a very silly question. I THINK..........

Hi everyone, don't shoot me down, i'm new to all this :doh:. But, whats the difference between green laning and off roading........ Only got my disco 2 days ago, and im itching to get out in it. It's bog standard, nothing added (yet) but feel it would be a waste just to use it for everyday use, without getting the extra enjoyment out of it..... but saying that, i'm not in the position to at the moment to keep paying out for repairs after a weekend away..

Green Lanes are public rights of way old roman roads etc, can be found on OS maps, an range from mild to quite severe terrain and can be followed A to B style

Off roading is generally pay & play "confined" sites e.g Kirton off road centre

Both as good fun as each other, depends what mood you're in

Standard disco i'd go green laneing in, on a dry day, and not on your own, get a feeler for it..... its free!

Change yo UserCP to show where you live and watch out for posts showing peeps going out. Whatever you do, do NOT go out on your own.

I would add that P&P generally provide more challenging (for vehicle and driver) situations that greenlaning - accepting there are still some wicked lanes - either way, I agree, go with someone else and for me, dont do it unless you kit yourself out with recovery points and ropes, in particular for P&P. Good luck

OK, I know you will read this elsewhere but I do feel that there is something to be said for pointing you towards GLASS and the green laning code of conduct. Basically when you are offroading at Pay and Play sites, you are free to drive as you wish, get stuck, mess about, aim to get winched out and so on.

Green laning is different. You are going out for a gentle drive in the country, sometimes using lanes that have not been tarmacced. Some of these lanes may have ruts; be wet or muddy; have technical issues (like trees in the damned way); have walker or other ignorant groups on them and so on. Under these conditions a 4x4 will allow you passage where a 2wd might not.

You are not there to churn up the lane or cause more damage than is present when you arrive. The reason it is important to remember this is that there are a number of groups, the Ramblers Association chief among them, who are campaigning to have all of these rutes closed to vehicles. Obviously this will knacker our chosen passtime. We only have 1.8% of the national rights of way available to us... and these are diminishing daily - using off roading techniques to traverse these routes is one of the things that is giving our opponents ammunition.

Off roading, and green laning are very different things - they just happen to employ a similar range of equipment.

Enjoy your green laning; we do. Oh and; as others have said; don't go alone! I did... and spent 15 hours getting out of one particularly nasty muddy patch.

Cheers Ryder

OH yes and one other thing... it was certainly NOT a stupid question. I personally wish a few more people would get the proper info before venturing out - where abouts in the country are you?