There is an underlying message in what Ian is saying which I agree with! Yes, we (and by that I include the owners, members, committee, legal team etc.) did everything any law abiding, rightful, respectful and law obedient member of the society would do: abide by those laws imposed on us by whatever previous ruling/by-law. In the hope that every boby else does the same and leaves us alone.
And yet what do we get? A lot of abuse and misinformation for no reason other than having a hobby that doesn't suit our new (to them) neighbours and that one of us is a well known personality with enough clout to give IT a new lease of life and THEM a focus for protest?
I don't always understand you Brits. Where I come from if someone accuses ONE of something plainly un-truth ONE goes out and fights to clear one's name, over here it seems that HE who throws the first stone almost always secures the audience of the law, regardless (very often) whether HE is right in HIS claims in the first place.
And all you (the British defendant) do is wait for the legal process to take its turn and expect that it should rightfully find you to have been right in the first place.
I'm not for a minute suggesting that DKRC/Mansell-Raceway rested on its collective British law-right laurels, as I know we didn't, but what about hiring a bus and making a prayer visit to the local church during the God's hour? Just so that we test the archaic nature of some of the rules that we are forced to obey?
Ian is right, I'm sure the majority of those taking part in the rightful activities at Dunkeswell did very little more than obeying the rules. And there's nothing wrong with that of course. But this should be a message to all those Rissington- and Dunkeswell-esque situations of which are a few out there I'm sure: forget your Britishness and take-up Sheldon-esque attitude in fighting for your club, track and hobby, or we'll all eventually go the way Fox Hunting (probably not the best example but one that comes to mind) and other ancient pursuits went!
Fox Hunting springs to mind only for the lesson it teaches: how the sheer determination of a few people turned the matter from a minority concern into a nationally polarising debate and finally a Parliamentary statute Bill!
IMHO, and often wrong, not willing to offend in any way of course.
Dan
NB. Sheldon is on the OTHER side of the forest, for those that aren't in the know, just to clarify the reference in my text.
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