Trail etiquette???

"tcmedara" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:m0wyb.26059$yM6.1163@lakeread06... <snip>

Quoted message said:

Personally I could care less if the trails are uni- or bidirectional, I'm sure any safety benefits
are marginal as long as everyone knows what to expect. That said, as long as they are marked one
way I assume people should adhere to them or else constitue a hazard for those who expect the
trail to be clear of oncoming riders. Is riding backwards on a one way trail an etiquitte breach,
a safety issue, an annoynace, or all three? Or am I just too uptight? Intersted to hear other's
opinions and related experiences.

We have a one way system here. Occasionally I'll ride it backwards but usually during the week when
I believe no one else it out there. I may encounter a rider and like the others you mention I yield
to the 'right' way rider. Perhaps it may be time for the management of the park to reverse the usual
riding direction. You could talk to the managers about it. It would seem the riders are bored with
riding it one way or find it 'easier' to ride it in that direction.

Mike

"Michael Dart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Perhaps it may be time for the management of the park to reverse the

Quoted message said:

usual riding direction. You could talk to the managers about it. It

would

Quoted message said:

seem the riders are bored with riding it one way or find it 'easier' to

ride

Quoted message said:

it in that direction.

Mike

A damn fine suggestion. Easier - no. Bored - probably (Like the Inuit people who have dozens of
words to describe white, we who live in the coastal plane can give you quite a few to decribe
flat!). I know just who to talk to. Thanks

Tom

tcmedara said:

The local city park has about 7 miles of dedicated mountain bike trail. Nothing spectacular, but
fun to ride and only ten minutes from my house. The trails consists of three loops of singletrack
linked by a fire road. All three loops are marked with entrances from the fire road, and the exits
back onto the road are posted with good-sized "Do Not Enter" signs. The intent is obviously to
have one way traffic on the singletrack portions of the trail.

Over the past few weeks, I've passed over a dozen riders coming at me from the wrong direction.
The first few surprised the hell out of me, then I started commenting on the way by, something
like, "Hey, this is a one-way loop," or "wrong direction," or "travel goes this way." Usually I
just got a blank stare in return. On today's ride, I just rode by without commenting as it seems
I'm fighting a losing battle.

I must say that most have has politely pulled off to the side to let me pass, a sort of tacit
acknowledgement that I had the right of way. None the less, it still irks me a bit. My biggest
beef is that I'm not expecting someone to be coming at me with a closure rate of 20+mph on a
skinny forest track. My assumption on a one way trail is that there wont't be any riders coming at
me. Everytime it happens it gives me a bit of a start, and several times I've been forced to brake
to make sure there would be clearance to pass. Not that big a deal, its just that I'm not
expecting other riders when coming around corners or pointing downhill.

Personally I could care less if the trails are uni- or bidirectional, I'm sure any safety benefits
are marginal as long as everyone knows what to expect. That said, as long as they are marked one
way I assume people should adhere to them or else constitue a hazard for those who expect the
trail to be clear of oncoming riders. Is riding backwards on a one way trail an etiquitte breach,
a safety issue, an annoynace, or all three? Or am I just too uptight? Intersted to hear other's
opinions and related experiences.

Tom

I am with you, I find it annoying. most of the trails where I live are bi-directional, So I try to
follow the up-down rule (if you are going uphill you have the right of way, those going downhill
should pull to the side, because they can start up easier.) Although I think I am the only person
who knows that rule. On todays ride, I was irked to see horses on a tight twisty singletrack. I said
something to my co-rider, and he shrugged it off saying it doesn't matter, I disagree, if 1500 pound
horses continue to use the singletrack, it will get wider and wider until it isn't a singletrack but
a horse trail! So the rules are there for a reason, and they should be followed. If riders continue
to pass each other in opposite directions, the trail will certainly get wider and wider.

--
Jerry [email hidden] remove the nospam and the period to email me.

Hmm... Sounds like a trail I know in Philadelphia. Good luck teaching them.

"tcmedara" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:m0wyb.26059$yM6.1163@lakeread06...

Quoted message said:

The local city park has about 7 miles of dedicated mountain bike trail. Nothing spectacular, but
fun to ride and only ten minutes from my house. The trails consists of three loops of singletrack
linked by a fire road. All three loops are marked with entrances from the fire road, and the

exits

Quoted message said:

back onto the road are posted with good-sized "Do Not Enter" signs. The intent is obviously to
have one way traffic on the singletrack portions of the trail.

