Public Rights of Way ?'s

weeksy59

alfablue wrote:

GmanUK101 wrote:

Nope I think it was her general point of view to all life forms on that day, a glazed look in her eye was not becoming of a lady her age. chill with the pavement and footpath rants, that's for a different thread I think

Apologies, but when people advocate cycling on footpaths it needs to be addressed, not ignored.

Do you write to points of view if someone says Arse on a TV show before the Watershed ?

alfablue

weeksy59 wrote:

alfablue wrote:

Public footpaths are open only to walkers.

So, like i said, how is this defined ? how would a person out on a ride know it's only open to walkers ?

Footpaths have yellow arrow signs = walkers, ones with blue arrow signs are bridleways (walkers, riders, cyclists). On OS maps footpaths have pink dotted lines, bridleways have pink dashed lines. OS maps are therefore very useful for planning rides.

Footpaths may sometimes have a signpost saying "footpath".

weeksy59

alfablue wrote:

weeksy59 wrote:

alfablue wrote:

Public footpaths are open only to walkers.

So, like i said, how is this defined ? how would a person out on a ride know it's only open to walkers ?

Footpaths have yellow arrow signs = walkers, ones with blue arrow signs are bridleways (walkers, riders, cyclists). On OS maps footpaths have pink dotted lines, bridleways have pink dashed lines. OS maps are therefore very useful for planning rides.

Footpaths may sometimes have a signpost saying "footpath".

Ahhhh never used an OS map.


the 'Footpath' signpost would be most useful...

I could then ignore it accordingly.

alfablue

weeksy59 wrote:

alfablue wrote:

GmanUK101 wrote:

Nope I think it was her general point of view to all life forms on that day, a glazed look in her eye was not becoming of a lady her age. chill with the pavement and footpath rants, that's for a different thread I think

Apologies, but when people advocate cycling on footpaths it needs to be addressed, not ignored.

Do you write to points of view if someone says ars* on a TV show before the Watershed ?

Ah, so doing wrong stuff that annoys and endangers people is fine and should pass without comment, just because YOU like it. So, speed limits for motorcycles are just stupid and because you are the best rider ever, they are irrelevant to you, they can be safely ignored. Grow up!

weeksy59

alfablue wrote:

Ah, so doing wrong stuff that annoys and endangers people is fine and should pass without comment, just because YOU like it. So, speed limits for motorcycles are just stupid and because you are the best rider ever, they are irrelevant to you, they can be safely ignored. Grow up!

Feel free to comment mate, i've got no problem with that at all. You can even throw a few toys out of the pram at either offence...

I choose to ignore them, saftey of myself doesn't even come into the equation... it's called 'living' and 'choosing'

I'm not a grown up because i flaunt a few 'laws' hahahahahaha

Come on... you're on a wind up ?

mea00csf

if cyclists ride on footpaths, cyclists can't really complain when scrambler bikes ride on bridleways. After tackling Rushups Edge in the peaks, (a fun descent which happens to be a restricted byway) straight after a group of scrambler bikes and nearly fainting from the fumes, i know i wouldn't want them on bridleways.

In the middle of the countryside i'm sure some would be tempted to head down bridleways on their scramblers, i'm sure none of us woul be happy about that......

joshtp

Kiblams wrote:

fred1star wrote:

and no, you can't push a bike along a footpath.... :twisted:

You joshing? :shock:

is that some kind of harsh play on my name, and does it refer to my name? if it does i'll, um, i'll , er, get you!
LOL

fred1star

.blitz wrote:

fred1star wrote:

I was a Public Rights of Way Officer in Kent for nearly 6 years.... If you have any questions regarding footpaths bridleways & byways post here and I will try to answer...

If a footpath crosses private land the landowner can, at their discretion, allow bikes/horses to use it as well as pedestrians.

Fact or fiction ?

Fact... as long they don't damage the footpath or interferer with footpath users.

alfablue

weeksy59 wrote:

I choose to ignore them, saftey of myself doesn't even come into the equation... it's called 'living' and 'choosing'

I'm not a grown up because i flaunt a few 'laws' hahahahahaha

Come on... you're on a wind up ?

It is not just your safety that is at issue, if you speed on your motorcycle you endanger others. I had the misfortune to have to attempt to resuscitate a poor woman cyclist who was hit by who I am sure was an equally competent motorcyclist. As I attempted the mouth to mouth and cardiac compressions, most of her blood left via the back of her head which was completely smashed. The motorcyclist was unconscious, though recovered fine, and knew nothing of the accident - I will remember it always, however, as will her young children.

You may do less dramatic harm to walkers on a footpath that they are on in the belief that they are safe from bikes/horses/traffic, but harm and distress you still may cause. But hey, its good for you, so the safety, comfort and pleasure of others is irrelevant, eh?

I said "grow up" because of your stupid "points of view" comment - seems to be a rather below-par attempt at logical and informed debate. Must try harder.

