Rogue riders: how to find a workable solution?

[YUMEYA]

I do not understand why legit riders get banned because of rogue riders. When a farm closes it`s borders to legit riders it does not solve the problem of rogue riders. The rogue riders will still be riding on the farms.

Go rogue

[Mr X]

Go rogue

 

I will NEVER! turn to the rogue side NEVER!!!!

[stringbean]

I don't understand these 5 pages of BS.Didn't the rider at Contermans have a bike board and wasn't he a club member?Bike board or club member means nothing if you still have a **** attitude.

[Hellwarp]

I do not understand why legit riders get banned because of rogue riders. When a farm closes it`s borders to legit riders it does not solve the problem of rogue riders. The rogue riders will still be riding on the farms.

 

No they won't, any cyclist is then regarded as "not supposed to be there" and treated as such. Singletracks get closed with fallen trees etc etc. It's easy to make a farm unattractive for cyclists. Landowners don't want to get tied up in controlling who is "legit" and who is not, much less hassle to just ban completely.

[(Deon)]

I had a *** day today! Spent so much time closing a small portion of illegal trails.. and now I am being told to just legalise them.. do people not understand ANYTHING about requests for trails and the process that follows?

[Cassie]

OK here goes...

 

I'm from the area and most the the club know how I feel but feel I must share my part here. I'm niot a member for many reason but will only share a few.

 

1. If every where I ride requires n bike board my bike would look worse than an christmas tree. I DO NOT DO BIKE BOARDS.

No Board = No ride!! There is no other way to identify bona fide club members who have negotiated the right to ride on the private land...yes, all of it is private land.

 

2. This trails was start free and open for all. Then about year later some farms want indemnity forms because of the volumes. They then said oh ok then members only. THIS was going to always be problem.

It was never legal for you to ride there...the fact that you did this "illegally" for the past xx years does NOT justify it now...{ some farmers might have tolerated it in the past, but i can assure you they want a consolidated, controlled land access via a club}

 

3. The club started as road cycling club. Now membership which is mtb and road together. I don't do road, never have and never will have road bike so I will be paying for someone else road club activity. No way

Weak arguement!! it might have started out as a road club in the 1990's but who cares? As of today there is ~650 members, of which 500 are MTB'ers...you do the math - is this still a roadie club?? Ok, perhaps your math is like that of certain politicians...i'll do it for you...NO, the Wannabee club has a 23% road cyclist component, some who also MTB...If you've been to the recent AGM, you'd also see how the income was distributed towards road /MTB...Personally, i also do not own a road bike, nor ride on tar!! Please don not spoil my off-road pleasure!!

 

4. They tried to convince me they route (90-95%) farm road is a bargain 150% the price my jonkershoek year permit cost. Really come on.

yes, it's farm roads / vineyards etc. with some ST in-between...so what? where else do you want to ride ~100km non tar surfaces 5-10min from your house? C'mon really, are you serious?? Your'e welcome to stick to 30km of tar before you get to Jonkershoek!! Me, I'll enjoy the benefits of belonging to the club - and still get to Jonkers...just off-road. Do not tell me the R350 per year subs is too much??? PM me, i might help you out if you need...

 

5. Some of the farms people have been riding for many many years before this club came along. Now they want to force them to pay..... not nice.

Like I said, some farmers might have been tolerant...in the 80's perhaps! Now they are not after money, they are after a structured, bona fide cycling club to develop /maintain routes on their land...all of which you want to take for granted??? C'mon ...not nice of you!

 

6. I have never seen or heard that the club give anything back into the farm community. So I believe all the farms care about is the indemnity. I think they care if they are member or not. In recently events at kliprug I believe the rouge riders is not the main reason for farms closing off but the incredible rudeness of some riders towards the farm workers/managers/owners/etc.

Really, since you are such a big carer, giver to the farming community...I take it that this issue is close to your heart.. Please contact the club chairman to find out the latest done for the farming community...then I'll challenge you to do the same...Have you seen the Southey Vines public track that has been developed? your'e welcome to go cycle there, courtesy of Wannabee cycling club!!

 

I have stop using these trails mostly expect for the bits where I have gotten my own permission to cross.

Please supply the club with the written proof of these "bits" of private permission - we will then look into how you can access that without cycling on the Wannabee trails...you talk about "cross" does this mean from one tresspass to another?

 

just my 2c.

 

I suggest you wake up and smell the coffee - oh, yes, that is the only benefit that the road cyclists get from my membership fee - the odd cuppa and muffin on a club ride...

 

End of discussion - please stay off the route untill you get a membership board...

[Cassie]

Carrot or the stick. While I appreciate what the club is trying to do, making it another members only area and demanding membership is a pain.

 

I'm a member of 4 cycling clubs/associations, two of which are solely for land access.

Ditto here! But what can you do? Ride rogue or join the club?? Be part of the problem or part of the solution?

 

Instead of trying to force people to join a club that they don't want to join, make it easier to ride your trails. Where are the day fees? A season permit?

