Bikers & Hikers
- Thread starter Beachbike
- Start date
It is this way to a certain extent in any sport/activity I just kind of go under the live and let live and say hello or nod to every one. In fact I always notice and comment on the nice helmets that people wear...
Monkey Soup
Angry Wanker
Theres no reason to be a dick to anyone out on the trail, even I, as pissy as I am, say "hi" or "how's it going". There have been booby trapping incidents in the past in places like Ringwood, when tensions were running high between hikers and bikers. Being corteous is a small price to pay to potentially avoid a high-speed run-in with some 80lb test mono or piano wire.
The dog thing I don't get. I used to have dogs, so I do understand. Its cool to let them run loose, get a little excersize, but not everyone in the world is a dog person like you. You can try to justify it all you want, but there is a leash law in NJ, and it applies to the State Parks. If someone goes down and blames it on Rover, you really don't have a leg to stand on if he/she was off of the leash. Plus its just plain dumb to do during hunting season.
The dog thing I don't get. I used to have dogs, so I do understand. Its cool to let them run loose, get a little excersize, but not everyone in the world is a dog person like you. You can try to justify it all you want, but there is a leash law in NJ, and it applies to the State Parks. If someone goes down and blames it on Rover, you really don't have a leg to stand on if he/she was off of the leash. Plus its just plain dumb to do during hunting season.
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
you know what tells me that other mountain bikers are rude to hikers.....many times when I yield to hikers or when they yield and I say "thanks. 2 more coming", the hiker seems legitimately surprised. which tells me a lot of my fellow mountain bikers arent doing these simple things.
and 1speed - totally agree re: dogs, etc.. having to put my foot down when a friendly puppy runs over is really not that big of a deal. it's 5 seconds out of my ride. and 99% of the time the dog owner comes running over apologizing...so I see it as an opportunity to send out positive karma from the mtb world.
the only time I remember getting pissed was when a dog owner made no attempt to corral her dog and it kept chasing me down the trail causing me to stop 3 or 4 times. I didnt say anything but my displeasure was obvious. she didnt apologize which proves there are a-holes in every group. ....and dont get me started about the runner that refused to move out of the way in Allaire a while back (granted she was a bitch for not yielding.... but my guess is that she did'nt yield to us since she had a completely negative view about mountain bikers due to the behavior described in the OP).
and 1speed - totally agree re: dogs, etc.. having to put my foot down when a friendly puppy runs over is really not that big of a deal. it's 5 seconds out of my ride. and 99% of the time the dog owner comes running over apologizing...so I see it as an opportunity to send out positive karma from the mtb world.
the only time I remember getting pissed was when a dog owner made no attempt to corral her dog and it kept chasing me down the trail causing me to stop 3 or 4 times. I didnt say anything but my displeasure was obvious. she didnt apologize which proves there are a-holes in every group. ....and dont get me started about the runner that refused to move out of the way in Allaire a while back (granted she was a bitch for not yielding.... but my guess is that she did'nt yield to us since she had a completely negative view about mountain bikers due to the behavior described in the OP).
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1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
Anyone who would act like that has achieved the absolute pinnacle of douchebaggery, and as such should receive some kind of award or ceremony. Because it has to take a lot of practice to become that much of a dick, and that kind of dedication should be acknowledged.
rick81721
Lothar
One more personal anecdote - I did a trail run at 6mile last sept (saturday morning) and must have encountered at least 20 bikers. Only one actually stopped, said hello and yielded to me. The rest I ended up yielding to them (and not a one thanked me) as they made no effort to yield as they approached.
And I've mentioned several times that dogs off leash are a problem - I see it running and biking.
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
gotta admit - usually the hiker will yield and IMHO, should yield to the biker. despite the rule that says we are supposed to yield, usually it's just more practical for the hiker to take a step to the side rather than the biker having to stop, un-clip, wait and then re-clip, re-gain speed, etc.
...and 95% of hikers are happy to yield when you announce your approach (with a bell or verbal) and give them a little "hello" or "thanks" as you slow down and pass.
rick81721
Lothar
I agree which is why I always at least attempt to yield to bikers when I'm running. Must be a local population effect as well because I run at the sourlands all the time and bikers almost universally stop and yield there (and almost always with a hello and smile). More yokels at 6M??
