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Glasgow “pensioners” admit laying traps for cyclists in park

Pair said they “didn't want cyclists in the park” when challenged – then verbally abused runner who dismantled obstacles...

A pair of dog-walking “pensioners” caught placing obstacles across a trail in Glasgow freely admitted when challenged that they “didn’t want cyclists in the park.”

Alex Osborne, who runs the Acorn Trails running website, posted pictures on Facebook of several obstacles he found in Linn Park in the city’s South Side.

 

Raging! Just out for a run on the beautiful #LinnPark trails, and witnessed a pair of pensioners walking their dog, and...

Posted by Acorn Trails on Monday, May 3, 2021

According to the Daily Record, he spotted the couple, whom he said were aged in their sixties, placing a large log on the path on Monday afternoon.

When he approached them and said that the obstruction could cause a bike rider to crash, he was told to his shock that was exactly why they were placing it there, because they “didn't want cyclists in the park.”

The pair were reported to have hurled abuse at him as he dismantled the trap.

The 41 year old said: “I was out for a run yesterday and I was coming back through the park when I came across a couple walking their dog.

“I seen they were carrying this big log but I thought maybe they were taking it home to burn until I saw the man place it down.

“I went over and said that's going to cause a hazard for cyclists and he said ‘that's exactly what it's there for’.

“I said that could cause serious damage and he replied ‘that's the intention, we want to stop cyclists coming in the park’.

“If I hadn't seen them doing it then people would have blamed young folk but they were both in their sixties.

“Most mountain bikers can stop when they see an obstacle but if it is a younger person then they're not as experienced and can crash.”

He subsequently discovered and dismantled several other traps that had been laid along the route, presumably by the same pair.

Dorothy Buchanan, Chair of the Friends of Linn Park, commented: “Linn Park Local Nature Reserve is a lovely place which is open for all to enjoy.

“The key rule to govern behaviour in the park is to consider other users; cyclists, bird spotters, car drivers, dog walkers, runners, horse riders, kids playing or the wildlife itself.

“We should all behave in a way which means everyone else can still enjoy the beautiful green space.

“There is no excuse for the sort of behaviour which seeks to destroy another person's happiness,” she added.

One local got in touch with road.cc to claim that the reason the couple were allowed to carry out the act initially unchallenged was because Glasgow City Council had removed park rangers : "If the council had not got rid of the park rangers, this sort of thing would not have happened. There's no one in the parks enforcing the bylaws", he said. 

We’ve reported on a number of incidents of traps being set for cyclists in parks as well as popular beauty spots such as the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, with such incidents seeming to have become more common since the first national lockdown was implemented in March last year.

Such traps – which if not discovered in time, can cause serious injury or even death – are often believed to be the work of youths ‘playing a prank’.

However in cases where perpetrators have been caught, that turns out to be far from the truth; in May last year, for example, two women aged in their sixties were spoken to by police in North Yorkshire after they were filmed laying traps on a trail on the Bolton Estate.

> Pensioners admit laying traps for cyclists on North Yorkshire path (+ link to video)

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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21 comments

Avatar
Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
0 likes

Perhaps we should invent a new sport, 'pensioner traps' to include the ejecting Stannah Stairlift and the rocket-charged mobility scooter.... it'll solve the pensions crisis....

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zeeridesbikes | 3 years ago
4 likes

Insane behaviour. It's not just cyclists this causes issues for, what about folks with prams or the disabled? Agressive and short sighted. 

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Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
7 likes

That'll endear a generation of young bikers to the elderly.  I guess it's a thank you for enduring three successive lock-downs, loss of income, education, jobs, and opportunity to protect.....the elderly

This is the glue that holds society together.  COVID party anyone?

Avatar
Pedantic Pedaller | 3 years ago
2 likes

I have not visited Oxleas Woods for about 3 years. However, when I was a regular visitor, almost every time there would be branches blocking pathways. Originally, I presumed they were put there as jumps by BMX riders.
Then the obstacles used got bigger and then I realized they were there to prevent cycling.

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visionset | 3 years ago
5 likes
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RoubaixCube | 3 years ago
11 likes

Justice would be these two pensioners banned from the park.

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wycombewheeler | 3 years ago
9 likes

“There is no excuse for the sort of behaviour which seeks to destroy another person's happiness injure or main people and damage property,”

Is what I think they meant.

I wonder how these pensioners would feel if I started leaving traps for dogs because I didn't want them in the park?

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AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
2 likes

“I seen they were carrying this big log but I thought maybe they were taking it home to burn until I saw the man place it down."

Not a small one either so if they were pensioners, I blame the irn bru for giving them the strength to carry it along and place it. 

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6F2 | 3 years ago
24 likes

If I'm not too keen on pensioners in the park can I lay a bear trap with a pack of Werthers in the middle of it?

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Christopher TR1 replied to 6F2 | 3 years ago
0 likes

Brilliant!

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wtjs | 3 years ago
4 likes

Sounds like there's no video/ photo evidence, but should still be reported. These malevolent old b*****s (probably younger than me) should be shocked out of this type of behaviour before they graduate to wire between trees etc.

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Gavin_H replied to wtjs | 3 years ago
2 likes

There's a photo at the top of the article and the article states that the guy who discovered the traps posted pictures on Facebook.

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wtjs replied to Gavin_H | 3 years ago
1 like

There's a photo at the top of the article and the article states that the guy who discovered the traps posted pictures on Facebook

I meant evidence linking the purported obstructions/ traps to specific Old Codgers. That's what you need for a report to the police.

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pinoteres replied to wtjs | 3 years ago
0 likes

Booby traps with spikes are the next step - 2016, Delamere Forest (Cheshire) 
https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/nintchdbpict00027912...

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wtjs replied to pinoteres | 3 years ago
0 likes

I'm all in favour of the principle that being an Old B****r is no defence against malicious actions!

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the little onion | 3 years ago
8 likes

“There is no excuse for the sort of behaviour which seeks to destroy another person's happiness is violent and illegal thuggery, and which should be pursued by the police,”

Fixed that for you

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eburtthebike | 3 years ago
11 likes

Alex doesn't say if he reported this to the police; surely several crimes committed there, and it might help discourage others if these geriatric vandals got banged up for a month or so.

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mdavidford replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 3 years ago
4 likes

Almost as if people you've had a disagreement with don't tend to stand still and pose for photos, unlike a big lump of wood.

Or as if he was too busy engaging in 'debate' with them to think of taking his phone out and photographing them at that point.

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Mungecrundle replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 3 years ago
2 likes

Or maybe, like me, he leaves his mobile in the car or at home when he goes for a run and came back with it a short while after he saw the alleged miscreants, who by that time had scarpered or more likely shuffled off.

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wycombewheeler replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 3 years ago
4 likes
Nigel Garrage wrote:

He managed to take photos of the vandalism, yet despite talking to the perpetrators he omitted to take any photos of them or report them to the police. Almost as if they don't really exist.

yep, the trap just landed there from space, like all those cyclists who get hit by drivers who aren't looking "he came out of nowhere"

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Eton Rifle replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 3 years ago
2 likes
Nigel Garrage wrote:

He managed to take photos of the vandalism, yet despite talking to the perpetrators he omitted to take any photos of them or report them to the police.

Almost as if they don't really exist.

And, bang on cue, our resident Gammon rocks up to defend his fellows. Almost as if he's not a cyclist at all.

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