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ok, so I'm having a moan, but I'm tired and grumpy
seems to be happening every time I go out
round Ladybower last weekend a group of 4 mountain bikers stopped for a chat, completely blocking the fire road around the reservoir, no attempt to move when we approached forcing us through the drainage ditch at the side of the road
then the week before coming down the fast bit at Mount Famine, 2 mountain bikers sat on the banking but they left both their bikes lying down right across the trail, had to come to a stop and walk my bike around
what's wrong with people?
...I'll be less grumpy later on, hopefully
+1
and add trail litter to that 🙄
pet hate of mine too. In both cases I would have said something. Did you?
Agree with TJ
I'm on a busy tram and everyone is trying to stand in the doorway and then moaning when people push past... basically the general public are idiots and have no consideration for anyone but themselves
Ride the trail as you find it. If it was a rock or tree root, you'd try and ride it.
Totally agree though. Why is it these people instinctively know how to spoil the best lines.
Agreed. You'd think the opportunity not to have folk riding into you at 30mph would be enough incentive to get off the trail.
Folk rarely stop for a natter in the middle of a 'B' road, for example.
Jools - not grumpy - just a lot of burks about who choose not to engage brain, like ThePodge said.
6ft tall and 15st fully loaded tends to be enough to make people move out of the way when up to speed 😈 Can be quite "assertive" when needs must 😉
Usually the annoying person who tells/asks others not to block trail when out on a group ride 🙄
On a unrelated note. I was talking to two MX riders on the Beast last weekend and I was amazed when they said they can get from Sheffield to Peaks/round and back on just £8!
only slightly worse than mountain bikers out at night who finish a section of trail, then turn round to watch you come down without turning helmet lights off so you can't see a ****in' thing...
What are MX riders doing on the Beast? It's a bridleway!
I always say something in instances like this...
'Oh, great place to stop that :roll:'
i can't understand it, but then i get annoyed by people dawdling in shopping centres
trail litter really annoys me
This I think in going to be one of the drawbacks (maybe the only one) when the Bristol trails have been developed.
We found the best bit on Roych Clough completely blocked on Sunday; 2 landrovers blocking the road at the start of the section, 2 ****ing about trying to drive down it and 2 more at the bottom blocking it. If you don't know the trail, getting past them involved scrambling up a 4 foot bank and then dropping back down.
No apology, no attempt to unobstruct the right of way. It's a BOAT innit, we can drive it, so we're also allowed to block it seemed to be the attitude.
its soo annoying aint it wen you ave to get off ya bike and walk round :roll:........`i always make sure i never block paths (its not difficlut to shift ya bike onto the banking now is it... 😉 please be considerate people. we all have lines to look at...lets use them not abuse them ! 😉 
Had the same thing at Cwm Carn the other week - two blokes in one of the woody descent bits not long after you get to the exposed top where the freeride route starts.
Admittedly they moved out the way pretty quick and mumbled an apology, but I was thundering along at a nice old pace and they were just stopped mid-trail having a natter. It wasn't even the end of a section/top of a climb.
Didn't really bother me, but I had to brake to about walking pace and it just seemed like a really odd place to stop without making some attempt to move to the side.
Numpties to be honest there is only one reason you should block a trail and that is for a fallen rider.
As for trail litter there is no excuse ,I did the dragon sportif a couple of years ago and was shocked by the aount of litter dropped by riders again no excuse.
Ride over their wheels.
Sounds to me like you have found a few snowboarders who happen to also own mountain bikes.
Llandegla = its the law to stand blocking the beginning or end of a section.
And it you are in a big you can all try a ride off at the same time when you see some else trying to start the section. I mean it is a race after all!
Pet hate about group holidays - especially technical climbs. Normally at least one in a group that doesn't understand that the person behind would actually like to try the climb that they just failed. Get up and get out of the way!!
They'll be Snowboarders 😉
This I think in going to be one of the drawbacks (maybe the only one) when the Bristol trails have been developed.
