Off road motorbikes
Discussion
Are they all tossers? They don't slow for me off road, they often pass very close nearly hitting me, sometimes flicking big stones into my face(reving up like they want to), they tear down signs that say they can't ride there, they don't slow for walkers or kids, the police often have to stop them, they destroy paths and green lanes etc etc
In the four years I have lived in the peak district I reckon only 20% of them have been considerate and that about 30% have been out of order...! They all seem to think they are the hardman. Watching them at petrol stations they are such bullies to car owners. They make my blood boil. Maybe it's just the Sheffield and Chesterfield meat heads...!?
In the four years I have lived in the peak district I reckon only 20% of them have been considerate and that about 30% have been out of order...! They all seem to think they are the hardman. Watching them at petrol stations they are such bullies to car owners. They make my blood boil. Maybe it's just the Sheffield and Chesterfield meat heads...!?
????
We aren't all meat heads who purposefully come past close and roost you (flick stones) at you - it may happen accidentally but there are some riders who will do it if they think ( moronically) that you have held them up- its not right but its mainly unintentional.
You may find that some signs that have been put up are illegal and so we may have a good reason to remove them.
Unfortunately as with any adrenaline fuelled sport there can be a little bolshiness, but bullying car owners at petrol stations I dont know how you'd do that?
Remeber that if you are on a Byway Open to All Traffic then you are governed by the standard traffic laws (and so are we), if you feel someone rode in a dangerous manner then please report them to your local police who can deal with the matter.
I ride all bikes pedal and motorised, one thing i do find is that many MTB'ers are listening to mp3 players and are unaware of a motorbike approaching due to the level of music playing in their ears, they then get a shock when they are overtaken ( normally after I've warned them with a friendly pip on the horn ). I'm not saying you do but if you are listening to an MP3 player whilst riding then you need to have it at a level at which you are still able to hear approaching traffic without being frightened by it.
Personally I have been stopped by a lady cyclist who thought it was her god given right to berate be for riding along a ( wait for it......) footpath. I pointed out that if it were a footpath then neither should she be on it and that it was in fact a byway open to all traffic, then pointed at my map showing the green crosses of bywayness ( red if you have the wrong scale map) and asked her to take a note of my reg no. so that she could take it up with the authorities if she had any more of a problem with me being on a legal byway. She stropped off in her ignorance and probably came and ranted on mumsnet forum or something.
Another time a guy swung and hit me in the arm ( fairly hard) with his rucksac as I came past- THAT is another story which I wont be recounting how it all ended but it wasnt one which I rode away from without stopping and his rucsac probably didnt have many unbroken bits inside it.
By contrast the other day some 'tard on his mtb wiped me out in thetford forest whilst I was Mtb ing on the Beast run - but I dont think we are all bad attitude cyclists from that incident either.
Just some thoughts from both sides of the metaphorical fence.
We aren't all meat heads who purposefully come past close and roost you (flick stones) at you - it may happen accidentally but there are some riders who will do it if they think ( moronically) that you have held them up- its not right but its mainly unintentional.
You may find that some signs that have been put up are illegal and so we may have a good reason to remove them.
Unfortunately as with any adrenaline fuelled sport there can be a little bolshiness, but bullying car owners at petrol stations I dont know how you'd do that?
Remeber that if you are on a Byway Open to All Traffic then you are governed by the standard traffic laws (and so are we), if you feel someone rode in a dangerous manner then please report them to your local police who can deal with the matter.
I ride all bikes pedal and motorised, one thing i do find is that many MTB'ers are listening to mp3 players and are unaware of a motorbike approaching due to the level of music playing in their ears, they then get a shock when they are overtaken ( normally after I've warned them with a friendly pip on the horn ). I'm not saying you do but if you are listening to an MP3 player whilst riding then you need to have it at a level at which you are still able to hear approaching traffic without being frightened by it.
Personally I have been stopped by a lady cyclist who thought it was her god given right to berate be for riding along a ( wait for it......) footpath. I pointed out that if it were a footpath then neither should she be on it and that it was in fact a byway open to all traffic, then pointed at my map showing the green crosses of bywayness ( red if you have the wrong scale map) and asked her to take a note of my reg no. so that she could take it up with the authorities if she had any more of a problem with me being on a legal byway. She stropped off in her ignorance and probably came and ranted on mumsnet forum or something.
Another time a guy swung and hit me in the arm ( fairly hard) with his rucksac as I came past- THAT is another story which I wont be recounting how it all ended but it wasnt one which I rode away from without stopping and his rucsac probably didnt have many unbroken bits inside it.
By contrast the other day some 'tard on his mtb wiped me out in thetford forest whilst I was Mtb ing on the Beast run - but I dont think we are all bad attitude cyclists from that incident either.
Just some thoughts from both sides of the metaphorical fence.
