I've seen the adverts and the reduced lifetime price for early adoptors. It's very much a work in progress and they are trying to attract additional volunteers to send in video footage.
They also mention grading lanes for difficulty, which is something GRM discussed but didn't adopt.
It's a mammoth project.
You'll be able to ride Devon's lanes wearing VR goggles whilst sat on your sofa, and won't have to wash the bike afterwards!
It saddens me to see the TRF blindsided and it is very disrespectful to sideline those who have worked so hard for over five decades to keep green lanes open for all by launching a commercial project in this manner.
The so called Green Lane Environmental Action Movement will be pleased to see the trail riding community split like this and it will help them by providing ammunition to throw at trail riders in order to get more lanes closed to motorcycles. They will delight in cherry picking snapshots of trickier sections as 'proof' that trail riders damage lanes. Possibly the biggest own goal possible by people claiming to encourage trail riding.
The small print claims it shows legal ways but then disclaims responsibility for anyone who relies on it, and the absence of anything resembling the TRF voluntary 25 mph speed limit is likely to encourage antisocial behaviour because in the absence of posted speed limit signs the national speed limit applies so 60 mph would be 'ok', yeah right....
MCN do themselves, Trailvidz and the TRF no favours by referring to green laning as 'legal off road trails' which is complete nonsense. Off roading is illegal.
The grading project is another can of worms entirely. A lane may be easy on a dry summer day and very difficult after a spell of wet weather.
I predict this will wither and die before completion unless large numbers of riders use it to claim mileage for filming their rides, even so it is likely to fail to provide a comprehensive view of what is available and the few lanes featured will be overused when they are focussed on and riding is not spread across the network.
Will Trailvidz do the decent thing and fight to keep the lanes open when the extra usage they have encouraged leads to complaints and closures, or will they expect the TRF to do that for them?
JT mentioned the other day about the lack of young chaps riding bikes, with the ban on new motorcycle sales in the near future all of our efforts over the years will sadly have been in vain.
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Took the Queens Shilling and disappeared for 23 Years !!
I like the sense of adventure when you go down an unknown lane and find out what its like. Surely thats part of the fun of trail riding? Why ruin that with grading or checking out what is there on a video. Also, everything on video looks far easier than it is in real life.
Also, didnt James Higgs video most of the trails in the SW? I bet half of them are completely different now compared to when he videoed them.
All the best to the chaps, but it just seems like a middle man business to me. Take the work of others and repackage it to sell for your own profit.
