Forum menu
Getting a lot of conflict at my local trail center, best one was when a couple of walkers were surprised when we asked them not to walk down a dedicated bike trail.
Walking Hully Gully really can't be any fun for even the most diehard redsock.
Why do some of you use the term redsock?
It's not even funny or accurate. I barely remember the days of people out walking the hills in breeches and red socks and I'm very close to 50
🤦
Why do some of you use the term redsock?
It’s not even funny or accurate. I barely remember the days of people out walking the hills in breeches and red socks and I’m very close to 50
🤦
Its definitely still a thing (occasionally).
Pre-covid I've seen it, usually as part of the "official"/organised rambling groups. Bright red socks needlessly tucking trousers in. Not necessarily any more moany than non red sock wearers, but always in the old person walking slowly with hiking poles demographic.
All far too young for the Kinder trespass, so they are doing it for the looks.
But as mountain bikers I think we are in very glass houses when it comes to this...
Bright red socks needlessly tucking trousers in. Not necessarily any more moany than non red sock wearers, but always in the old person walking slowly with hiking poles demographic.
Tucked in to avoid wet trouser bottoms, and ticks. Hiking poles are just sensible, whatever your age. Dunno if I've ever seen red socks though!.
Honestly I just try and go with the flow. Bits of my local loop were mobbed on Saturday, but it was totally expected so there was no point getting worked up about. I use a bell, say hello and thank you. Slow down as needed, pat dogs, smile at children and try to get off the busy bits.
It is a bit annoying getting the occasional tut or dirty look when you are on an actual cycle path (with a numbered sign and everything!) but overall most people are spot on, just out for a bit of fresh air on two legs rather than two wheels.
Its not all bad I got a cheer from a bunch of strangers when I made it up a really steep bit of the path!
Tucked in to avoid wet trouser bottoms, and ticks.
Tucking has its uses, but on a bone dry day on rocky vegetation free paths, I feel the main purpose was to proudly display their brightly coloured underwear.
Although there may be legions of black sock wearing trouser tuckers that I just dont notice.
The quicker Rule 1 is enshrined in statute the better
Pretty busy up my local hill yesterday, everyone very friendly and thoughtful.
Even some of the e-bikers.
What hacks me off are dogwalkers treating the TPT like a park. It’s primarily a **** path for local people to get from A to B!
I hate to break it to you but the TPT is "A national coast to coast route for recreation and transport – for walkers, cyclists and (in parts) horse riders".
Thought they locked it at night? Did when I lived next to it in the early noughties.
Pedestrian gates are open 24/7 unless the cull is on.
I hate to break it to you but the TPT is “A national coast to coast route for recreation and transport – for walkers, cyclists and (in parts) horse riders”.
That's my point: it's not a park for dogs! 😀
Feels like the contents of this thread make a weekly appearance!
As others have said, be polite, stop and chat to people and life is so much better and happier
Is there a thread on walkingtrack.com right now hating on cyclists?!
Tucking has its uses, but on a bone dry day on rocky vegetation free paths, I feel the main purpose was to proudly display their brightly coloured underwear.
Although there may be legions of black sock wearing trouser tuckers that I just dont notice.
Possibly just habit due to the scarcity of bone dry days and rocky paths in the UK! 😂
Most of the trails are not footpaths at all. They are re-purposed deer or other animal tracks.
black sock wearing trouser tuckers
I think they can be legitimately discriminated against, they can be very unpleasant tuckers at times
😜
I recently bought a timber bell from stw. It's amazing how everyone loves it and says so.
IIRC the much vaunted Scottish right to roam has this in the guidance - walkers have right of way
Its also included in the hierarchy of presumed liability in most of europe - again IIRC
I was out of the door at dusk last night. Got back before dawn this morning. Didn't see a soul. Collected a lot of plastic bottles for the recycling bin on the final leg home, mind.
[img] 
[/img]
couple of time recently for “not having a bell” and saying good morning/afternoon, Hello, could i pass please…. ON DESIGNATED CYCLE ROUTES.
When I used to regularly ride the local Sustrans and cycle paths I’d get moaned at for using a bell, and for not using a bell, both because it’s rude! I got yelled at because I had to stop suddenly when some blokes dog went right in front of my front wheel, and he accused me of speeding - I’d been following him and his family dawdling along for nearly five minutes, trying to get past, unable to because of the sheer number of people going in both directions.
Life's too short. I've just gone nocturnal for the duration. Never see anybody.
