Embarrassed to have a 4x4.....
Discussion
Not sure why I am even writing this but feel dismayed recently at the actions of fellow off roaders, I drive a grand cherokee, 4 inch lift and 33 inch tyres, had it for years, been all over and have some wonderful memories in it with me and my son.
I live in Leicestershire and many of the local lanes by me have been (lawfully I might add) blocked by farmers who are clearly fed up with a lane running adjacent to their land getting chewed up, no problem I hear you say that's the game we play, but then the idiots amongst our flock then decide it's a bit too much so drive down the verges or through the poor sods fields, this is the blokes lively hood surely??? If you cant make it don't go down it!
Throw this in with the odd land rover hooning around the village like a nutter I have just about enough of being stared at like I am 'one of them', no wonder when you do go through someones land to find a bit of countryside your usually me with (at the very least) suspicion.
Not sure what to do to be honest, I have a great time with my boy, is enough enough and time to sell up and face the inevitable that these clowns will spoil it for everyone?!
Rant over.....
I live in Leicestershire and many of the local lanes by me have been (lawfully I might add) blocked by farmers who are clearly fed up with a lane running adjacent to their land getting chewed up, no problem I hear you say that's the game we play, but then the idiots amongst our flock then decide it's a bit too much so drive down the verges or through the poor sods fields, this is the blokes lively hood surely??? If you cant make it don't go down it!
Throw this in with the odd land rover hooning around the village like a nutter I have just about enough of being stared at like I am 'one of them', no wonder when you do go through someones land to find a bit of countryside your usually me with (at the very least) suspicion.
Not sure what to do to be honest, I have a great time with my boy, is enough enough and time to sell up and face the inevitable that these clowns will spoil it for everyone?!
Rant over.....
Sorry, not sure I've explained myself properly, lane was open and all good, got boggy and rutted so some people decided to use the farmers fields instead, making a mess off it.....now the lane has concrete bollards either end, I reported to council who told me the land owner had applied through them for a temporary closure....presumably due to the mess caused off lane on his land, does that make sense???
Looking at the state of it I can't blame him, one of my fave lanes too, very sad.
Looking at the state of it I can't blame him, one of my fave lanes too, very sad.
skinthespin said:
Sorry, not sure I've explained myself properly, lane was open and all good, got boggy and rutted so some people decided to use the farmers fields instead, making a mess off it.....now the lane has concrete bollards either end, I reported to council who told me the land owner had applied through them for a temporary closure....presumably due to the mess caused off lane on his land, does that make sense???
Looking at the state of it I can't blame him, one of my fave lanes too, very sad.
I would be back onto the council. A temporary closure is exactly that, temporary. Concrete bollards are permanent. Get the dates of the TRO and ensure the bollards are removed at the end of the specified time period.Looking at the state of it I can't blame him, one of my fave lanes too, very sad.
My wife and I also have a pair of Jeeps but take care not to drive onto farmers fields etc. Farmer could sue for damages, value of lost crops.
The big problem with farmers temporally blocking roads with stones / concrete block is that they have a nasty habit of becoming permanent closures. Seen this far too many times, and nothing seems to get done to remove them.
The paths get overgrown and then the tracks are lost.
Worse is when gates get added with padlocks - this has happened a lot where by parents live.
To get back to the orig posters question, embarrassed to have a 4x4, No, but while its been subtly modified for off road use it has nothing that makes it stand out with over sized tyres, snorkel etc. So it quite easily passes for a standard farmers vehicle
The paths get overgrown and then the tracks are lost.
Worse is when gates get added with padlocks - this has happened a lot where by parents live.
To get back to the orig posters question, embarrassed to have a 4x4, No, but while its been subtly modified for off road use it has nothing that makes it stand out with over sized tyres, snorkel etc. So it quite easily passes for a standard farmers vehicle
Edited by richs2891 on Monday 4th July 08:26
Edited by richs2891 on Sunday 10th July 12:24
Nothing embarrassing about a GC. Now if you had a Q7 or an X5 then you should probably have a word with yourself :-)
Joking aside though, I have had a number of 4x4s - mostly Jeep and LRs. Never been into off-roading, too slow and dull for me - only used them for towing, load capacity and winter traction. But I do go hiking and mountain biking, and I get annoyed with 4x4s chewing up tracks that they should not even be on.