Frank
Wookie
Puff, puff, give....don't screw up the rotation!
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
perhaps.
also, notice that people also have issues at Allaire.
two parks with a lot of newbies (i.e., new to the sport/ havent yet developed a "respect" for the sport, trails, etc./ think mountain biking is about riding like a Mountain Dew commercial). obviously this comment doesnt apply to most newbies, but gotta think there is a higher % of that attitude in newbies vs. the more experienced riders.
I wouldnt be surprised if there is a correlation between helmetless riders, crappy K-Mart bikes and poor trail behavior.
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Frank
Wookie
I believe Wonderturtle has a point, more newbs and once-a-month type riders at Allaire and perhaps 6 mile due to minimal risk. Now, how do we educate them? Signage would be destroyed, any other thoughts? I know many try to comment on helmet use, but it is rarely well received and is often thought confrontational.
SmooveP
Well-Known Member
Waaaay back when I started riding, the IMBA Rules of the Trail were pretty widely distributed and everyone seemed to know about them. You'd see the little pamphlets at shops, races and trailheads, the rules were repeated often in mountain biking magazines, etc.
I know, it sounds like beating a dead horse to most of us here, but it couldn't hurt to have a prominent link to them somewhere on the site.
http://www.imba.com/about/rules-trail
I'm not against confrontation and peer pressure. People's knee-jerk reaction is usually to get pissed, but they eventually cool off and it probably sinks in to their puny skulls, at least a little bit. If you don't like to be confrontational, you can always say something like: "Hey dude, be careful, some of the militant hikers around here have been complaining to The Authorities, trying to get mountain biking banned here."
I know, it sounds like beating a dead horse to most of us here, but it couldn't hurt to have a prominent link to them somewhere on the site.
http://www.imba.com/about/rules-trail
I'm not against confrontation and peer pressure. People's knee-jerk reaction is usually to get pissed, but they eventually cool off and it probably sinks in to their puny skulls, at least a little bit. If you don't like to be confrontational, you can always say something like: "Hey dude, be careful, some of the militant hikers around here have been complaining to The Authorities, trying to get mountain biking banned here."
Biker Dude
Member
I have to respectfully disagree, to a point. Both Allaire and 6 Mile are the trails I mostly ride and I find, again, that the more experienced riders seem to be the ones with the worst manners / trail etiquette. It sure seems to me that the people with the sponsored clothing are the ones who are the least friendly, by a long shot. When they go by they make it seem like you have no right being on the same trails that they are on. And I rarely see them following the uphill has the right of way trail etiquette rule.
I do understand this is just my take on this and a bit of a generalization but most newbies seem to be very meek and over conscientious on the trails. They don't seem very aggressive and nasty.
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
Biker Dude - I am talking out of both sides of my mouth here 'cause, honestly, I agree with you.
I agree with you - usually when I encounter "newbies" they usually jump out of the way when they see me coming. I did the same thing when I started...I didnt want to get in anyone's way. but that's why I emphasized that's it's probably not most newbies. however, over the years, I have experienced a few newbies riding like 'Mountain Dew" a'holes
and I have encounted a few "kit crews" over the years that come barging through and just expect you to get the f##K out of the way whether you are going up or down or whatever. that is particularly obnoxious since they should know better.
guess there are some a'holes at all levels.
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
See what I did there?
Sadly this goes both ways. I always say at the minimum a "Hello, how are you? X behind me/I'm the only one" and always yield. How many times I've stopped riding to yield to a hiker and they look at me like I'm the dick, I'm the one who should have stopped even sooner, No response from them, no thank you, no nothing. Sometimes I try and get a response and say "Nice day, great day to be out, glad not to be at work" and still nothing.
The last time we were at Wissahickon, someone thanked me and said "I wish all you bicyclers were like this" with a huge smile. I replied "I wish all the hikers were as friendly as you were!" He hit me with a Touché and we moved on. I would bet he treated the next biker he ran into nicer than he normally did.