Bit of a story - my mother in law loves a nice walk as does my wife. She like a casual walk, chatting and looking at sights etc. She used to do maybe 5-8 miles no problem. So when she moved to Taunton to live with my brother in law she decided to join a local walking club (it might have been ramblers club). She only went a couple of time as it was so miserable. No one wanted or tried to talk to her after they set off, they never stopped to look at the view or wildlife or anything. It’s was almost like she wasn’t wanted and they were going on walks because they were forced to, not cos they wanted to. My mother in law is lovely and will try to get on with anyone she meets too.
Apparantely this is quite common with those sorts of groups and may explain some of the reactions we get when riding from some walkers. I’m not really sure why they go walking when they don’t appear to get any pleasure from it, its very odd. So maybe they are jealous of younger people in general, or just want to find problems with what anyone is doing if it isn’t EXACTLY what they are doing. Who knows? It is very odd though.
So kind of like some groups of roadies refusing to acknowledge other cyclists or look like they are enjoying it in any way?
Aye, spot on, your mother in law met some weirdos in somerset, ergo, all ramblers are ****s.
Next! 🤣
I have never been told off for using a bell on shared paths. The secret is to use it when a good distance behind and follow it up with a cheery thanks when they move over. It really does make life much easier!
This is why I've gave up on the bike now until this lockdown lifts. My local at cathkin braes is just full of walkers walking up and down the MARKED mtb trails. Can't get any speed up and when you do encounter a walker, 9 times out of 10 they're full of themselves and self-righteous and think that mtb trail was made specifically for them to walk down and no-one else is allowed on it and lecture you on it. I've tried to be courteous as I know these are trying times, but had enough with their behaviour.
They've often got young kids walking with them as well going up one of the marked descent trails. They're either stupid or mad.
Walking Hully Gully really can’t be any fun for even the most diehard redsock.
😄
Footpaths and towpaths rammed round here at the moment, can be frustrating but its a shared space so fair enough. I just avoid the busy areas at peak times. Only encountered mild grumpyness most are sound, then again I use a bell/slow down/Say Hi ect
Also, its good to see more people out enjoying the outdoors TBH (As long as they look after it obvs)
I have never been told off for using a bell on shared paths. The secret is to use it when a good distance behind and follow it up with a cheery thanks when they move over. It really does make life much easier!
I get whined at if I use one and if I don’t. Never in a rush so happy to just sit and cruise behind people until it is safe to pass. Stopped using a bell due to the ratio of bell/no bell complaints locally. A cheery hello, morning, evening etc works best in my experience.
There are always going to be a couple of miserable bastards that hate life and just want to moan. They will do this simply because you exist and are in their immediate vicinity. They’d complain if you used a bell, didn’t use a bell or breathed in their presence. Dicks gonna be dicks
Less of a problem during lockdown but can I add a subset of walkers, The Nordic Walking Groups. We get them down here in Bristol. Generally older ladies clattering and banging along with their poles. Chatting and oblivious to any other users. Once came round a bend to be confronted by a group of about 20, first one screamed “BIKE!”, followed by each one to repeat the same scream. Wasn’t very friendly.
I got so fed up last spring with the hoardes of sour-faced walkers telling me or I had no right to ride on a bridleway, threatening me because they hate all cyclists (though they admitted I hadn’t actually done anything wrong), or giving me prune-faced looks in return for me slowing down, making room for them and saying hi.
I gave up riding during the day and confined myself to riding at dawn and dusk instead- also means I get to see things like hares and deer, which the masses and their dogs frighten off.
I’m not sure things will ever be the same again in the outdoors
I’m not sure things will ever be the same again in the outdoors
It will be. We're a nation of fat, lazy, TV binge watchers who think traipsing around town on a Saturday is exercise.
My hope is that we see more people out there exercising from different backgrounds etc. Don't forget that it's never that busy once you're 30mins from the car park anyway. We'll be okay
similar to the above I had a freaky experience on the road after Oven Bottom in Macc Forest. Riding up the hill back towards the forest, minding my own business and staring at some lambs in the valley to the left. Look up to see a kid of about 12 in one of those old fashioned cagoules. The sort that can be folded up on themselves and turned in to a useless rectangle. The ones your mum used to make you wear in the 1980’s.
He points at me, takes out a whistle on a chain from around his neck and starts to blow it for all he’s worth. I found this amusing. I then hit the rise at the top of the little hill and see the rest of them! Four more, two adults and a “”two younger children. All in the same cagoule, the same colour and model of cagoule. They all pull out whistles, point at me and start blowing like they’re taking part in the international blowing things up challenge and if they don’t win they’ll die.