I get it that some do only use tracks they are legally entitled to, but like the dirt bikes they become a problem because the majority of people using them off road don't much care where they go and what damage they do..... leading to your dilemma.
Joking aside though, I have had a number of 4x4s - mostly Jeep and LRs. Never been into off-roading, too slow and dull for me - only used them for towing, load capacity and winter traction. But I do go hiking and mountain biking, and I get annoyed with 4x4s chewing up tracks that they should not even be on.
I get it that some do only use tracks they are legally entitled to, but like the dirt bikes they become a problem because the majority of people using them off road don't much care where they go and what damage they do..... leading to your dilemma.
TooMany2cvs said:
KevinCamaroSS said:
I would be back onto the council. A temporary closure is exactly that, temporary. Concrete bollards are permanent.
If it's just a block of concrete, it can be moved in minutes with a farm loader. Same way it was put there.There is an issue here as it has happened to a lane near here. It was totally ruined by off roaders making it impassable to everyone whether on foot, horse or off roader. The Council have rebuilt it, it had a temporary closure over the winter, but is open in the summer but rapidly being trashed again.
The locals are campaigning for a permanent closure and I wouldnt be surprised if they suceed.
Off roaders might have the right use these lanes, but if in the process they get damaged maybe they should look at offering to fix them?
The locals are campaigning for a permanent closure and I wouldnt be surprised if they suceed.
Off roaders might have the right use these lanes, but if in the process they get damaged maybe they should look at offering to fix them?
Chrisgr31 said:
Off roaders might have the right use these lanes, but if in the process they get damaged maybe they should look at offering to fix them?
Yes they should... however bear in mind that the more lanes closed, the heavier the vehicular traffic on the remaining lanes.They are not public footpaths, they are unpaved highways, meaning the council does have a responsibility to maintain them accordingly.
skyrover said:
They are not public footpaths, they are unpaved highways, meaning the council does have a responsibility to maintain them accordingly.
Umm, no. Like footpaths, bridleways and all other RoWs, they're unadopted - the council are under no obligation to maintain them at all. The landowner does have an obligation to maintain them, though.TooMany2cvs said:
skyrover said:
They are not public footpaths, they are unpaved highways, meaning the council does have a responsibility to maintain them accordingly.
Umm, no. Like footpaths, bridleways and all other RoWs, they're unadopted - the council are under no obligation to maintain them at all. The landowner does have an obligation to maintain them, though.TooMany2cvs said:
skyrover said:
They are not public footpaths, they are unpaved highways, meaning the council does have a responsibility to maintain them accordingly.
Umm, no. Like footpaths, bridleways and all other RoWs, they're unadopted - the council are under no obligation to maintain them at all. The landowner does have an obligation to maintain them, though.Chainsaw Rebuild said:
TooMany2cvs said:
skyrover said:
They are not public footpaths, they are unpaved highways, meaning the council does have a responsibility to maintain them accordingly.
Umm, no. Like footpaths, bridleways and all other RoWs, they're unadopted - the council are under no obligation to maintain them at all. The landowner does have an obligation to maintain them, though.The only difference between the different classes of RoW are the users allowed. The council don't have any responsibility to cut the grass along the footpath that goes through my back garden. Horses and cyclists can't use that, but they can use bridleways and restricted byways (what used to be RUPPs) - like the one through the woods down the lane. Motor vehicles can't use those, but they can use BOATs - like the one that goes up from the junction at the bottom of my garden, probably an old drover's route. Maintenance of that is the landowner's responsibility - whoever that might be.
TooMany2cvs said:
A green lane (a BOAT, Byway Open to All Traffic) has a vehicular RoW, same as the M25 is, yes. An unadopted road in a housing or industrial estate is a vehicular RoW, too - yet the council don't maintain those.
The only difference between the different classes of RoW are the users allowed. The council don't have any responsibility to cut the grass along the footpath that goes through my back garden. Horses and cyclists can't use that, but they can use bridleways and restricted byways (what used to be RUPPs) - like the one through the woods down the lane. Motor vehicles can't use those, but they can use BOATs - like the one that goes up from the junction at the bottom of my garden, probably an old drover's route. Maintenance of that is the landowner's responsibility - whoever that might be.
