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Peak District -Off roaders

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postman P
postman Oct 28, 2012 17:49:25
Replying to bladup

Yep, sometimes I'll not get involved in a discussion precisely because I have an opinion that most will not agree with. I don't mind opinions to the contrary one bit, I can opinionate either way.
Of course I agree with you wholeheartedly about driving around the countryside getting on peoples nerves, but as with most things I'm in two minds about it, schizophrenia seems to be a way of life for me, I can see both points of view in everything, and I mean everything, and I always come down on the underdogs side, whether I share their opinion or not, especially as there not here to defend themselves. all I want is a bit of tolerance and understanding, that doesn't mean they can trash our heritage, everything in its place .
And I certainly do agree that theres too many cars on the road, and its good to go somewhere that cars can't go. Pollution free would be fantastic, I would certainly buy one if they were in my price range, but as everyone knows we are purposely being kept in the oil dependency stage of life.

I was being a bit apocryphal about driving up a mountain, a bit tongue in cheek maybe, but would we walk up somewhere when theres a perfectly good road, I cant think of any examples except Monte Toro on Menorca. I have to walk every day as my work demands it, so I hope you can understand why I sometimes find it a bit galling to have to walk on my day off as well, galling but no imposition, people at work reckon I'm mad to go climb a mountain on my day off, whilst the most they do is a bit of gardening. But I also reckon its a bit mad. But isn't driving a hundred miles to see a stone in a field a bit mad. People think trainspotters are sad and mad but I guess they can rationalise it perfectly as well.

B bladup
bladup Oct 28, 2012 18:20:48
Replying to postman

postman wrote:
Yep, sometimes I'll not get involved in a discussion precisely because I have an opinion that most will not agree with. I don't mind opinions to the contrary one bit, I can opinionate either way.
Of course I agree with you wholeheartedly about driving around the countryside getting on peoples nerves, but as with most things I'm in two minds about it, schizophrenia seems to be a way of life for me, I can see both points of view in everything, and I mean everything, and I always come down on the underdogs side, whether I share their opinion or not, especially as there not here to defend themselves. all I want is a bit of tolerance and understanding, that doesn't mean they can trash our heritage, everything in its place .
And I certainly do agree that theres too many cars on the road, and its good to go somewhere that cars can't go. Pollution free would be fantastic, I would certainly buy one if they were in my price range, but as everyone knows we are purposely being kept in the oil dependency stage of life.

I was being a bit apocryphal about driving up a mountain, a bit tongue in cheek maybe, but would we walk up somewhere when theres a perfectly good road, I cant think of any examples except Monte Toro on Menorca. I have to walk every day as my work demands it, so I hope you can understand why I sometimes find it a bit galling to have to walk on my day off as well, galling but no imposition, people at work reckon I'm mad to go climb a mountain on my day off, whilst the most they do is a bit of gardening. But I also reckon its a bit mad. But isn't driving a hundred miles to see a stone in a field a bit mad. People think trainspotters are sad and mad but I guess they can rationalise it perfectly as well.

Yeah walking at work and walking at play, you must have some quality knees there sir, and they'd probably still think you was mad/different even if they didn't know what you did, and after all that walking i bet it really does feel great to let the car do some of the work for you [just not up mountains you cheeky bugger], and seeing things from both sides is always great and i wish i could be a bit more like that myself [sometimes!].

T thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 28, 2012 18:31:42
Replying to postman

I've deliberately avoided this thread, and I think my opinions might surprise quite a few people on here. I love walking and I don't drive. I use public transport to get to loads of places. But this doesn't make me anti-motor vehicles.

I don't see outdoor access by motorvehicles (motorbikes or 4x4s) as being incompatibe with what we do at all. I spent my teenage years sitting in a trials sidecar most weekends, getting out into Shropshire and Mid-Wales. My interest in the countryside and in that part of the world stems directly from those trips. As a member of the Byways and Bridleways Trust and LARA, my Dad spent the last 20 years of his life campaigning to keep rights of way open, for walkers, horseriders and also byways for vehicles. He very much believed in the maxim "once a highway, always a highway". He also believed that access should be for everyone.

As with most things, in my opinion the problems stem from (1) a minority of idiots and (2) overuse. Ths is true with walkers in the mountains, climbers on rock and with this subject too. In much of my walking expericence, horses' hooves have caused worse damage to paths than motor vehicles. Tractors, which use country green lanes because the farmer either owns the land himself or has a private right of way (as opposed to any kind of public right) are also very damaging. The damage caused by motorcycles and 4x4s used on public rights of way by the public (not the landowners) is very small in comparison.

In terms of pollution, etc, far bigger strides could be made if parents took their kids to local schools without using cars, if people walked to the shops rather than driving half a mile. These would be far more beneficial to the environment than stopping a fairly small number of off-road users from getting out into the countryside.

Regarding motor users in the Peaks specifically, it's a bit old now, but see the headline story here:

http://www.laragb.org/LARA-news/ln25.pdf