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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think these dog walkers are bonkers.

161 replies

QuebecBagnet · 30/08/2022 21:02

So at the weekend me and a mate went mountain biking in a local wood. The wood is totally private property and owned by the local cycle shop. No public right of way at all. There is a sign by the entrance saying “bike trail”. You used to have to be a member of the shop’s cycling club to use it but think they’ve stopped that now (I’m a member anyway).

it’s a proper mountain bike track, single track, twisty through the trees, loads of jumps and berms. It’s admittedly not very well used and I’m often the only person there when I go.

we came across two different groups of dog walkers on the path. First one a solo woman with an off lead dog. The second lot a group of 5-6 people with 5-6 off lead dogs. Dogs were running infront of the people (out of their sight) and I nearly flattened them as I came round a bend. First dog was growling and snarling and baring it’s teeth at me. We obviously stopped until the owners came running and put them on leads. They were apologetic about the dogs

I Politely pointed out it’s not a public right of way and they just sort of shrugged and said it’s a nice walk and that maybe we should go slower! They seemed so adamant that it was ok them being there that I came home and checked the OS map and definitely no right of way. No where near a right of way.

Why would they walk on a single track mountain bike trail? It’s dangerous for me as well as them!

OP posts:
cowskeepingmeupatnight · 30/08/2022 22:18

Dog owner here and I have normally I dig my heels in when people say I shouldn’t have her off lead in a park or bring her to a café etc. However, I would never take her to her mountain biking area. Far too dangerous. I also have a wood near me which is private and where dogs are banned because of the grouse hunting - I don’t like it but I respect it, and people should respect a private wood for mountain bikers as well. Lord knows they would all hit the roof (rightly) if you were mountain biking in a public area.

StClare101 · 30/08/2022 22:43

Owners need to put up a massive “private property, no trespassing, no pedestrians or dogs” sign up

Lockheart · 30/08/2022 22:49

What is the signage like? You mention a sign saying "bike trail" but is it clear that there is a bike trail only and it is private land? If not, I can understand the confusion - people see other people going in, assume they can too.

It sounds like the owners need clearer signage, and possibly a lock to stop unauthorised access.

MissMaple82 · 30/08/2022 22:54

🥱 🥱 🥱 was it really growling amdbsnarling and baring it's teeth though?? Doubt it!! Dramatics society springs to mind

Whiskeypowers · 30/08/2022 22:55

They shouldn’t be there.

it would also be nice if dog walkers and people with young children could have similar dedicated spaces where they don’t run the risk of being mown down by cyclists on bikes going a zillion miles an hour and not even alerting anyone to their presence.

can someone make that happen please

UWhatNow · 30/08/2022 23:02

Entitled dipshit dog owners. To be expected - they’re fucking everywhere now. Even in shops!

MzHz · 30/08/2022 23:12

QuebecBagnet · 30/08/2022 22:18

Crazy. Reminds me of the angry picnic man demanding the combine harvester stop combining because his picnic was getting crop dust in it! 🙈

Show quote history

Oh I saw that, it was near us apparently! What a dick!

Scianel · 30/08/2022 23:17

I suspect some if the initial responders have no idea what a bike park is. Yes the cyclists need to go fast, no they're ot wearing knee pads and eye protection as a fashion statement.

Offandonagain · 30/08/2022 23:20

Lampyshady · 30/08/2022 21:29

They technically shouldn’t be there but it’s still up to you not to hurt them by riding your bike dangerously fast into them or their dogs-that would probably be a criminal offence whereas trespassing isn’t. So maybe their advice to go slower and watch out for people wasn’t too far off the mark-surely you could have hit another bike anyway if you were going that fast?
also it sounds odd that you’re allowed to go on the land if you’re a member of the public that has a bike but not if you don’t have a bike-surely it’s either private land that no one can use without express permission or it’s not.

A typical reply of a non mountain biker

Scianel · 30/08/2022 23:28

also it sounds odd that you’re allowed to go on the land if you’re a member of the public that has a bike but not if you don’t have a bike-surely it’s either private land that no one can use without express permission or it’s not

Would you take your dog for a walk round a Go Kart track or think its weird that its reserved for Go Karts? Same principle.

Maybe you could try it and demand they slow down, see how you get on. Report back.

Brigante9 · 30/08/2022 23:33

Did you tell them they need permission to use it and it’s only for bikes? I’d be cross with them, especially with a bloody growly dog! I don’t care if it’s a good walk, if it’s private, they have no right to be there.

Lampyshady · 31/08/2022 00:04

even if the signs are made clearer, entitled people will still think it's ok to ramble about wherever they choose. As for anyone thinking you should slow down and watch out for pedestrians WHO SHOULDN'T BE THERE, words fail me!**

im not saying that people should walk there dogs there, I wouldn’t do it, but the fact is that people do and cyclists should have been mindful of this-the OP said they had already seen one dog walker so knew crashing into someone was a possibility yet still thought it was ok to go round a blind corner so fast that they ‘nearly flattened” a dog. I don’t know much about mountain biking, but this seems really dangerous-surely you shouldn’t be that out of control on a corner. What is there was another cyclist stopped or going slower on the path ahead.
of course you should watch out for trespassers-it’s not ok to mow them down with a bike and seriously injure them as a punishment for them walking where they shouldn’t! That’s like saying you shouldn’t watch out for pedestrians while driving because they shouldn’t step out on the road.

