Saving Cheddar Gorge

[Iancider]

Many of us will have noticed on local news that Cheddar Parish Council has had to consider action against the misuse of motor vehicles in Cheddar Gorge.  Part of the council meeting was covered on Points West and I have to remark how carefully everything was considered and phrased. 

The council specifically want to deal with those who misbehave and the Police want to prosecute those who are abusers of the privilege.  The road is public but the car-parks are in private ownership.   Unless the landlord objects nothing may be done about the private land but the Police intend to impound cars where misbehaviour is seen.

As Cheddar Gorge is a local treasure enjoyed by so many for so many different things is is important that everybody respects each other and that those who drive dangerously should face prosecution.  There has been a loss of any restraint recently and you will see the evidence of drifting and wheel-burns all over the place.  This will spoil it for everybody and there is a serious risk of death and injury.

I am going to propose writing to the Parish Council as a club and to support them in their very carefully proposed action and that we should actively support them the pursue those causing danger, damage and nuisance.  Do I have you vote to support that?

Regards
Ian

[Facial Hair Optional]

As long as they don't ban decent law abiding drivers then this must be the way to go Ian. I'd bet most of the offenders are young? We all were once so I kinda 'feel their pain' but speaking as someone who lost his younger brother at age 17 in a road death accident we more 'senior' guys have an obligation to at least TRY and educate the younger dudes.

Encouraging the use of track days must be a good idea?? We all like to drive fast but the roads these days are so much more crowded then they were when I was young. Can you imagine the life long consequences of inuring or killing an innocent bystander or family? Doesn't bear thinking about.

By their very nature youth does not fear or see danger the way older people do, you wont see an old F1 driver!!! It's a tragedy waiting to happen is it not?? 

I am sure you will get full support Ian 

[Gary RH7]

You got my support Ian.
I am sure I saw something on the TV about this and it showed a car loosing control on a bend with pedestrians very close. Looked scary .

[Moleman]

You have mine mate & It is only a few but not just the young kiddies as there were some guys in their middle ages in super cars doing the same thing as well as the Subaru & Civic boys. 

[sanzomat]

You have my support. I thought the copper on the TV was remarkably balanced in his view - his request was that the drivers self police. I'm not quite sure how we achieve that but a letter to show we're not all idiots is a good start to manage PR.

[SPAXIMUS]

I did not see the tv but reading the local news it is the usual idiots who make it bad for everyone but....  Cruising was a problem in many areas before the Drift scene developed.
People screamed something should be done about these "chavs" with loud cars and thumping stereos and the likes of Pistonheads were all for it. So what came out was S75 where a single officer could decide your cars was too noisy, or did not conform and could issue an S75 which if ignored lead to the car being confiscated.
Many cheered when they started to take action against the "chavs" but when a Caterham and a Lambo with a none standard exhaust was decreed to fit the profile people wished they had paid more attention to the detail of what was allowed to be passed as law.

No one can deny drifiting on public roads is dangerous, but if you lived in Cheddar and had a chance to get noisy cars banned would you? If you could make it that only tourist buses were allowed through and make you business money would you?
Sometimes we need to look a long way past what is in front of us before we rejoice.

To my mind the police have enough laws already to deal with this, dangerous driving was used on one such drifter on the Hardknott pass last month with a 18 month ban for his trouble. They could call in the DSVA to inspect the cars for unsafe modifications and it will soon stop and move to other places.  To do this they need to spend time, look at Facebook and Youtube there is enough there to make examples of who ever does this sort of mindless action in the Gorge

[Facial Hair Optional]

I did not see the tv but reading the local news it is the usual idiots who make it bad for everyone but....  Cruising was a problem in many areas before the Drift scene developed.
People screamed something should be done about these "chavs" with loud cars and thumping stereos and the likes of Pistonheads were all for it. So what came out was S75 where a single officer could decide your cars was too noisy, or did not conform and could issue an S75 which if ignored lead to the car being confiscated.
Many cheered when they started to take action against the "chavs" but when a Caterham and a Lambo with a none standard exhaust was decreed to fit the profile people wished they had paid more attention to the detail of what was allowed to be passed as law.

