getthegat Posted February 21, 2018 Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 So I was driving on a very busy dual carriageway today and as always had one eye on the road and the other in the fields. I noticed a few birds over a rape field and then saw a random vehicle parked on the verge, as I got along side I could see through the sparse hedge, a guy with a couple of karki umbrellas being used as a hide/shield, very obviously pigeon shooting. He was approximately 20 feet from the road! I would guess he had a Hushpower so as not to scare passing motorists, but surely this cannot be legally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultrastu Posted February 21, 2018 Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 As long as he wasnt causing distress or hindering any road users .i think he would be ok . I doubt very many .walkers or cyclists would use a dual carriageway? So most of not all motorists would be un aware he was there .possibly . He might of been using an air rifle ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inthedark Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 It's got to be two things to make it illegal - less than 50 feet from the centre of the road (you'll be surprised how much road there is) and as a consequence a user of the road (carriageway) must be injured, interrupted or endangered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClemFandango Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 not illegal a long as he wasn't causing distress or alarm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 As above. Average road 30ft, so 15ft from centre, so only needs another 35ft to be legal and as said no endangerment or distress. On one shoot I used to pick up on, the guns were pegged along the lane and it was not unusual for the local bobby to be sat on his motorbike watching proceedings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getthegat Posted February 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 Really! Well again I've learnt something new. In that case I hope he had a good shoot, with the added bonus of a very short walk to unload and reload his gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 If the road was busy you should have both eyes on the road .what if the car in front stops suddenly while you have one eye watch some one shooting.but well done for see him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) i was all ways told 50ft from the center of any highway.and thats what i stick to. Edited February 22, 2018 by mossy835 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 14 minutes ago, mossy835 said: i was all ways told 50ft from the center of any highway.and thats what i stick to. That is incorrect but it would not be a bad rule to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJsDad Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 SHOOTING NEAR HIGHWAYS (E.G. ROADS & CARRIAGEWAYS) In England & Wales it is an offence without lawful authority or reasonable excuse to discharge any firearm within fifty feet of the centre of a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway, and in consequence a user of the carriageway is injured, interrupted or endangered. [Section 161(2) of the Highways Act 1980 as amended]. It is important to remember that the discharge of a firearm is not prohibited in itself. It must also be proved that there was an injury, or that someone’s passage was interrupted or interfered with e.g. they have been forced to make a detour. For the purposes of Section 161 (2) of the Highways Act 1980 (as amended), a ‘highway’ is restricted to a public right of way for the passage of vehicles and does not include footpaths, cycle tracks or bridleways. Therefore the fifty feet rule described above does not apply to rights of ways that cross private lands e.g. footpaths. Whilst the Firearms Act does not provide a statutory definition of what is meant by “lawful authority” or “reasonable excuse”. We believe that “lawful authority” would not necessarily apply to sportsmen as this seems to relate to those issued with firearms in connection with official duties such as police or military personnel. “Reasonable excuse” would apply to sportsmen shooting over land with permission. Section 19 of the Firearms Act with regard to having a ‘firearm in a public place’ also applies and is described on page 4. This legislation applies to all public places and not just open access land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getthegat Posted February 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 I'm terribly at looking in the fields whilst driving, bad I know, but a long time habit. Even the dog watches and spots birds now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 when using a shotgun I like to shoot as far from the road/lane as possible, 100 yards minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 stick to that and you will be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 agree re disturbance etc..other thing which would concern be is a winged bird landing on a car/motorcyclist.......not ideal.Just because it is legal does'nt make it ideal/sensible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spot on Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 my daughter phoned me on Tuesday a.m a roe buck ..had been badly injured rta on the road that she uses for work ."dad can you bring a gun ".taking the 20bore I told her to inform the local Police that a member of the public would be using a weapon to dispatch a fataly injured deer on a public highway."just to cover myself against any complaints that might arrive from discharging a weapon on a public highway" ..no problem just make sure no members of the public are in the discharge area ..job sorted .as luck would have it the few vehicles that where on the road stayed well back until I shot the buck at p/b . that instance I am sure would have been covered by "reasonable excuse" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 It's an old thread, but there have been instances in the past where I've known guns to be stood on a tarmac country road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 My advice! Don't give plod any excuse whatsoever to revoke your licence! End of! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Scully said: It's an old thread, but there have been instances in the past where I've known guns to be stood on a tarmac country road. Yep, I picked up and beat regularly for a shoot where one drive was pushed over the lane leading from one village to the next and guns would be 'pgged' along the verge. Often the local bobby either on his Velocette or in a Panda would be parked at the end of the line watching the fun. The fact a police officer was there prevented any fear or danger complaint. Good old days. Sounds like you did the right thing. Well done. Edited June 1, 2018 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClemFandango Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 On 22/02/2018 at 19:50, dougall said: agree re disturbance etc..other thing which would concern be is a winged bird landing on a car/motorcyclist.......not ideal.Just because it is legal does'nt make it ideal/sensible. Just don't shoot at birds flying in the direction of or likely to land on the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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