Is this becuase Bristolians are renowned for their selfishness and ignorance when indulging their passion for a chinwag..?
I'm not sure that I understand your statement..
On a side note, I was at Thetford a few years back riding with friends. I was the last through the Beast and had to brake sharply and avoid a woman who was sitting and looking dazed in the middle of the trail. She'd had a nasty off having overcooked it on a corner.
Turned out that I was the first person to actually enquire if she was alright, the two guys before me had yelled at her for getting in their way.
That said, people who sprawl bikes out right across the trail and come to think of it Saturday shopping meanderthals really annoy the heck out of me.
On the pootle on Saturday there was a group of three or four lads on big bikes with full-face helmets sat at the bottom of a hill nattering. To be fair, they were only half blocking the trail, but because of where they were sat they basically forced us to ride over a patch of ice. Most of us managed to stay upright, but the chap behind me (on a Cannondale with a Lefty) was unlucky and went over on it. I'd expect that sort of gormlessness from ramblers and the like, but mountainbikers should really be a bit more considerate.
Maybe it's because they're such incredibly good riders that they never get overtaken and therefore never have to get out of anyone's way normally? Yes, that must be it...
only slightly worse than mountain bikers out at night who finish a section of trail, then turn round to watch you come down without turning helmet lights off so you can't see a ****in' thing...
I only do this if I'm having a bad day and want to see you fall off 😉
Add to blocking the trail parking with the aim of taking up a least 2 if not 3 spaces
If its technical and you risk coming off on the run out then I say ride over a wheel(s). Tough.
Half bikes - use 'em for traction
Is this becuase Bristolians are renowned for their selfishness and ignorance when indulging their passion for a chinwag..?I'm not sure that I understand your statement..
The combination of tight twisty trails and a significant increase* in traffic once the new trails are open.
It's not the end of the world though.
*My prediction.
Came across a bike laid across the trail at Cwmcarn just on the exit to the tunnel after the corkscrew on the 'freeride' area at the top, over bars onto my knees both cut open, cue alot of swearing from me.
The chap was part of a group of about 10 and said 'how was I supposed to know some one was going to ride through there?'
eh!? I not a violent chap but did consider chinning him for a split second 😳
*gloat
We don't have other people on the trails here.
[edit=Here in Malaga that is; why do I assume people know where I am- dooh.]
LoCo- I had this on the Dragons Back recently.
Lad at the back of a group decided to stop in the centre of the trail just before the end of the section to 'chat to his mates' all ahead and off the trail on the fireroad. I stopped on a steep bit and had one of those- almost over the bars/forward to the left motions just before I managed to get my left foot unclipped.
I let them zip off ahead at the next stretch as a few of them looked seriously fast as well. Lots of room and managed to catch up with the same bloke again who went off the trail into a drainage ditch flipping over the bars.
Poetic.
Throwing inner tubes into the bushes is my pet hate at trail centres, and yes along with stopping at the end of a trail section and blocking the route.
On the pootle on Saturday there was a group of three or four lads on big bikes with full-face helmets sat at the bottom of a hill nattering. To be fair, they were only half blocking the trail, but because of where they were sat they basically forced us to ride over a patch of ice. Most of us managed to stay upright, but the chap behind me (on a Cannondale with a Lefty) was unlucky and went over on it.
I did wonder how that elegant dismount occurred.
People who stop for a chat in doorways and don't bother to move before you have to push past/shout annoy me... interestingly it's worse in Spain/South America, cultural differences I assume.
funny that llandegla has been mentioned, does seem particularly bad for it. Usually scrotes wearing beanies in groups of about 15.
having said that my worst experience at llandegla for trail blocking was a day last winter when the olympic mtb team were training there. they acted like they owned the place and were stood on top of the dirt jumps having little discussions. annoying!
as yet I've not said anything as I've been a bit dumbstruck that they just stand and watch you struggling past
now that I have the stw massive on my side though....
Up at Gisburn 2-3 weeks ago a group of about 10 riders decided to all stop at the end of one of the board sections right where it met the fire road basically blocking the next section of route.
