[eto]

I like to ride in a local state park that is predominantly 95% probably used for horse riding and mountain biking. There are designated horse trails and bike trails, and local riders get together every month to do trail work. There is nothing restricting walkers from the trails, but they are clearly labeled "Bike Trails."

So today I'm riding and take a turn. I'm fat and slow so I wasn't going exceptionally fast, but still, I'm on a bike and going at a decent clip. Around the turn I see a family with 3 kids or so (maybe 5-8 years old) standing in the trail. Since I wasn't going fast, I wasn't in any danger of hitting them, but they just refused to yield any room causing me to have to stop totally and let them pass.

I understand that generally in this world, pedestrians are always going to have the right of way. But is there something particularly wrong about restricting a "Bike Trail" to, I don't know, Bikes? Pedestrians on bike trails pose a real danger, especially on fast trails where people are riding really fast. I know the argument that you shouldn't ride faster than you can control for unseen obstacles, but is it unreasonable to ask for ONE place you can just ride? Mountain bikes are restricted from hiking trails almost without fail, so there's only a few places where we get to do our thing. Allowing walkers on bike trails is just like allowing pedestrians to walk down the middle of the road.

Grrr. Just venting I guess.

 

[Dent]

There's a big difference between a family out taking in nature on a bike trail (yield to them and be courtious), and the devious trail runners. One would think that a trail runner would have enough common sense to realize that an approaching cyclist should be yielded to, but alas they seem to hit the ignore button and hold their line right in the middle of the trail while you hit the brakes and track stand until they pull their head out of their rear end and hopefully stand aside. It's doubtful though. I usually give them one benefit of the doubt courtesy right of way, after that it's chicken time!

 

[eto]

I just think if something's a "bike trail," built and maintained by bicyclists, that people should respect it as such. So at the very least, even a family should yield to people on bikes, just like people on bikes should yield to pedestrians on sidewalks.

By the way, I once threw an elbow into a trail runner on this very same trail. My wife was riding in front of me and the runner was running towards us. My wife went to the right expecting him to go on the left so that both of us could just go right by each other. This azz just puffed out his chest and ran straight down the middle, sending my wife into the weeds and vines on the far side of the trail. I didn't have much time to think, so I just said "F---KER" and refused to move, and as I went by I threw my left elbow out and nailed him smack in the shoulder. I could hear the "OOOMPPPHHH" reverberating for minutes.

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Trail runners still have right of way on our trails, don't know about yours. Not to say I haven't noticed some attitude on the part of a few trail runners (and cyclists, and equestrians, and walkers). What is the rule of right of way in that park you do the volunteer work at; you should know the rules. If they are bike only trails it still doesn't give you the right to run someone down or off the trail. Throwing an elbow for failure to yield right of way sounds like criminal assault to me. Way to go.

 

[eto]

Let someone run your wife off the trail and then you can lecture me on assault.

And it would be a battery, not an assault.

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Your wife failed to yield right of way, you made it worse. You are being a lousy ambassador for out sport. You are supposed to have more skills and brains to ride a bike on a trail than get into those situations. Do you drive a car that way when you see someone drive badly?

 

[eto]

Screw you. You weren't there and don't know what you're talking about. The trail was big enough for two people to pass side by side. She yielded to the right and the runner refused to yield to the left. He knew exactly what he was doing as evidenced by the posture he adopted and the way he puffed all up like he owned the trail. Ambassador? Get off your high horse.

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

What part of this definition of yield, from the IMBA section regarding hikers, similar to rules in many parks, do you and/or your wife not understand? Hikers have the right of way, so slow down, stop or pull to the side of the trail. I'm not saying the runner is blameless; if it bothered you so much you could have been a real man and had a discussion with him about it but instead you pulled a moronic move and want to defend it here, just like you now want to have sex with me (try that and your wife will be looking for someone who still has a penis).

What are the rules on right of way in your park? Do you even know?

Wonder how many "cyclists" the trail runner had to "yield" to before taking up his attitude? Or maybe he's just got a "it's my trail and I'll use it as I see fit attitude" just like you. You already showed yours even without your wife's example by pissing and moaning about a family not moving out of the way of your self described fat ass just because you were riding your bike. Get a life.

