We've Been Screwed

[Rich Pearson]

Just wanted to explain about an incident which occoured in Taunton on sunday which has got me raging.

A group of riders (who I would have been riding with but for injury), were messing around in the Town Centre on some walls along there. A police car came up, not patroling, but actually looking for them. Two police officers took down all the riders details, and now they are all facing court appearences with charges of vandalism and public disorder being brought against them.

I'm not kidding, this is serious and these guys are getting screwed for participating in a sport which no one seems to be able to see the differnce between this and plain hooliganism. When some of them argued that they had nowhere else to ride, they were told that they shouldn't be doing this at all.

I don't know exactly what we can do, but anyone with any suggestions as to how this can be peacefully resolved, we'd be happy to hear from you.

It just isn't fair.

Rich

[Luke Drewery]

Sounds really bad mate, i'd be fuming too! I cant believe how people react to trials, they dont seem to see it as a reconised sport but instead some underground vandalism of some sort. the police around my area are the same, but luckily nothing that serious has happened yet. I wouldn really know what to do in their or your situation, but i hope you get it resolved.

[ScotchDave]

Hmmm I suggest you go and talk to a local newspaper of some kind. "Innocent kids harassed by police" type headline. :o

Hope you sort it.

[Lee_Buchanan]

They arent harassign you at the end of the day though they are doign there jobs arent they,they see us as vandals just makign the towns cities look a mess,jumping on walls and shit.Hooligans! Lol.Noone understand what you are doing,it seems to be the old peolple that complain young uns are usually cool as fcuk ive been on numerous rides where peolple have sed " Well done " and stuff.

But it Doesnt sound like nothing new to me,everyone gets done by the " po po" where they live and often get moved on on rides no matter where you are,i only live in

barnoldswick which isnt a very big town,i have been arrested for criminal damage for riding where i live there wasnt really anything i could do botu it,lol,everytime they see you they take your names and shit,thats a juvenile referal form,so many and you get took to court. This was meant to happen to a few of us round my area for being cught riding numerous times but nothign ever happend,now we just ride off pretty rapidish if they come,me and waynio found our self doign that other week,lol.Shit happens.

Obviolusly though the onlookers which see people just jumping around on bikes on walls making a mess think we are vandals,everyone gets pissed off when it happens but if you look at it from there point of view you'd probs be fukt off.But then again you get really cool people saying good comments enjoying what you are doing.

At the end of the day peole dont know biketrials is a sport because it snot yet popular enuf to be,most folk that see mod riders will call them bmxers ? Its all because no one knows the sport i think.

Lee...................

Unlucky on getting busted.i know a few folk got fined other week in hull aswell ?

Best bet is go ride sum natural! :o"

Edited February 21, 2005 by Mr Koxx

[andyroo]

I dont see why the police or anyone for that matter would think that trialsers would go around smashing things up with something that costs £1000+

The only thing to do is be mature about it and allow them to see that you are adults and not mindless teenagers.

Other than that, it seems hard to do anything else, because it sounds like you're being picked on by the police. Fortunatly the police and the courts don't get on too well

[munkee]

the only thing they can do is give their view in court... thats all i can say :o

[Brisa]

Mr Koxx I disagree with you a lot. It is harassment. It happened to us 2 weeks ago. If it was persued we would of had criminal records (those that didn't anyway).

One of the riders is aiming to be in the police very soon and anything like that could damage his chances of a career. The newspaper thing would porbably be the best way to go about it as they support demo's in an area and if your doing the same thing the next day you are harassed.

The incident with us was because a rider Daryl was riding along a rail, he was then told it was vandalism because he had to use a bench to get to the rail. The police officer then told him that people who wish to sit on it couldn't. Thing is though, around 100yards away was an alcoholic sitting pissing himself on a bench. When the officer was asked what he was going to do about that he hummed and haad it off.

Its harassment when people obviously comitting a crime are not spoken to (drinking in a public place, loitering) and a bunch of people enjoying thier sport are moved on, names taken and treatened to be arrested.

[Pugson]

i used to drage wheelie bins, beer barrells and big bins on wheels into bak allys from behind pubs/clubs and shops in my town centre, then if the old bill do make an appearance just do 1 down the allys and the plod have no chance of catchig unless they happen to be on a moto bike.

works well at nite when shady officers try to creep up on u with no lights (N)

[011001000110010101110010]

Firstly, that just plain harsh.

Secondly, the police have better things which need to take up court time. I doubt if it will be taken any further. They will hopefully just get a warning and told not to do it again...

[biketrialler]

To be fair though almost every trials rider is vandalising property. Just because you think its for a good cause doesnt mean it is. You can't pretend that walls, flower beds etc are designed for having bikes ride on them...

I know its tough but you've gotta understand that you are vandalising property. Especially those of you that use your bashguards!

