Why do people ignore "Trail Closed" signs?

At Bedgebury we have had to close some of the sections of singletrack as the weather has literally washed bits of it away. The closures are to preserve what we have left and prevent injury when riders fall into waist deep bogs (seriously).

The entrances are blocked by metal gates with signs on saying the trails are closed, the reasons why and a diversion arrow. So why so riders feel the need to throw their bikes over the fences and ride anyway? These selfish muppets just end up costing us more time and money in repairs and mean the trails are closed for longer. I’m starting to think about strategically placed piano wire now!

I’d be looking at ways to make them properly unrideable by introducing temporary obstacles at regular intervals *maybe not piano wire*.

I’m starting to think about strategically placed piano wire now!

well stop thinking about that! dont be a dick! yes they should not ride when closed. hurting them is not the answer. i dont have any suggestions for you just dont go hurting anyone!

well stop thinking about that! dont be a dick! yes they should not ride when closed. hurting them is not the answer. i dont have any suggestions for you just dont go hurting anyone!

Calm Down! Calm Down!

He was joking…

Calm Down! Calm Down!

He was joking…

you never know. Glad he was. easily visible unavoidable obstacles should suffice.

How about some no entry tape zig-zagged across and along the trail. That might put them off, as they would have to cut a lot of sections.

It’s probably the same people that ignore road closed signs

Sense of entitlement.

Paint gun, few cans of beer, then you turn the whole thing into a decent sport. Due to protective clothing you would not hurt the riders, and you could amend the closed notice to advise paint balling is being conducted in the vicinity. Be great fun.

It’s probably the same people that ignore road closed signs

🙂

generally lots of riders are quite used to ignoring signs and going where they like.

If it is a group of cyclists maintaining cyclingling trails you need to differentiate yourselves from grump landowners etc.

rather than “Trail Closed” you would have more success with me by doing:

Trail Closed

Unfortunatly due to weather/overuse etc this trail had to be closed..

it has a number of deep bogs which are dangerous…

please use the alternative route signposted
(left, next right, etc)

Thanks
Trail maintainance guys

also bear in mind alot of riders wont know what alternatives there are, ‘thats the way i always go..’ etc

ok so you have done all that, Shoot them

Plenty of grease on the tops of the metal gates.

It’s probably the same people that ignore road closed signs

I was that Soldier 🙁

I believe wallace has cracked it

where’s bedgebury and how much for 100 balls ?

Put up a sign that says

“Octogenarian Nudist Swingers Club Meeting This Way”

Look at the support on this site for cheeky trails and you have your answer.

Same reason they jump light – because they can

Buy 30m roll of Chestnut fencing and put it from tree to tree ever 50m or so. They have done that at one of my loacl DH trail and it has kept people of that trail.
Something like this:
http://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fencing/agricultural-fencing/cleft-chestnut-fencing/agricultural-fencing-cleft-chestnut-fencing.aspx

how about a new sign saying “selfish **** this way; normal people please follow diversion around this ruined trail”

(I’m not suggesting you drop the paintball thing, though – no way)

errr yes, I was joking about the piano wire. I think my friends at the FC would take a fairly dim view of me decapitating riders 🙄

The signs on the gates do state why they are closed and the timescale for re-opening. I’ve been out today with the red and white tape, but I’m willing to bet by the weekend some idiot will have ploughed his way through the multiple closures I’ve put in.

Very much liking the paintball idea though, anyone want to join me for some sport! 😀

They are having the same problem at Swinley.

Personally I pay attention to the signs and find an alternate but there are a lot of people who keep going.

Put logs across the trail at regular intervals…

Put logs across the trail at regular intervals…

Just take the bog roll home and recycle it.

collect up all those little plastic bags you find hanging from trees in the forest and spread the contents over the trail, which will leave a stinking, horrible mess all over their tyres, whilst cleaning up the forest at the same time.

Explain in more detail on the sing why the trail is closed with examples then hope.

We’ve had Harris fencing kicked down, tried full explanation notices, covered the trail in brash and logs, placed barriers across the trail one after another and even felled trees leaving a hinge still attached to stop them being moved. We’ve even had people ride through us when we’re working on the trail, nothing works. We’ve also considered piano wire, one clear warning at the start of the trail and that’s your lot. Until we finally snap and get to that point we just live with it.

Still have similar problems with people cutting corners and worse still riding around trail features destroying the trail, land mines may be an option.

Explain in more detail on the sing why the trail is closed with examples then hope.

Traaaaa laaaaa laaaaa. That’s the singing……..

