I like the comments made by this article and it shows how misinformation and jumping the gun can cause confusion and mistake on both sides. I think there needs to be more studies and reviews before any new trails be made. I am all for new trails , if they dont cause damage later on either. As far as impact/safety concerns with hikers, i think the singletrack would be marked for bikes only (hopefully), that way no crashes with pedestrians will occur. I do agree there are way more hikers and runners there so i think right now they have the biggest impact on trails right now.
Submitted by Joe Rykowski on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 9:20am.
Been thinking lately (scary), and I know this isn't fully what this thread is about but...
Have there been any documented instances when mountain bike users on a shared-use trail have ever had collision with a hiker or other user? Just wondering if we're buying into the disinformation of anti-mountain biking individuals.
It's like an urban legend - people want to believe - and it seems plausible, but in reality?... it's false.
I reject your reality and substitute my own. Would like to see documented (and not hear-say) cases when a mtb user has collided with another user. I'm guessing it's close to never - as in, it doesn't happen...
More likely scenerio - what happens is a hiker, dog walker, or other user is startled by a rider.. They either hear them or see them, and step out of the way. They in turn, in a startled state, are angered... then rationalize - hey, bikers are suppose to yield to hikers... That BASTARD! Then they tell their friends, and those friends tell other friends... and before ya know it, ALL mountain bikers are bastards who go fast and don't care about hikers (which is totally not true and many of us are also hikers...)
Just sayin', I don't believe there's THAT big of a threat that riders (especially on a twisty winding singletrack) are going to have prob with colliding with hikers - instead, the hikers in this urban Forest Park case will clog the trail and it won't be fun for riders.
...so for that reason alone (won't be fun for mountain bike user), it makes sense for shared use trail with alternating days for which users, or a completely "mountain biking only" trail (if there's specific design to justify not suitable for hikers).
very good article on this: ref:bike portland forest park
Have there been any
Been thinking lately (scary), and I know this isn't fully what this thread is about but...
Have there been any documented instances when mountain bike users on a shared-use trail have ever had collision with a hiker or other user? Just wondering if we're buying into the disinformation of anti-mountain biking individuals.
It's like an urban legend - people want to believe - and it seems plausible, but in reality?... it's false.
I reject your reality and substitute my own. Would like to see documented (and not hear-say) cases when a mtb user has collided with another user. I'm guessing it's close to never - as in, it doesn't happen...
More likely scenerio - what happens is a hiker, dog walker, or other user is startled by a rider.. They either hear them or see them, and step out of the way. They in turn, in a startled state, are angered... then rationalize - hey, bikers are suppose to yield to hikers... That BASTARD! Then they tell their friends, and those friends tell other friends... and before ya know it, ALL mountain bikers are bastards who go fast and don't care about hikers (which is totally not true and many of us are also hikers...)
Just sayin', I don't believe there's THAT big of a threat that riders (especially on a twisty winding singletrack) are going to have prob with colliding with hikers - instead, the hikers in this urban Forest Park case will clog the trail and it won't be fun for riders.
...so for that reason alone (won't be fun for mountain bike user), it makes sense for shared use trail with alternating days for which users, or a completely "mountain biking only" trail (if there's specific design to justify not suitable for hikers).