Camping ban plot thickens

[Scots_Charles_River]

http://m.heraldscotland.com/news/14...rom_Forestry_Commission/?ref=mr&lp=1#comments

 

[Corso]

Police that...

 

[boatman]

Of course they are trying to wind the clock back the "establishment" always does because their image is not of a used countryside but a sterile one. Oddly enough I have read books and articles by pre -ight to roam campers and mountaineers and there must have been a fair amount of vandalism etc around back then. An enjoyable book is Vikings Scots and Scraelings by Myrtle Simpson and it she write of buses leaving Glasgow on Fridays packed with, climbers, hikers, climbers and fishermen in assorted ex-army gear.

 

[Adze]

But Alan Stevenson, head of recreation and tourism at the commission’s Forest Enterprise Scotland, insisted that the suggested ban was not official policy. “The remark was a throw-away comment,” he said, adding: "This is neither policy nor proposed policy and to suggest otherwise would misrepresent the position of Forest Enterprise Scotland on this issue. Only Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park proposals are under consideration.”

I wonder if Media Studies Rule #1 is in force here?

 

[demographic]

I'm not camping, my van just broke down and I'll have a go at fixing it when its light.

 

[hughlle1]

I'm not camping, my van just broke down and I'll have a go at fixing it when its light.

The police will just laugh if they are anything like my experience. Pitched a tent during a huge downpour because there was no umbrella at hand. Police refused to accept I was taking shelter and booked me for camping in her majesties park (ironically we pitched the same tent at Hyde park 420 and the police had no issue with anything)

 

[Stevie777]

Scenario...

You drive to the middle of nowhere, park the car, pitch a tent, drink a few beers or a three finger half then the police come along and ask you to be on your way. How would that work, obviously you cant drive until the next day. I'm not even sure they would allow you to open the vehicle to store your stuff if you were smelling of alcohol. Are you just supposed to pack up your gear and start walking somewhere.

 

[hughlle1]

Scenario...

You drive to the middle of nowhere, park the car, pitch a tent, drink a few beers or a three finger half then the police come along and ask you to be on your way. How would that work, obviously you cant drive until the next day. I'm not even sure they would allow you to open the vehicle to store your stuff if you were smelling of alcohol. Are you just supposed to pack up your gear and start walking somewhere.

Yeah, I've known people convicted of DUI simply for simply opening their car boot to secure a briefcase etc before going to find accomodation.

 

[Toddy]

Ah, see though, if they declare it a no go zone, they can do you for being drunk in charge of a vehicle or breach of the peace as a catch all.

I think someone opened his mouth at a meeting and let his belly rumble, and he's gotten hoist by his own petard over this; or the FC is anyway…..can you see the Scottish Government passing it into law ?

That's another thing though, and we're not supposed to discuss politics.
Petitions are pretty straightforward to organise to bring the attention of the petitions committee of the Scottish parliament though.

cheers,
M

 

[Jared]

Scenario...

You drive to the middle of nowhere, park the car, pitch a tent, drink a few beers or a three finger half then the police come along and ask you to be on your way. How would that work, obviously you cant drive until the next day. I'm not even sure they would allow you to open the vehicle to store your stuff if you were smelling of alcohol. Are you just supposed to pack up your gear and start walking somewhere.

If you have the keys to the car, then you can be deemed in charge of the car whilst drunk.

 

[Dave]

I dont think theres any better book to read than this one: The Poor Had no Lawyers, Who owns Scotland and How they got it.

“..so much well-researched material that the reader finally puts the book down battered, angry and determined that something should be done…” “frank, fearless and at times ferocious.” ………… “an eloquent lament for the Scottish legal profession’s apparent collective loss of moral purpose.” – The Herald, 30 October 2010

“Wightman may have trained in forestry and worked as an environmental scientist and campaigner but he brings a lawyerly and forensic analysis to task: a voyage of discovery to find out how landowners in Scotland got their hands on the millions of acres that were once held in common” – The Times

Authors site.

 

[demographic]

If you have the keys to the car, then you can be deemed in charge of the car whilst drunk.

Pretty sure you have to be in it at the time.

 

[BushBob]

I think this is in response to a growing trend north of the border. Big groups of people drive out from the towns and cities; pitch tents by the road; get ******; light fires; leave loads of litter and then drive home the next day.

I know the above sounds like a huge sweeping generalisation, but you see it very often and it's ruining some of Scotland's most beautiful countryside. It's a shame that people who behave responsibly may end up penalised by the actions of others. However, ain't that always the way.

 

[Dave]

Fair point, and its 'their' point you're making for 'them'. I'd say it goes much deeper than that, and is a lot more sinister...

 

[demographic]

I dont think theres any better book to read than this one: The Poor Had no Lawyers, Who owns Scotland and How they got it.

The poor couldn't afford the book either, cheapest was 27 quid.

 

[Adze]

If nothing else, this thread has served to demonstrate how easy it is to stir up 'rebellious Scots', it would seem.

 

[tiger stacker]

If nothing else, this thread has served to demonstrate how easy it is to stir up 'rebellious Scots', it would seem.

Very funny

 

[Toddy]

We're not rebelling, we're just being aware of what's going on behind the scenes, and we are aware of how it 'might' affect us if we don't do anything.
We could end up like England !!! :yikes:


M

 

[Tengu]

Yes, I see the problem is actualy alcohol?

 

[Toddy]

I think the problem is actually a culture of littering….and that's a UK wide problem, not just a Scottish one.

Add that in to a small area next to the largest conurbation in the country, less than 20minutes driving for most of the city and suburbs, and hey presto, we have a huge issue. More so because it is used, and that use numbers in the hundreds of thousands of people…..tell me, do any of you know of any large event of even 10,000 where there is no litter collection at weekends, no provision of toilets beyond, and I jest you not, one loo per 1,000 people ?? and then they wonder why there's a problem

It needs infrastructure, it needs decent clean up protocols, it needs decent loos, it needs education and it needs areas made suitable where heavy use is possible without detriment to the whole area.

Must easier just to blanket ban folks they seem to think, just criminalise a nation

M