Toms farm!!!!

[***CrAiG***]

Just heard a rumour Tom died last week!!! Can anyone confirm it??? I hope not, he was a top man

Tommy of Toms farm dead? - MX Trax

 

[storm99]

I haven't heard this confirmed as yet...and if true sad news.

However, i have read someone say it was the stress of prison..hmmm..

The bloke was repeatedly warned about safety issues and given opportunity to improve...he chose not to, thereby putting the lives and safety of users in danger purely for profit. A week or two ago someone was killed at a properly organised off road site and there was a lot of sympathy and it was actually reported well by the press.

If someone had been hurt or killed at Toms Farm then I reckon there would have been serious questions asked about the future of all off road sites.

So, if the gent has passed on, commiserations to his family but he chose to ignore the law and did his time, fair enough...but he could have further damaged the image of 4x4 drivers at a time where every opportunity is seized on by the press and anti 4x4 groups.

 

[RichM]

I haven't heard this confirmed as yet...and if true sad news.

However, i have read someone say it was the stress of prison..hmmm..

The bloke was repeatedly warned about safety issues and given opportunity to improve...he chose not to, thereby putting the lives and safety of users in danger purely for profit. A week or two ago someone was killed at a properly organised off road site and there was a lot of sympathy and it was actually reported well by the press.

If someone had been hurt or killed at Toms Farm then I reckon there would have been serious questions asked about the future of all off road sites.

So, if the gent has passed on, commiserations to his family but he chose to ignore the law and did his time, fair enough...but he could have further damaged the image of 4x4 drivers at a time where every opportunity is seized on by the press and anti 4x4 groups.

Imo it should be the responsibility of the driver to ensure the safety of both themselves, and their passengers. They should assess the given situation and decide whether or not to take the risk. Risk assessment is something we all do on a day to day basis, only that some people get it wrong. When they do, people like Tom shouldn't have to take the blame.

 

[storm99]

Except it was on his land and he was charging for it thereby making it a business and liable to insurance etc...i know what you're trying to say Rich but individual or small group laning/off roading is completely different to what was on offer at Toms Farm.

You can be as safe as you want to be, but if someone comes tear arsing out of nowhere with no skill and no insurance..you're ****ed.

He had a duty of care, to provide at least adequate medical facilities...he chose not to do this.

 

[***CrAiG***]

anybody who went to Toms knew what they was in for, they paid tom to keep him sweet and nothing else, He didn't care about a duty of care/insurance/first aid...basically if you hurt youself then you should have been more careful, which is why the H+S brigade wanted him shut down so bad (and his huge tax bill obviously). The thing is, people liked it this way (OK its not everybodys thing) but the people who went there enjoyed the care-free driving/riding that could be had there, it was like nowhere else in the country and there will probably be nowhere like it again, in the UK anyways. a sad day

 

[Pikey]

anybody who went to Toms knew what they was in for, they paid tom to keep him sweet and nothing else, He didn't care about a duty of care/insurance/first aid...basically if you hurt youself then you should have been more careful, which is why the H+S brigade wanted him shut down so bad (and his huge tax bill obviously). The thing is, people liked it this way (OK its not everybodys thing) but the people who went there enjoyed the care-free driving/riding that could be had there, it was like nowhere else in the country and there will probably be nowhere like it again, in the UK anyways. a sad day

Actually lots of people went thinking it was a proper offroad site. and as storm says he had a duty to ensure it was run properly. but like most welsh farmers/ He was only interested in making money, He repeatedly failed to get planning permission for the change of use. and ignored the 11 events per year limit that would have kept him legal.

Hopefully his death will mean the end of Tom's farm as an offroad site. and thank fook if it the last of it's kind..