Do you really think the people that ignore these signs will read a more detailed explanation, stroke their beards in thought, then say “ahhhhh, that’s why their closed, lets not shred this trail”

Only way….. splat, splat……. paint gun, get their frames, get their pride and joy covered in paint and then watch the fun. Recommend night vision goggles if doing it in the dark hours. 8)

Put a sign up that says

DANGER, PIANO WIRE HAS BEEN STRUNG ACROSS THIS TRAIL IN 15 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. TRAIL CLOSED UNTIL POLICE INVESTIGATE AND REMOVE IT.

Obviously don’t actually put the wire there. That could kill some one.

So why so riders feel the need to throw their bikes over the fences and ride anyway? These selfish muppets just end up costing us more time and money in repairs and mean the trails are closed for longer.

because there are a lot of people out there who don’t give a flying **** about anyone else, all the volunteer time you put in nor the trails they ride

there is no answer, you have to accept that some people who ride mtb’s are total and utter “see you next tuesdays”

OK this is a thing I’m usually uptight about, I’d not ride a closed trail… But, an off-map trail at Glentress has just been shut permanently because of “dangerous fallen trees”, and has had trees felled over it to cement the deal.

But I rode it just days before it was closed and though the main line was blocked, and did have a number of hanging trees that would be a big deal to remove, a safe alternative line had already formed around it. It could have done with a little brashing and shaping but the work needed to do that was less than the work needed to drop the other trees over it and to build the humungous fence they put in at the start.

So all for not riding closed trails but it seems I’m also all for not closing volunteer-built trails without good reason. Yet to discover whether I’m in favour of just saying **** it when the 2 collide but it’s bad chat anyway.

Ok I’m not going to win any friends here but here it goes

The reason we go through them is
1) We have driven a fookin long way to ride a certain trail so we will ride it to tick it off the list.

2) There is NEVER a sign posted diversion sign to follow.

3) The ones we have gone through were perfectly rideable.

badllama – Member

3) The ones we have gone through were perfectly rideable.

Ridable doesn’t mean OK to ride though- especially when it’s new trail, it always benefits from time to settle which is one of the reasons when we finish a trail it’s not always opened straight away.

Agree that diversions/info are important though- putting closures online stops people wasting a trip, and proper diversions are, well, obvious aren’t they.

Well badllama we have sign posted diversions, and put the trail closures on the FC website and our club website.

The trail might be perfectly rideable but that doesn’t mean ride it. We had one trail we had graded and surfaced and it was waiting to settle so the top layer could go on and lock it into place. Half a dozen people ripped the gate down and churned it up to the point we had to get machinery in to grade it again. They cost us around £2k and 2 days work for a dozen people. And we have an annual budget of around £8k so that really hurts.

I’ve also been mown down and abused when working on trails. I’ve also been called names for working for the FC for free. But how do these people think the trails get there? Do they think they just get beamed down from space or something?

Selfish is the only way they can be described!

Landslip closures in the Peaks. Me on my own. I ignored.

Its my life I die its a recovery job. Simples.

Trail damage is different.

I had someone complain that we’d closed a trail for maintenance. “It’s a really lovely trail”, he says. Yeah I know, we built it!

But, selfish, mmm. I think most people causing damage really don’t mean to, or understand the effect they have. In fact most people have no idea what goes into the trails, so even if they know they’re damaging it they still don’t really know what that means in the longer term. So I don’t think it’s necessarily selfish and also I don’t think it’s that obvious.

I reckon a wee trailbuilder’s corner in the cafe of trail centres would be good- info on what goes into the trails, how much it costs, how long it takes and why you shouldn’t do wicked skidz or shortcut the corners etc. Education’s better than getting pissed off.

Some strategically place deadfall log traps, spiked pits and those things Rambo used in first blood where the spikes swing across the trail and impales the selfish ****. Ebay any bikes / parts that are left to pay for the trail repairs.
Hang the corpse of the first transgressor at the trail entrance as a warning to the rest. 😕

What about appear guns like in raiders of the lost ark, triggered by them riding past? Or just firing branches out into their wheels, stopping them dead.

Is it not an education thing? Should the mountain bike media not be more responsible for ramming home this message? As a trailbuilder I always struggle to understand how people can go past without even a nod or a hello, never mind those that skid to a halt and and look at you like your in their way.

Truth is that we do what we do and don’t expect thanks but a little respect for our graft wouldn’t go amiss..

I agree with the above. Unless you’ve been involved in trailbuilding you might not understand that the damage your doing. Before I started building I was guilty of it myself.

And I like the piano wire/landline idea (obviously without the wire and explosives).

I think we settled on pit traps full of honey badgers. And slow worms- they look a bit like snakes, but we could get a grant for supporting endangered species, win win.