Public footpaths, do you ride them?

[jimo746]

I've always used them carefully when I've had to, getting off and pushing if necessary (especially when coming across other users)

That's a good point, a little common courtesy goes a long way, I'll always say "hello" and slow down or stop to allow walkers to pass, the vast majority ive encountered have no issue with bikes on the footpaths, it's the few inconsiderate bikers that fly past at full speed, maybe chasing that Strava KOM, that piss people off.

 

[bowser]

Re:

Sometimes it's a bit of a dark area if I see a footpath sign I tend to give it a miss if possible
If it's a concessionary path I'll give it a try but always give way to other users
As you say some bridleways tend to disappear or turn into footpaths
If I'm using a trail that's unfamiliar I tend to use google maps or view ranger to suss it out
I'm not really into riding trail centres
Much prefer natural trails
Sometimes I use canal towpaths also but don't quote me on the right of way on these
Lol.

 

[themountie]

I sometimes use them if there is no other choice

 

[RickTheUncivil]

I am fortunate enough to work on a large green site with lots of public paths crossing it, so I use them for my lunchtime ride. Not many (any) people use them in office hours!
Other areas I would avoid a footpath and stick to shared tracks etc.
As above, courtesy and all that. But I do get miffed when I’m barrelling along a bridal path or whatnot and walkers make themselves into an obstacle, intentionally getting in the way with calls of ‘you shouldn’t be riding here!”. I nearly flattened a jack russel off a lead one time and the guy was pissed at me (I was well impressed with the huge bunnyhop) so stopped and had a discussion with them. He wouldn’t back down so I left him to it, next time I might not bunnyhop!

 

[M-Power]

Re:

Im hoping that BC manages to get access all areas in the UK, like in Scotland. TMay is an active rambler so doubt she will support it. I do ride on them but always slow down and stop to let walkers and pet owners go past. Since riding more in Herts i have yet to have a terse encounter. i honestly believe its a lot to do with treating others with courtesy and respect. I have always been like this even in my super fit yoof, on the SDW for example.

Good point made about strava. Said this before, modern mountainbikers look more like cyborgs/motocross riders and some selfish @$$0s dont pass others at a safe speed, especially on a narrow trail. This all gives a others trail users a neg perception of us. Most of us on here are closer to middle age and i would venture to say, are more considerate.

 

[ti_pin_man]

a while ago I recall an erosion survey that concluded that in most cases bikes eroded the path no more than the same number of boots and shoes crossing the same point but there were some vagaries about the report. It certainly concluded horse wear was much much greater.

Our wonderful, and it is wonderful, mapping of footpaths and bridleways was done locally back in the day before mountain bikes and it certainly lacked joined up co-ordination, hence one person classifying a trail as a path and another a bridleway, often where a person surveyed ended at a county border where another person surveyed it from the other side, sometimes giving a different result. I also suspect some local 'persuasion' was used by land owners wanting, or not wanting, a path to be classified by actually what it was used for. Lots of the lead mining Pennines trails stop half way, its crazy to think the pones stopped mid trail and turned around. Or that coffin ponies taking a corpse to a cemetery would similarly stop. but it is what it is.

I have used footpaths and in more urban areas nobody really seems bothered but out on the hills its more get orf myyy lannnddd. When I have, I have always shown respect to people I meet been friendly and walked if I feel its needed. I used to ride up to the top of killhope law on a footpath a lot, all of it was a 4x4 type track till the quarter miles of moorland, it made a great loop and didn't make the trail worse.

So, yes I have but with care and respect. SKiddies are for kiddies.

 

[Matthews]

Re:

We are living in an age of selfishness and ignorance I'm afraid , no one has yet mentioned what a footpath actually is or more correctly in this day and age after the CROW act was , if you dig through all the waffle and poo you'll eventually find out that the term footpath has no real meaning , it used to be a route that exempted the user from the prosecution of trespass (a minefield of civil law in itself and only enforceable under strict criteria if damage to the land could be proved) but as we now have "the right to roam" ie the exemption from prosecution of trespass everywhere then the term footpath basically doesn't exist anymore , a footway on the other hand (along the side of the road or pavement to you and me) you are not allowed to ride upon and is legally enforceable to prosecution (under RTA I believe).
Next time you get grief for riding on a "footpath " by a walker you may want to point out they don't exist anymore because all the walking groups lobbied the government and got them all abolished due to the CROW act , that'll really confuse them .
The bottom line is we are becoming a more and more selfish society who is blinkered in our outlook , I once got a load of grief from an old couple on the cleveland way because the sign's said footpath , the fact we were riding on a road (technically speaking as it was a paved part of the old pack horse trail ) was lost on them , all they could see was the misleading signpost .
Yes I ride on footpaths but am selective about where and am always curtious to other users .
Essay over

 

[legrandefromage]

I tried, honestly but I'm preparing din dins and things'll burn if I dont quit snoring through this

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/37/contents

 

[Matthews]

Re:

Hope din dins didn't burn and as I ain't ploughing through all that here's a condensed version
A footpath is the right to pass and repass without being prosecuted for trespass on foot (hence footpath) , I'm going to ignore all the CROW rubbish as no-one understands it anyway but to most ramblers it seems they are free to go and do what they want , from our perspective if we are on a footpath (or anywhere else for that matter other than some higher status ROW) we can be prosecuted for trespass under civil law (not criminal law I'm 99% certain), to be prosecuted for trespass the landowner has to instigate these proceedings , has to prove we have done damage , has to have been given our details (name address etc) and can only claim for a very petty amount with respect to the damage we have done (something stupid like £10 per 100feet but he has to prove we did the damage ), trespass is a very outdated offence and is unbelievably difficult to enforce hence why it has fallen into lack of use .
I'm not saying it's right to ride on footpaths but just pointing out some of the myths , after all just ask a rambler how they got all there so called rights , err wasn't it something called the Mass Trespass if my memory serves me right , pot and kettle springs to mind .

 

[mattr]

I use footpaths/footways/goat tracks/bridle ways........ everything up to, but not including motorways.

But then we don't have the UKs outdated access laws here......