[KoxXy]

Mr Koxx I disagree with you a lot. It is harassment

Wrong this is not harresment, They are simply doing there job. unfortunatly they stere-o type everybody, Think about the crap they deal with. Nusence youths day in day out, What sets you apart from any other scum bag kid. They don't know about you so they treat you the same. They stamp out what they think is going to be a problem. Just think about it, if you were in there shoes. You'll be biast and say i'd let every trials rider ride but be serious. You might give them abit of ley-way but you'd still have to do your job or else you'd get it in the neck from you 'super' You didn't get arrested so think you self lucky, ive been threatened to be arrested twice for riding.Thats onli because i didn't like the coppers attitude so thought i'd Confront him and his crappy authority

Can see this from both sides,

The police are doing there job, They see this as anti social and vandalism because its on walls and stuff because damage caused by skaters,bmx-er and even trials. They have to eliminate a problem before it arises. They were most likly tryin to set an example of you. I had the same problem in london i was at St Pauls, Just got there and up turns the police, and they said look at that damage u caused this and i was like 'um nah mate, we just got here' and he goes well for all i know you did this. i said how u know we were here then, the dumb ass said CCTV had been monitoring our progress though city pf london, I said well you get CCTV to watch its footage and tell you if we did that damage, and then PC Plonker his mate goes oh well there's always one that likes to get cocky isn't there. i'll do you for criminal damage. Well point of fact, if you didn't damage nuffin they can't do you on crim-dam charges and if it is somthing that you can put right for example you knocked a bin over and they claim crim-dam just pick it up and its then not crim-dam cause its back to how it was.

Your point of view, u were all out trying to ride and enjoi you selves, Best advise if they ask you to move then don't argue with them and never sound like your tryin to boss them around. I done it to the London city police cause i knew i was right, but i was lucky that they didn't arrest me cause PC Jerkoff was tryin to make it look like he had authority, Which to be honest he done he can kiss my ass cause i no my rights. I kindly informed him my father has done his 30years in the police force and i'd like him to stop talkin down to me as if i knew nothing. He soon shut up after he said 'im sure your dad won't be to please'd if you return in a police car will her' and i just chuckled and goes well sorri but you won't have a job he was your boss once matey (that bit was a lie but it made him shut his mouth)

Edited February 21, 2005 by KoxXy

[HarshRider]

well really what we all do is vandilism! were all biast because we all ride trials! but look at it from someone elses view walls get destroyed flowers get trampled! etc etc! its not nice to think but were no better than any chav etc! we are causeing anti social behavour and theres nothing we can do about it! unless you constantly ride natrual!

im going to keep on riding trials and expressing my point of view of it being my passion and hobbie to police etc but in all fairness i dont think we can win!

(N)

[Brisa]

Whens the last time u heard of a trials rider stealing a car, mugging someone or ganging up on inncoent bystanders?

My point is that they picked on us even though there was blatently a bigger crime being comitted 100yards away in front of thier car..

[Luke Drewery]

Whens the last time u heard of a trials rider stealing a car, mugging someone or ganging up on inncoent bystanders?

My point is that they picked on us even though there was blatently a bigger crime being comitted 100yards away in front of thier car..

←

I agree, i think they come to us and not 'real' crimes because its easier to confront us as we dont usually give them grief back, where as chavs, druggies etc do.

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

pump action shotgun says otherwise :)"

hehe ( what rich said )^^^ (N)

[HarshRider]

Whens the last time u heard of a trials rider stealing a car, mugging someone or ganging up on inncoent bystanders?

My point is that they picked on us even though there was blatently a bigger crime being comitted 100yards away in front of thier car..

←

thats what i mean by biast! were all biast of course were not stealling cards but what the biffrence between trials bikers bashguarding a wall say! and some chavs drinking or vandlising. when we go hopping on walls we are a public nusence and we can scare some people! to the police they cant be biast and not take our names just because were all nice guys!

sometimes it can be unfair! but thats life

[Fish-Finger-er]

well, something happened to me a coupe of years back on a disused grass bank doin 180's, and i tried removin a metal spike that was stickin in the ground, next thing i know a cop car comes up, and arrests the 3 of us, we tell them we aint movin cos were not leavin £4k of bikes sittin on the street.

the guy then calls for back up to remove the bikes, this comes across as back up, the next thing, we have 8 cop cars down there, a 4 x4, and a riot van, (which only has 4 non riot police in it).

were sent to the local police station, with so many cop cars buzzing round this quiest estate, the papers wer rang, and it made 3/4 of the front page of the local paper the following day (no pictures due to our ages though).

my mates dad then had his say the next day in another 3/4 page spread in about page 8, saying we wernt doin anything wrong.

police have convicted all 3 of us for resisting arrest(by refusing to leave with the bikes), and criminal damage due to skidmarks on the grass. (skidmarks, for fcuks sake, its a grass bank thats disused) with an estimated cost of £140 damage tot he grass bank(how much grass can you buy with £140).

basically the matter would of been dropped,but the police had to make it more serious to protect there image as the thug busters, not some band of 20 guys who arrest 3 people for ridin on a grass bank.

the officer also admitted to a mates mum that he had "flipped" and thats the reason he called for back up, rather than asssistance or transport, if we could of proved hed said this. charges would of had to of been dropped.