Really ****ing weird and unsettling, yet highly amusing at the same time. Some sort of whistle/cagoule cult that ward off mountain bikers by pointing and blowing whistles at them at an obscene volume for a ridiculous length of time. Any dogs within a 15 mile radius are probably still suffering from tinnitus now and this happened about eight years ago.
One benefit of more people using the outdoors might be that we get more trails due to the popularity. But I doubt that will be the case once all the usual places open up again (malls, football, pubs, restaurants, cinemas etc) and people go back to their old ways.
My hope is that we see more people out there exercising from different backgrounds etc. Don’t forget that it’s never that busy once you’re 30mins from the car park anyway. We’ll be okay
I think it’s great to see more people getting off their backsides and exercising in the outdoors (as long as they show some respect and don’t trash the place).
I’m off my bike recovering from a shoulder injury so I’m doing a lot more walking at the moment. I’ve found that I only need to walk about a mile out of the village to find empty footpaths away from the masses 😁
It never ceases to amaze me how much space people will take up. Two people and a trolley can entirely block off a three+ metre isle in a supermarket, let alone across a path.
I was out of the door at dusk last night. Got back before dawn this morning. Didn’t see a soul. Collected a lot of plastic bottles for the recycling bin on the final leg home, mind.
This deserves more love, that's an amazing photo.
@Cougar - nah, it's an average photo of a cuttlefish in its winter roost😜
One benefit of more people using the outdoors might be that we get more trails due to the popularity.
Opposite effect around here. Too many drongos who don't realise you can't walk where you like or let you dog run where it likes. There are loads of new "private keep out" signs and barbed wire sealing a couple of tracks that aren't rights of way where previously nobody really minded the odd walker.
Its a shame as all the rights of way around here are really clearly marked, so its people just being arses (or stupid).
People walking up the signposted red MTB trails in Philips Park is the new craze for 2021.
The local country park is rammed too so me and my lad go elsewhere at the moment.
I had a walker with a dog yelling at me as they thought my light was too bright! I was on a road, in the mist, at 10 at night, in the middle of nowhere. They were on a path. Some people like getting annoyed.
Personally, I don’t find it reasonable for
pedestrians to walkcyclists to rise two orthreeabreast on what, as you say, are knowncycle routes,roads
Oh the ironing.
as they thought my light was too bright!
I find a lot of modern cycle lights far too bright if I'm walking towards them. If your eyes have adjusted to the dark, it can be really painful. Strobing ones are even worse.
Where I live, motorists tend to dip their lights for walkers, some cyclists seem to just leave them pointing straight into your retina.
I find modern cycle lights far too bright if I’m walking towards them. If your eyes have adjusted to the dark, it can be really painful. Strobing ones are even worse.
Where I live, motorists tend to dip their lights for walkers, cyclists seem to just leave them pointing straight into your retina.
+1
Are you sure your lights weren't too bright?
A bell is the best thing I ever fitted to my bike.
People with dogs off the lead in inappropriate places is the thing that p*sses me off the most. Like the family that were letting their dogs run free round a field of grazing horses...
Easy to get all bent out of shape about it but it's rarely worth getting over excited. Had a chat with a young lad on a bike who came ripping past me as I slowed down for a family walking down a track. They had to jump out the way to let him through.
Easy to start giving the kid a b*ll*cking but instead it's best to empathise a bit so went with 'I know it's annoying with all these people everywhere but...'
Where I live, motorists tend to dip their lights for walkers, some cyclists seem to just leave them pointing straight into your retina.
Agree there does seem to be an unnecessary Lumen "war" amongst cyclists on some of the paths I walk and run which is wildly OTT. I dont agree about cars however I actually find more often drivers put there full beam on when they see a walker and heaven forbid you are crossing the road you are likely to get a full death beam. Increasing driver aggression and entitlement I suppose.
You don’t have a “right” not to be in the path of oncoming traffic that uses a light. How about “don’t stare at it?”
we live in crowded island that has lots of folk jammed into certain parts of it, To misquote Mick Dundee, “it must be the friendliest place on earth” there was a study that suggested even faking smiling and pretending to be happy produced the same results as actually being happy. My life is stressful enough at work right now without getting into confrontations with folk outside as well. Whenever I chance upon these grumpy folk I am determinedly polite and happy, it is both a weapon and a shield.