The Realm of the 'Bobble Hats'

[Suvvey]

Just for a laugh follow this link and have a read of the nice little mission statements -sound like a good bunch of guys ;)- then try typing 'offroad' into the search bar at the top of the page and read some of the hits it comes up with.

http://www.ramblers.org.uk/campaigns/campaign_home.htm

Now go take a shower to get rid of that dirty feeling you have for straying into their realm and then post your thoughts :twisted:

[Suvvey]

I was especially worried about this one

http://www.ramblers.org.uk/news/archive/2004/greenlanesshropshire.htm

I realise it's old but anyone know who they are pointing the finger at in this? I'm especially interested what make of winch was used to rip out a 200yr old tree as that is a pretty impressive theat :?

[gtomo2]

This could be good to throw at them if they have a go at you on a green lane "

The Ramblers' Association campaigns to open up all public rights of way in England and Wales and to ensure that the existing rights of way network is protected, as part of our national heritage, and is available for everyone to use.

And its stright from there web site. So by everyone they must mean us as well.

[MuddyDiscoveryJay]

I couldn't agree more, they are a very contradictary breed of people. If a 200 year old tree was ripped from the ground then maybe the roots were rotten? If a tree has rotten roots does it not become unstable and liable to fall down? Heaven forbid if a bobble hat got squashed. :twisted: As regards to ground clearance and hedge cutting I think we do a service by widening the lane and making it more enjoyable for everyone. Im sure people only see the worst in us. If they were to join one of out groups they would have fun and find out that us offroaders are a fun loving and careful community. Especially the Mud Club. If they are worried about pollution then i would love to see how much my 30-35mpg (tweaked) 200 tdi kicks out at the speed limit for the lanes which is 12mph. MDJ.

[Suvvey]

One of the results that I read explained that 'recreational offroaders' have the right to use byways due to a loophole in the law and that these were only intended for use by horse and cart.
Hmmm well I believe it has been proven that a four wheel drive vehicle actually applies less pressure per square inch than a horse or cart. As long as it is driven in a proper manner and follows the voluntary guidelines it will leave far less of a footprint than a horse or a cart. This can be seen on a lane less than a mile from my home. The lane is regularly used by horse riders as it is near a large stables and horse sanctuary. This results in the middle of the lane becoming quite badly churned up in places but where the vehicular traffic makes contact with the ground it actually leaves walkable flattened paths through areas that would otherwise be rendered unpassable through the horse use.
Now I am not for one moment saying that horses should be stopped from using this or any right of way, infact I am right behind the ramblers association with their aim to keep open rights of way even if they are just footpaths as believe it or not I am actually the proud owner of a pair of size 9 feet and enjoy a good walk out with the dog along old ROWs (did 8 miles just today  ).
It is a shame that their is no photographical evidance of just how bad these byways used to become when under regular use by the horse and carts that they were originally intended. I am sure most were not a pretty sight at all in the winter.
I happen to believe that ALL byways should be kept, maintained, and used for their intended use.
Also the phrase 'recreational offroaders' seems to be a firm favourite amongst the RA. As if the fact that people are using their vehicle for recreational use somehow means they have less right than others to use these ROWs. Now let me think, what is the definition of the word 'rambler'?............

[Disco Matt]

What always baffles me is stories about repairing footpaths by airlifting stone. These are invariably given a positive light by the media, despite being a very CO2-intensive method of repairing damage caused by over-use! In the case of Snowdon it is pretty obviously only due to excessive numbers of walkers as the routes in question are off limits to everyone else.

Maybe we don't complain enough? Whinging about the state of rights of way and not actually doing anything about it seems to work for the red sock and jackboot brigade...

[Disco Matt]

I was especially worried about this one

http://www.ramblers.org.uk/news/archive/2004/greenlanesshropshire.htm

I realise it's old but anyone know who they are pointing the finger at in this? I'm especially interested what make of winch was used to rip out a 200yr old tree as that is a pretty impressive theat :?

Indeed!

There is a healthy 100 year old tree in my garden (I assume it to be that old as that's when the house was built). I would happily winch from it (obviously with a strop - you'd need a long one mind as it's about 5ft diameter!) without being remotely worried about it pulling out. Any suitably beefy tree that is pulled out is clearly dead and rotting, and therefore needs to be removed before it falls on someone. The dead wood left on the ground will be very popular with wildlife.

[Drift]

At least this wasnt us



http://www.lakedistrict-stay.co.uk/tourist/Fix-the-Fells.html

http://www.snowdonia-npa.gov.uk/page/index.php?nav1=learning&nav2=2&nav3=8&nav4=6&lang=eng&contrast=1&view=graphic

[Range Rover Blues]

My wife spent most of last year in a wheelchair, as far as I'm concerned the RA is a selfish bunch of *£#'*%$ and can *&#@&%$* :twisted:  A car is the only way she can access the countryside.  I dare them to tell me she is not welcome on "their" lanes

If they are so concerned about polluti0n they need to explain how they get into the countryside themselves.  As a cyclist I was forever having to dodge oncoming cars because of the amount of ramblers who parked illegaly and dangerously so they could go off and polute the scenery with their cagools and bobble hats.