Trails do get closed from complaints like the runner probably lodged about you. Some even get pissed off enough to file a lawsuit, and you'd lose.

 

[drunkle]

"I know the argument that you shouldn't ride faster than you can control for unseen obstacles, but is it unreasonable to ask for ONE place you can just ride?"

if that's what the trail is designated as, no, it's not unreasonable. there are surfers only areas of the beach here and if you dont respect that, the lifeguards drag you out.

"as I went by I threw my left elbow out and nailed him smack in the shoulder. I could hear the "OOOMPPPHHH" reverberating for minutes. "

way to go, ben hur!

ah... actually, that's just wrong. yeah. alternative solution, you and yours could stop in the trail side by side forcing him to pass on the correct side of the trail. and squirt him with some water instead.

 

[dirtdonk]

Screw you. You weren't there and don't know what you're talking about. The trail was big enough for two people to pass side by side. She yielded to the right and the runner refused to yield to the left. He knew exactly what he was doing as evidenced by the posture he adopted and the way he puffed all up like he owned the trail. Ambassador? Get off your high horse.

i have to agree. if the trail is wide enough for two there is no excuse for not yielding some of the trail by both parties so everyone can continue on their way. one of the exceptions being if their are small children present. then you stop. no fudging. that being said we all need to try to get along and if we can't a little wake up for someone who thinks they are too good to share the trail is in order. he certainly would have gotten my shoulder had he done that to my wife. to stay on topic if the trail is narrow and it is not a bike only, as this trail is not, then bikers are to yield to hikers. no it's not asking too much to have a few bike only trails but that's not what it is so the rules apply. bikes yield to hikers. i see far too many bikers taking advantage of hikers good nature and not yielding the trail. it should be a habit to get off the trail for hikers even if they get off the trail for you first. doesn't mean you have to do it all the time but enough so you don't start thinking you deserve it. you have to imagine how the hikers start too feel if the bikers are always taking advantage of their good-naturedness when they yield the trail. they start getting very tired of constantly getting off the trail when its supposed to be the biker yielding. conversely, if you yield and are friendly when they have yielded first they are generally very friendly back and i assume pleased that someone did not take advantage of they generosity.

 

[Tracerboy]

Rudeness on behalf of the runner is no excuse for violence on the part of the cyclist. If the wife can't control her bike as she passes another user, she's going too fast or is unskilled. Sure the runner should have yielded some trail, but he didn't. That's rude, but it's not a crime; throwing an elbow is utterly unwarranted. Sounds to me like a bunch of tough-guy posturing in front of the "maiden in distress." How juvenile.

 

[ronny]

Relax dude.

Screw you. You weren't there and don't know what you're talking about. The trail was big enough for two people to pass side by side. She yielded to the right and the runner refused to yield to the left. He knew exactly what he was doing as evidenced by the posture he adopted and the way he puffed all up like he owned the trail. Ambassador? Get off your high horse.

Eto, the trail runner puffing out his chest and not moving over was a dick for sure, but I would have told him to move or talked to him about it, instead of throwing the elbow. I would be pissed to if some prick forced my old lady off the trail, but you resorted to violence first instead of more diplomatic measures.

Maybe next time, try to talk to the guy and if he is still strutting like a rooster, drop a couple elbows.

 

[eto]

Trails do get closed from complaints like the runner probably lodged about you. Some even get pissed off enough to file a lawsuit, and you'd lose.

I guess you went to law school and are qualified to make that judgment, right? I guess you considered and dismissed such concepts of contributory negligence, comparative negligence, implied assumption of risk, etc.? Don't try to play lawyer when you don't know what you're talking about, or who you're talking to, moron.

The fact is, I'm not a violent person. I don't go running around battering people for minor slights. The fact is, you weren't there and have ZERO knowledge of the events besides the brief description I told you. Thus, it would be in your best interest to slow your roll, get off your high horse, and consider for a moment that maybe your whole internet save the world thing is a little premature.

As one of THREE people who were present for the incident, it was very clear the guy intentionally forced my wife off the trail. This could very well have seriously injured her. As it was, she suffered only a few minor cuts from some vines she plowed into. What he did was equivalent to a battery. I say that as someone who was there. You were not.