i dont really care about the whole incident, however, i was 14 at the time, the police now have my photo, passport number, fingerprints and DNA on file. i also have a criminal record, which is looked down on by colleges, unis, most places of employment, mortgages, finance companies, credit cards, car insurance, entry to the USA for life. it dont matter what i did wasnt serious, but by ticking the box that i have a criminal record on an application form, chances are it will go in the bin.

note: upon arrest/detail taking, even if charges are dropped , police still have paperwork, and you dont have to be taken to court, i wasnt, i accepted the charges during my interview, as i wasnt guna go to court and lose, (because although its pahetic, i did refuse to enter the cop car, and did place marks on the bank, which is the questions they would ask, by answering yes to both, im as good as guilty. and id then incur a heftier penalty and court costs).

numerous mates have got records wich are spent after 5 years(meaning you dont have to declare them after 5 years) however, at 16-21 this affects a lot of things, car finance, student loans, uni application, car insurance, jobs, or travel while on a gap year.

[andyroo]

In Ashford, it seems that the police will pick on people who are obviously going to do as they're told, but they wont say anything to someone who might cause a fuss. Me and a mate were told to stop riding our bikes (even though we were riding on a road through town that cars drive down, that has road markings) and then completely ignored a group of young chavs walking past with big bags of booze, shouting and drinking as they went past, which is three offences, underage drinking, drinking in public, and dissorderly conduct.

Silly really, but there isnt much the police can do to people who resist them, especially if they are under 18.

Law stinks.

Andy

[Rich Pearson]

I think I agree with what everyone says. It's just that;

1) The county council last time I spoke to them didn't want to believe that trials was a sport and apparently I was wasting their time.

2) The police didn't even say, can you move along please, they just went strait up and booked these guys.

3) Yeah, so what we're riding on walls, and occasionally we bash them with a chainring. Unles you constantly hit the same wall at forty miles an hour twenty times over with your bashguard, not much structural damage is going to happen. Just think how long it'd take to get through a three foot thick concrete wall with a sledgehammer... The amount of damage we're doing is frankly piss all. I don't like it when people ride in flower beds and I usually tell them not to, because, lets face it, when do you ever need to?

4) Usually whenever I see a police man when I'm out riding, they say something like, it's good that you're doing something constructive, or, thats actually pretty cool, or at worst, move along now lads. I don't understand where this extreme action of threatening people with court has come from.

Thanks for all the comments guys, I didn't relise this had happened to other people as well, so perhaps they'll get away with a slapped wrist and nothing more.

Rich

[Trials tom_s]

The police do have a habit of taking people to court for the silliest things.. and believe me..if they got a spare 5 min gap to squeeze u in at court they will do..

i been to court over very stupid things before and luckily i got a heavy fine... but they can be arseholes..

like others have said..police dont understand your sport and have a job to do!

they just see it as people..smashin their bikes off things...and riding over bench the public sit on etc...so they dont know any better.

your best idea is to write a letter to council..explaining situation and appolgise for you behaviour..and how you were innocently brought to court over something u were led to believe was a sport.. make an appointment at your local police station to go and talk about the issue...and maybe they can help with suggestions..

appeal to the newspaper...again how an innocent teen is being taken to caught for participating in something u believed to be a sport.

and if u get as far as court...when u get chance to speak as i did....bend over backwards and kiss you own arse... again..that u are deeply sorry for your actions and how u have be alarmed how easy it is to be taken for court and close to having a criminal record for participating in what u innocently believed was a modern sport of today... and how u were just following what u have seen in videos and magazines...then cross you fingers....

i know the above is an essay..but i hope it helps the riders it has relivance 2..

Tom. (has fingers crossed for u guys!!) (N)

[ScotchDave]

I'd take a trials video in to show the police, let them see what you are trying to do, take in a vid of a trials competition for best effect.

[Martin t]

Why dont u just try getting away when the police comes, seems to be the easiest way to ride and try to get away, for me in Sweden this just sounds so bizzare.

The things iv'e been told for riding trials is

when i was backwheeling on a concrete ledge with flowers and stuff ontop

"hey, cool stuff your doing show us one more time"

when i was backwheeling a rail a friday night downtown

"it's better your out riding your bike and training tricks instead of being drunk and fighting"

"show us some cool tricks"

once one of me friend got asked to do something cool by the cops so he did a 180 and hit a bikestand and about 20 bikes fell over and the cops just laughed and didn't give a piss about it. (N)

Edited February 21, 2005 by Martin t

[Mark W]

'cos I ride alone a lot, I generally just make sure I can't see any police around immediately, then go at it.

In court, daresya to just shout "But it was f**king UCI, there was no bash contact!"

[Tom Booth]

On friday night we where followed by cops, two of us riding, but i think they didnt follow us to make sure that we where'nt damaging anything, i think they where following to make sure we stayed alright, due to the amount of chavs round our local riding spots. we where riding on the benches in the town centre,an all they did was watch,i was quite amazed.

The worst that a coppa' has told us to do is move along onto the local skate park,thats about it.

Tom

[Si-man]

We were riding right behind a police station at midnite on saturday and a police man came out, watched us for abit then nicely said call it a night lads. Sometimes the police can be ok with you but other times they are just wankers (N)"