Author Topic: Track building rant! (Read 2327 times)

Bushwacked · « **on:** May 07, 2009, 02:37 PM »

I'm really pissed off and wanted to see what you all think about this situation I've found myself in as I've got to the point where I feel like why do I bother!!!

Bit of a long story so bear with me.

I'm a member of the local cycling club mainly for my MTBing. Back in November the club chairman was approached by the local paper to comment on the parish council building a BMX track (well there was a lot of talk of it being a race track but turns out they were just using up some earth from some building works to give the kids something to play on, its just turned out to be about 4 times the expected size). He didn't know anything about this sort of thing as he's mainly a roadie so being the only BMXer (although I have no history like you guys) he asks me to comment and get involved.

We get a small group together and start talking about what the council should be considering to make sure it works and is safe etc. We put together a paper was going to meet the council to give it to them. But a day or two before we were going to contact them they started work...

Picture the wettest week in November and diggers trying to put together a track!!! Result was something which was a disaster, bascially unrideable and really needed starting again.

We waited to see how things were over Xmas and if anything was going to be done, as nothing happened we approached the council and said we'd like to work with them to redevelop it. We were just thinking of volunteers remodelling it over time and the council said to come up with a plan.

So I get given the project and start contacting all possible local interested parties to see what comments they had. The MTBers had some input, mainly offering their services. I contacted the BMX'ers via the local BMX webpages and just seemed to receive a whole lot of salt from them telling me to rip it down and giving me quite a lot of abuse. They seemed to have the attitude that the council owed them and even though there is no BMX race club they should get a regional level track fully finished and finely polished and put no effort in (or at least that is the perspective I've got from them). My thoughts are if everyone just criticised and sat on their asses nothing would get done, so I ignored it and carried on determined to achieve something from it and tried to get some sort of input from some of the locals who were interested.

I spend a lot of time mapping out what is there, looking at the issues, looking at other tracks, contacting people to find out how to overcome or handle certain problems on the track and designing an action plan to tackle the issues.

In the meantime the local paper receive a complaint that the track is dangerous and unrideable so they have to sort something out fast.

I manage to get a meeting with two of the guys who head up the local BMX scene - a guy in his early 30s/ late 20s and another guy who was 40. We' had a really productive session and went through the issues and basically redesigned the track with it being simpler and more maintenance friendly. Things were good.

Because of the complaint this meeting took place the day after a meeting with the council where I had put forward my action plan and it was accepted. Because of the complaint in the local paper the council were working fast and the diggers were going in the morning after my meeting with the local riders. I end up spending all night redoing the plans to incorporate the changes and managed to get them emailed over to the contractor. Met with the builders and council that morning (Thursday) and they weren't happy with the additions but took on board the suggestions and used the new design.

So by the Friday a lot of the track was in place and over the weekend the local riders checked it out. Again I just got abuse and told to sort out A, B and C, including some quite major earth moving and shaping. What they've never understood is the council only has a small budget and can't afford to keep ploughing money into it, this was always only going to be a play track but has turned into a sizeable one.

But I take their suggestions to the council and after being threatened to be kneecapped I get told that they will splash out another days work and make the changes but it means that not everything will get done. It feels like a major victory!!

So work continues and 90% of the suggestions get completed, the only bits which don't are removing the earth between the jumps to give the track more flow (also this had to happen because of an apparent safety issue but thanks to SE-Bmxer I know this isn't a great issue). I don't see this as a major problem as when possible we can move the earth on to the jumps to make them bigger rather than hauling it from another part of the track. Bit of track development.

So I post up on the local site and say "The major work is done, who want's to help out smoothing and shaping it?"

All I get is more abuse. Basically being told I've stolen someones ideas and then not done it properly. They are also saying that they should take matters into their own hands and get a digger down. That really pisses me off as I gave them more than one chance to get involved and now its done all they want to do is complain and bitch. They are even saying that they want to dig a race track / trails but haven't got anywhere!!! For gods sake this was offered to them on a plate but they did jack shit about it!!!

I suppose my issue is was I right to bother or are the local riders right that the council should do it all... ? I don't care about recognition for it I just want somewhere to ride and was trying to get everyones input so more people would use it. At the end of the day I'm proud of what has been done and I'm going to love riding it.

I'm just so pissed off that having had the opportunity they have not taken it and now I'm getting slated for not doing it correctly. In fact I can't tell you how pissed off I am!!!

Anyway here are some photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bushwacked/sets/72157617687804033/

Like I say some work left to be done.

pickle · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2009, 02:52 PM »

MATE BY THE LOOKS OF THINGS YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOURSELF! (ooops caps lock)

the kids you've asked just need a good shoeing! spoilt little shytes mate, like you say....they had plenty of oppotunities to get involved...they just can't be arsed and enjoy moaning about it.

fook em!

without the likes of yourself nowt gets done!

pat on the back mate

James Nada · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2009, 02:55 PM »

If that track apperared in my town I'd be well chuffed.

B**l0cks to all the negative people who have been giving you grief. You should be proud of your hard work - well done mate.

MartyC · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2009, 02:57 PM »

It sounds like you have had your work cut out with little or no help at all, good on you for trying; keep it up and you will prevail

.

Some people just love to complain, they won't get off their arses to help out or do anything themselves and will criticise the efforts others put in. I would ask them to a meeting to discuss their issues and for them to put their money where their mouth is; put up or shut up time for them.

Bushwacked · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2009, 03:01 PM »

Cheers, I've started thinking what I've done is crap and pointless. Although some mates were riding it last night and said it was good espescially the berms and some local kids were loving it.

That's the thing, if something like this was built on my doorstep when I was growing up I would have been on it all the time (sadly nothing like this was ever near my doorstep in any of the places I lived when I was growing up - you got to love Industrial town and rural lincolnshire!) It does make me think they are acting a little spoilt.

