Have a question about curtisy and manners

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
If you are going fast enough that you can't stop without falling, you have exceeded your skill level. We aren't talking about 30mph blind corners here...

Technical downhills. I know you southerners don't have that sorta thing but there are some spots up north that once you clip out, you're better off walking down. Clipping in when your bike wants to fly downhill is difficult and dangerous.

It's an exception to the rule. And realistically nobody is riding *up* that kind of climb so it's not really an issue.
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
i look at it like trail ed. like skiing rules - uphill skier is responsible for overtaking or coming toward and avoiding the downhill skier.

if you're coming to a blind narrow turn and you are cooking, you need to scrub some speed to be able to control yourself and come to a stop - safely - in case there is someone/something around that corner. i'm all for having fun turning up the speed on a downhill, but if you don't know what you are heading into, you need to make sure you are under control, and not just 'holding on'. so if there is someone who's fallen or if there is someone coming up the hill you are descending, you need to make sure you can stop and control yourself enough avoid throwing them off their line, or even worse, making contact.

if its a place like lewis morris, where you get a great view of what is ahead on a lot of those downhills, you can and need to look ahead if you are turning on the jets - if its all clear, go for it. if you see another trail user in your line, adjust your speed until you are clear of each other.

if you have ever had someone come by you on a downhill while you are standing still and they come real close to you, 7 mph looks really fast... never mind 30 mph.

speed shouldn't be checked only in downhills... in group rides too. tailing someone really close is a bad idea sometimes - especially if you aren't experienced at riding on someone's tire (like in road riding). if you can't stop yourself in time to avoid hitting the person in front of you if they bail, you are too close. when the speed picks up, back off a bit to allow for reaction time and your tires to slow you down if you aren't used to riding behind someone like in a road ride. and if you are going to pass someone, audibly communicate it, and then commit to it and get by them. dont ride just ride their butt, and then take your time passing - turn on the jets and get it done.
 
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MST.ESQ

New Member
...if its a place like lewis morris, where you get a great view of what is ahead on a lot of those downhills, you can and need to look ahead if you are turning on the jets - if its all clear, go for it. if you see another trail user in your line, adjust your speed until you are clear of each other...

Well said. I was on the downhill gravel section of the LM/Patriots Path trail when I came across a very lovely family with two young kids. Though I was 40 yards away when eye-contact was made and it only took 10 yards to come to a complete stop (albiet a very noisy rock skidding, chain slapping due to cheap hardtail stop)... it scared the sh#t out of the mother and kids. Once they smiled and waved (from 30 yards away) to acknowledge that they realized I was actually in complete control and to show appreciation that I came to a complete stop for them to pass by, I could only wonder what other experience they had to cause them such alarm:hmmm:
 

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Last year when I rode Allaire for the first time, of course I was a babe in the woods. There was a steep curving hill I was going up, but 4 or 6 other guys came barreling down. The first one yelled "rider up" which meant me. He also told me there were more coming. I yielded to them because there was no way I could make it up that hill in the amount of time they could make it down. It was a courteous encounter all told, and the riders at the rear said "two more... one more... I'm the last..." We wished each other good rides and they disappeared. Then I proceeded to crawl up the hill. Right or wrong I just thought it was sensible to not have them lose their downhill momentum and the rush, while I crawled up.
Sounds like that crew of matchy-matchy guys on single speeds. Watch out for those kooks.:rofl:
 

Wazu

New Member
Yield to up hillers whenever you can. If you are screaming down a hill and approach an up hiller slow down as safely as you can and take the right part of the trail if possible if you can't come to a complete stop. I yield to non bikers at all costs because I know that I am representing all of us "Maniacs".
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Technical downhills. I know you southerners don't have that sorta thing but there are some spots up north that once you clip out, you're better off walking down. Clipping in when your bike wants to fly downhill is difficult and dangerous.

It's an exception to the rule. And realistically nobody is riding *up* that kind of climb so it's not really an issue.

whoaaa nelly, full on central here. damnit. I understand, I know mean guy is a newbie, so i think it is more of a skill thing with him, then a clipping in/out thing. Everything is on a case by case basis and I have no yield to the uphill person on occasion for the exct reasons Ben said.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Anyone south of my house is a Southerner. Besides you indict yourself by saying "whoa nelly!"

But yeah, I doubt Happy Guy is navigating a downhill boulder field in his scenario...
 
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