Loud hubs scare hikers....

[lmckee]

We're the minority. Without question we do more trail work but if you poll the people more of them will say they are hikers than bikers and likely by a wide margin. At the end of the day, we need to appease the hikers so a bunch of them don't band together and decide to vote us off the proverbial island.

So just because were the minority (which I honestly question) we have less rights? From my personal experience I see WAY more cyclists using the trails then hikers/walkers/etc. I realize that there may be places where this isn't the case but this does apply to every trail system that I frequent. I would imagine that if it came down to it cyclists would band together to back up their sport way faster then hikers ever would.

On a personal level, I never ever have a problem with anyone, ever. Be nice, ask how they're doing, comment on the weather. If they can't hear you say "good morning" or "great day for a hike" or "this sure beats the office" or whatever. I have never been in a situation where that hasn't worked.

Like I said, I'm always nice to people. It's just a matter of them returning the favor and realizing that were allowed to use the trail systems also.

 

[Frank]

We're the minority. Without question we do more trail work but if you poll the people more of them will say they are hikers than bikers and likely by a wide margin. At the end of the day, we need to appease the hikers so a bunch of them don't band together and decide to vote us off the proverbial island.

It's as simple as that. You can analyze it any way you want, but that's where the reality lies.

On a personal level, I never ever have a problem with anyone, ever. Be nice, ask how they're doing, comment on the weather. If they can't hear you say "good morning" or "great day for a hike" or "this sure beats the office" or whatever. I have never been in a situation where that hasn't worked.

Well said Norm.

It will take some time for people to realize that we are NOT the Mountain Dew yahoos that appeared in commercials. More and more parks are going for "Multi-use" status and everyone must get along. Norms last paragraph is a great example of how to go about it. Most of the people I come across are the same way, I may startle them (I also have Pro II hubs) but I always talk to them and they almost always yield to us and smile.

Oh and having both dogs and horses...I prefer to step in "mule muffins" any day of the week.

 

[Norm]

So just because were the minority (which I honestly question) we have less rights? From my personal experience I see WAY more cyclists using the trails then hikers/walkers/etc. I realize that there may be places where this isn't the case but this does apply to every trail system that I frequent. I would imagine that if it came down to it cyclists would band together to back up their sport way faster then hikers ever would.

It's not about rights so much as access. We have less of a say about the access of the parks because we make up a smaller portion of the overall population.

You may have 10 bikers to every hiker, but looking at the population as a whole. 100% of the people pay taxes so the choice is everyone's, not the majority of users. We all pay taxes, we all have a voice.

With that, if a town has a vote on it, well 90 out of 100 people may identify primarily with hiking, 9 with biking, and 1 with horses - regardless of who actually uses the trails. And that 1 horse rider is often of the affluent variety and thus more well known in the community. Bikers, as Frank points out, don't have a great image.

 

[stb222]

Bikers, as Frank points out, don't have a great image.

To the normal person at an access/town meeting, it seems far more likely that a biker would run a hiker off the trail then a hiker getting in the way of a bike.

I always give a "morning" greeting to anyone I see on the trail. In situtations I have stopped, in others I haven't. If I startle someone, I apologize. It affects such a small percentage of my ride, it isn't even an issue.

 

[idbrian]

Bikers, as Frank points out, don't have a great image.

This is exactly why i like to look fantastic during 100% of my rides. All of my gear matches each other and my bike, and contains zero lycra. Dress to impress people.

 

[goldsbar]

The misperception is a shame. There's really not many hikers outside of leaf season. 90% of the hikers are the types that walk the dog or take the kids on the token crushed gravel road. I see very few on the actual trails. Truth is, the hiking in NJ isn't that good in most areas whereas the MTBing can be excellent. As for trail users, many areas feel like 70+% bikers.

 

[ellbiddy]

What? I've never heard of this before. This is absolutely ridiculous. So what your saying is that a park ranger can approach me and says that my bike isn't good enough to ride a certain trail system? Who's to say that the park ranger won't mistake my bike for a wal-mart bike. If this ever happened to me it definitely wouldn't end well.



I totally get this and totally understand. But exactly how much bull should we have to endure before we stand up for ourselves?

If the trails are hiker only, you can be issued a summons, regardless of what type of bike you're on is what I was getting at. I didn't think rangers could write tickets but after to speaking to one up at waway it's will within their power to.

 

[lmckee]

If the trails are hiker only, you can be issued a summons, regardless of what type of bike you're on is what I was getting at. I didn't think rangers could write tickets but after to speaking to one up at waway it's will within their power to.

Oh ok, I totally misunderstood you. I know that park rangers can write tickets, I've been on the receiving end. 99% of the time I stay off of "hiking only" trails, for the other 1% I just make sure that the ranger doesn't catch me.