Trail Etiquette

B

Beachbike

Member
Hey Hartshorne, Huber, and Clayton Mtn Bikers. Hope you all enjoyed the great Holiday riding conditions. As we move into the summer riding season, please remember. Downhillers yield to the climbing rider. Thanks.
 
I think a bit more can be said than yeild to uphill riders. In my opinion they are the last of concern in those small parks. If your gonna ride there during heavy foot traffic hours, please: yeild to, greet, and respect the hikers, dog walkers, and anyone else. I know its annoying to have to kill a good flow on a nice piece of trail, but think twice when others are around.
 
FFT said:
I think a bit more can be said than yeild to uphill riders. In my opinion they are the last of concern in those small parks. If your gonna ride there during heavy foot traffic hours, please: yeild to, greet, and respect the hikers, dog walkers, and anyone else. I know its annoying to have to kill a good flow on a nice piece of trail, but think twice when others are around.
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+1 ...

This weekend, my local riding spot was insanely crowded -- riders, hikers, runners, dogs, horses, wedding parties at the Inn, rabid raccoons, and I believe at least one small herd of elephants. Our monday morning ride yesterday was a constant stop-and-go but the other trail users were all very friendly and seemed to appreciate our willingness to yield. (All except for the rabid raccoons, I suppose -- there's simply no pleasing them no matter what you do.) It would have been a real downer if we had to deal with irate users all day, and it cost us nothing to wait for a clear path around.
 
FFT said:
I think a bit more can be said than yeild to uphill riders. In my opinion they are the last of concern in those small parks. If your gonna ride there during heavy foot traffic hours, please: yeild to, greet, and respect the hikers, dog walkers, and anyone else. I know its annoying to have to kill a good flow on a nice piece of trail, but think twice when others are around.
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+1

it does none of us any good to act like a douche on the trail.
 
FFT said:
I think a bit more can be said than yeild to uphill riders. In my opinion they are the last of concern in those small parks. If your gonna ride there during heavy foot traffic hours, please: yeild to, greet, and respect the hikers, dog walkers, and anyone else. I know its annoying to have to kill a good flow on a nice piece of trail, but think twice when others are around.
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Is this really FFT?! The only 4 letter words being "good", "flow" and "nice"?! Please put this into the "things FFT writes"!
 
Beachbike said:
Downhillers yield to the climbing rider. Thanks.
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I never understood the logic behind this one or where it's origin resides. I abide, but always thought it should be the other way around.

I understand that for the uphill rider, restarting would be annoying, but I've never been a huge fan of slamming on the brakes while on a downhill (good way to endo). On short notice (around a corner, maybe) the uphill rider will have a much easier time stopping to avoid a collision. Easy enough to restart going uphill.
 
jnos said:
I never understood the logic behind this one or where it's origin resides. I abide, but always thought it should be the other way around.

I understand that for the uphill rider, restarting would be annoying, but I've never been a huge fan of slamming on the brakes while on a downhill (good way to endo). On short notice (around a corner, maybe) the uphill rider will have a much easier time stopping to avoid a collision. Easy enough to restart going uphill.
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I think it depends on the downhill section.

If it's a crazy steep section that is going to put the downhill rider a risk if they go to slow or stop, then I would agree the uphill rider should probably just suck it up and yield (and, yes, it does suck to have to re-start on a hill, but chances are anyone would agree that it's better to re-start on a climb than have to be carried out on a descent.) There are definitely specific descents I can think of where I'll yield to the descending rider.

But if it's just a regular singletrack climb where the descending rider isn't at risk, then I think they should yield. They can easily rebuild speed. The climber has to rebuild momentum, which is harder (especially on his/her knees!)

One exception to both -- and one of my biggest and only pet peeves in riding -- would be level of committiment. If I'm halfway up a hill and another rider appears at the top -- regardless of the danger in the descent or what have you -- he or she should f*cking wait until I'm clear if there is only one line. And sames goes for me if I appear at the bottom when he or she is halfway down. To quote Mr. Peter Griffin, this really grinds my gears. This happens so often and it's just annoying. It's very rare that I see someone stop and wait in this situation and it's always annoying to the rider who is already on that section of trail. I know it's difficult enough to determine who has the right of way on many sections of trail, but this is just common sense and it's the single most frustrating thing I see when it comes to interactions with other riders. Why create a potentially dangerous situation? I always wait in these scenarios only because I hold out hope that kharma will come back to me. But it rarely does. And it doesn't seem to matter whether the opposing rider is a full on XC hammer, a downhiller, a newbie, or anything in between. Very, very rarely does anyone seem to put themselves in the other rider's position in these cases. And I don't buy the notion that it's because they didn't see them. That may apply to a tenth of all situations like this (if even that many.) Many times, in my experience, it seems like the rider who should wait views the other as a potential audience to see how awesome he/she can ride. And that;s just bullsh*t. Seriously, I should probably just start yelling that I think they're awesome already and don't need to prove it. Maybe then they'll wait.
 