Over the past few weeks, I've passed over a dozen riders coming at me from the wrong
direction. The first few surprised the hell out of me, then I started commenting on the way
by, something like, "Hey, this is a one-way loop," or "wrong direction," or "travel goes this
way." Usually I just

got

Quoted message said:

a blank stare in return. On today's ride, I just rode by without

commenting

Quoted message said:

as it seems I'm fighting a losing battle.

I must say that most have has politely pulled off to the side to let me pass, a sort of tacit
acknowledgement that I had the right of way. None

the

Quoted message said:

less, it still irks me a bit. My biggest beef is that I'm not expecting someone to be coming at me
with a closure rate of 20+mph on a skinny

forest

Quoted message said:

track. My assumption on a one way trail is that there wont't be any

riders

Quoted message said:

coming at me. Everytime it happens it gives me a bit of a start, and several times I've been
forced to brake to make sure there would be clearance to pass. Not that big a deal, its just that
I'm not expecting other riders when coming around corners or pointing downhill.

Personally I could care less if the trails are uni- or bidirectional, I'm sure any safety benefits
are marginal as long as everyone knows what to expect. That said, as long as they are marked one
way I assume people should adhere to them or else constitue a hazard for those who expect the
trail to be clear of oncoming riders. Is riding backwards on a one way trail an etiquitte breach,
a safety issue, an annoynace, or all three? Or am I just too uptight? Intersted to hear other's
opinions and related experiences.

Tom

In my area, one of the only ways to get permission to build a trail is allow equestrian use. It
seems that the greenies will consider it "nature" use. It sucks, but we wanna ride.

"MTB Lover" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

tcmedara said:

The local city park has about 7 miles of dedicated mountain bike trail. Nothing spectacular, but
fun to ride and only ten minutes from my house. The trails consists of three loops of
singletrack linked by a fire road. All three loops are marked with entrances from the fire road,
and the

exits

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

back onto the road are posted with good-sized "Do Not Enter" signs. The intent is obviously to
have one way traffic on the singletrack portions

of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the trail.

Over the past few weeks, I've passed over a dozen riders coming at me

from

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the wrong direction. The first few surprised the hell out of me, then I started commenting on
the way by, something like, "Hey, this is a

one-way

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

loop," or "wrong direction," or "travel goes this way." Usually I just

got

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a blank stare in return. On today's ride, I just rode by without

commenting

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

as it seems I'm fighting a losing battle.

I must say that most have has politely pulled off to the side to let me pass, a sort of tacit
acknowledgement that I had the right of way. None

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

less, it still irks me a bit. My biggest beef is that I'm not expecting someone to be coming at
me with a closure rate of 20+mph on a skinny

forest

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

track. My assumption on a one way trail is that there wont't be any

riders

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

coming at me. Everytime it happens it gives me a bit of a start, and several times I've been
forced to brake to make sure there would be clearance to pass. Not that big a deal, its just
that I'm not

expecting

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

other riders when coming around corners or pointing downhill.

Personally I could care less if the trails are uni- or bidirectional,

I'm

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sure any safety benefits are marginal as long as everyone knows what to expect. That said, as
long as they are marked one way I assume people should adhere to them or else constitue a hazard
for those who expect

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

trail to be clear of oncoming riders. Is riding backwards on a one way trail an etiquitte
breach, a safety issue, an annoynace, or all three?

Or

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

am I just too uptight? Intersted to hear other's opinions and related experiences.

Tom

I am with you, I find it annoying. most of the trails where I live are bi-directional, So I try to
follow the up-down rule (if you are going uphill you have the right of way, those going downhill
should pull to the side, because they can start up easier.) Although I think I am the only person
who knows that rule. On todays ride, I was irked to see horses on a tight twisty singletrack. I
said something to my co-rider, and he shrugged it off saying it doesn't matter, I disagree, if
1500 pound horses continue to use the singletrack, it will get wider and wider until it isn't a
singletrack but a horse trail! So the rules are there for a reason, and they should be followed.
If riders continue to pass each other in opposite directions, the trail will certainly get wider
and wider.

--
Jerry [email hidden] remove the nospam and the period to email me.

"tcmedara" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:92xyb.26063$yM6.4860@lakeread06...

Quoted message said:

"Michael Dart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Perhaps it may be time for the management of the park to reverse the

Quoted message said:

usual riding direction. You could talk to the managers about it. It

would

Quoted message said:

seem the riders are bored with riding it one way or find it 'easier' to

ride

Quoted message said:

it in that direction.

