OPINION: Good Riding Citizens
Here are a few fundamentals that we should all be ticking off in our riding lives.
Words: Craig Meinicke
Photo: Mike Blewitt
We are currently in the process of developing trail signs for a some large trail projects. Well designed and clear signs are a critical element of any trail network. Good signs enhance the riding experience, tell you what you need to know, and are not overbearing on the environment.
Through the process of developing the sign content it dawned on me that once you have been in the sport for a while, you tend to gloss over the fundamentals of trail etiquette because you assume that everyone is on the same page when it comes to using our trail networks.
It is worth looping back and looking at these socially agreed rules of the game every now and then and do a self-check to see if we are maintaining our standards as good riding citizens. Here are a few fundamentals that we should all be ticking off in our riding lives.
Ride within your ability
Progression is good, getting yourself into situations you cannot control or going off trail because you have topped out on your current skill set is bad.
Be considerate of other trail and park users
Be courteous to others, say hello, be prepared to give way, pull over and let faster riders past, don’t be that rider shouting at riders to get out of your way. Essentially – just be a good person.
Stop and move dangerous stuff
Plenty of times you are out on a trail and a branch has fallen on the trail or a larger sized rock has dislodged and is on the riding line. Don’t just ride on, jump off and if safe to do so, move the stuff off the trail. If it is too big to move, let your local trail care group or land manger know about the problem.
Don’t ride closed trails
It should go without saying but this is a never-ending problem, trails are closed for a reason and riding them before they are reopened will likely result in damage to the trail, meaning it will be closed for longer.
Take your stuff with you
One thing that really annoys me is seeing tyre tubes and gel sachets discarded along trails, if you carry it in, take it home.
Stay on the trail
If you can’t ride a feature on a trail, practice it until you can. If you don’t want to practice, get off and walk through the feature. If you don’t want to practice or get off and walk through a feature you can’t ride, take up triathlon.
Don’t ride wet trails
Some trails handle rain well and actually ride better after rain. Other trails don’t handle wet weather well and are easily damaged. Get to know your local trail networks, ride the trails that handle rain best. If the trails are closed due to wet weather, respect the closure, stay home and wash your bike.
If you want to do sick skids, help fix them
Sign up and volunteer with your local trail care group and get along to learn about trail building, improve your trails, and understand what it takes to fix sick skids. If you can’t dig, donate. Give something back to the trails that give you so much.
There is nothing groundbreaking in the list, we all tick them off most of the time.
With the influx of new riders to the sport over the recent years, trails are getting busier, and some riders are not aware of trail etiquette. It is our responsibility as good riding citizens to ensure we are all living up to our responsibilities, to lead by example and show what good trail etiquette looks like.
Happy trails.
Craig Meinicke – Blue Sky Trails
