GLASS/CRAG/NERC etc

Well, I let my GLASS sub lapse, given their inability to affect the NERC bill and their total lack of any action in my area, my local off-road group FoDRoW are far more active, averaging one lane clearance per month.

What use are GLASS post NERC? What use are CRAG? Do they do anything at all? They appear to be totally invisible.. Has anyone found either to be of any use in any way, shape or form? I used to support GLASS but am not sure exactly what use they are any more.

Reply to
Ian Rawlings
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Ian, there is a lot going on behind the scenes which comes out in the current GLASS mag.

I have become increasingly frustrated at exec meetings because our current project has had to be played very close to the chest.

Give me a ring on the 0845 number for GLASS if you want and I will then ring you back, although I am away from tommorrow evening for the weekend,. I am currently printing the current batch of renewal notices as Dawn is at work......... grrrrrrrr

-- To reply direct rot13 me

bURRt the 101 Camper

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200TDi Disco with rotten floor 200 TDi DIsco, "the offroader" 1976 S3 Lightweight
Reply to
Simon Isaacs

Hopefully it'll go up on the website too, given that as a non-member I don't get the GLASS mag any more.

If it involves tar, feathers and burning down the houses of parliament then please count me in.

OK I'll do so tomorrow if I get the chance, I'm assuming you won't be on the phones tonight!

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

Interesting. I was just on the point of renewing my GLASS membership after a lapse of a few years. Perhaps there is little point, as it seems the government is determined to eliminate the activity. I am of the opinion that since they are going to out-law it I might as well ignore the law anyway and drive where I like. Certainly such activity would be incompatible with GLASS membership.

Might spend the money on something else instead now

Alex

Reply to
Alex

On or around Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:19:37 +0100, Alex enlightened us thusly:

Lets face it, the previous government would not allow anyone or anything to deflect it from introducing legislation it hade decided on, so the attempt to defeat NERC was doomed from the start, but the attempt has to be made or we may as well just roll over and accept whatever "they" want to land on us. Hence why I still sign petitions etc.

I think it's a bit unfair to dismiss GLASS simply on the strength of the NERC thing or on the basis of one area. As with so many things, it's the members who make the organisation...

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Beware, I know directly of one case where a farmer called the police to a group who had strayed onto one of his lanes, each driver got 3 points on his license 8-(. Greg

Reply to
Greg

Like the young lady who didnt seem to be wearing an awful lot that you had on the stand at Eastnor... ;)

--

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The 101 Forward Control Club and Register

Reply to
Tom Woods

I let my membership laps also for a couple of reasons the nerc thing was one the other being an article in the mag by the chaiman of the time (I think he was called Nick Blundle but I cant really remember (too much cheep stella)) who wanted us all to stop driving our own motors and car share when out on the lanes I think this was a vague attempt at being right on but i and probably most others enjoy the driving part in fact its kind of the whole point ( imo for what its worth) Icky

Reply to
icky

Only if they catch u.... I'd like to see a panda car negotiate a muddy rutted lane.

Alex

Reply to
Alex

They don't have to get you there, under rules bought in to tackle doughnutting chavs the policeman doesn't even have to be a witness, just has to believe that you have committed an offence. They've also been using helicopters to chase bikers, which seems like a total waste of resources.

Here's the blurb, note the bit about "where he has reasonable grounds for believing that a motor vehicle has been used on any occasion in a manner" contravening the act.

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Not sure if they could make it stand up in court if you took it that far, but I doubt they'd need "proof", it depends on what section of law it comes under.

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

They'd not have to chase you down the lane, I reckon. Just wait at the end for you to come along it. As most of 'em seem to have video in car nowadays, there's the evidence for the court, too:-(

On the other hand, if it's not a right of way of *any* sort, wouldn't it just be a civil case for trespass?

It also says further down that section that the penalty can only be incurred if you don't stop when he asks you. This could be tricky, if the only way out is back the way you came....

Tciao for Now!

John.

Reply to
John Williamson

No, it'd be nabbing under the new rules *and* a civil case of trespass I'll bet! I'd read elsewhere that this new set of rules over-rides the trespass stuff so even if you find a RoW blocked, you can be done if you use the original right to drive around the obstacle, not sure how true that is.

On the mud club webshite, some chaps reckon they were driving a RoW and got lost on a farm track and asked the farmer where the RoW was. He blocked them in with some of his workers and took their keys then called the police and the chaps ended up getting points and a fine.

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

I'll stand corrected on that, then. I'm well out of practice.

