What's your views about posting up green lanes and off road stuff?

[Dick Dastardly]

B)
I'm a bit funny about the green lane thing?

I have no problem showing or guiding people round a route but I tend to do the more obvious stuff first until I get to know the person concerned.

We on our bikes all get tarred with the same brush like it or not. Some of us choose not to give a flying f**k about whats legal or not or about what impact it has when they tear up a farmers crop or scare horses or ride where they no is illegal.

Others of us are more respectful. No matter, we all get painted with the bad brush.

I like to be sure that the people I am showing the trails to are the respectful type. Shut gates if they find them shut. Don't ride by new lambs in the season. Take all their litter away with them etc. etc.

No I am not a do-gooder, but I want as many lanes or roads to remain open as long as possible and if that means doing the right thing when on the trail then I'm OK with that.

As to the maps/trf ? I tend to use OS maps and go exploring. Some of the legal lanes have locked gates at both ends, others run right through the middle of farms. Some trails are not the OS maps but can be ridden with out any bother.

The knack of putting a route together is knowing what is rideable on the bike you have and linking them by road. Not hard or mystical, just a bit of swatting.

I do not have a strong opinion as to post routes or not. But I would rather show than tell.

[Barnman]

Well said Dick Dastardly

[hornet]

I subscribe to the guides plan...if that's workable that is. With that in mind, you'd think maybe if local authorities set up licensed guides for fragile routes and managed them with voluntary contributions everyone would be winners. Is this something we could lobby an authority about do you think? :huh:

unfortunatly this would probably happen a millenium after hell freezes over

[Tramp]

Boy Oh Boy... This greenlanning is a contensious issue..

Glad to see so many people with different views , likes and dislikes.. I`m not a member of TRF but know members and they are a great friendy bunch who respect what they have.

I went along on a ride out for my first try at offroading and liked it and carry on doing so meeting new people on legal lanes always respsecting other users be it horse riders or walkers.

I now go out sometimes on my own someimes leading a small group introducing others to my favorite lanes etc while enjoying Biking.
One question I always get asked is how do you find these "tracks"?whats legal whats not etc, all this TRF cover but do we all want to join for the odd occasion we go offroad?

By all means make the routes available to members only but it wont mean they behave anyless than non members and maybe a better idea is showing the places[web sites] already shown where the routes can be found and the means to make their own tracks etc.

But surely by all giving something we all gain..

I`m off to the "wiltshire" tomorrow to explore the wild sites before they are all gone.

[moto al]

your correct,bud in 10years time if you want a fart youL have to do a risk assesment.victor meldrome; i dont believe it circa.1989 ,al

[hornet]

To get to the point

NO trf members NO legal funds NO challenges = we lose ALL the lanes FACT. The antis want them gone and they want a blanket ban on ALL motorised vehicals on byways and unclassified roads they have the money the people and the government even contains members of GLEAM who are desperate to rid us from the countryside

So why should you join when you only ride the lanes on the odd occasion

easy if we all took that view see the above paragraph.

Ok an extra £40 a year you cant afford/ or simply happy to leave it to someone else

How about a donation instead ?

I dont mean to sound harsh but thats the truth

[Sprockette]

I'm all for supporting the TRF and similar peeps, they do outstanding work and joining them is the best way to learn the most up to date trails if you have no idea. Very friendly bunch too.

[Lairyskippy]

My opinion has changed over the last two years since I started trail riding. At first, I would have had no hesitation in posting up trails but having experienced some negative reaction from walkers etc whilst out I'm not so sure now.

I ride up in the Peak District and I'm ALWAYS courteous to other users e.g. stop and engine off for horses, slow down to a bimble for walkers. In most cases they are thankful and polite but the number that are ignorant seems to be growing.

For example, I was out with a mate 3 weekends ago and approached Chapelgate knowing that there was the possibility that it was closed for repairs. As we pulled up to the gate the sign confirmed our suspicions so we stopped, engine off and chatted about the next trail further down the road. Off Chapelgate comes Mr Self Righteous Walker, all attitude and loathing.....I tried to engage him in conversation and the ignorant twat just walked by and didn't acknowledge us. Its the sort of attitude you wouldn't put up with in any other circumstances.

By direct comparison, I have experienced nothing but polite and interested individuals when riding in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal, including the local poilice halfway up Mount Jafferau who couldn't have been more helpful. They gave us extra maps and even a warning about the impending change of weather!

As for posting trails, I'm happy to share the ones I've found but probably by e-mail.

[ChasF]

From an outsiders point of view (ex TRF member years ago ,I talk to a lot of Trail riders/TRF members who come riding here in France)

TRF doesn't really cater for adventure riders on big bikes, they seem to think they are more akin to 4x4s. With the enduro riders the TRF has a 'pipe and slippers' image but with the adventure riders it has a 'hooligan' image. It can't choose it's members but needs to broaden it's outlook. It is and should be the caretaker of up to date info on legal green lanes via trailwise

Anyone new to green laning who has a responsible attitude should not just look on an OS map but should contact the TRF in their local area or find other responsible guides possibly through this forum and others. The days when you can just go for a bimble on the tracks in your wellies and flat cap are long gone. Like everything else these days it has become highly regulated and the only way you can be sure that you are not breaking the rules is to go on an organised run.

Only my opinion.

[hornet]

Having read through this thread it looks like most all concerned are aware of the situation.Its a fragile state of play of our lane networks and the threat it is under and im very pleased how people realise that the posting of information can cause issues.

AS perviously mentioned im sure the signed up members on this forum are the type of riders who are capable of having plenty of fun and not causing problems , however the 600 plus lurkers could be

I have shared routes with people on here and other riders in my area who are not trf members but only after i felt they knew the score

You can just go out and do it yourself good luck its not easy

hornet