MTBer vs Walkers

ej2320

You know the type, hands on hips and refuse to move off the bike trail..

Share your story below....

cooldad

Most walkers hang out in Crudcatcher.

97th choice

ej2320 wrote:

You know the type, hands on hips and refuse to move off the bike trail..

Share your story below....

Why?

ej2320

Was wondering if you experienced it often as a biker?

cooldad

Never. Must be you.

coulddobetter

Often and I give way . What's the point of giving cyclists a bad name ? After all the routes are usually shared access . Most recent was this evening when I pulled over for a Chinese lady , she actually bowed when she thanked me !

reformedfatty

Ok, heres two recent stories from Swinley.

Just about to turn off a fireroad onto part of the blue. Family walking along are at the head of it and I can hear them debating where they should go. I say 'where you see these posts it means they are part of the mountain biking routes, youll have bikes coming past you a lot'. They say thanks, head off in a different direction.

Riding a red section, meet a family walking the other way. Stopped, 'just as a heads up, this is a mountain bike trail that runs the other way' 'oh, sorry, should we go back the other way?' 'nope, youre nearly at the end now, I wouldnt worry. have a nice walk'. 'thanks, bye'

The Rookie

Live and let live, if someone is being awkward just ride round them and thank them politely, if walkers see you slowing as soon as you see them and that you're taking care of their safety (as well as yours) they usually behave quite reasonably, when out as a group locally, most walkers step off the track when they see us coming, we make a point of thanking them, next time they'll probably do the same again.

Long_Time_Lurker

Never had a problem. Slow down, a polite hello and nod and everyone goes there own way.

poah

if its advertised as an MTB track then you shouldn't be walking on it. I was lucky the other day as I had just finished a run in pollok park when runners went up the wrong way of the run. 30s later and they would have been met with a bike going over 20mpg on single track which would not only have hurt them but me too. There is no excuse for stupidity. An MTB trail is no place for people walking/running especially going the wrong way.

an open trail is different you give way to anyone

paul.skibum

I normally beat them to death and leave them in a shallow grave by the trail side. Bloody walkers getting in my way and eroding my trails with their socks and poles and thermos flasks.

Sometimes though I am perfectly nice and give them a cheery thanks and a have a nice day.

.blitz

ej2320 wrote:

Was wondering if you experienced it often as a biker?

All the time at Cannock. Walkers, runners, horse riders, people going the wrong way. Signs/notices/red&white striped tape it makes no difference anything goes.

By the same token I do a fair bit of hiking and the other week I was walking some of the N.Cornwall coast path. Someone on a MTB was coming the other way which wasn't a problem for me personally but there were a fair few families with little kids on the FOOTPATH, older people and people with hyperactive yappy dogs. I can imagine that all the cheery waves & politeness in the world would not make any difference to what these people thought about meeting a weekend warrior during their pleasant stroll along the FOOTPATH.

All part of life's rich tapestry eh

brucie45

I find its the dogs that get in the way most of the time, the owners decide to move out of the way but dont bother with thier dogs. I can imagine that will have caused alot of accidents in the past for MTBers and dogs.

Obviously it is the MTBers fault. :roll:

cooldad

POAH wrote:

a bike going over 20mpg

Your bike does 20mpg? Amazing. Is it a diesel?

veronese68

brucie45 wrote:

I find its the dogs that get in the way most of the time, the owners decide to move out of the way but dont bother with thier dogs. I can imagine that will have caused alot of accidents in the past for MTBers and dogs.

Obviously it is the MTBers fault. :roll:

You can hardly blame the dog though. I always expect dogs, and other animals, to do the unexpected and slow right down. Some dog owners however do cause problems sometimes by not having any control of the animal or by calling the dog when they see me approach even though the dog is on the opposite side of the path so crosses the path to get back to the owner.

poah

cooldad wrote:

POAH wrote:

a bike going over 20mpg

Your bike does 20mpg? Amazing. Is it a diesel?

it would have to be a pretty shit diesel to get 20mpg

Chunkers1980

Might be a lorry.

brucie45

Veronese68 wrote:

brucie45 wrote:

I find its the dogs that get in the way most of the time, the owners decide to move out of the way but dont bother with thier dogs. I can imagine that will have caused alot of accidents in the past for MTBers and dogs.