They then all stopped in a line on a nice section of singletrack, one of them did shout jokingly that they could have chosen a better place to stop, others just looked unimpressed as we continued to ride on past pretty close to them...
I wouldn't ride around, as a) they won't learn and b) it will just widen the trail. I would just ride up to them and stop and say excuse me you're blocking the trail. I don't care what response I get. If need be I'd push my way through.
Why would you struggle past...? Don't get that at all.
I think it is double annoying as it is cyclists, I kind of expect it from 4x4s and pedestrians
We had something of the opposite a while back at Cannock. We were stopped on fire road at the entrance to the next bit of singletrack, waiting for the last bloke to catch up.
We had ridden past the turn for the singletrack and stopped, so were in no way causing an obstruction to anyone wanting to ride past. A bloke came chundering up on an S-Works Epic or similar and shouted that we were 'on the line' as he went past huffing and puffing......he must have had a very odd line choice for us to be obstructing him.
"its the law to stand blocking the beginning or end of a section.
And it you are in a big you can all try a ride off at the same time when you see some else trying to start the section"
😆 Only its not funny anymore.29" wheels do roll over bikes better than 26" ones tho.
Next best is catching someone whilst climbing,politely saying "rider/on yer left-right" and they block you and decide to speed up...surely if they were capable of riding at that pace I would never have caught them!!!!This happens ALL the time to me....is it the ignomy and shame of being pawned by a middle aged beardy on a ss clown bike or just ignorance??
You do get some funny types at trail centres.
I'm always polite but you've got to say something or they won't learn. Most people are overly apologetic to be fair.
People waiting in big groups at start of a section then deciding to set off just as I pedal up are my bugbear too.
The answer? Stop riding with the crowds; buy a map and use your mountain bike for biking mountains.
People who stop for a chat in doorways and don't bother to move before you have to push past/shout annoy me... interestingly it's worse in Spain/South America, cultural differences I assume.
I have studied this phenomenon in detail.
The conclusion I have come to is that the Spanish don't have a personal space bubble like the brits and don't care if they/you invade. The same applies to driving.
The answer? Stop riding with the crowds; buy a map and use your mountain bike for biking mountains.
Ah yes, never thought of that. Thanks for the tip.
Have had it at Chopwell where three riders were blocking the trail, with just enough room between them to squeeze past, but wasn't possible due to their three wenches coming up the fireroad behind them three abreast.
I did ask them if it was necessary to block the road completely and if they had to ride three abreast, but they ignored me.
Couple of weeks back at Hamsterley on the iced over roads, I stopped at the little bridge before the steep climb having lost traction. I pulled right into the right to decide whether to push or not.
A big group of riders came up behind me but had plenty of room to get around the corner and up.
The youngest of them still managed to go really wide and clip me with his bike, even though he had three metres or so of road to play with.
Hence a nice shrill bell on your bars solves all the above. Anyone ignores that then its fair game
i hate mountain bikes leaving innertubes everywhere the last few times ive been out ive come home with about 5
I don't get the inner tubes thing, they're a fiver FFS 😀
This has happened to me twice, funnily enough at trail centers:
The first time was at the Marin, just as we were flying down the last switch-backy-bit before the car park there were 3 people stood on the inside of one of the corners fixing a puncture, thankfully I managed to stop in time otherwise it may well have been a bit nasty.
Second time was at 'degla, a lady and a couple of kids on the blue finish under the bridge, thought the middle of the berm was a great place to stop and wait for hubby/daddy. Just as well there's plenty of space there 😯
On a riding over people note, my mate did come off in front of me on one of the descents on the Pont Scethin route, we were descending along a bit of single track that was like a mini rut, about 12" wide and a few inches deep - not enough time to hop out of the rut and faced with a decision of squishy human or Orange 5, I chose the latter and rode straight over his back wheel/swing arm.
All of us escaped unscathed, I only had to justify that the bike was inevitably less likely to be damaged than him considering his glass back 😆 😆 🙄