.blitz

fred1star wrote:

.blitz wrote:

fred1star wrote:

I was a Public Rights of Way Officer in Kent for nearly 6 years.... If you have any questions regarding footpaths bridleways & byways post here and I will try to answer...

If a footpath crosses private land the landowner can, at their discretion, allow bikes/horses to use it as well as pedestrians.

Fact or fiction ?

Fact... as long they don't damage the footpath or interferer with footpath users.

OK thanks for that. What do you know about cycling on footpaths in Wales if they're above 2000ft ?

fred1star

weeksy59 wrote:

Do other people care about 'Footpaths' etc ?

If it looks like a track, and smells like a track... i ride it ?

Lots of people care about footpaths.... just ask the ramblers..... :x

weeksy59

you should come down to Bracknell Southern industrial estate, you'd have kittens to see me and the lads scraping our pegs and knee sliders on the roundabouts there by BMW head office.

fred1star

.blitz wrote:

fred1star wrote:

.blitz wrote:

fred1star wrote:

I was a Public Rights of Way Officer in Kent for nearly 6 years.... If you have any questions regarding footpaths bridleways & byways post here and I will try to answer...

If a footpath crosses private land the landowner can, at their discretion, allow bikes/horses to use it as well as pedestrians.

Fact or fiction ?

Fact... as long they don't damage the footpath or interferer with footpath users.

OK thanks for that. What do you know about cycling on footpaths in Wales if they're above 2000ft ?

Arghh ... Well I would assume wales have the same rules as us, jockland might be different. But whether a footpath is at 10ft or 2000ft the same rules apply.

fred1star

.blitz wrote:

fred1star wrote:

.blitz wrote:

fred1star wrote:

I was a Public Rights of Way Officer in Kent for nearly 6 years.... If you have any questions regarding footpaths bridleways & byways post here and I will try to answer...

If a footpath crosses private land the landowner can, at their discretion, allow bikes/horses to use it as well as pedestrians.

Fact or fiction ?

Fact... as long they don't damage the footpath or interferer with footpath users.

OK thanks for that. What do you know about cycling on footpaths in Wales if they're above 2000ft ?

Arghh ... Well I would assume wales have the same rules as us, jockland might be different. But whether a footpath is at 10ft or 2000ft the same rules apply.

alfablue

weeksy59 wrote:

you should come down to Bracknell Southern industrial estate, you'd have kittens to see me and the lads scraping our pegs and knee sliders on the roundabouts there by BMW head office.

Listen,been there, done that (well not exactly there). I survived 3 years as a M/C courier in London, we took our bikes to Brands Hatch for track days to get our thrills, though the day to day riding was still crazy - second job I took, the guys were attending the funeral of my predecessor on the first day of my new job. Fortunately I survived long enough to learn to be a more careful and considerate road user.

By all means , enjoy the thrills on private roads or race tracks where you are permitted - it is a brilliant adrenaline rush, agreed!

.blitz

fred1star wrote:

But whether a footpath is at 10ft or 2000ft the same rules apply.

OK. Maybe I won't try that one next time Farmer Jones stops me

fred1star

alfablue wrote:

Doctor Gonzo wrote:

weeksy59 wrote:

If it looks like a track, and smells like a track... i ride it ?

Some words of wisdom there 8) ... IMO rules are there to broken, otherwise it would just be the way!

Utterly selfish and irresponsible. Find a bridleway! Why should a walker on a narrow FOOTPATH be confronted by a cyclist without any warning. It may be fine to you, but it is scary and unnerving, if not dangerous. Why create more anti-cyclist venom - you play into the hand s of people like Matthew Parris!

If you ride footpaths you are despicable!

Dr Gonzo ---- you found a friend there me thinks

fred1star

weeksy59 wrote:

What's the penalty for the offence of riding on the Pavement ?

has anyone ever seen this enforced ?

Death... by firing squad

Belv

fred1star wrote:

Lots of people care about footpaths.... just ask the ramblers..... :x

I find ramblers on bridleways to be very unwilling to compromise by even allowing cyclists to pass. No other bridleway users are so consistantly rude. Horse riders, dog walkers, people out for a stroll are all quite willing to make space for a slow-moving bicycle and exchange a friendly greeting.

GmanUK101 wrote:

I define footpath as a path for feet. or something.

footpath to me is a bridal way, a designated walkers route.

Pavement is those things with square block of concrete that you can trip on and ring the ambulance chasing solicitors cos you've stubbed ya toe

To ride through a wedding is both legally AND morally wrong!

fred1star

Unfotunately its just they way it is....

Only at the weekend I was nailing it down the BRIDLEWAY down from Great Links Tor (Dartmoor) only for a couple of walkers to get in the way. They blatantly took up the whole track so I would have to take a more inconvenient route, as it happened the diversion was coupled with a few seconds of air time so not too bothered and it must have looked trick…. If that was you, hang your head in shame, there is room for everyone out there..

thelawnet

alfablue wrote:

But I wonder how the person became so pi**ed with cyclists? Maybe because some selfishly ride on pavements and footpaths...?