Mike

A damn fine suggestion. Easier - no. Bored - probably (Like the Inuit people who have dozens of
words to describe white, we who live in the coastal plane can give you quite a few to decribe
flat!). I know just who to talk to. Thanks

Cheers! I hope it all sorts out. I'm right on the 'fall line' here in Richmond Va and know all about
coastal plains and vertically challenged.

Mike

"Michael Dart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

snip< Cheers! I hope it all sorts out. I'm right on the 'fall line' here in Richmond Va and know
all about coastal plains and vertically challenged.

Mike

I'm just down the road on the peninsula. Normally don't venture much past Williamsburg when out for
a ride, but I want to check out Pocahontas one of these weekends. Some of the better rides are still
closed down here from the storm, so I'm sure that's why the knucklehead brigades are more prevalent
on the trails that are open.

Tom

"tcmedara" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:WOyyb.26081$yM6.22389@lakeread06...

Quoted message said:

"Michael Dart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

snip< Cheers! I hope it all sorts out. I'm right on the 'fall line' here in Richmond Va and know
all about coastal plains and vertically challenged.

Mike

I'm just down the road on the peninsula. Normally don't venture much past Williamsburg when out
for a ride, but I want to check out Pocahontas one

of

Quoted message said:

these weekends. Some of the better rides are still closed down here from the storm, so I'm sure
that's why the knucklehead brigades are more prevalent on the trails that are open.

Tom

Oh right. I knew that! Email me direct when you come up I'll give you a 'Tour de Richmond.' We've
seen a lot of Peninsula riders coming up here too.

Mike

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 19:35:17 -0500, "tcmedara" <[email hidden]> wrote:

.The local city park has about 7 miles of dedicated mountain bike trail. .Nothing spectacular, but
fun to ride and only ten minutes from my house. .The trails consists of three loops of singletrack
linked by a fire road. .All three loops are marked with entrances from the fire road, and the exits
.back onto the road are posted with good-sized "Do Not Enter" signs. The .intent is obviously to
have one way traffic on the singletrack portions of .the trail. . .Over the past few weeks, I've
passed over a dozen riders coming at me from .the wrong direction. The first few surprised the hell
out of me, then I .started commenting on the way by, something like, "Hey, this is a one-way .loop,"
or "wrong direction," or "travel goes this way." Usually I just got .a blank stare in return. On
today's ride, I just rode by without commenting .as it seems I'm fighting a losing battle. . .I must
say that most have has politely pulled off to the side to let me .pass, a sort of tacit
acknowledgement that I had the right of way. None the .less, it still irks me a bit. My biggest beef
is that I'm not expecting .someone to be coming at me with a closure rate of 20+mph on a skinny
forest .track. My assumption on a one way trail is that there wont't be any riders .coming at me.
Everytime it happens it gives me a bit of a start, and .several times I've been forced to brake to
make sure there would be .clearance to pass. Not that big a deal, its just that I'm not expecting
.other riders when coming around corners or pointing downhill. . .Personally I could care less if
the trails are uni- or bidirectional, I'm .sure any safety benefits are marginal as long as everyone
knows what to .expect. That said, as long as they are marked one way I assume people .should adhere
to them or else constitue a hazard for those who expect the .trail to be clear of oncoming riders.
Is riding backwards on a one way .trail an etiquitte breach, a safety issue, an annoynace, or all
three? Or .am I just too uptight?

You expect MOUNTAIN BIKERS to obey the law?????????????? ROTFL

Intersted to hear other's opinions and related .experiences. . .Tom .

===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"😉. Want to
help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

home.pacbell.netmjvandeOpen ↗

"Mikey spewed:

Quoted message said:

You expect MOUNTAIN BIKERS to obey the law?????????????? ROTFL

.

Quoted message said:

Wow! An honest-to-goodness unsolicited Mikey V response to one of my original posts. I've only been
posting here for a few months, so it feels almost like a right of passage. Its one thing to feed the
troll, but its another to actually draw him out of his delusional cave and have him comment on a
real conversational thread. I'm so proud!

BTW Mikey -- I am a mountain biker and I do obey the law (okay....there have been a few speeding
tickets over the years.) Are you now going to call me a liar? Please!!! Then I'll really feel like
I'm part of the club! I figure I can't really call myself a true citizen of AM-B until my character
has been denigrated by the resident whack-job.

Tom

tcmedara said:

"Mikey spewed:

Quoted message said:

You expect MOUNTAIN BIKERS to obey the law?????????????? ROTFL

.

