Motorbikes on Bridleways

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RhaLoulou

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Does anyone have any experience of tackling motor cross bikes on bridleways? Every weekend for the last few weeks we have had encounters with them in our locality. They are riding really fast and are extremely loud. They really are an accident waiting to happen, luckily we have very calm traffic proof horses but even they are spooked. I am going to contact the council, Parish and County, and the Police does anyone have any other good ideas? Thanks
 
Contact your local off road bike club. The majority round us use illegal bridleway cut through but are polite and slow down/stop. If they are members then the club can put round a notice, if they aren't they can suggest who to help. Most bikers are careful as they dont want to lose their access.
 
Find out who your local rural police officer is and contact him/her as they will be delighted to catch them. Around here in North Hertfordshire they get one warning and if they do it again then their bikes are scrapped. End of. We now don't have a problem at all as word has got round.
 
Thanks I will see if there is a local club but they shouldn't be on the bridle ways and they are NOT considerate if you met them coming round a corner or in fog (as we did the other weekend) there would be an accident never mind them terrorising your horse.
 
If your horses aren't bothered, I'd be tempted to film them on my phone, & send a copy of the evidence round local motorbike clubs. If it then continues, hand over to police as evidence.
 
Ring the police, if necessary on 999, if they are an immediate danger to other byway users. Our local police (west Yorks) are pretty keen on catching them, they usually are committing so many different offences :) I reported one lot recently, on non emergency number and they didn't come out that day, but did say that they would be out the same time the following week.
 
Most of the time they are good and stop etc but we have lately had problems of non insured, non road legal bikes round here and the police were out today. I heard they got stopped but I dont know what happened, I think the trouble is some of the bridleways etc were roads in the past and have been reclassified so they still use them out of habit from the past. They have no road tax, insurance etc and are loud. But the police should stop them. Its a shame as I agree that mostly they are good and stop switch engine off etc but then they can be hooligans too.Its the noise too.

But worth speaking to the police about it. Most rural areas have rural officers or speak to them yourself, if you feel they would listen ie its not for motorbikes etc.
 
Public rights of ways such as bridleways and byways are in motoring law considered to be public highways therefore anyone using them on a motorised vehicle must have a road tax, driving license, insurance. and have a number plate. Driving a motorised vehicle on a public footpath, bridleway or restricted byway is illegal (unless you are the landowner or have his permission).
 
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