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Thread: Ilkley Moor MTB'ing

  1. #21
    Grandmaster IanDarkpeak's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MorganW View Post
    Since the accident I have had exchanges with at least a dozen folk who all have tales of near misses on the Moor with MTB'ers. Others tell me that they feel it necessary to be more protective of their children whilst out than otherwise would be the case because of fast riding.

    Pedestrians have an unrestricted right to be on the Moor. MTB'ers have a right but only via the Protocol. This isn't unrestricted. It forbids riding in certain spots and asks for full compliance with the Code. It's the bikers who carry these obligations. Those obligations were completely ignored in my case and there are clearly other circumstances in which you can raise the same issue that haven't ended so badly. That is why it seemed right to raise the issue with the landowner and why their press release and the follow up article in the Ilkley Gazette came to pass.

    I would welcome the chance to have a discussion with the reckless rider, the more so as things have developed. I was pretty sanguine about the incident to begin with, less so now with the ever extending recovery period and the brutal pain involved in that process. But knowing that he understands the havoc that he reeked and all the consequences that flowed from his foolish riding together with a "lessons learned" chat would be a positive to come out of this. But that looks unlikely now.

    I am not clear what the law is with regard to accidents "off road". In truth it never occurred to me to turn that way. Though it's pretty clear that in light of Rule 4 of the Code, any civil action for damages for personal injury would be a shoe-in. I'd rather spend my time focussing on recovery rather than chasing someone down that road.

    Thanks for your best wishes. I suspect I need them!
    Why not write an article for Mountain Bike UK about it, not as "I want to hang the Guy" but more as an educational piece. attach some xrays and photos of the bruising...might elicit some feed back.

  2. #22
    Master MorganW's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak View Post
    Why not write an article for Mountain Bike UK about it, not as "I want to hang the Guy" but more as an educational piece. attach some xrays and photos of the bruising...might elicit some feed back.
    Must get hold of the x-rays on my next visit, they were quite dramatic....
    The only one who can tell you "You can't" is you. And you don't have to listen.

  3. #23
    Master MorganW's Avatar
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    Further news.

    On Saturday, my wife was out for a run on the Moor and was approaching the path junction where I was run down. When she was about 10 yards away 3 bikes, 2 airborne, rocketed through the junction at speed.

    Unluckily for them, she bumped into them in the White Wells car park when they were racking their bikes. It wasn't a productive discussion, best summarised by the view they expressed that: "We didn't hit anyone so what's your problem....?"

    As a result this morning I spent 2 hours on the Moor examining the relevant downhill "track" (which starts close to the Badger Stone and finishes on the cross path that connects White Wells with Keighley Gate Road) with Bradford Council's Manager for Ilkley Moor. We discussed a range of options to try and ensure that bikers were better aware of other Moor users and to ensure that path junctions are approached at sensible speeds.

    We also surveyed the considerable erosion and related environmental damage that is being caused on this particular descent.

    Some re-routing is under consideration as is the use of some physical barriers or other features to slow riders down at obvious points where a lack of common sense could trigger user conflict.

    It's good to see the landowner responding to circumstances and to see them prepared to act if the bikers themselves won't obey the simple rules under the Protocol. After all, they only ride on this land by concession; pedestrians have a right to be there.

    Just to be clear, and to record my answer to a question I was asked earlier today, I am not in favour of withdrawing the Protocol (effectively a ban); but much more foolishness and I might well change my mind.
    The only one who can tell you "You can't" is you. And you don't have to listen.

  4. #24
    Having cycled from Leeds to Burnley on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal towpath recently, where pedestrians have the right of way over cyclists, I have noticed barriers (in addition to normal livestock gates/stiles etc) specifically designed to force cyclists to dismount (ie slow down) but which provide no hindrance to pedestrians.

    I suggest only physical barriers will deter the sort of people (!) that Alison and you have encountered on Ilkley Moor.

    Quote Originally Posted by MorganW View Post
    Further news.

    On Saturday, my wife was out for a run on the Moor and was approaching the path junction where I was run down. When she was about 10 yards away 3 bikes, 2 airborne, rocketed through the junction at speed.

    Unluckily for them, she bumped into them in the White Wells car park when they were racking their bikes. It wasn't a productive discussion, best summarised by the view they expressed that: "We didn't hit anyone so what's your problem....?"

    As a result this morning I spent 2 hours on the Moor examining the relevant downhill "track" (which starts close to the Badger Stone and finishes on the cross path that connects White Wells with Keighley Gate Road) with Bradford Council's Manager for Ilkley Moor. We discussed a range of options to try and ensure that bikers were better aware of other Moor users and to ensure that path junctions are approached at sensible speeds.

    We also surveyed the considerable erosion and related environmental damage that is being caused on this particular descent.

    Some re-routing is under consideration as is the use of some physical barriers or other features to slow riders down at obvious points where a lack of common sense could trigger user conflict.

    It's good to see the landowner responding to circumstances and to see them prepared to act if the bikers themselves won't obey the simple rules under the Protocol. After all, they only ride on this land by concession; pedestrians have a right to be there.

    Just to be clear, and to record my answer to a question I was asked earlier today, I am not in favour of withdrawing the Protocol (effectively a ban); but much more foolishness and I might well change my mind.
    "...as dry as the Atacama desert".

