The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – trail centres

I think this is more of a rant than a post but hey who cares…

I dont know about others here, but I really enjoy it when I am out and I see the younger kids having a go at riding with mums / dads. I take my daughter who is 6 out a fair bit now, but it always makes me smile when I see the kids being fearless and giving it a go. I see it as the next generation of cyclists coming through.

Now I am not going to mention names of trails and parks where the following has occurred but its mainly to give you a flavour.

The Good

A couple of months ago, I was riding with my daughter on a trail, she was really struggling up the 3rd in a series of hills, cue guy blasting through the section approaching from behind us. He slows and rides alongside, giving her encouragement… “push on, keep going” until she hits the top… then said goodbye and headed off at the breakneck speed he had approached at…

The same park in question… fast downhill section, cue 2 riders in team colours, seriously moving, they slow and communicate with daughter that we are passing on your right hand side. Again, great etiquette, kids often get scared or distracted when adults fly past it just made me smile.

The Bad

A couple of weeks before we were riding a twisting section cue prat on bike, barely wide enough for 2 bikes, pushes past my 6 year old and causes her to fall. His girlfriend who also passes stops, not a word in communication from him before nudgng past, he stops at the bottom of the hill, I think me looking like I was going to smash him over the head with his bike may of helped. Its not as if this was a red or advanced trail just some prat trying to prove he is king of the MTB on a baby trail.

The Ugly

Riding yesterday, on a bike only trail with my 6 year old, we encountered 2 people walking dogs on the single track which is marked as a bike trail not a footpath, she clipped the guys dog he starts shouting, a little later that day, on the advanced trail, following a chap who seriously bailed into another chap and his dog… cue bloke screaming and shouting.

I know collectively we cant do anything about the muppet who walks his dog on the bike only trail, but the other things we can, it would be nice if we could all extend that thought out to the little ones when we see them out pushing on and loving what we love in terms of hooning around on the trails… a word of encouragement, communication when passing etc… can go a long way.

I also know this kind of behaviour is pretty much standard to most cyclists as they understand, but I think we also have a duty to say something when we see people not extending these behaviours when little ones are on the trail. But again perhaps I am just a bit old school like that.

As with many things, consideration, tolerance and respecting the dignity of others is key being a good person or trail user. Too many forget this.

I love seeing well-supervised children on the trails and always try to be encouraging and supportive of this. By well supervised, I mean guided and supported as they need. If children are capable and responsible they can obviously ride on their own!

Some people have time constraints and don’t want to be held up by children. Cuts both ways.

Some people have time constraints and don’t want to be held up by children. Cuts both ways.

Really? I assume this meant to be sarcasm!

If not then I expect you don’t have children!

Nope. Kids have as much right to be there as anyone else. I’ve been around long enough to see the local kids develop into brilliant riders who now rip my legs off.

If you have time constraints then plan better.

Really? I assume this meant to be sarcasm!

Why?

Some people have time constraints and don’t want to be held up by children. Cuts both ways.

Too true, but there’s no need to be obnoxious when passing them.

Some people are dicks.Whether riding bikes,walking or just breathing.
I have a final solution.

Some people have time constraints and don’t want to be held up by children. Cuts both ways.

Wow!! If that’s a serious statement that has to be one of the most disgusting, arrogant and pathetic statements I’ve read on this forum, and that’s saying something! That’s a human being your talking about. Would you bundle an elderly lady out the way? Just because they’re kids doesn’t give them less rights. Once again, Wow!! (Apologies if it was in jest)

Time constraints must be pretty serious if they require a rider to push past kids (or anyone) in a rude and dangerous manner.

Lets hope these rider don’t ever get punctures or even crash. That would totally mess with the all important time constraints!

Maybe some fast rider only days are whats needed to accommodate the impatient?

Some people have time constraints and don’t want to be held up by children. Cuts both ways.

I hope I encounter this type of person if I ever take my girls riding and people force past due to ‘time constraints’ and scaring them. They’ll most definitely end up in the bushes pretty sharpish.

I think it’s great when parents have got their kids out on the trails with them, they should be given all the time they need not shattering their confidence.

Quite a few of those on the roads eh?

Never had an issue out with my kids [ dont ride trail centres though as a general rule] but no one is that much of a rush they cannot wait 10 seconds to get by some kids or any other slower rider they may encounter.

I have to say there would be a very frank exchange of views of someone knocked my child off.

This is Swinley Forest you’re talking about?

