Summer's gone (what summer?) and the ride- outs are coming through again... Sorry Andy, can't join you, I've posted a ride already but it gives the group a choice- must be good. Bob
Not our fault at all. Sensibly riding on a legal lane. Fell foul of a pair of very lairy locals, the woman in particular was rude, aggressive and very unpleasant. Stood in the way and stopped us leaving. I'm sure Andy will fill you in on the details in due course....
Needless to say it is a fully legal lane, nicely lawned at one end, illegally blocked at the other. I'm sure we will return to it soon enough!!
Remember that lane from C2C well worth a visit for a quick nip through, though I rekon the river crossing is a must with armbands (thats the next lane near by).
To keep you all in the picture... The group was having a good ride with a fairly quick pace being maintained when I tried to find the Eastern end of 180-154. There was no sight of it so we rode round to the SW end and descended the lane from there. As we rounded the bend near the main road we found that some smallish trees had been cut down to block the lane. I set to with my 'excaliber' and a couple of the others walked through and reported that the lane had a fence across it and several bits of tree to camouflage the deed. Just then Kevin and Jean came racing into view and said we were trespasing. They, Kevin and Jean, were foul-mouthed and shouting so I rang the Police as we were all being intimidated by Kevin and his agressive behaviour. Jean blocked the lane so we couldn't return and so we were illegally detained in the lane for nearly 2 hours. The Police came and thankfully moved Jean away from us and took all our details. Then the traffic squad turned up and we were 'allowed' by Kevin and Jean (it is a legal UCR and their permission was not required) to ride back up the lane. The lane was very overgrown and on the way down it was a real battle for me to force my way through so it was equally as difficult to get back up. The Traffic Police then took all our details and inspected the lawn that has been grown over the UCR at the farm. Kevin and Jean were complaining we'd torn up the lawn but theTraffic cops said they could hardly see where we'd ridden! The offshoot of all this was that one of us was riding without an MOT and we were all warned about the size of our numberplates. The Traffic Police said it could all be sorted out on Monday. Shortly after I managed to talk to BigJim who confirmed the lane appears on the Land Charges Map and it is shown as an ORPA on the 1:25000 mapping. I am considering a civil case of illegal detention on Her Majesty's highway against Kevin and Jean. Just out of interest Kevin and Jean do not own or live at the Farm at the SW end but they are neighbours.
-- Edited by Fixer on Saturday 12th of September 2009 10:40:17 PM
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I do know where I'm going, but the track it will decide, It's not the destination, It's the glory of the ride!
Just googled Bouchland Farm- looked at it on the map and satellite. The road is shown on the map and there is a lovely picture of the lawn where the road should be- Better take croquet hoops with us next time we go.
Hi Fixer What a waste of perfectly good riding time by a pair of meddling individuals.
A bit of a fag, but I would totally agree with civil action, though that seems more than they were being towards you.
Such a conrtast with my experience of yesterday when riding a Cornwall lane, thickly grown in with greenery we came across 16 ladies in their seventies and eighties walking in the other direction. We stopped, absorbed ourselves into the greenery and had to put up with a barage of light hearted banter and humerous observations of our predicament of meeting such a gaggle of women enjoying the perfect walking and riding weather. Really don't expect to have to put up with such pleasantness when I'm out trying to be an uncouth roughshod biker on the public highway.
Sorry not to have been on your run anyway. But you cannot have everything.