Quoted message said:

Wow! An honest-to-goodness unsolicited Mikey V response to one of my original posts. I've only
been posting here for a few months, so it feels almost like a right of passage. Its one thing to
feed the troll, but its another to actually draw him out of his delusional cave and have him
comment on a real conversational thread. I'm so proud!

BTW Mikey -- I am a mountain biker and I do obey the law (okay....there have been a few speeding
tickets over the years.) Are you now going to call me a liar? Please!!! Then I'll really feel like
I'm part of the club! I figure I can't really call myself a true citizen of AM-B until my
character has been denigrated by the resident whack-job.

Tom

All I can say is congratulations and of course tell you how envious I am.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

"tcmedara" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:9MSyb.29352$yM6.13764@lakeread06...

Quoted message said:

"Mikey spewed:

Quoted message said:

You expect MOUNTAIN BIKERS to obey the law?????????????? ROTFL

.

Quoted message said:

Wow! An honest-to-goodness unsolicited Mikey V response to one of my original posts. I've only
been posting here for a few months, so it

feels

Quoted message said:

almost like a right of passage. Its one thing to feed the troll, but its another to actually draw
him out of his delusional cave and have him

comment

Quoted message said:

on a real conversational thread. I'm so proud!

BTW Mikey -- I am a mountain biker and I do obey the law (okay....there

have

Quoted message said:

been a few speeding tickets over the years.) Are you now going to call me

a

Quoted message said:

liar? Please!!! Then I'll really feel like I'm part of the club! I

figure

Quoted message said:

I can't really call myself a true citizen of AM-B until my character has been denigrated by the
resident whack-job.

Tom

Hehehe...wait until you've been made "An example of...".

tinyurl.comxch4Open ↗

or a "Death Threat" like this one...hehehehe...it still cracks me up!

tinyurl.comxchmOpen ↗

Mike

"tcmedara" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<m0wyb.26059$yM6.1163@lakeread06>...

Quoted message said:

Is riding backwards on a one way trail an etiquitte breach, a safety issue, an annoynace, or
all three?

If they must ride it opposite the suggested direction, they must yield.

JD

"Michael Dart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

We have a one way system here. Occasionally I'll ride it backwards

You aren't tying to tell us you've been riding _UPHILL_ are you? Bwaaaahahahahahahah!

Shaun aRe

Quite simply find out who is in charge of the trail and let them know. Riding the wrong direction on
a trail marked as such is poor etiquette.

On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 21:28:55 -0500, "tcmedara" <[email hidden]> wrote:

. ."Mikey spewed: .> You expect MOUNTAIN BIKERS to obey the law?????????????? ROTFL .> .. .> .Wow!
An honest-to-goodness unsolicited Mikey V response to one of my .original posts. I've only been
posting here for a few months, so it feels .almost like a right of passage. Its one thing to feed
the troll, but its .another to actually draw him out of his delusional cave and have him comment .on
a real conversational thread. I'm so proud! . .BTW Mikey -- I am a mountain biker and I do obey the
law (okay....there have .been a few speeding tickets over the years.) Are you now going to call me a
.liar? Please!!! Then I'll really feel like I'm part of the club! I figure .I can't really call
myself a true citizen of AM-B until my character has .been denigrated by the resident whack-job.

In my experience, yes, 100% of mountain bikers lie. CONSTANTLY.

.Tom .

===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"😉. Want to
help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

home.pacbell.netmjvandeOpen ↗

Mike Vandeman said:

In my experience, yes, 100% of mountain bikers lie. CONSTANTLY.

Sorry mikey boy. You are the lier and the above statement proves that beyond any doubt. I
believe most sane people would agree with me that it is not realistically possible for 100% of a
group of people to constantly lie even if they tried to. Whooooops. I forgot, you're not sane.
Never mind mikey

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Mike Vandeman said:

In my experience, yes, 100% of mountain bikers lie. CONSTANTLY.

Sorry mikey boy. You are the lier and the above statement proves that beyond any doubt. I believe
most sane people would agree with me that it is not realistically possible for 100% of a group of
people to constantly lie even if they tried to.

Everything I say is a lie.

"Mike Vandeman" hallucinated:

Quoted message said:

In my experience, yes, 100% of mountain bikers lie. CONSTANTLY.

Constantly? Damn, don't let my wife find out.

Actually Mikey, a statement like that just proves you need to get out more and interact with real
people rather than just your therapist. And no... squirrels, chipmunks, whipsnakes, and you're
imaginary hand-puppet don't count. C'mon buddy, put down the can of cheeze whiz, shower, change
you're stained batman briefs, put on something besides your footie pajamas and go try and meet some
real people.