Paper roads

**monchopper** · 10th March 2009, 13:55

I was exploring a couple of paper roads yesterday and found them to have locked gates on them.
Today I've rang the company which has the gates locked and they believe the gates aren't on the legal line and that the paper road has no vehicular access anyway.
So I rang the council concerned and there roading engineer got out their maps/ aerial photos etc and it appears the gate is on the legal line but the marked track doesn't follow the legal line 100% of the way.
The paper road in question goes through a forestry block and it looks like the company has planted trees on the legal line where it deviates from the formed track!!!
It raises the question who is more wronger.
Me for riding my bike on the formed track and going off the legal line for 20 meters.
Or them for causing me GBH when I hit an illegally planted tree whilst trying to keep to the legal line??
I will keep you posted on the outcome.

**Maha** · 10th March 2009, 13:59

We live in a small town and on a paper road, even a cop stopped once and asked where the hell is number 'whatever'?
Our road goes through a playground and some council flats, which is where the confusion comes from....and it can get a bit soggy in winter.

**CookMySock** · 10th March 2009, 14:59

Originally Posted by Maha

We live in a small town and on a paper road, even a cop stopped once and asked where the hell is number 'whatever'?

Didja tell him to get bent?

@monchopper, cough, nah it will be interesting to see the outcome. I just lurrrve lighting fuses on things like that..

Pity you couldn't be a fly on the wall and watch the ensuing argument.

Keep an eye on the place - someone will be down there with a chainsaw before long "remedying" the problem. Haha, you should go do it yourself.. "shrug, they were in the middle of the road, officer.."

Steve

**monchopper** · 10th March 2009, 16:12

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Didja tell him to get bent?

@monchopper, cough, nah it will be interesting to see the outcome. I just lurrrve lighting fuses on things like that..

Pity you couldn't be a fly on the wall and watch the ensuing argument.

Keep an eye on the place - someone will be down there with a chainsaw before long "remedying" the problem. Haha, you should go do it yourself.. "shrug, they were in the middle of the road, officer.."

Steve

It turns out that basically the Council have a major shareholding in the forestry parent company so the issue should be resolved quickly.
(I suppose as a rate payer I'm a stakeholder)

The Roading Engineer at the council was a great guy, I will be using him alot in my crusade to get those gates open that should be open.

I was pissed off yesterday, after having spent along time mapping out the route, making sure the roads were legit etc only find a locked gate! The guy I spoke to at the forestry company basically told me to f@ck off when I challenged him on it this morning so he pissed me off even more than I already was.

**Peril** · 10th March 2009, 16:50

Originally Posted by monchopper

I was pissed off yesterday, after having spent along time mapping out the route, making sure the roads were legit etc only find a locked gate! The guy I spoke to at the forestry company basically told me to f@ck off when I challenged him on it this morning so he pissed me off even more than I already was.

Bolt cutters and a hacksaw in your tool kit from now on?

**junkmanjoe** · 10th March 2009, 16:55

we have paper council roads that go through private forest blocks up here as well,
im trying to get a key so we can ride through there soon, ya just have to be sooo nice to the suits sometimes, its yucky......

should just cut the lock and cain it,

**monchopper** · 10th March 2009, 17:11

Originally Posted by junkmanjoe

we have paper council roads that go through private forest blocks up here as well,
im trying to get a key so we can ride through there soon, ya just have to be sooo nice to the suits sometimes, its yucky......

should just cut the lock and cain it,

The point is the gates shouldn't be locked in the first place if they are on a paper road.
In the words of Rage against the Machine.
"Now action must be taken we don't the key we'll break in"

The chain on the gate in question was a big Mofo we would've needed a grinder.

**thepom** · 10th March 2009, 17:31

where is this road as I see your location is london ha ha ....

**monchopper** · 10th March 2009, 18:00

Originally Posted by thepom

where is this road as I see your location is london ha ha ....

Updated!

The road is in Canterbury NZ!

Although I have long history of taking a stand against nazi bastards trying to take away our roading rights in the UK as well!

**junkmanjoe** · 10th March 2009, 18:04

i have however got us through a locked gate over private maori land, it took a fair bit off arse licking to get it, and a golden hand shake as well......

as the paper road is now under the sea,,,, bugger.

**monchopper** · 10th March 2009, 18:05

We might have to organise a ride through this forest when/if the chains come off. 30 or 40 bikes blazing a trail through this reclaimed route.

**junkmanjoe** · 10th March 2009, 18:11

it sucks but i just have to be a nice boy, and say yes sir thank you sir, other wize my request falls on deaf ears....
was great back in the late 80's just ride on through and where you wanted......the good ole days aye......

**Racing Dave** · 11th March 2009, 07:43

Are you prepared to say where it is?

**Winston001** · 11th March 2009, 08:07

Monchopper is right about the gate being unlawfully locked. However be careful about paper roads. Many were surveyed in England from maps drawn by early explorers and go straight up cliffs.

Leaving that aside, often tracks on the ground are only an approximation of the actual roadline and cross private land. For that reason polite enquiry is the best approach.