Yesterday a family were walking on the final bit of the Glentress descent, for those that know it it’s the final blind RH into the ‘pump’ hole – needless to say I did question their sanity…

Who has hacked C-G’s account? That comment really doesn’t sound like her!

Some people have time constraints and don’t want to be held up by children. Cuts both ways.

An incredibly selfish point of view

Who has hacked C-G’s account? That comment really doesn’t sound like her!

This sounds like an explanation.

I was going to ask her what difference riding in Swinley Forest makes to this issue.

Tis me, been speed-reading and multi-tasking and upsetting plenty. 😳 Sorry, that wasn’t intended. No of course it’s not alright to crash into children, that is totally unacceptable but just reading back, why was this person, an adult? on a childrens trail? Presumably there were signs?

Don’t get me started on dog walkers on singletrack at trail centres. I’ve had an altercation about that and explained to the owner why but it fell on deaf ears.

What is a childrens trail? Up here, all our trails are multi-use. Even women are allowed on them.

Best one i’ve see, sitting eating post ride cake a NantyArian, watching a family of six head off the wrong way up the the final descent. I would not of been happy if I’d was coming down.

What is a childrens trail? Up here, all our trails are multi-use. Even women are allowed on them.

😀

What is a childrens trail? Up here, all our trails are multi-use. Even women are allowed on them.

I hate getting held up by women on the trail, I have time constraints.

I was on the Glentress Blue with my 6yr old a couple of weeks ago when cinnamon girl a female with time constraints came flying up behind us just as my son stalled on a little sharp incline. Cue the lady slamming on the brakes and doing a comedy fall as she couldn’t un-clip quick enough. I apologised and offered help but she ignored me. I apologised again, she ignored me again. I apologised once more and was once again I gnored as she barged passed us. These people with time constraints are dicks!

As with many things, consideration, tolerance and respecting the dignity of others is key being a good person or trail user. Too many forget this.

Well said!

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed an increase in this sort of selfish d*ick head behaviour with the increase in popularity of Strava?

I think you must be the very first person to have ever suggested that.

I think you must be the very first person to have ever suggested that.

ah, I’m guessing not then?! 😉

Anyway…

There are some idiots in all walks of life, including cyclists. Its not the activity that defines the person, but the person itself.

I tend to agree that strava does contribute, especially when you see segments on green and blue trails.

Some people have time constraints and don’t want to be held up by children. Cuts both ways.

I really don’t like kids but even I’m not that much of a ****. 😥

I always thought it good trail etiquette to allow faster riders to pass. It sounds like you should have done this, being the adult.
No I don’t have children and I don’t like being held up, or holding others up.

If a kid gets in my way, damn right I’m going to knock them off. Important life lesson.

(yes it can be irritating to be held up. Suck it. You are an adult, one of the things about being an adult is that you’re supposed to act like one, meanwhile kids are supposed to act like kids. Families should make reasonable allowances too but that doesn’t mean leaping for the undergrowth when a faster rider arrives, it just means making a gap where it’s safe and reasonable to do so.)

If you’re so damn awesome that you can’t be delayed, why are you riding a trail that a 6 year old can ride? It does seem to be a rule that the less capable a rider is, the more of a **** they’ll be about being held up. Maybe they’re just not used to ever catching anyone?

I love being held up…it gives me the perfect excuse for a rest/reason I’ve been left behind by my mates.

A bit of consideration by all trail users (adults, families, kids) goes along way

I’m assuming the word with 4 asterisks in is ****?

No it’s ****.

I always thought it good trail etiquette to allow faster riders to pass. It sounds like you should have done this, being the adult.
No I don’t have children and I don’t like being held up, or holding others up.

I constantly check behind as I’m very aware that my wee boy might hold up a big grown up while there tanking down a blue run. On this occasion the rider took me by surprise but if she had had any trail etiquette she would have noticed we hadn’t seen her.

Personally, I can’t understand why anyone would not want any interaction with a litte ‘un to be something positive for them, be it a smile, thanking them when they display any manners, or treating them like a person and giving space, even if it means holding back on a trail or allowing them to stagger in front of you in the supermarket.

Personally, I can’t understand why anyone would not want any interaction with a litte ‘un to be something positive for them, be it a smile, thanking them when they display any manners, or treating them like a person and giving space, even if it means holding back on a trail or allowing them to stagger in front of you in the supermarket.

+1

Anybody with time constraints can hire my 7 year old daughter as a pace setter judging on yesterday’s efforts.