Forest trails closed due to event

TheNorthernTrain

Thelonegroover wrote:

Right, there could be some misunderstanding then between British cycling, local organisers and the Forestry Commision. Which is why I brought this up.

No misunderstanding at all... It's no different to having a Motorsport event. A marshal has no powers to force you... They do however have a right to order you not to drive down a road that is in use, they have a right to tell you where you can and can't stand, you can choose to ignore them, they cannot physically force you to move, however if you fail to obey them then it's going to have serious implications on the stage.

A race happened you were correctly told by a marshal that you couldn't do what you wanted to do and to piss off, (always 2 sides to every story, I'm sure her version would be slightly different to yours). S**t happens. Deal with it.

HebdenBiker

If you had a problem with access rights, you should have taken it up with the organisers, and not the unpaid marshal who had given up her Sunday in order to help some other people have a good time.

thelonegroover

HebdenBiker wrote:

If you had a problem with access rights, you should have taken it up with the organisers, and not the unpaid marshal who had given up her Sunday in order to help some other people have a good time.

I don't have a problen now and didn't have a problem at the time, but it did get me thinking about it from a legal point of view.

rockmonkeysc

Thelonegroover wrote:

HebdenBiker wrote:

If you had a problem with access rights, you should have taken it up with the organisers, and not the unpaid marshal who had given up her Sunday in order to help some other people have a good time.

I don't have a problen now and didn't have a problem at the time, but it did get me thinking about it from a legal point of view.

Why? If it's not a problem then why worry about it?

croptonboy

Simple curiosity perhaps?

thelonegroover

Yes, partly curiosity partly wanting to know what other thought and partly what the law says.

ilovedirt

At the end of the day, it's down to common courtesy/sense more than anything else.

benpinnick

Thelonegroover wrote:

Not true, she had every right to ask but not to order. If I'd wanted to I had every right to ignore her though.

Afraid thats likely not the case. unless they were blocking a legal right of way (Fp/Byway etc.) without a proper closure order, then if FC have given the right to police the trails on that day to the person (and subsequent marshalls) that have paid the FC to be there, which I am certain they would have, then you have no rights. Zero. Its very unlikely that the FC would have stipulated that the trails must remain open. Its not a right to be there, but a privilege afforded to us which can be taken away at FC's discretion.

Certainly sounds like better notices were needed, but the marshall is well within their (likely) right to tell you what you can and cannot do on that given day.

thelonegroover

Interesting points and this could well have been the case on Sunday. However, the FC and the local officer didn't mention any of this. So I suspect no formal rights had been given by the FC.
They did say it was the first time an event like this had been run at Gisburn and they were looking for feedback from other users. The only feedback I gave was that there were no notices and other riders were not aware of an event until they were at the first stage.

homers_double

Thelonegroover wrote:

Not true, she had every right to ask but not to order. If I'd wanted to I had every right to ignore her though.

I'd hazzard a guess, without wanting to get involved because I'm not that bothered, that she was there as a representative of the FC. As the FC own the land and make the call to close the trail I'd say she had every right to instruct you to stay clear.

TBH you're just sounding like a spoilt kid who got told to play somewhere else.

thelonegroover

homers double wrote:

Thelonegroover wrote:

Not true, she had every right to ask but not to order. If I'd wanted to I had every right to ignore her though.

I'd hazzard a guess, without wanting to get involved because I'm not that bothered, that she was there as a representative of the FC. As the FC own the land and make the call to close the trail I'd say she had every right to instruct you to stay clear.

TBH you're just sounding like a spoilt kid who got told to play somewhere else.

I keep meaning to let this thread drop but every time someone replies with the wrong impression. We did over 90% of our ride because we were there early. The closures didn't really make any difference to us. But to make it clear, the lady marshal was noting to do with the FC.