At least I have the decency to take my car around with me all day rather than discard it at the side of the road like an empty packet of crisps.

[hobbit]

My wife spent most of last year in a wheelchair, as far as I'm concerned the RA is a selfish bunch of *£#'*%$ and can *&#@&%$* :twisted:  A car is the only way she can access the countryside.  I dare them to tell me she is not welcome on "their" lanes

If they are so concerned about polluti0n they need to explain how they get into the countryside themselves.  As a cyclist I was forever having to dodge oncoming cars because of the amount of ramblers who parked illegaly and dangerously so they could go off and polute the scenery with their cagools and bobble hats.

At least I have the decency to take my car around with me all day rather than discard it at the side of the road like an empty packet of crisps.

Know what you mean, love to see them push my other half up a path in her wheelchair, candidates for a heart attack anyone?

[carracarra13]

weather or not it gets dismissed Iv sent them a email (although it will fall on deaf ears) Ive put in allot of good things and asked very nicely if they would not lable us all and am using the disability rights too (if it keeps these roads open any thing is worth a try dont you agree?

[Suvvey]

If you watch their 7min promotional video it proudly talks of a mass trespass in Derbyshire (100's if not 1000's of walkers) and how it  gained attention for their cause. Now can you imagine the outcry if we got even a dozen or so vehicles to trespass onto somewhere we'd like to drive (for recreational purposes :lol:) just to raise attention for our cause :shock:
Having serious thoughts of compiling a list of this kind of evidence and keeping a copy for when I am out just so that I can throw it back at them any time in the future :twisted:
Perhaps though we are as guilty as they are for taring them all with the same brush. After all I have had very little trouble with walkers in the past and the majority are infact quite pleasant. This being said I don't suppose I have met many actual RA members.
It does seem that the ethos of their association is that if they want it then they will take it. Where I am all for the public to have the right to use long established footpaths or any other right of way I actually believe the 'right to roam' act may of been a step too far [-X After all this basicaly gives anyone the right to walk where ever they like within these designated areas. Lets not forget the majority of these places are actually owned or leased by someone and now any old twerp in goretex can wander across it. This obviously creates issues with livestock, crops or even the general safety of the public themselves. How long will it be before the land owners start getting taken to court for injuries sustained by a rambler 'rambling' across the middle of nowhere and twisting a foot in a rabbit hole or similar stupid cases.

[Disco Matt]

Problem is, they seem to have learned the current government/pressure group approach of "If they ask a question that you cannot respond to and that negates your argument, just blank them". You won't get a bobblie to take part in a proper debate, they'll just get stroppy and storm off.

Which is both funny and good for us, as it shows that they are completely barking!  :lol:

The way to defeat these people in terms of PR is for us to appear the sensible, friendly ones who try not to annoy anyone and are great company, while the bobblies continue to show themselves as petty-minded net curtain twitchers and green ink users.

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

I did read somewhere that the RA is an off shoot of the British Communist Party from the 1930's, which could explain a lot.

[kizz81]

im doing an out doors course at uni and as a walker and 4x4'er i get to see the damage that both cause, and by far the worst is walking just take a walk upto the top of any footpathed peak in derbyshire or onto any open acess land especially ontop of kinder which is absolutly dead, just 100's and 100's of squaremetres of killed off bog that by my thinking is far more dangerous to walk on than any green lane ( other than chapel gate ) that ive ever seen

as for walking being the closest way to perfect excercise i disagree and much prefer somthing fun like kayaking or running,
i should think it wouldnt take much effort too get the bad footpaths closed but i think its probley much more benificial doing somthing about our image to the rest of the world, unlike fox hunters 4x4'ing has positive ( such as all the charity events that go on )
i say we turn the argument around for the world to be against the bobbley hat  :lol: they would love that

cheers kieran

[carracarra13]

I have reguler problems with ramblers trespassing on our land and have had it out with a few of them to, they think they have the right to wander all over our land which has no public rights of way (I wouldnt mind so much but we shoot the land with 222 and the like they can kill and guese who would be at fault if any one got hert or worse still killed (even although they SHOULD NOT BE THERE)  Iv had to call mr plod and they do nothingsome times they turn up 5 days later, but if I drove my landrover on there propity as said to excersise my righ of access we would get done for trespass as  SHOULD ANY ONE WHO ENTERS SOME ONES PROPTEY WITH OUT PERMISSION NOWING IT IS NOT A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, I find the biggest offenders are Horse riders and they are the first to report you even on a proven right of way