1speed said:
I think it depends on the downhill section.

If it's a crazy steep section that is going to put the downhill rider a risk if they go to slow or stop, then I would agree the uphill rider should probably just suck it up and yield (and, yes, it does suck to have to re-start on a hill, but chances are anyone would agree that it's better to re-start on a climb than have to be carried out on a descent.) There are definitely specific descents I can think of where I'll yield to the descending rider.
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usually...it makes more sense (and courtesy) for the downhill rider to yield since it is just so much easier for them to restart (just lift your leg and let gravity take over again), whereas the uphill rider may be unable to restart (or at a minimum have a tough time since they lost all momentum...which SUCKS).

but agree. sometimes it just makes more sense to just let the downhill person keep going (technical downhill where it might be hard for them to safely stop). and I have no problem yielding in those sections.

it depends on the situation.

bottom line: common sense , courtesy and communication. if all parties are exercising those three key elements than all is good.

it's when one of the parties fails at these things when things breakdown.
 
South of the us border the downhill rider has rite of way and just shouts "Pista", which I beleive to mean runaway on the trail. I will try this out at Hartshorn on a saturday morning.
 
Feel free to educate other riders on the spot. I have. For a lot of us who've been riding for a long time, we were exposed to (force fed?) the IMBA Rules of the Trail. I recall seeing them reprinted in lots of places, from bike magazines to accessory packaging.

Here they are: http://www.imba.com/about/rules-trail
 
Yeild to the uphill rider is an easy rule to remember and should flow over to yeilding to hikers/walkers/runners easily. It should make you think about the terrain you are riding and where you are looking. Try to ride thinking that someone could pop up at any time and have an "escape" line. If you are a bombing down lines at a place like Hartshorne and not yeilding, you are going to be pissing off a lot of people.

And if you think you are all that and need moar aggro, go up to Plattekill or Mtn Creek - heard there is plenty of downhill at those places with no worry about people going up the trail.
 
don said:
If you are a bombing down lines at a place like Hartshorne and not yeilding, you are going to be pissing off a lot of people.
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and, IMHO, looking like an idiot. frankly I kinda laugh at guys riding all agro at places like hartshorne, 6MR or Allaire....i.e., you kinda look like an idiot riding all agro while dodging soccer moms pushing jog strollers.
 
wonderturtle said:
and, IMHO, looking like an idiot. frankly I kinda laugh at guys riding all agro at places like hartshorne, 6MR or Allaire....i.e., you kinda look like an idiot riding all agro while dodging soccer moms pushing jog strollers.
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yeah, so true. Was at Hart a bunch of years ago and came across a guy with a big ol' Kona Stinky with a dual crown (think he was padded up too). Was with syadasti and we were like "hey want to do a little drop with us, it's right around the corner?" It's only a 4-6' footer and is off trail (actually might be off park). I think syadasti did it with the seat in XC height. The big Kona guy denied and came up with some lame excuse. Really, no one is going to be impressed if you have a huge bike with armor on and can go fast.

And it shows that there are areas in the park where you can test yourself skill/aggro wise and keep things chill on the trail.

ekuhn said:
I know im slow, so I stop and let everyone by.
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Me too. I'm not one to mind catching my breath.
 
I yield to almost everyone if there isn't enough room to pass safely. Otherwise I just slow down, say hello and keep going. What I hate is when I pass riders who don't say anything and barely nod a hello. 😕
 
a.s. said:
I yield to almost everyone if there isn't enough room to pass safely. Otherwise I just slow down, say hello and keep going. What I hate is when I pass riders who don't say anything and barely nod a hello. 😕
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This.
 
1speed said:
With one exception to both -- and one of my biggest and only pet peeves in riding -- would be level of committiment. If I'm halfway up a hill and another rider appears at the top -- regardless of the danger in the descent or what have you -- he or she should f*cking wait until I'm clear if there is only one line. And sames goes for me if I appear at the bottom when he or she is halfway down.
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+1 on this.
 
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