I dont really see to many around now. The police have finally started to target them and the bikers have either given up or found a new place to terroise. on the whole the few we saw would have illegal bikes (no silencers etc), be drinking alcohol, wearing all the expensive fox protective gear but no helmet (go figure) and ride down pretty much any path that they could find. They are easy enough to spot though, they will have knackered transits covered in "monster" energy drink stickers.....
i feel sorry for the legal green-laners who get attacked by ramblers and the like on RUPPs or BOATs just like I get annoyed when I'm on a bridlepath and i get stopped by walkers trying to tell me its a footpath but a small minority make life harder for everyone....
i feel sorry for the legal green-laners who get attacked by ramblers and the like on RUPPs or BOATs just like I get annoyed when I'm on a bridlepath and i get stopped by walkers trying to tell me its a footpath but a small minority make life harder for everyone....
Thanks hman but am afaid these are riders flicking stones when I am out of their way, sometimes stanidng to one side holding my bike up out of the way. The signs are legal and are the councils. The bullying is revving and crowding yummy mummies at petrol stations when they dont like the way they have parked at a pump for instance.
I dont wear an MP3 ever on a bike.
I always get out of the way of the motorbikers but never see much courtesy from them. dont get me started on the quad bikers.
They are gradually banning these bikers from the area which can only be a good thing.
I dont wear an MP3 ever on a bike.
I always get out of the way of the motorbikers but never see much courtesy from them. dont get me started on the quad bikers.
They are gradually banning these bikers from the area which can only be a good thing.
oh dear, sounds like theres some rogue elements up your way. I've never seen that sort of behaviour anywhere ( and I've been laning for 5 years or so now) - perhaps its just the people from around your way?
So to summarise,
No we are not all Tossers.
Yes there are always a few bad apples.
You cant tar all the off road motorcyclists with the same brush
I dont like quads either ( they get in the way and I cant see the purpose of them )but I cant see why they would be anyworse behaved than their two wheeled counter parts.
Rather than whinging on here why dont you report them for :
Threatening behaviour
Dangerous driving / Driving without due care and attention
Trespass
If they dont have number plates then they arent one of us so maybe thats where the problem lies - what you might be witnessing is illegal riders???? if they are legal then you have a means to get this localised behaviour sorted via the correct channels.
Or you could always approach them and tell them to stop what they are doing, its a bit dissapointing that you stand by whilst they seemingly intimidate others, and then come on here ranting about it- MTFU.
So to summarise,
No we are not all Tossers.
Yes there are always a few bad apples.
You cant tar all the off road motorcyclists with the same brush
I dont like quads either ( they get in the way and I cant see the purpose of them )but I cant see why they would be anyworse behaved than their two wheeled counter parts.
Rather than whinging on here why dont you report them for :
Threatening behaviour
Dangerous driving / Driving without due care and attention
Trespass
If they dont have number plates then they arent one of us so maybe thats where the problem lies - what you might be witnessing is illegal riders???? if they are legal then you have a means to get this localised behaviour sorted via the correct channels.
Or you could always approach them and tell them to stop what they are doing, its a bit dissapointing that you stand by whilst they seemingly intimidate others, and then come on here ranting about it- MTFU.
One of me v's 5 to 10 of them. "Please beat me up". No thanks!
They dont all have number plates. And to be honest I dont get involved with the police in these situations. By the time I realise they are the tosser versions they are off into the distance. I am venting on here to see if I am the only person. I know of plenty of others where I live that have had problems albeit mainly horse riders.
They dont all have number plates. And to be honest I dont get involved with the police in these situations. By the time I realise they are the tosser versions they are off into the distance. I am venting on here to see if I am the only person. I know of plenty of others where I live that have had problems albeit mainly horse riders.
i'm actually considering selling my off road motorbike as i've never encountered so much resistance and aggravation from the public over any vehicle i've owned before. the staggering attitude problems i've experienced when doing absolutely nothing illegal or wrong whatsoever have pretty much put me off offroad riding.
there are a lot of holier than thou people out there who know nothing of traffic law but just don't like offroad motorbikes and frankly, if i have to keep dealing with them it will be a matter of time before i end up f
king battering one.
there are a lot of holier than thou people out there who know nothing of traffic law but just don't like offroad motorbikes and frankly, if i have to keep dealing with them it will be a matter of time before i end up f
king battering one.I was thinking about this the other day when my brother-in-law was showing me his new pit bike in their back paddock.
It dawned on me why people find them so offensive, and it's because they're so flipping noisy! Even a four stroke engine sounds like a mental chainsaw that can be heard for miles. I feel for his neighbours.
If I was walking, on horseback, or on a bike on a lovely trail in the Peaks then hearing something from a long distance approach, splatter me with stones (or not i fyou are careful) and burn off into the distance, then that would get my back up for sure.
I've been on the other end of this. I always chuckle about the walker who nearly committed suicide under the wheels of my old Lada Niva (the brakes were never that good!) as they decided to step in front of me, arm outstretched waving, hankie over their mouth. I was only driving slowly through to the Savernake Forest car park, so wasn't even properly off road (wouldn't trust that old banger in the real wilds!).