You might want to read this:The only difference between the different classes of RoW are the users allowed. The council don't have any responsibility to cut the grass along the footpath that goes through my back garden. Horses and cyclists can't use that, but they can use bridleways and restricted byways (what used to be RUPPs) - like the one through the woods down the lane. Motor vehicles can't use those, but they can use BOATs - like the one that goes up from the junction at the bottom of my garden, probably an old drover's route. Maintenance of that is the landowner's responsibility - whoever that might be.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-rights-of-way-l...
Serious Looking Government Website said:
Maintaining and protecting public rights of way
The highway authority must:
keep the surface of public rights of way which are maintained at public expense in a fit state for public use
make sure obstructions are removed
maintain some bridges over natural watercourses, including farm ditches
provide at least a 25% contribution to landowners’ costs for replacing and maintaining structures for the control of animals, eg gates or stiles, on completion of the work to a standard the highway authority is satisfied with
make sure there are no notices that prevent or discourage the use of a public right of way
add signs where a public right of way leaves metalled roads
make sure the public’s rights to use a public right of way are protected
make sure landowners carry out their duties, and take action if they don’t
No mention of surfaced or unsurfaced other than the addition of signs where a RoW leaves a metalled road.The highway authority must:
keep the surface of public rights of way which are maintained at public expense in a fit state for public use
make sure obstructions are removed
maintain some bridges over natural watercourses, including farm ditches
provide at least a 25% contribution to landowners’ costs for replacing and maintaining structures for the control of animals, eg gates or stiles, on completion of the work to a standard the highway authority is satisfied with
make sure there are no notices that prevent or discourage the use of a public right of way
add signs where a public right of way leaves metalled roads
make sure the public’s rights to use a public right of way are protected
make sure landowners carry out their duties, and take action if they don’t
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 13th July 23:09
Crossflow Kid said:
TooMany2cvs said:
A green lane (a BOAT, Byway Open to All Traffic) has a vehicular RoW, same as the M25 is, yes. An unadopted road in a housing or industrial estate is a vehicular RoW, too - yet the council don't maintain those.
The only difference between the different classes of RoW are the users allowed. The council don't have any responsibility to cut the grass along the footpath that goes through my back garden. Horses and cyclists can't use that, but they can use bridleways and restricted byways (what used to be RUPPs) - like the one through the woods down the lane. Motor vehicles can't use those, but they can use BOATs - like the one that goes up from the junction at the bottom of my garden, probably an old drover's route. Maintenance of that is the landowner's responsibility - whoever that might be.
You might want to read this:The only difference between the different classes of RoW are the users allowed. The council don't have any responsibility to cut the grass along the footpath that goes through my back garden. Horses and cyclists can't use that, but they can use bridleways and restricted byways (what used to be RUPPs) - like the one through the woods down the lane. Motor vehicles can't use those, but they can use BOATs - like the one that goes up from the junction at the bottom of my garden, probably an old drover's route. Maintenance of that is the landowner's responsibility - whoever that might be.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-rights-of-way-l...
Serious Looking Government Website said:
Maintaining and protecting public rights of way
The highway authority must:
keep the surface of public rights of way which are maintained at public expense in a fit state for public use
make sure obstructions are removed
maintain some bridges over natural watercourses, including farm ditches
provide at least a 25% contribution to landowners’ costs for replacing and maintaining structures for the control of animals, eg gates or stiles, on completion of the work to a standard the highway authority is satisfied with
make sure there are no notices that prevent or discourage the use of a public right of way
add signs where a public right of way leaves metalled roads
make sure the public’s rights to use a public right of way are protected
make sure landowners carry out their duties, and take action if they don’t
No mention of surfaced or unsurfaced other than the addition of signs where a RoW leaves a metalled road.The highway authority must:
keep the surface of public rights of way which are maintained at public expense in a fit state for public use
make sure obstructions are removed
maintain some bridges over natural watercourses, including farm ditches
provide at least a 25% contribution to landowners’ costs for replacing and maintaining structures for the control of animals, eg gates or stiles, on completion of the work to a standard the highway authority is satisfied with
make sure there are no notices that prevent or discourage the use of a public right of way
add signs where a public right of way leaves metalled roads
make sure the public’s rights to use a public right of way are protected
make sure landowners carry out their duties, and take action if they don’t
The HA are only responsible for maintaining those PRoW which are maintained at public expense - adopted, in other words. They aren't responsible for maintaining unadopted ones. The county council did recently replace the sign where our footpath comes off the lane, but there were questions at the parish council meeting the other night about how long they'll be funding stiles.
Gassing Station | Off Road | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff