Whilst walking through Staghills Woods today I had the misfortune to come across a quad biker churning up the ground in the woods. This quad biker then came down the tarmacked road at Sandybank towards Bacup Road. A minute later another quad bike type machine came roaring up the tarmacked path at speed. The driver saw me and slowed down (although had I been closer to the bend he had just come round I doubt if he would have had the time to slow down). He came past me and I mouthed my displeasure at him. The driver then stopped and a heated argument ensued. I told the driver that trees were coming down in areas of the woods because of people like him going into the woods (the topsoil is being ripped up, causing erosion and roots being exposed etc). The original quad biker then arrived and joined the other quad biker. The second quad biker claimed that his quad bike was not an off roader and that neither he nor his mate went off roading in the woods. I pointed out that I had just seen his mate in the woods and that whilst he might not go into the woods he had driven like a lunatic. He acknowledged this. but both riders claimed that they had every right to go wherever they wished so long as they were taxed and insured, with one bloke claiming that a policeman had told him this. They also claimed that it was dirt bikers who caused all the problems in the woods and that they had only just bought their quad bikes. A work colleague, who lives on Top Barn Lane, has had problems in the past with dirt bikers in the woods. he was punched in the face a few years ago when he asked them to cut the noise out when his kids were going to bed. Fortunately my argument didn't lead to fisticuffs. As I understand it the law states that off roading is only allowed where there is permission from the land owner, which I am sure has not been given.
Does anybody else have experience of similar problems and is it worth me talking to the police? I have previously mentioned this to one of the local countryside rangers but nothing appears to have happened
Reading The Free Press recently there was a breakdown of all Home Office crime categories about 50 in total, stating a % increase or decrease, only four of the fifty showed a decrease, one of which was 'Assault on a Constable', my theory is they can't be assaulted if they're not there and they're not. Sorry Kevin the type of behaviour you have witnessed is totally illegal but the powers that be can't or wont do anything about it. I have had similar problems near my home and through The Glen tunnel reporting it to The Police only to be told if you get a photo and their names and addresses we'll inform the land owner, I was then asked 'who does own the land' is it the Council or Network Rail.? The fact of the matter is The Police are within their rights to confiscate the vehicles but they wont.
We had a spate dirt bikes in our area for a while and had a good response from the police, the next thing to say is it is a very "GREY" area. If they cross or drive along a public highway they need all the relevant docs ie, licence, insurance, tax, mot [if more than three years old], they must be of road design, brakes, lights,horn, indicators reg plate etc.
If they are not used on a public highway they need nothing, but do need the land owners permission, and should still be driven in a safe manor.
I would be amazed if the gents you encountered adhered to any of this criteria.
The best course of action that we found was to photograph the bikes and area if possible, also get a grid reference or nearest post code and ring 101 with this info and date and time, ask for a report number and follow it up especially if it happens again, get residents assistance if possible, you may actually avoid an accident involving innocent members of the public.