Now either you're not married, or are a weak-kneed coward. You can lecture all you want, but when someone tries to injure my wife, they will be dealt with. You can sit in your little cocoon all you want. You can call me names all you want. But ultimately, when someone tries to injure my wife, I'll do the same thing a thousand times.

So go back to your books and barbie dolls.

 

[eto]

Eto, the trail runner puffing out his chest and not moving over was a dick for sure, but I would have told him to move or talked to him about it, instead of throwing the elbow. I would be pissed to if some prick forced my old lady off the trail, but you resorted to violence first instead of more diplomatic measures.

Maybe next time, try to talk to the guy and if he is still strutting like a rooster, drop a couple elbows.

No, he resorted to violence by forcing my wife off the trail knowing doing so was dangerous.

 

[eto]

Rudeness on behalf of the runner is no excuse for violence on the part of the cyclist. If the wife can't control her bike as she passes another user, she's going too fast or is unskilled. Sure the runner should have yielded some trail, but he didn't. That's rude, but it's not a crime; throwing an elbow is utterly unwarranted. Sounds to me like a bunch of tough-guy posturing in front of the "maiden in distress." How juvenile.

Forcing someone off the trail where they face a very real risk of injury is not just "rudeness." And I'm not one for macho posturing. So while to you it may "sound" like posturing, as someone who was there, I assure you, it was not.

 

[Scottay5150]

Hey I am just a truck driver here...

And I hate to say so but we as cyclists are supposed to yield to everyone... and for the ass that was blocking the trail you need to chat and tell him what an ass he is before ruining more of already stressed out trail users relationships .. it is not always about you or just me ...it is about we ... and he was totally in the wrong to block ...but perception is everything .. and you were the agressor

Scott

 

[eto]

And I hate to say so but we as cyclists are supposed to yield to everyone... and for the ass that was blocking the trail you need to chat and tell him what an ass he is before runing nore of already stressed out trail users relationships .. it is not always about you or just me ...it is about we ... and he was totally in the wrong to block ...but perception is everything .. and you were the agressor

Scott

I disagree. He was the aggressor when he forced my wife into the vines. It wasn't like he was sitting there minding his own business and woops, sorry about that. It was very clear from his mannerism, the looks he shot us, and his actions that he was intentionally trying to push her/us off the trail. A trail that is wide enough for traffic in both directions, and is used for traffic in both directions. While I understand what it may sound like, it's a far different thing to be there then to here it on the internet. The man wasn't just a passive participant in this. He was the aggressor, and got what he deserved. Now I will agree that I could have stopped, shook my finger at him, and perhaps even called the police. But I live in the real world, and I think if the people here saw what happened, 95% of them would have no problem with what I did.

 

[Crusty Oldman]

I dunno. If some guy pulled that kind of crap on my woman, I'd drop his ass like the load of **** that he is and dare him to get back up for more.

But I don't think that is what happened. I think he was just so zoned that he didn't realize anyone else was living in his world. It happens a lot to runners and roadies. A jogger ran right into a working road-grader in my local mountains. He didn't expect it to be there. A roadie I know woke up in the hospital one day with most of his face caved in. They'd found him unconscious on the dashboard of a parked car. He has no idea how it happened. You get the idea, these people get so tuned into their task that everything else gets tuned out.

The guy probably wondered why his ribs hurt.

 

[Tracerboy]

I'm not one for macho posturing. .

Call it what you like, like the infantile road ragers on the freeways, you're one for responding with violence. I assume you ride a tandem so your ego gets its own saddle.

 

[eto]

I dunno. If some guy pulled that kind of crap on my woman, I'd drop his ass like the load of **** that he is and dare him to get back up for more.

But I don't think that is what happened. I think he was just so zoned that he didn't realize anyone else was living in his world. It happens a lot to runners and roadies. A jogger ran right into a working road-grader in my local mountains. He didn't expect it to be there. A roadie I know woke up in the hospital one day with most of his face caved in. They'd found him unconscious on the dashboard of a parked car. He has no idea how it happened. You get the idea, these people get so tuned into their task that everything else gets tuned out.

The guy probably wondered why his ribs hurt.

I'm 100% certain this guy saw us and did what he did on purpose. He was rocking along in his little zone, and then saw us, and changed immediately.