John Curtis — Mountain Bike Racer

Trail Etiquette

I was out on my mountain bike for a reasonably slow paced ride on the Barton Creek Greenbelt today and got to wondering about the behavior of the hikers that I was passing. No matter how early they saw me coming or how slow I was going the response was pretty much the same. They all acted like I was a violent criminal who was after their children or dogs. People would grab their dogs and hug them close with a look of fear in their eyes that was really confusing to me. I suspect what I am witnessing is a product of two things:

* First, they have learned that some bikers will buzz by them without any notice, so they are forced to assume that all bikers will act like that

* Second, as a biker approaching them, you are aware of them the whole time and have had time to figure out the safest way to pass them. From their point of view they have only been aware of you for a split second and only see a spandex-clad person on a machine barreling down at them.

I think the best solution is to get a bell and use it all the time. I don’t buzz people and usually bike sounds are enough to alert them that there is a bike approaching, but I think a bell would just work better. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I am always aware that our access to these trails is tenuous, and people will remember that one bad experience with a biker when they vote to cut off trail access.

Another thing that I learned today is that I need a new middle chainring on my Kona. The problem is that I learned it powering up a short steep climb. My chain skipped off for a second, which put me on the ground and sliding back down the rock face. Luckily nobody was around to witness my graceless dismount.

Technorati Tags: Bike, hiker, mountainbike, workout