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Don't be that guy

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RTM

· #1 Latex Salesman
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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
I have a lot of time to think on my solo rides and it occurred to me that over the years I've learned a lot of things the hard way. Some were riding tips (no underwear under the lycra? OH yeah, that IS better!), some were just lessons you learn by being a guy surrounded by good guy friends. (Dude, who stole my f-ing leftover Chinese!?)

Thought it might be fun and useful to start a "don't be that guy" thread (thank you Jeremy Piven). The only thing I ask is that we keep it light. No need to get all wound up and start an argument defending your honor. Lets all chill out and have a few laughs at our own expense.

So, what "don't be that guy" have you seen or done?

I saw a guy pop the lid off the complementary ice-water bucket at the base of the bike park, scoop ice with his bare hands into his own water jug, then replace the lid. don't be that guy.

and yes, sadly I admit on my first ride i wore underwear under the lycra.
 
#3 ·
RTM said:
I have a lot of time to think on my solo rides and it occurred to me that over the years I've learned a lot of things the hard way. Some were riding tips (no underwear under the lycra? OH yeah, that IS better!), some were just lessons you learn by being a guy surrounded by good guy friends. (Dude, who stole my f-ing leftover Chinese!?)

Thought it might be fun and useful to start a "don't be that guy" thread (thank you Jeremy Piven). The only thing I ask is that we keep it light. No need to get all wound up and start an argument defending your honor. Lets all chill out and have a few laughs at our own expense.

So, what "don't be that guy" have you seen or done?

I saw a guy pop the lid off the complementary ice-water bucket at the base of the bike park, scoop ice with his bare hands into his own water jug, then replace the lid. don't be that guy.
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Don't be the guy cranking his music at the otherwise quiet rural parking lot at the trailhead.
 
#4 ·
Don't be the guy who will only refer to a trail by some name you and your friends made up 10 years ago when it has since been officially named something else on all the maps.

Believe me, because I WAS that guy.
 
#5 ·
Disposable water bottles, Clif bar wrappers, blown tubes on the side of the trail. Don't be that guy unless you're participating in a race AND you know they have a clean-up crew.

*Note: the BC bike race DOESN'T have a clean-up crew and it's a lot of work cleaning up 350 km of trails after 500 weekend warriors have been through.
 
#7 ·
Say hi when you pass another rider. Say "thanks" when I pull off when you're the uphill rider, even though etiquette says I am supposed to. Say sorry if you couldn't shut it down in time and you fail to pull off when I'm the uphill rider; we understand, but make an effort to acknowledge that you're in the wrong. Be courteous, at all times, and we all have a better time in the woods.

Don't be that guy: the aggro trail a-hole.
 
#8 ·
Don't be that hot shot idiot who takes on advanced trail sections without a helmet and thinks anyone wearing one is a pansy. I suppose these people don't have much of a brain to protect anyway...

Sorry, perhaps a little to personal there...

Don't be one of those groups of teenagers clogging the trail at slow speeds, one of them with a freaking battery powered boombox strapped to their rear rack blaring the latest garbage pop music disturbing the otherwise tranquil woods.

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2
 
#9 ·
If a trail is a little too rooty or rocky for your abilities, don't think you're doing anyone else a "favor" by making it easier, and don't eff up the trail by going around it.
Similarly, if you like a jump line but think it'd be better with some "improvements", resist that urge and go build your own trail however you like.
 
#10 ·
zebrahum said:
Say hi when you pass another rider. Say "thanks" when I pull off when you're the uphill rider, even though etiquette says I am supposed to. Say sorry if you couldn't shut it down in time and you fail to pull off when I'm the uphill rider; we understand, but make an effort to acknowledge that you're in the wrong. Be courteous, at all times, and we all have a better time in the woods.

Don't be that guy: the aggro trail a-hole.
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Man, no doubt. I hate 'those guys' that are too proud to acknowledge a fellow rider because they're THAT good.

Sent from my mountain bike while crashing
 
#11 ·
Don't start using a website like Strava to track your rides and progress, and get so caught up in getting a KOM or moving up the ranks in a segment that your trail etiquette goes out the window. Don't be a Stravatard. Save the aggressive racing for actual races on closed courses.

Don't be that guy who goes onto a trail system with absolutely no concept of the area. Even if you can't find trail maps, you can print topo maps for next to nothing that will at least give you a terrain reference.
 
#14 ·
Dont be that guy who shows up to a club race wearing a tshirt, shorts, running shoes riding a single speed when everyone else is wearing club jerseys, bike shorts, clipped in shoes, riding FS carbon race bikes, and wonders why everyone is giving him the stinkeye for not knowing any better.




Oh wait. Thats me.:eekster:
 
#19 ·
NateHawk said:
Don't be that guy who goes onto a trail system with absolutely no concept of the area. Even if you can't find trail maps, you can print topo maps for next to nothing that will at least give you a terrain reference.
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Don't be the guy who doesn't stop and help people like me, who are absolutely wonderful at wandering through so many trails you end up at a different park. :p

I've done this before though, haha. A rider stopped and asked if I was going to a certain trail, and I had no idea where I even was anymore to begin with. ADD doesn't work too well when you end up engaging adventure mode to the fullest degree.

Don't be the downer in the group! It's all about having fun.
 
#20 ·
CCMTB said:
Man, no doubt. I hate 'those guys' that are too proud to acknowledge a fellow rider because they're THAT good.

Sent from my mountain bike while crashing
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+2. That really annoys me. I generally will defer to other riders whether or not I have the right of way - particularly if they look like they are really pushing (since I am generally just out enjoying the ride).

I was grinding up a hill on my rigid single speed the other day when a guy wearing full team garb comes flying down. I went ahead and pulled over (even though starting again is a PIA) and the dbag didn't even bother to even acknowledge I existed. Makes me think about my approach.

Please don't be that guy....
 
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