Obviously it is the MTBers fault. :roll:

You can hardly blame the dog though. I always expect dogs, and other animals, to do the unexpected and slow right down. Some dog owners however do cause problems sometimes by not having any control of the animal or by calling the dog when they see me approach even though the dog is on the opposite side of the path so crosses the path to get back to the owner.

No I am not blaming the dogs, its the owners that dont use common sence that p**s me off. They get out of the way but let the dogs run wild. I suppose sometimes it cannot be helped. I am the same though, slow right down for the unexpected.

welshkev

if you're on a mtb trail i.e trail centre then you'd have a right to moan.

if you're anywhere else, be courteous and get on with your day, life is too short

Thewaylander

I do the only sensible thing when confronted with walker...

quickly mark my territory all around me and growl saying stand back.

The Rookie

welshkev wrote:

if you're on a mtb trail i.e trail centre then you'd have a right to moan.

Not always no, some have poor signage where they cross regular paths to indicate it's the exit from a trail, which is why walkers are nearly always going 'the wrong way', in which case it's the poor signage that you should moan at.

cat_with_no_tail

MickTup

Once had a women walking the dog down the red route at Dalby. Not that there's much forest to walk in :roll:

cooldad

Once had a woman walking a really giant dog up the Gorlech trail. She said she did it every day.
She was rather cute so I forgave her instantly.

welshkev

The Rookie wrote:

welshkev wrote:

if you're on a mtb trail i.e trail centre then you'd have a right to moan.

Not always no, some have poor signage where they cross regular paths to indicate it's the exit from a trail, which is why walkers are nearly always going 'the wrong way', in which case it's the poor signage that you should moan at.

he'd still have the right to moan about it as it's a dedicated MTB trail. whether it's the signage or not. and by moan about it, i don't mean berate the people who are on the trail, i just mean he'd have a point to this thread

cat_with_no_tail

cooldad wrote:

Once had a woman walking a really giant dog up the Gorlech trail. She said she did it every day.
She was rather cute so I forgave her instantly.

Once had a giant walking a woman whilst riding a dog.

Man that was some trip.

thegreatpoobarr

Blunt object, go for the brain. There's any other kind of walker?


Dogs on those bloody extending leads scare the hell out of me, I'm conviced I'll be garroted someday.

Beanyman

Once, a deer ran out in front of me whilst on a mtb trail. Frightened the life out of me.

I went home and immediately wrote a letter of complaint to the Forestry commission.

How dare they allow wildlife to cross an mtb trail ! do they not realise that an mtb trail is for mtb's only ? :twisted:

I'm still awaiting a reply from them. :P

_jon_

Beanyman wrote:

Once, a deer ran out in front of me whilst on a mtb trail. Frightened the life out of me.

I went home and immediately wrote a letter of complaint to the Forestry commission.

How dare they allow wildlife to cross an mtb trail ! do they not realise that an mtb trail is for mtb's only ? :twisted:

I'm still awaiting a reply from them. :P

To be fair, it's not really the deer's fault. It's poor signage that's to blame.

rockmonkeysc

I never ride trail centres. I meet a few walkers and horse riders on the Quantocks and Exmoor.
Occasionally have a quick chat or give/ask for directions but usually just a polite hello and on our way.
Thats as exciting as encounter get.
Someone did warn me about an aggressive wild pony with a foal on the bridleway once. Thats one to tell the grand children.

ilovedirt

I've bumped into people walking dogs on the Marin trail a couple of times. First time I almost killed some bloke's dog on the last descent. The other time was last week, some dozy woman walking a dog down the first singletrack climb. That was annoying...