What I'm trying to say is each user group has bad apples. We can tell all the horror and good stories until we are blue in the face. Sadly, I think it will be that way forever, no matter how hard you want to change it. You just need to have less bad apples by teaching the apples the proper manners. Even the oranges (not cyclists) too. The more popular parks in denser areas will have more bad apples and oranges than not. The only thing our user group can do is be overly friendly and teach everyone we encounter something useful in a adult manner.
Smokey
Member
I do understand this is just my take on this and a bit of a generalization but most newbies seem to be very meek and over conscientious on the trails. They don't seem very aggressive and nasty.[/QUOTE]
This is definitely a generalization and does not apply to all those in kits, but may seem that way based on your experiences... I am a team rider who rides the trails in monmouth and ocean counties in my team kits most of the time. I am also a trail crew leader for the MCPS volunteer crews, and by extension I am hyper vigilant about being a steward of the trails with all that I come across out there...when I stop for hikers/dog walkers(even if I am coming in hot) I insist that they come thru while I stop and move off the trail. Most times they say thanks and sometimes tell me to come thru anyway...when they act surprised that I stopped and showed any trail etiquette I tell them that every MTBer should be stopping for them.
I also show the same manners to other cyclists...whether slower, faster, better technically or worse technically than me...and I agree one infraction that burns me up to no end is the uphill climbing "rule". I almost got into it with some guys last year for almost running me off the trail when they were bombing down at Hartshorne. These guys were getting mouthy when I reiterated the "rule"...and they were not in team kits.
But I am all for educating all trail users on proper etiquette in any way that we can...
Brian
This is definitely a generalization and does not apply to all those in kits, but may seem that way based on your experiences... I am a team rider who rides the trails in monmouth and ocean counties in my team kits most of the time. I am also a trail crew leader for the MCPS volunteer crews, and by extension I am hyper vigilant about being a steward of the trails with all that I come across out there...when I stop for hikers/dog walkers(even if I am coming in hot) I insist that they come thru while I stop and move off the trail. Most times they say thanks and sometimes tell me to come thru anyway...when they act surprised that I stopped and showed any trail etiquette I tell them that every MTBer should be stopping for them.
I also show the same manners to other cyclists...whether slower, faster, better technically or worse technically than me...and I agree one infraction that burns me up to no end is the uphill climbing "rule". I almost got into it with some guys last year for almost running me off the trail when they were bombing down at Hartshorne. These guys were getting mouthy when I reiterated the "rule"...and they were not in team kits.
But I am all for educating all trail users on proper etiquette in any way that we can...
Brian
This is definitely a generalization and does not apply to all those in kits, but may seem that way based on your experiences... I am a team rider who rides the trails in monmouth and ocean counties in my team kits most of the time. I am also a trail crew leader for the MCPS volunteer crews, and by extension I am hyper vigilant about being a steward of the trails with all that I come across out there...when I stop for hikers/dog walkers(even if I am coming in hot) I insist that they come thru while I stop and move off the trail. Most times they say thanks and sometimes tell me to come thru anyway...when they act surprised that I stopped and showed any trail etiquette I tell them that every MTBer should be stopping for them.
I also show the same manners to other cyclists...whether slower, faster, better technically or worse technically than me...and I agree one infraction that burns me up to no end is the uphill climbing "rule". I almost got into it with some guys last year for almost running me off the trail when they were bombing down at Hartshorne. These guys were getting mouthy when I reiterated the "rule"...and they were not in team kits.
But I am all for educating all trail users on proper etiquette in any way that we can...
Brian[/QUOTE]
I also show the same manners to other cyclists...whether slower, faster, better technically or worse technically than me...and I agree one infraction that burns me up to no end is the uphill climbing "rule". I almost got into it with some guys last year for almost running me off the trail when they were bombing down at Hartshorne. These guys were getting mouthy when I reiterated the "rule"...and they were not in team kits.
But I am all for educating all trail users on proper etiquette in any way that we can...
Brian[/QUOTE]
Some really cool, articulate, well reasoned members on this forum who are clearly passionate abt mountain biking and the trails. Speaking of trails, thought I saw a post concerning trail building/maintenance at Hartshorne. Anyone have a date on this..? Thanks!
Now.., about the surf line-up....,
Now.., about the surf line-up....,