Pay attention
A recent article in the Outbound section of the Sacramento Bee (Dec. 17) was devoted to the issue of mixed use trails and mountain bikes. Almost all of the trails in the Sacramento area are for mixed use. The biggest exception is motorized vehicles of any kind, which are heavily regulated on all the trails just about everywhere. The National Forest trails, except for those in designated wilderness areas are open to just about any kind of human powered travel. The exception in the wilderness areas are mountain bikes and anything that has a motor to propel it.
It seemed a good idea to wait a few days after reading the article to see what kind of response would be forthcoming in the Letters to the Editor section. It was, as it turns out, a good idea. In yesterdays Bee (Dec. 27) there were quite a few responses to the article and to one response in particular that appeared two days after the article.
The article in the Bee noted that the use of the trails has changed over time. It wasn’t that long ago that bicycles of any kind just weren’t seen anywhere except on the streets. The advent of mountain bikes changed that. Slowly but surely they began to show up in the forests and urban trails. The traditional users of these trails–hikers, runners, and equestrians–started to encounter more and more of the mountain bike crowd, and conflicts began to appear. Keep in mind that mountain bikes started to appear about 20 years ago.
The biggest complaint, according to the article, written by Sam McManis (mailto:smcmanis@sacbee.com), is that mountain bike riders do not pay attention to trail etiquette. The general rule is that everyone gives way to horses, bikes give way to hikers. There are signs, yellow triangles, with this rule in picture form on them, at the start of many trails, and along the trails. It’s simple logic and easy to follow. This rider always gives way to horses. They are big animals, and a startled or spooked horse is like a loose cannon on a rolling deck. It costs me nothing to slow down, or stop, to avoid what could be an unpleasant experience. This is true whether riding on a paved urban trail, or out in the forest.
It is easy to assume that out on the single tracks, far away from the city, that one may just ride full tilt without fear of bumping into anything except rocks and tree branches. This rider is also a hiker, and has been quite far into the forest, and come across mountain bikes. Now, the rule is that bikes give way to foot traffic. The reality is that it is easier for me to step off the trail and allow the bikes to pass. We are always polite when out in the forest, and have found that other hikers and bike riders are similarly polite. Some of the pictures you see in these articles are of mountain bike riders we have spoken to, out in the middle of nowhere. You never know when you might need some help out there. It’s best to act accordingly.
It is true that in any sport or recreational pursuit that there will be some who cause trouble for all. An attitude that “this is mine, all mine, so stay out of my way” is what generally results in behavior, regardless of being on a horse, bike, or hiking boots, that causes conflicts.
One hopes that the simple act of being polite, and understanding that sharing is a decent act, is the prevalent attitude out on the trails and urban bike paths wherever you live and ride. The whole thing starts with you.