This avenue is being actively explored - soon yuo will be able to get a permit type ofaccess from certain / all bike shops and/or access point on the farms..But seriously, what is the difference between a season permit and an annual subs? If you join after June each year it costs R180...so no real difference - It's like 6 visits to Jonkers @ R25...

 

And what about people who had permission to ride some of those routes before the Wannabees came along? I was riding those thoroughfares (with permission) before the Wannabees was a glint in Errol's eye.

I've heard that arguement quite a few times, most of wjhich are likely not true. But (as in your case) perhaps if you can get that proof to the club...they can make some arrangement for you? But by joining the club (for a reasonable fee in my eyes...) you get so much more - like unlimited access to a ~100km of off-road cycling...not just the 1 or 2 farms who you got access to in the past? what more can one want??

[whattingh]

There is a road going from rathby to anondale rd. Lyngrove said I can cycling long it. I only do this for commute to work.

 

as for your 5min from home, I have a MUCH beter play ground even closer now and I paid lot more for a membership there cause it is worth it to me. Your clubs argument of number of coffee is what a membership cost is not valid for me. It like to say you can pay R500k for an Uno cause it get you to work. Yes it does but it still not worth that money. I have seen you money distribution agree to at the AGM so for me only wanting to ride some of your trail would have paid the MTB = 37% of your membership fee.

 

Jonkershoek year permit is R200 per person, R300 per family of 4 and it give you access to some other cape pine places as well. That is worth it as it has the best trails in the Cape.

 

AND do not stress I don't ride your trails anymore. I have no need to or want to anymore.

[Karakoram]

 

 

AND do not stress I don't ride your trails anymore. I have no need to or want to anymore.

Good. One rogue-rider less to worry about.

[Caerus]

I had a *** day today! Spent so much time closing a small portion of illegal trails.. and now I am being told to just legalise them.. do people not understand ANYTHING about requests for trails and the process that follows?

Some people are just morons and oxygen thieves.

[Karakoram]

As club members, who very much like riding the Helderberg MTB trails, we are currently seeking permission to man random checkpoints on the route. The club has to regulate their own trail usage, or stand to lose them. The idea is to cycle out and spend an hour or two at a random point and to engage with unregistered cyclists attempting to pass the checkpoint.

 

This is a voluntary exercise, but we hope set the trend for other club members to follow. The club has built infrastructure on the route, i.e. bridging ditches and streams and the idea is to request non-club members to join the club and not to use the our infrastructure until such time as they have become members. Effectively they have to turn back or find another way to cross a ditch or river.

[Hardtailrider]

This entire thread is both very interesting and alarming to me. I'm part of a small group in the Ladismith area looking into ways of opening up local MTB trails around the Klein Karoo. Many of the factors mentioned here i.e. what's in it for the farm owner , how to control access, indemnity issues, rescuing an injured rider etc etc - too many to mention here - are going through our minds. I'm not sure who on this forum/TheHub has the most experience of setting up clubs/trail building within a structured system but I'd really like to open discussions with like-minded people for the benefit of all MTBers who'd appreciate having access to some awesome trails around Ladismith!!!

[Pappa Bear]

As club members, who very much like riding the Helderberg MTB trails, we are currently seeking permission to man random checkpoints on the route. The club has to regulate their own trail usage, or stand to lose them. The idea is to cycle out and spend an hour or two at a random point and to engage with unregistered cyclists attempting to pass the checkpoint.

 

This is a voluntary exercise, but we hope set the trend for other club members to follow. The club has built infrastructure on the route, i.e. bridging ditches and streams and the idea is to request non-club members to joint the club and not to use the our infrastructure until such time as they have become members. Effectively they have to turn back or find another way to cross a ditch or river.

 

Would your 2nd para also be applicable to non members who paid a day rate?

[Mr X]

As club members, who very much like riding the Helderberg MTB trails, we are currently seeking permission to man random checkpoints on the route. The club has to regulate their own trail usage, or stand to lose them. The idea is to cycle out and spend an hour or two at a random point and to engage with unregistered cyclists attempting to pass the checkpoint.

 

This is a voluntary exercise, but we hope set the trend for other club members to follow. The club has built infrastructure on the route, i.e. bridging ditches and streams and the idea is to request non-club members to joint the club and not to use the our infrastructure until such time as they have become members. Effectively they have to turn back or find another way to cross a ditch or river.

 

This is the core of the problem. Being lenient. I do not believe education and requests to join a club will make any difference. In fact it will encourage rogue riding when they know that there will be no harsh actions. Rogue riders know they are rogue, they need a proper "moering".

[Mr X]

We need a few "trespassers will be prosecuted" signs and then we form a gang and bust the crap out of the rogues!

[Karakoram]

Would your 2nd para also be applicable to non members who paid a day rate?

I am not aware of a day rate system for the route. It is a members only route. The club has an annual, as well as a discounted half-year fee should you decide to join after mid-year. Seems to work well for the 650 members of the club. Main member including a bike board for 2014 is only R350. Additional family member including a bike board is R250 per member. See http://wannabteam.co.za/w/annual-subs/subs-select/ Members can enjoy the trails as much they like. The club has riding events (mtb and road) 6 days of the week.