 

[storm99]

anybody who went to Toms knew what they was in for, they paid tom to keep him sweet and nothing else, He didn't care about a duty of care/insurance/first aid...basically if you hurt youself then you should have been more careful, which is why the H+S brigade wanted him shut down so bad (and his huge tax bill obviously). The thing is, people liked it this way (OK its not everybodys thing) but the people who went there enjoyed the care-free driving/riding that could be had there, it was like nowhere else in the country and there will probably be nowhere like it again, in the UK anyways. a sad day

So what you're saying is that if you had an accident and someone got badly hurt or killed due to lack of say, a fire extinguisher..you'd shrug your shoulders and say 'ah well, i took the chance, i knew what i was paying for'...and if the police said 'we're not going to bother with an inquiry or charging anyone with negligence despite several warnings about this', you'd agree?

 

[***CrAiG***]

no, in the same way that i wouldn't if someone was driving illegally on some wasteland etc. What i'm saying is if people choose to drive at places like this, knowing what they're about don't expect to be wrapped in bubble wrap as you would on pay and play days. I'm not saying its right, hence why it's ILLEGAL and hece why toms was getting shut down every other week. Most people who went to toms, and certainly the people who went back more than once, knew it was a health and safety officers wet dream....but guess what, they liked it there so kept going.

 

[juiceyv8]

 

[storm99]

no, in the same way that i wouldn't if someone was driving illegally on some wasteland etc. What i'm saying is if people choose to drive at places like this, knowing what they're about don't expect to be wrapped in bubble wrap as you would on pay and play days. I'm not saying its right, hence why it's ILLEGAL and hece why toms was getting shut down every other week. Most people who went to toms, and certainly the people who went back more than once, knew it was a health and safety officers wet dream....but guess what, they liked it there so kept going.

Thats all well and good until YOU or someone YOU know gets hurt...then YOU will demand that someone is held responsible.

Sorry Craig...but you're talking rubbish. Your argument is 'we knew we were doing something illegal but as long as we got away with it we're not bothered'.

If travellers moved onto waste ground near your house would you say thats ok? No, as soon as it has an impact on your life its a different story.

 

[***CrAiG***]

No i'm not saying illegal riding/driving is right. BUT toms wasn't illegal, i wasn't braking the law paying him to use his land. If he chose to ignore health and safety laws and not pay his tax thats his problem. Riding/driving on waste land etc is a totally different subject and something i don't agree with and something i don't do

 

[storm99]

I think Mr Tom decided that actually it wasn't his problem cos he didnt bother with various safety issues...so it then became your problem if anything happened. It was well known that the place was a circus...i think people were lucky there was never a serious incident.

I'd rather pay £20 for a fully prepared, inspected, insured and maintained pay and play then a tenner for a the chance to end up in a wheelchair with no compensation to pay the bills...maybe i'm an old fuddy duddy...maybe i just value my life too much.

The man was making a lot of money taking no risks and allowing everyone else to put their life, and others at risk.

 

[***CrAiG***]

many many people will agree with you and you are right. But on the other hand there are many people who loved the place with a passion regardless of toms attitude (i just happen to be one of them). One thing is for sure, there won't be a place like it again, weather you liked it or hated it.

 

[storm99]

I think it had potential to be a cracking place...pity there wasn't a bit of money put aside to do this...

 

[goonarmy]

No i'm not saying illegal riding/driving is right. BUT toms wasn't illegal, i wasn't braking the law paying him to use his land.

technically you was. There are reports of plod sat at the end of his drive giving section 59s out to users of his site.
"well it was fun and i knew the risks" well so is rape.

 

[yoty141]

heard the news last week ,apparently got released from prison on the Sunday and passed away on the Monday , tom was a old school farmer set in his ways and didn't like being told what he could do with his land . the place could be a gold mine if set up and run properly but cant see it ever getting planning permission after the amount of trouble they have had there already

 

[storm99]

For Health and Safety reasons I hope this subject is now dead and buried.















Still too soon?

 

[BIGBENNY777]

many many people will agree with you and you are right. But on the other hand there are many people who loved the place with a passion regardless of toms attitude (i just happen to be one of them). One thing is for sure, there won't be a place like it again, weather you liked it or hated it.

a very much loved place old toms farm may he rest in peace ..
been going there for a long time had **** loads of fun on the bikes and 4x4s R.I.P tom .......