Closure of Bikehike Route Database

Hello,
I have received legal advice that, in spite of any disclaimer on the site, there is no guarantee against possible litigation as a result of having routes assessible via my 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.
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.
Simon
I have received legal advice that, in spite of any disclaimer on the site, there is no guarantee against possible litigation as a result of having routes assessible via my 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.
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.
Simon
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I understand your reasons but are you sure this is the only way? What is the issue, that some people 'own' certain routes from books etc?
Could you not keep it so that people could at least access their own routes?
How on earth can someone possibly copyright/own a route so that you cant keep them on your database?
That seems ridiculous.
i can (sadly) see a situation where someone follows a route from the site and has an accident or similar and then takes the 'its the websites fault for saying this was a 'safe' route to ride' legal approach
slainte :? rob
BFe
trailstar
lee cooper
Thats what I was thinking, theres also Bikeroute toaster that has exactly the same thing as Bikehike (but I preferded bike hike with its main window then OS window seperately).
Also in regards to the "well its on this website so it must be safe, we'll sue you scenario" , clearly the warnings on said website would indicate that you ride at your own risk, same as when you park your car in a carpark you leave your item(s) at your own risk they can not be held liable for anyone breaking into your car etc as per the warnings mentioned.
This is all speculation anyway, I'd be interested in to hearing the exact reason why you cant hold routes whoever has told the website owner this, if he's willing to divulge it.
I use the website loads to share routes with other riders in my area.
Yes there are other websites that do similar jobs but similar to what Briggo said, the way the OS map / Google Maps windows work in Bike Hike makes it easy to use.
Why is this problem not seeming to affect other route sharing sites?
Official trails are another matter, but I'm finding these are getting tame these days as trail parks, the FC, etc, don't want to get sued either. Sad really.
So best they take down google maps, mapmyride and about 1000 other sites.
Its a stupid reason and I really dont understand how there can even be a hint of litigation just because the chap stores routes on his website.
Hell they best take down this website, this stores routes...
I'm not sure that's completely true, we can all think of examples where this happens but then again, the hardest red in the country (nevis red, tougher than the majority of blacks) opened only last year, Wharncliffe looks pretty high risk in places (not ridden there myself)... Lee Quarry is new too. The FC have pulled back a bit but they're still planning new developments, including a new northshore section at glentress, etc. The tamest trails in the UK are generally the older ones.
Briggo - it is a stupid reason but, unfortunately, that is the world we now live in.
Simon
Are you sure this isn't just a case of lack of money/enthusiam to carry on your website and you're playing the legal card? Sorry to be so blunt, but people will start making assumptions and from a legal perspective I can see no reason to close your site for litigation issues.
The problem is just like everything else in this country, too much caution. Though I can understand individual concerns.
As for other sites, their time will come. Once the owners and/or lawyers get onto them, they'll be issuing take-downs. I've had a few polite requests for removal as is just for sharing on Nokia Sports Tracker.
Mate I love your website, its the dogs danglies and I'll continue to use it but I just dont buy the whole legal advice on storing routes.
If someone had come to you with some scare mongering legal jargon I really wouldn't have bought it, as said before there are way too many websites out there to list that store saved routes to share amongst others.
Why couldn't you keep your own route database, but just not make them accessable to other people/searchable by others?
Best those land owners request the Ordance Survey no longer publish the maps containing their land then.
Thats a real shame sgc, Bikehike is the best.
I have a question for you.
I have rides stored on your database that I reference through a link. Will you be deleting all the rides currently stored in your database?
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Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
It's a real pity if the site has to shut down because I used it all the time and uploaded quite a few routes and found out about good new ones too.
A solution; take down the option to tag routes?
Ellsworth Moment
Intense Socom
AFAIK it is not being shut down - only the database facility is being shut down so we can still use BH to plot our routes etc just not the abililty to save to the database. We will still be able to save our routes as a gpx/tcx and download them to out PC's...
Correct me if i'm wrong
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