Mountainbikers...Grrrr!

[clark4131]

I thought I'd share this little adventure and see if anyone else has dealt with this crap. As I was riding yesterday, I was on some tight singletrack that is used by both motorcycles and mtn. bikes. I was headed downhill and a guy on a mtn. bike was headed up. Out of courtesy, I pulled over and stopped to let him pass so he wouldn't lose momentum...I mtn. bike too so I know what a pain it is to get restarted going up hill. As he pedaled by me, I nodded at him and he started yelling at me calling me an a-hole and that I'm going to ruin the environment, get the mountain closed, yada, yada, yada. I got off my bike and blocked his route saying that if he wanted to call me an a-hole for being courteous, he had better be prepared to ball up his fists and defend himself. Long story short, he turned his bike around and pedaled his eco-nazi keister the hell out of there. I guess he realized that his spandex unitard wasn't quite as imposing and protective as my gear. Perhaps I shouldn't have reacted quite so hotly as I did, but damn it, I was trying to be respectful and he went treehugger on me. Come to think of it, I should have roosted him into a ravine ...SC

[MotoGoalie]

I've had words with Mtn bikers also. I too ride bicycles but if some asshat needs to get mouthy, then he better be prepared to follow up.

[Indy_WR450]

You are such a nice guy Clark. I would not have given him a chance to finish the sentence before riding down and politely punting him off the trail with a nice side check from the WR front end.

Eco nazi's are everywhere! ?

I always pull over or slow down and go around mountain bikers. They are usually pretty respectful. I know we have trash riding dirt bikes too. ?

[Hokie]

What you did was perfectly OK in my book.

Be nice until it is time to not be nice.

I would have loved to see the look in his face when you blocked his path.

[Diode663]

Hahaha I would have done the same thing. Its definately peving when you try and help someone out and they slap you in the face, especaily with enviormentalism. That is a no no.

[vorra65]

he started yelling at me calling me an a-hole and that I'm going to ruin the environment, get the mountain closed, yada, yada, yada.

What a dick!

These enviro-fundamentalist type's are so f'n annoying.

Just last nite, I'm watching my local news (KCRA in Sacramento) and the Yamaha commercial come's on. You know the one "kick/ride/kick/ride" drill instructor, pushing the TTR's. Well as soon as the commercial ends, what do you suppose the next commercial is? A damn Sierra Club, commercial ?

The guy in the commercial goe's on and on about preserving our wilderness for his kid's and all that B/S rhetoric. Do you suppose that was just a coincedence? Man, I get so tired of that same old worn out story.?

Really makes sense, that my son can ride his mosquito abatement Banshee year round-and my 04 WR is restricted to it's lame red sticker.

[jdubsooner]

I would have pointed my bike uphill and roosted him.

[velosapiens]

sounds like a dork, but by titling this thread 'mountain bikers.. grrrr' you're being just as closed-minded and lame as the anti-motorized-nazi's.

i've never had any words with a mtn biker, and also never had any words with dirtbikers when i've been mtn biking, except 'hi, how ya doin?'. i therefore conclude that 99% of all mtn bikers are totally cool. that's a higher percentage than almost any other segment of the population.

mw

[SJMC_DON]

I stop, wave, and ask how everyone's day is going (MTB'ers, hikers, horsemen, etc..) and when someone fires back at me a negative response, it's on!

"How dare you, you are on a multi-use trail, probably originally built for and by motorcycle riders and after I approach you in a polite manner you get indignant?! you!" etc, etc, etc.......... "Do you know how many miles of non-motorized trails are out there? Get the off this trail and go to the other 99.9% of the trails in this state that are off limits to me, you ? !"

Never had anything turn physical but that is my usual response..........

The Horsemen always seem to be the coolest, infact I have had some great trail side chats with horsemen but the hikers and MTB'ers are usually a$$holes.

[triplejumper]

Jerks are every where. I mountain bike and get that kind of attitude from the occasional hiker that thinks they should be alone on the trail. Never had a problem on the motorcycle with bicycles, yet. Hokie was right, be polite as long as you can, then heck with them.

[Over40_DRZ]

What you did was right on the money, kill them with kindness, untill it's time to kick their ass ?

[clark4131]

... by titling this thread 'mountain bikers.. grrrr' you're being just as closed-minded and lame as the anti-motorized-nazi's.

My apologies, I didn't realize your self-esteem was so fragile. Besides, this wasn't my first experience with this type of schmuck. As a matter of fact, this is becoming the rule here rather than the exception. We have a lot of Kalifornians who've moved to this side of the state who complain about everything. There's a group of them now who moved next door to a local municipal airport that want to have it shut down because it's too noisy . Did they buy their houses sight unseen or what?...SC

[goodtogo]

Well you were nice and that is what counts ...just do the same thing if you come across a mtn biker... pull over and be nice if some one wants to bitch about it ....then let em have it ...just rev it like like your gonna run'em over {joking just joking} I deal with rd bikers they think they own the dam road...lol they ride two and three wide ...dont stop for stop signs etc...I worked in a bike shop for seven yrs....oh the story's .....I was just riding along when....or JRA ....or I need my flat fixed now!!!!!!! no please no thank you......hehehehehe

[velosapiens]

My apologies, I didn't realize your self-esteem was so fragile. Besides, this wasn't my first experience with this type of schmuck. As a matter of fact, this is becoming the rule here rather than the exception.

i also live in nevada. i rode alot around truckee and reno when i lived in truckee and norcal (up to 2 yrs ago). never had the problems you have had, not in norcal and also not in truckee or around peavine. maybe that's coincidence and you just got lucky. maybe you're doing something that incites people. i just know i've ridden alot around places with lots of bicycles (downieville, truckee/peavine/northshore, moab) and not had any problems. a couple of grumpy hikers and 1 grumpy horseperson is all i've found.

