how to change this sort of press

[kizz81]

any ideas how to change this sort of press...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/mar/21/off-roading-national-park-countryside
to either no press or good press
any ideas,
lets do it

[Drift]

Black Hill Peak District



http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/manchester/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8262000/8262803.stm

Along with 5.5 million pounds to fix it... not a car in sight.


I remember as a kid walking around Kinder Scout, it was like something out of Doctor Who, how much money fixed it?



http://www.mountain-adventures.co.uk/environmental-impact.html

I could go on, but that journalist needs to open her eyes a bit ;)

If we could have financial resources of that type we might just have a chance as long as we keep the off piste knobheads in check. 

[Disco Matt]

It's the Guardian. Their opinions and prejudices are those of a very specific London-based clique, which never ventures outside the M25 and is unswerving in its smug self-righteousness.

I am always astonished to see multi-million pound footpath repairs spun as a good thing while volunteer efforts to fix lanes are simply ignored.

[crazymac]

It's the Guardian. Their opinions and prejudices are those of a very specific London-based clique, which never ventures outside the M25 and is unswerving in its smug self-righteousness.

And if i'm not mistaken, the writer is the ex? Politician Roy Hattersley?? I preferred him as his spitting image puppet!

[Disco Matt]

I think all we can do is to keep at them, really. Fight back with evidence and don't do anything stupid that gives them ammo. We can easily get to the stage where the general public see us as a sensible bunch and the bobblies as rabid lunatics if we just make sure that the moderate voices get heard rather than the mudpluggers.

The ultimate coup would be if we could get BBC Wales to send one of their presenters around Wales on greenlanes. They keep sending them around the coast by yacht/walking the coastal paths/walking the old drover's roads/etc, so how about something truly daring where they find that actually, we're not a bunch of countryside-trashing idiots?

Then again, they don't like to print "man bites dog" do they. It might make the sheep restless...

[Range Rover Blues]

Whilst ever the press is determined to give vent to the spouting of bigots and bias we will always be painted black by those who are not prepared to let a stupid little thing like the facts get in the way of a bit of good old bitching.

If this sort of c**p was spouted about someone because of the colour of their skin or their choice of god, they would not be allowed so hold any position of power.

The law stripped a massive amount of access to the countryside for anyone who doesn't conform to the point of view laid down by the RA, the only piece of legislation in British history that was applied retrospectively and they still want t portray it as some sort of licence for us to ruin the countryside.

I am a taxpayer and I have as much right to the countryside as anyone else, I shouldn't have to change my pastime just to make some nimbys happy.

We are the only access group in the peaks (I'm including the trail bikers on this) who regularly put heir hands into their own pockets, see what the tax man has left us after paying for our hobby, and chip in for the upkeep of the countryside.  Many of us also give of our own time.

but hell, preaching to the converted once again.  It's the politics of jealousy plain and simple, whilst ever the press think we are all rich louts who drive around in cars the man in the street can't afford they will stir up public opinion by printing this sort of ****.



Roy "Has been" hattersley saw a bandwagon drive past and decided to jump on it.  I doubt he has even seen the peak district in years or he might have notice the acres of cars dumped by the side of the road by all those who drive into the countryside at the weekend to exercise their right to walk around in it.  At least I have the decency to keep my car with me.

All too quickly have they forgotten how many people were glad of our help during the snow.  Emigrating looks more and more attractive every year.

[Bishops Finger]

There was an article in a nother paper last week...Daily Mi''or? on a similar concept...cant even be bothered to post..drive em or loose them

[kizz81]

on a similar concept...cant even be bothered to post..drive em or loose them

not the point in question, its obvious i drive them, and dont want to loose them,

how do we change this?
with the attitude that is portrayed by the people who say " drive them or loose them" we cant,
of course we are going to drive them, thas what we are here for  :?

some of us have differant hobbys, i like walking, mountain biking, climbing and surfing aswell as many others but only one of those hobbys has bad press and only one of those hobbys doesn't damage things, ( these are differant ones)
i have a few ideas
just not quite sure what to do with them yet  :lol:

[dxmedia]

You can't, and not even worth bothering IMO.

If you do want to change peoples opinions, why not start with something easy like the BNP or UKIP?

[Saffy]

The ultimate coup would be if we could get BBC Wales to send one of their presenters around Wales on greenlanes. T

Be very wary of that idea, BBC reporters can not be trusted period. Someone will likely end up being played into a Louis Theroux style documentary that will in reality stab us in the back.

[Disco Matt]

True, I think our only chance is to get some responsible greenlaners into positions of power within the media in that case!

I am slightly surprised that we haven't had a Louis Theroux type sniffing around to be honest, I can only assume that we're not interesting enough (or easy enough to stitch up) for him.  :lol:

The basic problem seems to be that the various 4x4 organisations are nothing like as good at PR and handling the media as our detractors. We need to find more intelligent, photogenic types and make sure that they get shoved in front of the microphones to put our case. By doing this we'll challenge the popular image of a bunch of muddy lunatics in camo clothing who eat squirrels (yes Fast Show, I'm looking squarely at you for popularising that stereotype).

[kizz81]

If you do want to change peoples opinions, why not start with something easy like the BNP or UKIP?

who's side are you on?
attitudes like that deserve a pair of walking boots

celeb status i think is the way forward,
anyone have a celeb mate  :lol:

[Drift]

The basic problem seems to be that the various 4x4 organisations are nothing like as good at PR and handling the media as our detractors. We need to find more intelligent, photogenic types and make sure that they get shoved in front of the microphones to put our case.

The people like this are oiut there in our community, BUT the finances infrastructure and resources are not.

But we have a comming together of sorts under this banner

http://www.treadlightly-uk.org/

I hope.