopped or what can we legally do to slow these muppets down, we don't want to harm them, just get them to respect the fact we and our animals live here and they need to slow down.
Thanks

1. Who owns the track?

 

[Flicker]

I saw a post on FB of a horse rider who had got caught in a strand of wire at neck height, presumably put up by someone wanting to stop them or cyclists. Had he been going any faster than walk, he would have been killed.

On the cyclists thing, i have read a few of them, and car forums. The things they say about riders is vile. This is tame compared to it.

Doesn't make it right to sink to their level though, does it?

 

[YorksG]

I just dont understand why we can't have an access all areas, for riders, walkers and cyclists. I think it is very sad when you are out and about enjoying the countryside, and someone objects to that so much that they go to the effort of pulling logs out across the path to spoil your fun. Very sad indeed.[/QUOTE]

So does that mean you would like people walkimg, cycling and riding horses, having picnics, playing frisbee etc. etc. in your horses field, your back garden, or your front garden? Maybe those of us with our own places should invite all comers into our kitchen for a cuppa, in payment for being "allowed the privilege" of owning our own land?

 

[willhegofirst]

I think I will try a note on the stile to start with, and try contacting the rights of way officer. As for who owns the track, that is a very good question, but it is maintained by all living on it.
We don't have a problem with people cycling passed the house, just the speed they seem to find it necessary to go down, all we would ask is a little consideration.
I also ride in woods with national cycle trails and most cyclists we come across in the woods are great, but if these guys met a family group with kids and dogs round the blind bend on the track at the speed they go they wouldn't have a chance of stopping in time.

 

[case895]

Speaking as a cyclist and a rider, I cycle along our unlit unmaintained "road" (farm track) at about 20 mph. I have overtaken cars on it before as I can jump the potholes and speed bumps. A speed you may think too fast is just pootling along for a competent cyclist.

Car drivers often assume that cyclists do 10 mph and pull out on us.

 

[willhegofirst]

Speaking as a cyclist and a rider, I cycle along our unlit unmaintained "road" (farm track) at about 20 mph. I have overtaken cars on it before as I can jump the potholes and speed bumps. A speed you may think too fast is just pootling along for a competent cyclist.

Car drivers often assume that cyclists do 10 mph and pull out on us.

The point being, if you are cycling on a private track with blind bends and other users not expecting to find you coming round that bend ( or us stepping out of our front door) at 20 -30 mph as far as I can see that in inconsiderate and down right dangerous.

 

[Pebble101]

The point being, if you are cycling on a private track with blind bends and other users not expecting to find you coming round that bend ( or us stepping out of our front door) at 20 -30 mph as far as I can see that in inconsiderate and down right dangerous.

Exactly, and it's why my neighbour has had chickens killed by a cyclist, one falling off his bike because he was surprised to find a horse on a bridleway and couldn't stop and one who broke his hip when coming off by going too fast round an icy bend. Maybe they weren't competent though.

Edited to add the road to my house is a single track tarmac private drive but public bridleway. I too open my front door onto the track.

 

[Goldenstar]

The point being, if you are cycling on a private track with blind bends and other users not expecting to find you coming round that bend ( or us stepping out of our front door) at 20 -30 mph as far as I can see that in inconsiderate and down right dangerous.

This is it too many cyclists ride at the speed that's safe for them to go with no regard for " what ifs " like you stepping out of your door or walkers or the land owners dogs wandering out .
I could perfectly safely drive my range rover along a local bridle way I drive on all the time at seventy mph but it would not be safe if I met the unexpected so I go 15 mph so I can stop .
Far too many cyclists never take this into account they go as fast as they go and blow everybody else .
In our local forestry commission woods some of them are a menace .

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Speaking as a cyclist and a rider, I cycle along our unlit unmaintained "road" (farm track) at about 20 mph. I have overtaken cars on it before as I can jump the potholes and speed bumps. A speed you may think too fast is just pootling along for a competent cyclist.

Car drivers often assume that cyclists do 10 mph and pull out on us.

