Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 85 total)
  • Trail Courtesy…
  • TheSouthernYeti
    Free Member

    What’s the concensus on who has the right to undisturbed passage on a section of trail, be it ascent or descent?

    I’m of the opinion that you always acquiesce to the faster rider, it seems many others think the faster rider should stop an wait.

    It would be useful to know whether you are normally the “faster rider”.

    Many thanks.

    This is entirely independent of the value or percieved nicheness of the bike or clothing choiceof the two riders.

    wrecker
    Free Member

    Let the quicker riders through when its safe to do so.
    Quicker riders should not expect to have unimpeded passage and may have to wait a few minutes. It is the quicker riders responsibility to let the slower rider know that he/she is there and not with (PASSING LEFT!) and should be polite when let through (CHEERS MATE!). Manners cost nothing.
    On 2 way trails, the DH rider should yield to the uphill rider as the uphiller may not be able to restart.
    I’m generally the quicker rider down but not up.

    lazybike
    Free Member

    oh no, this will end in tears.

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    creamegg
    Free Member

    If I catch someone up on a downhill section I’d normally pause for a few minutes to allow them to get to the bottom without hearing my Hope hub buzzing in their ear.
    If someone catches me up (normally on an uphill) i’ll stop, pullover and let them pass

    druidh
    Free Member

    I never expect anyone to get out of my way and would expect the same courtesy. I have been known to pull over and let a faster rider through when I think it is convenient.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    I will let riders past – I am often the slower ( but not always) I will ask if they want past if someone is behind me and I will ask to pass if I catch someone up.

    However I will also wait at the top of a descent for a clear run

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    This does appear to be an increasing problem at trail centres as they get busier.

    Ordinarily the slower rider should try and let the faster rider through when is safe to do so, and the faster rider should only come through when its safe to do so.

    However invarably the slower rider is less technicaly competent and often gets flustered by some one being behind so you have to give them space.

    I think there is also an arguement that if you are doing a red or a black route at a trail centre, then you should NOT expect to come across a beginner, and anyone doing a red or black should expect faster riders to come up behind them, unless they are of course riding gods.

    lazybike
    Free Member

    come across a beginner!….I prefer to squirt them with my water bottle

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Turner riders get priority don’t they?

    legend
    Free Member

    I thought it had been agreed that you ride over slower riders?

    TheSouthernYeti
    Free Member

    chakaping – please keep on topic. We’ll cover what happens when two turner riders meet in a future edition of the trail etiquette threads.

    TheFlyingOx
    Full Member

    It think this is possibly the only area where the worlds of mountain biking and golf converge. In golf you let the faster group through when sensible to do so, i.e. at the next tee. As you should when on a bike.

    flyingmonkeycorps
    Full Member

    Last time two Turner riders met head on on the trail the dinosaurs became extinct…

    nickc
    Full Member

    same as druidh, I never expect people to get out of my way, and i’ll thank them if they do. also I try not to ride too closely either.

    I’ve asked to go before some folk on climbs, is that rude?

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    When out with a group I will always try to ensure faster folk are ahead of me – and I would not expect to get past until there was a clear opportunity when I would politely ask

    Rorschach
    Free Member

    “If they leave a gap,they want to be passed.If they don’t leave a gap ,they want to be passed but hav’nt realised it yet”

    juan
    Free Member

    Slower less technical ride has priority. It’s down to the rider uphill of you to be careful/considerate enough so that he can overtake you safely

    donsimon
    Free Member

    I don’t think there is a catch all solution and each situation would be determined on merit.

    flyingmonkeycorps
    Full Member

    I think, like most things in life, this issue can be broken down to one simple phrase.

    “Don’t be a dick”.

    If everyone abided by that simple rule then all would be well.

    rewski
    Free Member

    What? You’re just riding bikes, let common sense prevail. If you want codes of practice and etiquette then play golf.

    mboy
    Free Member

    What? You’re just riding bikes, let common sense prevail. If you want codes of practice and etiquette then play golf.

    In principle I agree, the only problem is a severe lack of common sense amongst a large proportion of our population! So maybe some “guidelines” let’s call them (not rules as rules just get broken) to stop the bickering and discourteous nature of some riders who believe that they have ulimate right over everyone else at a trail centre, should be introduced? Perhaps…?

    I think, like most things in life, this issue can be broken down to one simple phrase.
    “Don’t be a dick”.
    If everyone abided by that simple rule then all would be well.

    Again, I totally agree in principle. Problem is many people can’t not be a dick, its in their nature, and sadly for you and me some of them ride mountain bikes too!

    flyingmonkeycorps
    Full Member

    No, sadly I know, it’s very true. Too many folk are preoccupied with not allowing others to ruin their day that they don’t consider that perhaps their own actions are ruining the day of others.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Of course we could just practice some “christian” riding. Do as you would be done by

    10pmix
    Free Member

    If you are riding along either up, down or flat and someone comes up behind you and obviously is a quicker rider (speed of approach may be a giveaway) then you move over don’t you… I do. Why wouldn’t you? Why would anyone just sit there pootling along ignoring the fact that they are holding someone up when all they have to do is take a second or two to move aside when it’s safe to do so…. common sense surely.

    bzzzzzzz, sound of alarm. Oh no….rubs eyes and looks around…. it was just a dream.

    TheFlyingOx
    Full Member

    Of course we could just practice some “christian” riding

    I agree. We shall stone all the 29ers to death, and singlespeeders shall be consumed by fire and brimstone. Verily.

    lazybike
    Free Member

    It would be nice if we could ride with each other, rather than against each other, never gonna happen though…

    I don’t like feeling that I’m in the way, so I move over for faster riders, if I catch up to someone I’ll say allright mate and see how it goes, I’m old though and rarely in a rush.