Hmm, when I used to do a bit of jogging in central London I got pissed off with them. Usually for jumping red lights, if they did and I saw them coming I'd slow down to a crawl and sometimes shout at them. Jogging puts ne in a worse mood, cyclists getting in the way tend to make it worse.

thelawnet

alfablue wrote:

Public footpaths are open only to walkers

Public bridleways are open to walkers, horse-riders and pedal cyclists

You can get horse tracks as well, with no cyclists allowed on them.

fred1star

weeksy59 wrote:

Out of interest....

How do we/whoever define 'FOOTPATH' ?

A footpath is a highway maintainable at public expense. It is a route for the public to pass and re-pass over on foot only.

fred1star

thelawnet wrote:

alfablue wrote:

Public footpaths are open only to walkers

Public bridleways are open to walkers, horse-riders and pedal cyclists

You can get horse tracks as well, with no cyclists allowed on them.

These are probably some sort of "Toll Ride Scheme" This is where a landowner in exchange for payment allows horses to use his/her land as a toll ride. Very popular in places... Nothing to stop a landowner doing the same for cyclists.

thelawnet

fred1star wrote:

Unfotunately its just they way it is....

Only at the weekend I was nailing it down the BRIDLEWAY down from Great Links Tor (Dartmoor) only for a couple of walkers to get in the way. They blatantly took up the whole track so I would have to take a more inconvenient route, as it happened the diversion was coupled with a few seconds of air time so not too bothered and it must have looked trick…. If that was you, hang your head in shame, there is room for everyone out there..

You have a legal duty to give way to pedestrians and horse riders on bridleways. Not the other way round. If there's a group of people having a stroll in a world of their own and you're trying to set a speed record then you can politely signal your presence, but that doesn't mean that they have to, or are capable of, getting out of the way in the few seconds they have before you shoot past them at 25mph.

Ring your bell politely and try to make your way through them.

thelawnet

fred1star wrote:

thelawnet wrote:

alfablue wrote:

Public footpaths are open only to walkers

Public bridleways are open to walkers, horse-riders and pedal cyclists

You can get horse tracks as well, with no cyclists allowed on them.

These are probably some sort of "Toll Ride Scheme" This is where a landowner in exchange for payment allows horses to use his/her land as a toll ride. Very popular in places... Nothing to stop a landowner doing the same for cyclists.

Not sure.... There are quite a few permission horse riding routes (no cyclists) on Chobham Common, which is I think an SSSI. There are also bridleways. The land is owned by Surrey County Council. I imagine the routes are not more open because of the sensitive nature of the land, previous erosion problems, etc.

dave_hill

Oh god, the loonies have taken over the asylum again.... :shock:

fred1star

thelawnet wrote:

You have a legal duty to give way to pedestrians and horse riders on bridleways. Not the other way round. If there's a group of people having a stroll in a world of their own and you're trying to set a speed record then you can politely signal your presence, but that doesn't mean that they have to, or are capable of, getting out of the way in the few seconds they have before you shoot past them at 25mph.

Ring your bell politely and try to make your way through them.

Lots of people say that... however in 6 six years doing the job of PROW officer no one was ever able to show me the relavent legislation to back that statement up.. Everyou has an equal duty to drive ride walk with due regard to other users of the highway... and yes trying to break the land speed record down a hill may be regarded as not paying due regard to other users but they knew I was coming, i even said hello to them a way off from coming up to them.... plus my hubs make a racket....

stumpyjon

Yep, even the OP isn't fully correct.

As I understand it whether a bike is a reasonable accompianment hasn't actually been tested in law yet so to say you can't carry / push a bike on a footpath isn't correct. There is case law to suggest that a person pushing a bike is in fact a pedestrian.

It wouldn't be up to the council to take someone to court anyway, it would be the landowners responsibility and even then all they can do is sue for for trespass (civil not criminal offence). Any penalty should be related to the severity of damage caused during the trepass (tyre tracks aren't generally considered serious damage :roll: ).

As for those of you asking how a footpath is defined, well there are very specific and complex definitions of rights of way which don't include what you think. The only way to tell whether you can ride your bike along a section of path is to check it's status on the definitive maps held by the local council (OS maps are good but not always correct or uptodate).

Before I get flamed I agree, I think riders rights in England and Wales are an absolute travesty but it does pay to have some idea of where the law stands before breaking it.

Do I only ride on legal rights of way, simple answer no. Do I go out of my way to antagonise other users / landowners - same answer no. Best advice is to avoid footpaths and non legal tracks where possible, it you do use them try and be as unobtrusive as possible.

FSR Si

weeksy59 wrote:

Do other people care about 'Footpaths' etc ?

If it looks like a track, and smells like a track... i ride it ?

Absolutely spot on imo, I ride where i want, when i want, and how i want, If someone doesn't want me on there land (which incidentally has never happened) they will tell me to p1ss orf. 8)