A touch unfriendly, if it was a genuine mistake:-/

Understandable if they were the "n"th group that weekend, though, or the second or third time for that group on that farmer's land recently. We don't know the whole story. Did he ask them to leave first & did they refuse, for instance? Had any signs indicating the location of a right of way been removed?

I know might may well be right & all that, but potentially, the farmer could also be in trouble, as the act refers to a "constable in uniform", not just any member of the public, making an arrest (The blocking of their exit route & removal of their means of departure by taking the keys could be seen as constituting arrest.), possibly assault if threats were made, & a court could well decide that the presence of a group of farm workers acting in a threatening manner constituted assault, under common law going back at least a couple of centuries.

Is there a URL for the story? maybe a reference in the local paper?

The barrier in the act does seem awfully low, too. "Annoyance" could just be somebody disliking the colour...(Said *slightly* tongue in cheek...)

Tciao for Now!

John.

Reply to
John Williamson

Don't stand too corrected, I'm not sure meself!

Apparently the farmer is decidedly RoW-hostile, some are like that, I've seen stories from horse riders of some farmers who deliberately try to scare horses by driving tractors at them and all that kind of thing. So far I've never had any trouble from farmers, they either give you that "daft townie" look that they give just about anyone, or shout at you then calm down and act friendly when you talk to them, or just give you a wave, or talk your arm off if given a chance. Never had any sustained hostility so far.

No idea, and of course we only get the 4x4 driver's side of the story, but the farmer does have a bit of a reputation for going over the top apparently.

There's a URL here, but you have to be registered with mud-club to read the thread, it's quite long and not really worth trying to sum up as it'll just beg more questions, all of which will be answered in the thread itself.

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If you read it you'll see the rush to assume the farmer is wrong from some folks, including assuming this was all happening on a legal RoW and people trying to organise protests, despite the event actually happening on the farmer's land where there was no right to drive. There's also the usual hysterics about vehicles being crushed if you so much as move one centimetre off-line etc etc.

As for taking the keys, I'm pretty sure that the farmer wasn't acting legally there, but with legal matters the devil is in the detail, and the detail is what we ain't got.

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

More research needed, then;-)

I must admit it's ages since I went on a lane. Work keeps getting in the way... Plus, I've no had chance to look for any round the Potteries since I moved here a while ago. (OK, it's been 6 years...) I never had any hostile reactions back when I did, though.

OK, then.

I'll log on as soon as they let me. I've just asked for registration... I've got a couple of quiet days next week while I'm shifting some kids round France...

A natural reaction, I suppose.

True. It's also a matter as to whether the drivers would want to press charges, or would even realise the legal situation while it was happening. We're all good at this in hindsight with the reference book to hand:-)

Tciao for Now!

John.

Reply to
John Williamson

On or around Fri, 29 Jun 2007 10:46:46 +0100, Tom Woods enlightened us thusly:

well, yeah. can't beat a bit of totty for drawing the punters, innit.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

On or around Sat, 30 Jun 2007 08:38:49 +0100, Ian Rawlings enlightened us thusly:

I've seen both sides, and seen what the effect of large groups over-using one route is - you end up with a lane that the farmer can no longer use to access the land, even with a tractor, unless he either mends it himself, gets the council to mend it or some group like FoDROW or GLASS get it together to mend it. Probably the fact that FODROW is so active in this respect leads to a better relationship with the farmers and landowners, who will perceive the advantage. The chance of councils mending isolated lanes that go "nowhere" is bloody slim, they've not got the money to maintain the main roads to a decent standard, or so it seems. The council, in the absence of organisations to speak up for ROW, will just slap a TRO on it, as has happened to many routes around here.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

I meant to ask if the Sunday was any better - your original stand was a bit off the beaten track as it were...

Steve

Reply to
steve

On or around Sun, 01 Jul 2007 00:32:32 -0700, " snipped-for-privacy@thetaylorfamily.org.uk" enlightened us thusly:

we picked it up and carried it up to beside the beer tent. and yes, it was considerably better :-) Although the beer was too temptingly close at

3-quid-odd a pint.
Reply to
Austin Shackles

Now I've read the entire thread, there does seem to be some confusion & provocation on both sides. 2 lanes in close proximity, one legal, one not, with no clear indication as to which one they were on.

I'll just sit here on this nice comfy fence, I think, & watch the fun:-D

I doubt a protest as envisaged by some would have the desired effect, though.

Tciao for Now!

John.

Reply to
John Williamson

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