[RB2]

Mountain Bikers have become a real problem herein BC too! I have been riding here since I was 5. Places I rode as a kid, I can not ride anymore because of these A- Holes. I am willing to share and be courteous as Clark is but they are not

[bluethundaaaa]

We get a lot of mountain bikers in our riding areas as well (at least the ones close to town) and I too am courteous to mtn bikers, hikers, and horse riders. I have had a few words with a couple different mtn bikers (as that is what I see most of) that were tree huggers I just give the roosting mud, dirt or rocks response. The horse riders I have ran into have been the most thankfull for me pulling over and the few hikers I have seen were nice too. In my experience when out hiking and mountain biking I stay off designated motorized trails. Those trails are there for me when I am riding my d bike and everyone else that is too. Around here there are so many trails that you can hike and mtn bike there is no reason to be on a designated motorized one. My avatar says it all.

[Hokie]

I have had:

one run in with an a-hole horse person that deteriorated into yelling.

one run in with an a-hole hiker trying to block the trail with logs, this also deteriorated into a heated discussion of what multiple use means.

I have not ever had words with any Mtn. Bikers. The vast majority have been cool and appreciated me pulling over for them. Sometimes I will get a dirty look, but no mouthing off.

[WGP]

Was this at Peavine? I have had many run-ins with Mtn Bikers there, they think they own those single tracks. Just like in hiking, person coming up the trail has right of way, unless there out of breath and need a break. You did the right thing, except after he yells at you you roost him with some rocks.

[motojason]

I'm gonna get on a soap box here:

A person who loses his temper and over reacts to some yelling from a total jerk-off is still an ******* in my book. I wasn't there, I don't know what happened, but I don't see how someone yelling at you should have provoked you to be physically confrontational. You could have just as easily said, "have a nice day I hope you don't treat other courteous trail users with the same animosity that you've shown me"...and been on your way.

Call me a pacifist, but words are not going to provoke me into an act that portrays me as being a hot head. This is how stereotypes start. I'm sure that MTB rider is on some equivalent forum talking about how some ******* MC rider threatened to beat him up him for wanting to protect the environment! (yeah right) I bet that MTB rider will be more of a prick to the next MC rider he comes across. Maybe he'll even get his "green" friends to make some booby traps or block some trails in the name of their BS cause. And that is really not good.

I've been on almost all sides of this, I've been yelled at by hikers, I've been yelled at by equestrians, both on my MC and on my MTB. And I've been roosted on while hiking by an MC riding moron that yelled at me for slowing him down! I always just listen to the BS and then tell them it's a multi-use trail and if we all act responsibly and safely we should all be able to respect eachother and get along. (you better be sure you know the trail you are on is open for your use type if you take this approach, because you will look dumb regardless if you are on a closed trail) My experience is that when I have said this the person yelling opens up and admits to taking out on me what some other a-hole on a ride like mine should have gotten. It was payback for something I didn't do, but somebody else on a MC, or MTB, or in hiking boots had been a jackass to them and they were pissed about it. That's why I say don't let anger and stupidity escalate; defuse it, be the better person. We must share the trails or the trails will be lost.

Protect your privilege to use the trail by being an ambassador to your sport, no matter what you are riding. I strive to always be seen in a positive light when on the trails. I'm sure there will always be other trail users that will have a hard-on for me just for being on a MC, MTB or whatever. But hey, the world isn't perfect, let that be their problem...words are harmless. First, I'm gonna kill'em with kindness unless they come swingin' for me. And in that case, well, then it's on!

[SJMC_DON]

Most of my trail sharing tension has come from Hikers and once, I am convinced, they tried to booby trap me up in the Gifford Pinchot forest by Mt. Saint Helens, they laid large limbs end to end right down the middle of a very narrow strech of trail with severe consequences if a rider rolled a wheel off the edge. No way in hell those limbs fell that way on their own. And when I met up with them originally it was only to communicate that their were riders a ways behind me and I did'nt want anybody colliding and the leader of the group didn't even hear me because he was too busy calling me all kinds of names and categorizing me as an irresponsible hater of his mother earth.........

Regarding Mt. Bikers - most of the bad experiences with MTB'ers has been in areas that are not official riding areas but they were primarily formed by dirt bike riders and because the areas have been encroached upon by development they have become popular with the MTB'ers. Once they feel they own the place they seem to forget how the trails got their in the first place........ wrong mind set but understandable.