No one can deny drifiting on public roads is dangerous, but if you lived in Cheddar and had a chance to get noisy cars banned would you? If you could make it that only tourist buses were allowed through and make you business money would you?
Sometimes we need to look a long way past what is in front of us before we rejoice.

To my mind the police have enough laws already to deal with this, dangerous driving was used on one such drifter on the Hardknott pass last month with a 18 month ban for his trouble. They could call in the DSVA to inspect the cars for unsafe modifications and it will soon stop and move to other places.  To do this they need to spend time, look at Facebook and Youtube there is enough there to make examples of who ever does this sort of mindless action in the Gorge

It's a valid point I guess. My Tiger is certainly very loud (I got told off by some woman last week trying to "enjoy the peace and quiet in her garden"!!) and it's not even that quick!! I'd get banned just for driving it through the gorge normally I reckon! 

[paintman]

I agree about the few chavs in their Lambos driving with total disregard that I witnessed last time the "pistonheads" had
a meet there, but being a regular visitor to the Gorge I think the police should sort out the idiots on expensive bikes which
regularly cycle down the hill at ridiculous speeds in groups!

On a visit recently Dixie was overtaken in his Cobra and one hit the back of me when I braked to give way to a 4x4 coming
up the Gorge!

[Daley Down Under]

Tony - cars or bikes.  You'll always get a few idiots.

Cheers Adrian

[benchmark51]

I don't really understand the 'save cheddar gorge' thing. Cheddar gorge isn't going anywhere is it?
No supermarkets are going up are there? It may well be a beauty spot as are many other places, but as soon as you fill these places up with people, with or without cars, they lose there attraction as beauty spots. If you have people driving at 15 mph in very quiet cars bumper to bumper, add well behaved cyclist and very well mannered pedestrians, then the beauty spot is gone.
Look at Stonehenge, It became neccesary to restrict people to preserve it. Queens Square, once a inner city beauty spot, now filled up with events, tented structures, scaffolding and periodcally cars. Yes, I take my share of responsibility for this as must everyone else. One group pointing the finger at another and vice versa won't fix anything. Cars, bikes have no place in beauty spots at all and the weight of numbers will prove that. Several sets of traffic lights, cameras and speed humps will deter mad drivers and improve safety, but the beauty spot is gone.

[Iancider]

A very reasonable point Benchmark - it is already crowded.

I meant very simply for the convivial club meets there and mixing with all manner of other activities safely.  Most people intrinsically understand the need to behave and to be safe and it is not just car drivers.  Some of the cyclists also need to understand hammering down the Gorge on skinny tyres at 50mph is risky to them and to others.  Paintman received a cyclist in the back of his car if you remember. 

The Gorge isn't going anywhere but it is just whether clubs will be tolerated to meet there.  Drifting and racing among people, manouvering cars, bikes and Goats is never acceptable.

Regards
Ian

[benchmark51]

Perhaps with technology that we already have, the drivers putting other road users at risk could be filmed. The footage then sent to their insurers who could then give them a good kick up the wallet!

[Facial Hair Optional]

Perhaps with technology that we already have, the drivers putting other road users at risk could be filmed. The footage then sent to their insurers who could then give them a good kick up the wallet!

Well certainly naming and shaming on Youtube has been shown to work (I think?). If your reg number was clearly visible while you were doing dangerous and possibly illegal things wouldn't you think twice about doing it again? The police and other authorities DO monitor websites like that for illegal activities (Facebook too) I believe?

A little polite visit from the old bill can do wonders for your future behaviour (apparently!) and if that doesn't work getting nicked can do the opposite for your insurance premiums or even get you banned from the road.

Someone could set up a new youtube account, 'Cheddar Gorge Hooligans Exposed' maybe??  I doubt many people would want to appear on it and if it got enough hits it could even make some money for the Go! Inspire charity!! Bonus!!!! 

[Hairy Santa]

Right behind you Ian, cant see it doing any harm, prob a lot of good

The thought of persons recording any stupid driving could slow them down somewhat especially if they are aware that it could and will end up being plastered all over the different site's  - nice one