Farms blocking access to public land.

[Smolly]

edited!

Edited December 27, 2011 by Smolster

[Christopher Brunsdon]

What gets me is that I'm no longer allowed to enter Lourensford Estate on my bike with my daughter in her chair to go to the coffee shop on the farm because others ruin it for me. My grudge is not against the farm owner (who is also a client of my wife so we know kinda know her), but the selfish riders that cause the farm owners to prevent access in order to protect their rights.

[SwissVan]

WOW a few things here that are hard to believe...

 

In no particular order of importance:

 

1. Sauser a bona fida Swiss citizen got thrown off some farm (ok so thrown might be an exaggeration) he ignored the farmer... LOL..... took the “law” into his own hands and got escorted off....bigger LOL.....

Agree totally he should know better that SA is not CH and farmland in SA is definitely not remotely like that in CH.

2. The hate spewing out of some keyboards, sis manne what happened to the good natured South Africans and their friendliness?

 

Well I guess that shatters the belief that the Swiss don’t break any rules, needless to say I’m thinking now that his family back home will be muttering something along the lines that it must be the bad South African influence rubbing off on him and that’s what happens if you spend so much time in a place. He'd better be carefull, carry on like that and he'll loose that red passport and get a green mamba instead...

Edited December 26, 2011 by SwissVan

[Daideron]

I have always thought highly of Christoph, and to hear this is quite a shock to be honest. I always say there are two sides to a story, but I'm struggling to see a side for Christoph that could justify what he did.

I dont think it is necessary to be nasty towards him, but I am very dissapointed to hear that this is how he behaved, and he is very lucky that further action was not taken against him.

Sorry Christoph, I would love to think you were justified, but I just cannot agree with what you did. You should accept responsibility and make a public apology.

[flymango]

Context people, context. Was this perhaps the Green Corridor between Contermans and Meerendal? Recent area of dispute? Day 1 route for Epic next year? Only speculating. Not saying what's right or wrong!!

[arendoog]

Sounds like he is a white supremist and a spy .ses van die beste vir die windgat switsertjie en hy moet om verskoning vra!

[Tumbleweed]

Context people, context. Was this perhaps the Green Corridor between Contermans and Meerendal? Recent area of dispute? Day 1 route for Epic next year? Only speculating. Not saying what's right or wrong!!

 

Interesting...can you elaborate on this?

[Hellwarp]

Context people, context. Was this perhaps the Green Corridor between Contermans and Meerendal? Recent area of dispute? Day 1 route for Epic next year? Only speculating. Not saying what's right or wrong!!

 

This is highly speculative but if it was "green corridor" and it was part of the Epic route, would it make any difference? Fact is that the corridor is closed. So anybody making use of it is jeopardizing the possibility of having it reopened.

 

Because a lot of the prime riding areas in SA are on private land some local riders knowingly trespass to get access to such areas. And over time I think it has become "accepted" by many as the norm with a sort of "worry about it when we get caught" kind of attitude.

Problem with this is that sooner or later the landowner gets fed up and takes action preventing further riding. To reverse that situation isn't easy. In the development of our trails we had to do a fair amount of negotiating and in some cases pleading with landowners to get access. And we're their friends and neighbours!

So naturally there are conditions and rules that apply. You have to stick to the marked trails and you have to display a bikeboard or day permit(armband). So what happens, you end up with a percentage of freeloaders who couldn't give a damn.

What they don't have the foresight to see is that if this continues we will make it annual permit only which means the "out of towners" won't have the opportunity to ride our trails. Of course if that doesn't help then the only remaining option is to close the trails and ban all riding in the area completely.

"Yeah right, how you gonna do that?" Believe me it very simple, all farmers will cooperate to see that no cycling takes place on their land.

 

So once again its the typical case of a few spoiling it for the rest.

Solutions? I think there are, the attitude of a number of mountainbikers needs to be changed. Paying riders need to confront riders that are trespassing. The mindset needs to be one of lets cooperate and abide by the rules and in that way get more private landowners to allow us access. Or at least show our appreciation for allowing us access in the first place by abiding by the rules.

 

It's beyond me why people think that its fine to break the law and trespass and then complain like the rest of us about the high levels of crime in our country. Or moan about the fact that part of a trail has been closed...

 

What happened with the "green corridor" is a very good example of what can happen if landowners get fed up. In that case it was only the green corridor, what happens when its half the trails, or all the trails? Where to then?

Edited December 27, 2011 by Hellwarp

[NotSoBigBen]

I am assuming the 'facts' as presented in the original post are 100% accurate and received 1st hand?

 

This being the 'ub I am rather sceptical

[TNT1]

I am assuming the 'facts' as presented in the original post are 100% accurate and received 1st hand?

 

This being the 'ub I am rather sceptical

 

Go to Susi's twit feed for the other side...

[Danger Dassie]

I am assuming the 'facts' as presented in the original post are 100% accurate and received 1st hand?

 

This being the 'ub I am rather sceptical

 

About the only thing is the Sauser's tweet. As you say, sceptical.

 

"@sauserwind Christoph Sauser

got my safrican private land lession. never feels good to turn around w escort. hate to be teached since kindergarden"

 

All else aside though, reckon Hellwarp's post puts it into context though as far land access generally goes.

Despite what the 'legalities' and our own personal views on land ownership may or may not be.

[flymango]

Interesting...can you elaborate on this?

Purely speculative.

[BergForce]

The context - he jumped the fence at Lourensford after being turned away at the gate, he wanted to go over between Helderberg and Stellenboschberg. The farmer on the other side also would have caught him probably. I think he is lucky to just have been escorted out of Lourensford.

[onetrackmind]

The context - he jumped the fence at Lourensford after being turned away at the gate, he wanted to go over between Helderberg and Stellenboschberg. The farmer on the other side also would have caught him probably. I think he is lucky to just have been escorted out of Lourensford.

Would it not be ironic if one of the Epic's favourite sons was to be the catalyst that saw Lourensford telling Mr Vermaak and co to get stuffed.

 

Chop

 

*Disclaimer: presuming the above is true, of course.

[Christopher Brunsdon]

The context - he jumped the fence at Lourensford after being turned away at the gate, he wanted to go over between Helderberg and Stellenboschberg. The farmer on the other side also would have caught him probably. I think he is lucky to just have been escorted out of Lourensford.

 

Where the hell did he jump the fence then? Did you try and enter by the labours entrance next to the boom gate or did go past Erenvale but that would have required him to trespass on the Nature Reserve which is a no cycling area?

 

EDIT: Actions like this get me as I'm miss cycling to the Coffee Company in Lourensford on Sunday mornings. I have to suffer because of the actions of others.

[GLuvsMtb]

This thread sums up 2011 on the hub. Some oke posts his version of the truth, and everyone throws in their 5c's. I would like to hear Suzi's version of what happened. I've met him on quite a few occasions and he does a lot of good work for Songo.info, so all of you showing him the "door" should be willing to jump in and contribute when he decides to go.

 

We as mountain bikers should take the time to educate and support fellow riders, not belittle them at every opportunity we get. Hopefully if any of you ever have the privelage to ride with one of the world's best, you can take it up with him then and come back with what really happened.