Motorcycle Explorer February 2015 Issue 4 | Page 210

L
ast month we carried an introduction to trail riding in the UK, and looked at the basics of
preparation for bike and body and established which routes were likely to be legal and which
were not.
This month we are going to describe some of the UK’s best riding areas and routes and talk a bit
about the practicalities of riding.
The first and most important thing to remember is that the routes we use by right are also shared
with others. They have as much right to be there as we have, and in many cases the rights of
motorized users such as ourselves are hanging by a fairly fragile thread.
There are a number of reasons for this, only some of which are legitimate, but leaving aside the
rights and wrongs of the argument, it’s best not to give those who would like us banished any
more ammunition than they already have. The Trail Riders Fellowship has a Code of Conduct,
which you can view here:
http://www.trf.org.uk/about-us/code-of-conduct.html
Stick to it, and you are unlikely to give anyone legitimate cause for upset.
Follow this link for an article which gives some interesting insights into the attitudes, good and
bad, that can be provoked by encounters between trail riders and others.
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/illegal-offroad-driving-peak-district
Remember, that while you may well be confident that you are riding on a vehicular right of way,
plenty of the people you meet will not realise this and won’t expect to encounter a motorcyclist.
It’s wise to slow down and give folk plenty of time to collect their dogs and children, then pass
them as quietly as you can. Cheerful greetings help.
Horses present another problem. Most well-trained horses will be OK with motorcycles: but
some find the appearance of helmeted riders a bit disquieting. If horses are approaching the best
thing to do is stop the bike, stop the engine and start talking quietly to the horse rider. The sound
of your voice will assure the horse that there is a human being inside the Darth Vader costume. If
the horse is still hesitant, get your helmet off and keep chatting away.
Top tip: horses love Polo Mints!
If you find you are approaching a horse from behind then hang back and wait for instructions
from the rider. She will likely signal you to pass at a suitable point. Again go by as quietly as you
can, and accelerate away gently once you are well clear.
As a general rule, it’s best to keep speed down to a level where you can stop in half the distance
you can see ahead: you never know who, or what, might be coming the opposite way, and it could
be a tractor with a very sharp spike on the front.