NellBeau · 31/08/2022 00:14

YANBU

Bike trail means bike trail, the sign shouldn’t have to specify no pedestrians or that it’s private property. If it’s a bike trail it should be obvious you don’t walk there!

DorritLittle · 31/08/2022 00:15

I don't walk in woods marked private property but I do expect a clear sign so I know it isn't a public path.

blockpavingismynightmare · 31/08/2022 00:37

I walk my dogs in a local park every day. It is a beautiful place where wildfowl live on the lake. There are paths and trails all around it. There are signs telling people how to behave. People are expected to keep their dogs under control in areas near to the water. There are signs saying 'no cycling', 'no barbecuing', 'no fires'.
During Covid the 'no cycling' signs were stepped up everywhere.

There were lots of people on bikes on the roads at that time. Some of them looked positively dangerous riding old bikes without any form of head protection. It made sense to let these people ride safely in the park but the signs were everywhere.

In this park, people encourage their dogs into the water. You see it all the time. It is particularly bad when the ducks have their young - people still seem to think it is OK to let their dogs enter the lake despite the signs saying don't.
They barbecue under trees - you really could not make it up. One day I saw police on motorbikes talking to people who had a fire under the pine trees...

They have picnics and leave all their rubbish behind. They fill the dog poo bins and when they are full they simply leave rubbish on the grass.

I have no problem with cyclists at all. I just wish they would let me know they are behind me by ringing their bell so I can get out of the way instead of winding around me at speed and making me jump. There has been more than one time when cyclists have nearly hit my dogs.

Why can't people behave decently? We are supposed to be grown up !

Hawkins001 · 31/08/2022 00:45

That's the link for the story about the picnic.

All the best op

Willyoujustbequiet · 31/08/2022 00:48

If there have been walkers there for years there is arguably a ROW by presumption and it doesn't matter if its private land.

Hawkins001 · 31/08/2022 00:51

Willyoujustbequiet · 31/08/2022 00:48

If there have been walkers there for years there is arguably a ROW by presumption and it doesn't matter if its private land.

Could the walkers be sued for tresspass as it's a civil offence, put up cameras or issue fines ?

justfiveminutes · 31/08/2022 01:59

Willyoujustbequiet · 31/08/2022 00:48

If there have been walkers there for years there is arguably a ROW by presumption and it doesn't matter if its private land.

It is something like 20 years of unchallenged access before a ROW is established.

justfiveminutes · 31/08/2022 02:03

MissMaple82 · 30/08/2022 22:54

🥱 🥱 🥱 was it really growling amdbsnarling and baring it's teeth though?? Doubt it!! Dramatics society springs to mind

Not sure why op would lie on an anonymous forum inviting opinions. We don't usually call posters liars on mn do we? And, being regularly out either walking my dog or cycling, I can tell you that many dogs do exactly that if you surprise them.

justfiveminutes · 31/08/2022 02:08

"What is the signage like? You mention a sign saying "bike trail" but is it clear that there is a bike trail only and it is private land? If not, I can understand the confusion - people see other people going in, assume they can too."

Maybe but their response - to shrug, say it's a nice walk and tell op to slow down - is still wrong. Instead, they could have said they didn't realise that they shouldn't be there and apologise. Their reaction suggests that they knew they shouldn't be there, or at least that they didn't care.

BogRollBOGOF · 31/08/2022 04:15

Unfortunately a lot of thick, entitled people think it's their divine right to have a spoilt, uncontrolled fur baby dog, and that their dog has rights to all open space. Especially if it's a puppy or friendly

Last year DS was winded and distressed when a dog bounded up to him and jumped up putting pressure on his abdomen. Aparently it was our fault for having the audacity to take a child for a walk in the "dog walking woods". It's actually a nature reserve with clear signage that dogs must be on leads and on the main path to avoid disturbance to ground nesting birds. There are no rules about taking a child in to walk around the main path.

WiddlinDiddlin · 31/08/2022 04:28

They sound nuts... but..

Are they aware EXACTLY what 'bike trail' in this context means, because I think if they were... they wouldn't be there.

To me, mountain bike trail = the fast lane on a motorway for mountain bikes. Likelyhood of low-flying, high speed cyclist to the face/back/knees at any second. High risk of broken bones and possible death. Do not stand/walk here.

However to some people 'bike trail' = mum and dad and kid on a princess bike tootling along at 3mph gazing at the flowers and the trees and maybe stopping for a picnic.

So I would suggest stronger signage in the first place, which is not your fault it is the responsibility of the land owners really.

Scottishskifun · 31/08/2022 04:35

It sounds like the shop needs to put in stronger signage including only bikes and risk of injury etc

No they shouldn't have been walking on it if in England or Wales if in Scotland there is the freedom to roam act which would allow access.

You might find it's become a walk left over from covid lockdowns when it wasn't being used as a mountain bike track and people were trying to find new places/entertain themselves slightly.
But now back in use they shouldn't be on it because it is dangerous.

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