And can this competant cyclist avoid those stepping out of their front door, as op described?

 

[case895]

The point being, if you are cycling on a private track with blind bends and other users not expecting to find you coming round that bend ( or us stepping out of our front door) at 20 -30 mph as far as I can see that in inconsiderate and down right dangerous.

Have you measured their speed with a radar gun? Do you really know how fast they are going? My point is that a non cyclists perception of speed and hazard awareness is usually wrong. If someone who had never sat on a horse told you off about how you were riding your horse you would probably not give a monkey's about their opinion.

 

[Goldenstar]

Have you measured their speed with a radar gun? Do you really know how fast they are going? My point is that a non cyclists perception of speed and hazard awareness is usually wrong. If someone who had never sat on a horse told you off about how you were riding your horse you would probably not give a monkey's about their opinion.

It's not really the issue it it's interfering with OP's quiet enjoyment of her own home it's not acceptable that they are using a track they have no right to and they are going so fast it's not safe for Op to open her front door and mossie out .

 

[ester]

Well I know that cyclists can't stop dead without going over the handle bars. It doesn't matter exactly how fast they are going it depends on the distance of their visibility and their stopping distance. Granted I only have mechanical disc brakes so I don't know what difference hydraulics would make.

 

[willhegofirst]

Have you measured their speed with a radar gun? Do you really know how fast they are going? My point is that a non cyclists perception of speed and hazard awareness is usually wrong. If someone who had never sat on a horse told you off about how you were riding your horse you would probably not give a monkey's about their opinion.

No I don't have a radar gun, funny enough and as we get no warning of them .coming down it would be quite difficult. I do know however that most people drive up and down at about 10 - 15 mph and the cyclists are a damn site faster than the cars, you also of course don't hear the cyclist coming.Funny you don't find any coming up the track

 

[stilltrying]

I just dont understand why we can't have an access all areas, for riders, walkers and cyclists. I think it is very sad when you are out and about enjoying the countryside, and someone objects to that so much that they go to the effort of pulling logs out across the path to spoil your fun. Very sad indeed.

So does that mean you would like people walkimg, cycling and riding horses, having picnics, playing frisbee etc. etc. in your horses field, your back garden, or your front garden? Maybe those of us with our own places should invite all comers into our kitchen for a cuppa, in payment for being "allowed the privilege" of owning our own land?[/QUOTE]

Not what i meant at all, i meant why cant all foot paths, or public rights of way, be open to all. Where i am, hardly any bridle paths, horses confined to roads, cyclists hop over styles onto the many MANY footpaths.

 

[stilltrying]

You don't have to trespass you chose to , you chose to enter people property for your pleasure when you have no right of access .

I "tresspass" onto the footpaths because there are virtually no bridlepaths. So yes i do have to. Its not like im riding through someones garden! Its mostly mod land.

 

[Goldenstar]

I "tresspass" onto the footpaths because there are virtually no bridlepaths. So yes i do have to. Its not like im riding through someones garden! Its mostly mod land.

No you don't have to you chose to .

 

[stilltrying]

No you don't have to you chose to .

What other choice do i have? sell my mtb and buy a road bike? or go where im not supposed to. Not much of a choice! I stand by my argument, both horse riders and cyclists would be better off if we could all use all paths.

 

[ester]

Or travel to where you are allowed to have access....

If I can do it with a horse I am sure it is doable with a bicycle..

 

[willhegofirst]

I think the point of a lot of these posts boils down to people being considerate of others when out enjoying themselves be it walking, riding, cycling or whatever. Yes maybe we should all be capable of sharing rights of way without endangering other users, but some just don't give a damn about others as long as they can do what they want.

 

[teapot]

I "tresspass" onto the footpaths because there are virtually no bridlepaths. So yes i do have to. Its not like im riding through someones garden! Its mostly mod land.

Of all the land not to trepass across, I wouldn't put MOD land at the top of the list. Not sure where you are, but you can never be sure what's under foot or hoof when comes to MOD owned areas and there's a reason so much of it is shut off...

