LANERS 1- BOBBLE HATS 0!! :)

[Dannyboy]

Well it looks like Chapel Gate and Stanage will be open again after the courts kicked out a protest from the bobble hat brigade .
Not sure on the details yet but its just been on the news

[gregster]

Its not a competition,
its not about beating each other...
its about finding common ground where both user groups can co-exist on the byways...

Do you think referring to "other users" as BobbleHats is going to help our cause???
or do you think it will antagonise a situation and add fuel to the rambler/walkers argument that we have no repect for other users or the lanes?
Do you think comments like "STRATA 2012- WE CAME, WE SAW, WE KICKED ITS ASS! " in sigs imply that we show respect for these unmade roads?

Its great news that these lanes should be reopened, but its sad that it had to get to a stage where it needed to go to court in the first place.

It would be very naive to assume that other user groups dont browse these forums, if only to satisfy themselves that we (FOG) are responsible green lane users, and not the idiots who look at these endangered rights of way as some kind of playground to tear up and destroy, along with any adjacent private land, with little or no respect for anyone else.

Please have a bit of respect for those with different hobbies to us Danny, and remember this isnt really a victory, its a failure on both sides to be able to find the common ground to co-exist happily that resulted in a huge waste of tax payers money.

[Dannyboy]

Well i am sorry my views arnt the same as your Greg, i must remember to change them to suit you in future.

[gregster]

Its not about your views having to be the same as mine, or anyone elses Danny..its about having a bit of respect for other people.

Reffering to other users of byways as "bobble hats" does nothing to help the fight to keep our rights of way open, it just shows a lack of respect for other people, which is half their argument isnt it?

We all have our views, but, rightly or wrongly, if someone posts on a publicly viewable forum something that I think could damage my hobby, I feel I should say something.

So we have a difference of opinion, thats life...thats what makes for discussion...and I have as much right to express my opinion as you have yours.

[woodwizzard]

I'm glad the lanes around my way were closed to vehicles and re-classed as restricted by-ways. They were having the cr*p chewed out of them by two and four wheels. Its a shame the councils and courts have to get involved in the first place to impose bans and restrictions. If you NEED muds and a winch to get up a greenlane then you shouldn't be on it. We could probably still be driving the lanes around here if most stuck to this principle and left the macho 4x4 image at home.

[paul01]

Well I'm glad the lanes are staying open to all
I really enjoyed it last time
And even the walkers seem to enjoy watching me get out of the fronty every 5 minutes to put the cb aerial back on
Still need to sort that out

[philaldred]

Good news on the lanes!

Its a shame that some users seem to have the idea that we shouldn't be there and that we ruin them, they don't seem to understand that it is a road like any other for anybody to enjoy how they wish.
Some people just have to have something to complain about, that's my view!

[philaldred]

[Drift]

I love greenlaning and I love getting out on the lanes in my 4x4 but I have also climbed some of the highest mountains in Western Europe and walked nearly every footpath in Snowdonia when I was in a Mountain Activities Club, does that qualify me as a "Bobble Hat"?

The club I was in had mountaineers, walkers, sport climbers, canoeists and mountain bikers but one weekend about 6 years ago they let us (Group of FOG member with 4x4's) hire out their bunk house for a weekend, now I would say that was very sporting of them.
So they are not all the same and because they wear a rucksack you can not tar them with the same brush.

It would be more apt if you found the names of the groups that lobby for the closure of rights of way for motorise vehicles and aimed your criticism at those people.
And maybe it would be best of us all to have done something (even a little) to help keep lanes open like a lane repair or adhering to the voluntary code of practice to promote our hobby in a more friendly image before shouting the odds at "Bobble Hats"

[gregster]

Totally agree Ste...
but I think the other user groups do have fair arguement with how some lanes are treated by others who share our hobby...
Sadly some 4x4 owners look at lanes as a playground, as a pay n play where you dont have to pay, and damage lanes considerably. Also there actions have no consideration for other users with their wreckless behavior.
Every user of a lane can have an impact on it, whether it be a 4x4, horse, bike or pedestrian, but sadly the impact of one idiot with some aggresive muds on 2 tonne 4x4 "playing" on a section of lane does far more damage per person than anyone else.
As woodwizzard said further up the thread, if you need muds and a winch to get through a lane, then it should not be used, as the damage caused to it could probably be irrepairable by nature and would render it unusable by other people who wish to enjoy it.
And thats not even starting on the users who venture off the right of way, trespassing onto private property and rip that up, and there is still a fair few of them, even by lack of understanding/preparation or by blatant disregard for anyone elses property so long as they get there 4x4'ing fix. Its like someone driving down your road and thinking that your front garden looks like a good obstacle so going and having a play on it in their truck.