    IanMunro
    Free Member

    I think the simplest solution is that people should understand that I have priority and that other people should get out of my way. If you all remember this, a lot of trail conflict will be avoided. And quite frankly any remaining problems won involve me, so I’m not too concerned at their outcome.

    mrlebowski
    Free Member

    Let the faster rider go first, yield to the uphill rider, use common sense, dont be a dick.

    Crikey how hard can it be?

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    I’m sure Jesus had something to say about this, though it may not have been specifically aimed at MTBers…

    taxi25
    Free Member

    Common sense is the key. I always pull over when it’s safe to let faster riders past. A friendly greeting when you come up behind slower riders seems to work most of the time, you just have to be patient if it doesn’t.
    Some people disagree, but if I can I give way to riders coming downhill. The highway code stuff doesn’t count as far as mtb’ing goes, its all about having fun not the diffuculties a lorry might have starting on a hill.

    richmtb
    Full Member

    I see both sides of this. I’m not slow, but I’m not exactly challenging the podium at races either.

    When out trail riding if I catch a slower rider I let them know I’m there and shout “On yer right / left” If I’m not bothered about getting past then “You’re alright” to let them know I’m okay to follow. If I’m only just catching someone then I’ll just slow down for a bit and try to catch them back up again. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had any issues (might be one finger come to think of it) on a trail.

    Racing is different. I make every effort to let faster riders past if I hear someone catching me then pull off to one side so its obvious I’m letting them past. One the (very) rare occasion I catch someone in a race I would expect the same.

    TheSouthernYeti
    Free Member

    I hate being held up, and I hate holding others up.

    So I follow TeeJ’s christian model.

    TBH, I rarely have an issue with this, the majority of riders are courteous and pleasant and respond well to a cheery hello.

    allthepies
    Free Member

    I’ll always let faster riders through *but* when safe / convenient to do so, if I’m riding down a nice singletrack section then they’ll have to wait until the end or a natural passing place 🙂

    TheSouthernYeti
    Free Member

    when safe … to do so

    I have also been known to define when I consider safe and pass riders who’re intent on making me wait. 🙂

    mrlebowski
    Free Member

    who’re intent on making me wait.

    This is the thing.

    Riders who know they are slower & know they have someone behind them & have no intent on letting anyone past..Its happens in racing, it happens at Trail Centres, at happens all over the place..Why so selfish?
    Didnt someone once say “Do what you want, do what you will, just dont spoil your neighbours thrill”..

    Munqe-chick
    Free Member

    Yeah it really isn’t difficult, uphill has priority. QUicker riders come up behind me I do everything in my effort to move over so they can get through, if it’s too narrow then tough they’ll have to wait and overtake when they can. I’m not stopping just because I’m a slower rider. It’s common sense, in the same breath you might be the quicker rider don’t come hooning up behind, heavy breathing, coughing, hinting, we clearly know you are there but there isn’t enough space. Oh and if you buzz my wheel you’ll get punched as you go pass, I maybe slower but doesn’t mean I’m less competent 😉

    crashtestmonkey
    Free Member

    taxi, its not just the highway code, pretty sure one of the MTB orgs code says yield to the ascending rider. Despite that if I am ascending I usually yield to the descending rider (assuming its a quickish trail where they’re having fun with speed) and this seems to be the norm amongst riders I encounter.

    If I’m caught on a climb I will happily yield, and I also think climbing rider takes trail priority over bike pusher.

    The only time i’ve ever encountered any sort of problem is at trail centres with long singletrack climbs (eg. Afan) where you’ll catch a slow rider (or group of) who seem hell bent on keeping your behind them. Second to that is catching up with a stopped group who youve been hauling in, who when they see you coming desperately set off ahead of you when by far the most sensible option for all would be to let the quicker group through and continue shooting the breeze with your mates for another few seconds (which again we do if we are caught).

    mrlebowski
    Free Member

    Second to that is catching up with a stopped group who youve been hauling in, who when they see you coming desperately set off ahead of you when by far the most sensible option for all would be to let the quicker group through and continue shooting the breeze with your mates for another few seconds (which again we do if we are caught).

    This happens all the time. Gets on my tits.

    njee20
    Free Member

    Common sense etc, would never ask someone to move over, I don’t think I’ve ever even called “on your left/right” while riding, strikes me as a bit aggressive for social riding, I’ll just say hello to someone, most people move over. If not I’ll just slow right down so they can get ahead and get a bit of a gap.

    Would always let a quicker rider through at the earliest convenience.

    davidjey
    Free Member

    The only time i’ve ever encountered any sort of problem is at trail centres with long singletrack climbs (eg. Afan) where you’ll catch a slow rider (or group of) who seem hell bent on keeping your behind them. Second to that is catching up with a stopped group who youve been hauling in, who when they see you coming desperately set off ahead of you when by far the most sensible option for all would be to let the quicker group through and continue shooting the breeze with your mates for another few seconds (which again we do if we are caught).

    By contrast to mrlebowski I’m not sure I’ve ever had this sort of experience, and I live in the Afan Valley and so ride there all the time. This does give me the option to avoid ‘rush hour’ a lot of the time, but I do ride a fair bit of weekend daytime as well. Mind you my technique for getting by people has been described as ‘politely aggressive’, which is a back-handed compliment if ever there was one 😉

    I find ‘Could I get past, if/when you have the chance’ a good phrase. Makes it clear that a bit of cooperation would be nice, but I’m not expecting anyone to dive off the trail out of my way.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 85 total)

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