OP, could you maybe put a sign/notice at the very top of the descent, ie before they're going too fast not to be able to read anything? Sort of a 'you may not have noticed as you descend down this track at speed that you're passing front doors, driveways etc and it won't be long before an accident occurs. Be aware of surroundings as this is NOT a public footpath/bridleway'.

Sounds a bit of a nightmare.

 

[charterline]

I "tresspass" onto the footpaths because there are virtually no bridlepaths. So yes i do have to. Its not like im riding through someones garden! Its mostly mod land.

Bet the local ramblers love you.

 

[Stockers]

Doesn't make it right to sink to their level though, does it?

Quite.

 

[Hanno Verian]

I "tresspass" onto the footpaths because there are virtually no bridlepaths. So yes i do have to. Its not like im riding through someones garden! Its mostly mod land.

I'm a cyclist and a rider, quite simply you should not ride/cycle on footpaths, it doesn't matter where it is or the lack of bridlepaths, would you drive your car through the village at 70mph because there should be a motorway, but there isn't - so that makes it all right!!

Back to the OP, I understand completely why they are PO, cyclists shouldn't be cycling there, and they are doing so in a manner that is raising a safety issue and reducing the quality of life of the people living in houses on the lane, I would suggest ROW Officer of the local council would be the start, get them to or in agreement with your neighbours put a No Cycling beyond this Point sign at the appropriate spot.

They have (cyclists) a duty of care to you under Civil Law (Neighbour Principle) not to behave in a manner that causes "Harm" to you or your property, through action that could have reasonably forseeable consequences - Ie belting past your front door! If you or your property suffer harm as a result of this I would persue it, the burden of proof in Civil Law is less than Criminal Law, you only need to prove that it is beyond the balance of probability that they caused harm, rather than beyond all reasonable doubt.

Good luck - And try not to let it grind you down

 

[willhegofirst]

Thanks Hanno Verian, that is very interesting, we are hoping now the weather is not so good the cyclists will decrease, and we can hopefully sort something out by the spring.

 

[EQUIDAE]

I "tresspass" onto the footpaths because there are virtually no bridlepaths. So yes i do have to. Its not like im riding through someones garden! Its mostly mod land.

I'd be bloody livid if you did that on the footpaths running through my land! Land owners have to maintain those footpaths by law and that maintenance should not involve having to sort out mud baths caused by riders!

 

[stilltrying]

Oh calm down peeps, as i said, it is MOD land / wasteland! NOT private land. We have some serious hills too that are man made from the excavation of tunnels. Dog walkers, ramblers and cyclists all make good use of them. Everyone is always very civil. Probably because no one is really supposed to be there.

My point is, which everyone seems to be missing, if every single mountain biker went to the nearest bridle path, where they are supposed to ride, and went hammering up and down it, it would cause havoc for horse riders.

EUIDAE - i dont cause a mud bath on a bike, i'm not that heavy! ;@ When i say i tresspass onto footpaths that is on my bike, not my horse, cannot life horse over a stile.

 

[criso]

Speaking as a cyclist and a rider, I cycle along our unlit unmaintained "road" (farm track) at about 20 mph. I have overtaken cars on it before as I can jump the potholes and speed bumps. A speed you may think too fast is just pootling along for a competent cyclist.

But the speed you can go at is not determined just by your competence but by other factors. There is a speed limit on the private road that leads to the yard I keep my horse because anyone driving down it is likely to meet horses, children, people coming in and out of their drives and houses on foot or in a car.

It sounds similar to the situation for the OP except it has public footpath access so at the weekend you could also meet walkers wandering along focused on maps trying to work out where they are. Luckily in our case it doesn't attract cyclists as the footpath carries on across a muddy field.

 

[criso]

My point is, which everyone seems to be missing, if every single mountain biker went to the nearest bridle path, where they are supposed to ride, and went hammering up and down it, it would cause havoc for horse riders.

While cyclists are perfectly entitled to use bridlepaths (and BOATs and restricted byways) they are required to give way to walkers and horseriders so there's no reason why they should cause havoc if they do this.