If they want to put their money where their mouth is I'll happily let them get involved as long as they repair it if it goes tits up in their hands.

chichi · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2009, 03:07 PM »

Like the other post here. If that turned up on my door step i would be happy.
A huge pat on the back for your hard work. And if those lazy fookers that didn't what to help you, just give you abuse and don't like it.
Then that means only one thing! More room on the track for you mate.

Well done......

HEYWOOD BMX · « **Reply #6 on:** May 07, 2009, 03:19 PM »

Looks like you`ve done OK,something is always better than nothing.Tell the ungrateful scrotes that they don`t have to ride it.

evamedia · « **Reply #7 on:** May 07, 2009, 03:56 PM »

The local scrotes obviously want a proper set of trails, without doing the work. You get a load of them turning up when we've been digging at Epsom, and they just don't get the whole, put the work in, reap the benefit.

Epsom after many years is now locked up because of it, so when the kids turn up they have to help water, sweep and pack anything that needs doing before the locks come off and they get to ride. To their credit they do it.

Keep going mate, people in authority(even if only perceived authority) are always going to cop shite from the kids.

Dex Dexter · « **Reply #8 on:** May 07, 2009, 04:14 PM »

These youths need to realise - you only get what you put in.

You've done a great job and stuck your neck right out and deserve props for this.

You can't expect everyone to be happy but you can expect, no demand respect.

Where abouts are you again? Get a meeting together at the track one night perhaps? I'm happy to come down and give a reasoned view.

At the end of the day - it exists now because of you. They need to reaslise that.

diesel · « **Reply #9 on:** May 07, 2009, 04:16 PM »

Bushwacked - It looks like you've done an excellent job so far.

If you can find it in you, keep going until the job is done....

Then if your still not happy, walk away, be happy with your achievement and don't let anyone say different.

You'll be surprised how peoples reactions and attitudes change once they've been and experienced it for themselves.

Good work - Chin up

Bushwacked · « **Reply #10 on:** May 07, 2009, 04:43 PM »

Cheers for the feedback.

Off to meet the moaning ones at the track to discuss. I can't say I'm looking forward to it!!!

B

generallee · « **Reply #11 on:** May 07, 2009, 07:54 PM »

Well done maqte - its always hard to be the one to stand up and be counted - csome people will never be happy. Its a pretty safe bet that those gobshites who give you grief wont even be riding ina few years time, so sod em. Its superb what youve done... im about to embark on a very very similar project myself so will keep you posted!
steve

oldboyburner · « **Reply #12 on:** May 07, 2009, 07:56 PM »

a job well done there mr , my son & his mates would love something like that near us north yorks, they try every year to make a track in the local woods allways gets vandalised

keep up the good work

mark

davevilla · « **Reply #13 on:** May 07, 2009, 08:39 PM »

Fair play mate - I looks like you've done an excellent job and seized an opportunity when it came your way.

I have the feeling that hard work and dedication tends to come with age - I remember being an ungrateful little sod when I was in my teens - looking back I really didn't know how lucky I was.

So basically sod the kids, you've done a great job, and you should feel very pleased with yourself.

monkian · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2009, 10:42 PM »

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

RUDYARD KIPLING
1865-1936

Chin up fella

jimmyp · « **Reply #15 on:** May 07, 2009, 11:19 PM »

Track looks good, wish somone would do somthing like that in my area

Brandy Truffle · « **Reply #16 on:** May 08, 2009, 01:37 AM »

Bush, I've been working away alot recently, but I did visit the site and bump into some of these so called Bmx'ers. The overall feeling I get is they were expecting some sort of trails type track with big jumps and stuff, unridable in a race type scenario. They were slagging off everything from the design to the quality..yet funnily enough when I asked them if they had helped, or offered help with either...they shrugged their shoulders and said "No,like"

Bushwacked · « **Reply #17 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:58 AM »

Cheers guys for the boost.

BrandyTruffle - Tell me about it, they want everyone to do the work but themselves!!! Met the "head" guy and another BMXer from the local scene last night and they just can't see the positive in what has been achieved and are totally ungrateful. In fact what got my goat even more was I got back (after riding and enjoying it for an hour on my MTB) I found the head guy had posted up on the local BMX website saying that one of them I met is running it now. Like bugger he will, he might be representing his group but with other people interested in this he can help out and get his guys to work on it, but I've done too much on this just to step back and hand it over because someone says so!! Why do people want to take over when the hard work is done??!!

Anyway, rode it for the first time last night on my MTB and its highlighted areas which need tweaking but I loved it. Its going to ride sweet onces its had some of the final work done.

pickle · « **Reply #18 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:15 AM »

Bushy.......can you post up the link to the 'locals' web site so we can all get on there and give you some credit

show the little fookers who's the boss!

Bushwacked · « **Reply #19 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:29 AM »

Yeah, its CheltBMX.com

GC / The Warden is the head honcho guy.

chichi · « **Reply #20 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:59 AM »

Just had a good read on cheltbmx.com

AAAAHHHH

That has made me mad. So i posted this.

You jumped up lil ------. No respect what ever. If Bushwacked and those who helped, didn't start this track, you would never have done anything yourselves. You want to be careful with what you say. Because if it wasn't for all these older men in their posh cars who take pictures of bikes in their bedrooms. BMX might not be around anymore. What age group do you think make the bmx's of today you _____?

Just get you ass out the chair and chat with the hard working lot and help to change the track then .....

Bushwacked · « **Reply #21 on:** May 08, 2009, 09:03 AM »

Glad that you can see what I've been up against.

Luckily I'm also representing a few other areas, including the local MTBers, the Local cycling club and the general community. If the BMXers had been even half as positive as the others it would be no problem.