  5. #25
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    I've done a lot of mountain biking in the past including plenty with a degree of "cheekiness". I'm with Graham in that sadly it would appear something has to change to prevent further serious incidents occuring. tbh I wasn't aware that mountain bikers were allowed anywhere on the moor apart from the main drag over the top. Access to Kinder and Bleaklow in the Peak is limited to ancient byways and bridle-paths
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  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derby Tup View Post
    I've done a lot of mountain biking in the past including plenty with a degree of "cheekiness". I'm with Graham in that sadly it would appear something has to change to prevent further serious incidents occuring. tbh I wasn't aware that mountain bikers were allowed anywhere on the moor apart from the main drag over the top. Access to Kinder and Bleaklow in the Peak is limited to ancient byways and bridle-paths
    I can imagine that walking poles might come in quite handy whilst walking on the moor in future.
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  7. #27
    Close to home: it isn't possible to cycle over Ilkley Old Bridge without slowing to a virtual stop because of a "parallel bars" system.

    Quote Originally Posted by Derby Tup View Post
    I've done a lot of mountain biking in the past including plenty with a degree of "cheekiness". I'm with Graham in that sadly it would appear something has to change to prevent further serious incidents occuring. tbh I wasn't aware that mountain bikers were allowed anywhere on the moor apart from the main drag over the top. Access to Kinder and Bleaklow in the Peak is limited to ancient byways and bridle-paths
    "...as dry as the Atacama desert".

  8. #28
    Master MorganW's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Graham Breeze View Post
    I suggest only physical barriers will deter the sort of people (!) that Alison and you have encountered on Ilkley Moor.
    Graham, this is the only sensible option to avoid further collisions at this particular junction. If they won't slow down for the junction, they must be made to do so.

    On the recovery side of things, we're just back from a week in Shropshire. I have at last returned to running off road.

    I can run for about an hour before the right shoulder starts to react badly; and walk for about 3 hours before similar.

    I have decent (but not complete by any means) movement in front of square, much less so behind square.

    And I get tired really quickly.

    So I suspect the trauma and shock to the system have gone much deeper than I might have imagined.

    I plan to take things easy for another couple of months.....
    The only one who can tell you "You can't" is you. And you don't have to listen.

  9. #29
    Master MorganW's Avatar
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    Nearly 4 months now since crash, bang, wallop, so worth a further update.

    I continue to struggle with the final 20-30% of recovery to obtain full movement and rotation in the right shoulder. I saw the consultant for the 4th time a few weeks ago. A gentle suggestion from the physio that some direct intervention would help (steroid injection and fluid directly into the shoulder capsule to help it expand to its proper size) was rejected. In a sense I was the victim of my own success having made great strides since the appointment that confirmed the bone was healed.

    Quite rightly, the consultant reminded me that I had three injuries to repair: the bone break, the fractured ribs and the massive soft tissue damage to the shoulder and subsequent frozen shoulder problem. The first was the easy one to sort, the second is mostly about time, the third is the real problem.

    I took a snap of the x-ray which I've linked below:

    IMAG1266_1.jpg

    Although I didn't see this originally, there is a shadowy X shape to the left of the area where the bone was broken away which is actually another series of fractures. (The fracture I did see on the night was a nice clean one on the other side of the bone.) A few extra pounds of impact/pressure and the whole bone could have broken into pieces. This would have been a surgery job and likely resulted in the right arm never going above 90 degrees at the shoulder; anther piece of good luck.

    As I guess is often the case, unlocking the last parts of movement/rotation is the hardest. I am at about 80/85% in front of square but at about 65% behind of square. Very slowly, I'm making what feel like tiny improvements as a result of exercises with a ridiculously high pain load.

    I was in the Lakes last week and managed a run of around 2 1/4 hours which is my longest so far. Plenty of pain/discomfort in the shoulder area in the last half hour, but hopefully this will diminish with time as the soft tissue damage finally goes and the tissues re-build to pre-accident levels of size and strength. And I've noticed the whole area getting cold really quickly in this cooler weather.

    A long haul for sure.
    Last edited by MorganW; 24-11-2015 at 07:06 PM.
    The only one who can tell you "You can't" is you. And you don't have to listen.

  10. #30
    Master MorganW's Avatar
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    It's 5 months now since the accident. I suspect this will be my last post on the subject.

    My physio has concluded that she and I have taken the shoulder recovery as far as we can from her perspective. I have a regime of exercises to keep the shoulder rotation and right arm extension at current levels.

    I have achieved about 80-90% recovery (less behind my back than in front) and unless things change, I will be left with permanent restriction in the movement of my right shoulder. Sad.

    The NHS consultants seem reluctant to countenance any further intervention to help unlock the shoulder restrictions and get me back where I was pre-accident.

    I am going to seek as second opinion, on advice from the physio, to see if intervention might help. Specifically, the shoulder capsule can be ablated (filled with fluid to restore it to its full, original shape and hopefully to deliver full rotation), so I will press on with that in the New Year.

    I am still doing my best to take the positives from this experience (not least the fact that if I was a few inches shorter, I would have taken this impact in the head and who knows what would have happened) and want to get back to some running (and maybe racing) in 2016.

    I suppose my parting words on this subject are to simply remind people to watch out as best you can for reckless idiots on bikes when out enjoying Ilkley Moor.

    Happy New Year.
    The only one who can tell you "You can't" is you. And you don't have to listen.

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