But my point is that even in ignorance, I was still offending someone. We can't win in this small country so inevitably someone will lose out.
It dawned on me why people find them so offensive, and it's because they're so flipping noisy! Even a four stroke engine sounds like a mental chainsaw that can be heard for miles. I feel for his neighbours.
If I was walking, on horseback, or on a bike on a lovely trail in the Peaks then hearing something from a long distance approach, splatter me with stones (or not i fyou are careful) and burn off into the distance, then that would get my back up for sure.
I've been on the other end of this. I always chuckle about the walker who nearly committed suicide under the wheels of my old Lada Niva (the brakes were never that good!) as they decided to step in front of me, arm outstretched waving, hankie over their mouth. I was only driving slowly through to the Savernake Forest car park, so wasn't even properly off road (wouldn't trust that old banger in the real wilds!).
But my point is that even in ignorance, I was still offending someone. We can't win in this small country so inevitably someone will lose out.
prand said:
I was thinking about this the other day when my brother-in-law was showing me his new pit bike in their back paddock.
It dawned on me why people find them so offensive, and it's because they're so flipping noisy! Even a four stroke engine sounds like a mental chainsaw that can be heard for miles. I feel for his neighbours.
If I was walking, on horseback, or on a bike on a lovely trail in the Peaks then hearing something from a long distance approach, splatter me with stones (or not i fyou are careful) and burn off into the distance, then that would get my back up for sure.
I've been on the other end of this. I always chuckle about the walker who nearly committed suicide under the wheels of my old Lada Niva (the brakes were never that good!) as they decided to step in front of me, arm outstretched waving, hankie over their mouth. I was only driving slowly through to the Savernake Forest car park, so wasn't even properly off road (wouldn't trust that old banger in the real wilds!).
But my point is that even in ignorance, I was still offending someone. We can't win in this small country so inevitably someone will lose out.
Exactly. Well, i'll just have to focus on road riding again instead.It dawned on me why people find them so offensive, and it's because they're so flipping noisy! Even a four stroke engine sounds like a mental chainsaw that can be heard for miles. I feel for his neighbours.
If I was walking, on horseback, or on a bike on a lovely trail in the Peaks then hearing something from a long distance approach, splatter me with stones (or not i fyou are careful) and burn off into the distance, then that would get my back up for sure.
I've been on the other end of this. I always chuckle about the walker who nearly committed suicide under the wheels of my old Lada Niva (the brakes were never that good!) as they decided to step in front of me, arm outstretched waving, hankie over their mouth. I was only driving slowly through to the Savernake Forest car park, so wasn't even properly off road (wouldn't trust that old banger in the real wilds!).
But my point is that even in ignorance, I was still offending someone. We can't win in this small country so inevitably someone will lose out.
Hmmm 4 years of analysis and experience and first post on the topic. Hasty no. Generalisation? Clearly my experiences are simply that, my experiences. I am happy to accept that there are well behaved off road motor cyclists. I have even recognised that with my rough %s above. Is my post emotive, absolutely. You try being on the receiving end on a regular basis and then try and post a constructive statement. But hey this is pistonheads!
paranoid airbag said:
As a cyclist, posting on a car-related internet forum, I'd have thought you'd be familiar with the concept of hasty generalisations.
I know what you mean - I think in any environment, land, sea or air there are people on one vehicle having a go at others.Surfers/boogie boarders
Skiers/Snowboarders
Planes/Helicopters (made this up - do they moan about each other?)
Sailing boats/motor boats
Cars/motorbikes
Cars/horses
Cars/pedestrians
Cars/cyclists
And so on...!
Gazzab said:
Hmmm 4 years of analysis and experience and first post on the topic. Hasty no. Generalisation? Clearly my experiences are simply that, my experiences. I am happy to accept that there are well behaved off road motor cyclists. I have even recognised that with my rough %s above. Is my post emotive, absolutely. You try being on the receiving end on a regular basis and then try and post a constructive statement. But hey this is pistonheads!
Fair enough - yes I do know it's difficult to 'post a constructive statement', when you're internally raging about how you feel you've been treated - but look at your original post and honestly say you don't see a similarity between that and the monthly flamefest in GG about how effing cyclists all jump red lights one nearly ran me down last week blah blah blah... I think the points being amde about generalisations are wrong, its clear there are two types of off road motorcylist. the legal ones who we have already established are nice and stick to designated RoWs. Then there are the morons who ride illegally on various patches of land and dont give a st about anyone else.
i dont think anyone is saying that they are one and the same, jsut that the ones most mountain bikers encounter (by virtue of being on bridleways) are the morons. Rarely do i ride on RUPPs or BOATs as they tend not to be all that inspiring for a mountain biker hence i dont meet the nice off roaders on my rides.
t about anyone else. i dont think anyone is saying that they are one and the same, jsut that the ones most mountain bikers encounter (by virtue of being on bridleways) are the morons. Rarely do i ride on RUPPs or BOATs as they tend not to be all that inspiring for a mountain biker hence i dont meet the nice off roaders on my rides.
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