anti 4x4 campaigners

very interesting read in total off road mag, anti 4x4 campaigners about to launch another attack on green laners.

Fairs fair... if they close the lanes they should close them for everyone including the ones on foot and push bikes :twisted:

If they want to fcuk it all up for us then let them fcuk it for themselves :butt:

agreed, I really don't understand why they want the lanes restricted, they can go anywhere on foot even where we cant, we can still share the byways etc as we have done for years, yes there have been the idiots that have gone off piste but the vast majority of us are responsible and respect our countryside so seems very unfair that we all get branded the same, there are many restricted byways around my area so walkers, ramblers and horse riders have plenty of lanes and tracks to venture without encountering any 4x4 vehicles so where is the problem?

In my experience horses create every bit as much damage to lanes as the most irresponsible off roader, but no-one seeks to legislate or prevent them.

Whens all said and done you will probably find it's only a minority who actually want the lanes restricted. That minority will be made up of:

Group A: A hardcore 'green' group, more commonly know as tree huggers, often politically left leaning who would be quite happy if ALL roads were restricted and all vehicles put on the scrap heap (less those 30 year old rust buckets that they chug round in of course). These people are very VERY vocal and highly manipulative. In the main they have infiltrated the rambling world.

Group B: Landowners, they just want to stop anyone going on their(?) land full stop. It's a case of start with the 4x4's and get round to the rest later (and they will, mark my words). Not so organised as group A, but learning fast and becoming as vocal/manipulative as group A. In the main they are part of the horsey brigade.

Group C: The horsey brigade. Mostly okay, but as with all groups you do get a few a*** h***s. Horses, come under the 'aww aint it cute' grouping esp with the young impresionable female, all of whom want to 'own a pony and go riding etc' (Black Beauty has a lot to answer for!) but for a lot of them it is just a pipedream as it's even more expensive than running a 3.2 ltr fronty... Some trot along to the local stables and hire a horse for an hour or two to satisfy the 'go riding high' others don't even get that chance but in todays modern internet enabled times they do join the online riding forums.....

With this group, as a whole theres a tendency for the majority to follow the vocal group in calling for the lane closures in respect to vehicles. It would however be interesting to find out just how many on the forums and also signing the online (and 'other') petitions are actually active riders rather than 'horsey walts' being lead by the more vocal people.

Group D: The Ramblers, they like walking in the countryside, can't argue with that one. Tis a healthy hobby. They also have online forums. In general nice enough folks but as a group I do feel that they have been somewhat 'hijacked' by the more vocal tree huggers...

The 'anti' brigade are without doubt very organised and political, in order to combat it we also need to become the same and use similar tactics. European Law for instance... Protest... Highlight ALL instances where damage can be proved to have been caused by one of the above groups and put it right if reasonable to do so (to help with the responsible user reputation)...

Interesting to note, that where a restriction on vehicular traffic is put in place, local traffic for 'access' is in the main given an opt out. This should be appealed and highlighted where damage is still caused (farm equipment for instance). If a restriction was to include EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTIONS then people may not be so keen to persue a restriction in the first place...

very well said, you can represent us should the need arise,

, I know what you mean regarding the horses we have loads around here though to be fair they are usually very friendly but then again they do have their very own restricted byways to use,

Sadly, I do have to admit to having once been part of the horse riding brigade in my ill spent youth.... A particulary mean, nasty and just plain downright nasty exmoor pony they had at the time may have something to do with my leanings that horse and BBQ go well in a sentence.... :wink:

In my defence, at the time the riding out, in the Devon countryside was pretty hot... As were a lot of the holiday makers that used to use the stables but that's probably not for this means... :roll:

ive registered with the green lane association so can now at least monitor the situation.

steve.

These are the dickheads ruining the hobby for us :evil:

http://www.otsnews.co.uk/two-arrested-a ... southport/

I had an argument on here a few years ago with a numpty here trying to tell me this area was legal to drive on, the clown would not listen maybe he will read this an understand you cant drive where you want or where you THINK is legal :roll:

ste have you read the comments. lots of brainwashed gobs*ites it seems there is only one or 2 sensible people there. although this isnt as big news as the snowdon incident

Yer, they are just locals who have not a clue of the rights of way legislation :lol:

well at least they experienced a section 59, and were arrested, doesn't really matter if they are prosecuted or not ( though would be a very good example ) because they had their trucks seized, saw another post this morning regarding some so called mp in Birmingham wanting all byways etc to be restricted :lol:

not even a rural area.

still all the time there are idiots that think this is normal to drive anywhere and in whatever manner they like we could well all lose this battle.