My thoughts are the only way that the responsible 4x4 owners will ever get the users onside, is if we weed out and get the offenders prosecuted. Some might see this as snitching, or grassing on people, but these people need to be off the lanes fullstop, and we have to be seen to be doing what we can to get rid of them. Only then, and with our continued understanding for these lane, with use helping to do repairs as Ste suggested, will other users take us seriously as we will be showing that we respect what is important to all of us.

[PaulHooligan]

HA!!!! Drifty is a bobble hat!!!

You all need to calm down a bit it's no good "infighting" about this. Referring to the walkers as "bobble hats" instead of the usual "anoraks" really isnt nice BUT............

99% of said Kagool wearing people would see 4x4's banned without any consultation what so ever. Take Dannyboys post as for what it is a slightly misguided but tongue in cheek dig at those who believe 4x4s are the spawn of satan and destroy "their" countryside.

There will never be an agreement on this between the 2 sides as they are both deeply entrenched in their own beliefs. That belief is actually the same on both sides the freedom to roam on PUBLIC highways and byways. It's just we do it in style and not in Berghaus fleeces.....Well some of us wear Berghaus but i'm sure you will see me walk anywhere.

Anyway troops make like a turnip and just veg man ...................

[Dannyboy]

[Drift]

Thats just it Paul, there is no "us and them"
Its just not that clear cut, the comment "Bobble Hats" is just too generalised and gets people who are on the fence about the issue wound up.

Its more public image and how we show ourselves to the public not just the anti 4x4 lobby, even light hearted comments can show a negative attitude and an ignorance we will all be tarred with.

[adyclemo]

Thats great news.

I can see how if your on the oposite side of the fence the term bobble hats can fire you up and it dosent take much for people to take offence nowadays, just the same as they tar all 4x4ers with the same brush and assume were just causing trouble gets our backs up. The thing is both sides need a little more respect for each other and untill we all start proceeding towards the same goal and work with each other to protect our lanes and police them adequately were always going to be at war with each other.

Everyone wants to be able to enjoy the lanes in their own right whether it be walking, on bike or in a 4x4 and should respect how that person has chosen to enjoy it. While ever there is people tearing up the country side where are going to be complained about as a group and not individuals and this applies to all groups ramblers, bikers and not just 4x4ers.

You can report missuse etc but everyones views on this is different. What we need is a guide to what is classed as missuse, neglect, inappropriate behaviour etc for the diffrent groups as common sense nowadays seems to be practically none existant as everyone is used to this nanny state we live in where everything you do has a guide on how to go about. If you can sue for compensation for trapping a finger in a door because there wasnt a sign on the door saying it was possible this could happen then what chance does this give.

[Big Dav]

I agree the green lanes should be shared for all
to enjoy.
Hopefully writers on the other groups
(walkers, cyclists etc) will be encouraging
their members to share the facilities.

[Drift]

Good post Ady.
As for miss use its exactly the same as a normal tarmac road, keep to the byway, people would be fined/prosecuted for driving off the road and its the same on the lanes. There may not be a footpath to the side of the lane as its integrated but the side of the lane is owned by someone and they quite rightly dont want 4x4's, bikes ect churning their land up.

Spell check freaked out on you there David (Labrador)

[Big Dav]

Hi Ste, the presumptive text is giving
me no end of grief on this phone.
Kids are creased up at the idea of driving a 4x4
over a green labrador.

[Drift]

[colley]

Great news about the lanes
I can see an avatar change for you ste You bobble hate

[gregster]