A quandry

Since 2001, over 90,000 cyclist's have joined Cycling Forums to discuss topics from general cycling to equipment, training, racing and travel or vacation destinations (especially in europe during the tour de france). We also feature an great deals in our online store, 100's of articles, classifieds and product reviews.

We were mountain bike riding out Springwood ridge on Sunday, ( for those who
don't know it, there is no vehicle access) and we were joined by another
group of mountain bike riders with whom we exchanged pleasantries etc, and
after a short time we heard the sound of a trail bike coming out the trail.
One of the other group became hostile and as soon as the trail bike rider
stopped he stormed up towards the trail bike rider aggressively, pointed
back along the trail and yelled "Your not allowed out here, Get out".
I couldn't hear the trail bike riders reaction from where I was but after a
few crossed words, the trail bike rider turned his bike around and spun the
back wheel to kick crap up onto the mountain bike rider and took off. The
mountain bike rider picked up a rock and threw it at the bike and hit it on
the exhaust pipe.
The mountain bike rider came back to his group, apologised to us and
remarked about his (obvious) hatred for trail bikes after a friend of his
had accident with one. The group then remarked about the trail bike riders
exit and how there was no need for it.
I'm not sure how I feel about the situation.
Yes, do all you can to keep vehicles out when they should not be beyond the
gates.
Abuse the hell out of them? Not sure, No matter how good you are, there is
always someone better.
Let them know you are going take their details and report them, definitely
yes.
Did the trail bike rider do the wrong thing by kicking up rocks?
It probably had the desired effect, the trail bike rider would be very
unlikely to ride out there again.
What do you all think. Who was correct?
Were the greenies who did much the same kind of thing to a friend of mine
doing the right thing when he was riding a mountain bike out Kedumba?

Ken

Kenny wrote:

<lots of stuff about 2 people being idiots>

Road rage (even off road rage...) is never pretty, best avoided :)


G-S

Kenny wrote:

> The mountain bike rider picked up a rock and
> threw it at the bike and hit it on the exhaust pipe.

This is called assault, and is a criminal offence.

> The mountain bike rider came back to his group, apologised to us and
> remarked about his (obvious) hatred for trail bikes after a friend of
> his had accident with one.

A friend of mine was involved in a car accident once. He doesn't throw rocks
at cars.

> Let them know you are going take their details and report them,
> definitely yes.

Certainly.

> Were the greenies who did much the same kind of thing to a friend of
> mine doing the right thing when he was riding a mountain bike out
> Kedumba?

No, they weren't. But that doesn't absolve your friend.

Theo

I dont think abusing the Trail Bike Rider acheives anything - I am sorry but
I do a lot of bushwalking and occasionally I come across some trail riders
and I cant help but think "at least they are not home smoking dope or
playing games on a computer!" Must be the Mother in me :)

Why cant we all just live together without the agro?

Anyway, report the trail bikes if need be, but dont confront them, that is
childish (just my opinion)

Think of it this way - at least you can hear motorbikes coming and get out
of the way LOL. Think of the poor trail bike rider, rounds a bend and there
are a mob of old farts on bikes! :)

Enjoy life

Kathy

On Dec 4, 5:48 pm, "Kenny" <stuffyermailskim...@bugpund.com> wrote:
> We were mountain bike riding out Springwood ridge on Sunday, ( for those who
> don't know it, there is no vehicle access) and we were joined by another
> group of mountain bike riders with whom we exchanged pleasantries etc, and
> after a short time we heard the sound of a trail bike coming out the trail.
> One of the other group became hostile and as soon as the trail bike rider
> stopped he stormed up towards the trail bike rider aggressively, pointed
> back along the trail and yelled "Your not allowed out here, Get out".
> I couldn't hear the trail bike riders reaction from where I was but after a
> few crossed words, the trail bike rider turned his bike around and spun the
> back wheel to kick crap up onto the mountain bike rider and took off. The
> mountain bike rider picked up a rock and threw it at the bike and hit it on
> the exhaust pipe.
> The mountain bike rider came back to his group, apologised to us and
> remarked about his (obvious) hatred for trail bikes after a friend of his
> had accident with one. The group then remarked about the trail bike riders
> exit and how there was no need for it.
> I'm not sure how I feel about the situation.
> Yes, do all you can to keep vehicles out when they should not be beyond the
> gates.
> Abuse the hell out of them? Not sure, No matter how good you are, there is
> always someone better.
> Let them know you are going take their details and report them, definitely
> yes.
> Did the trail bike rider do the wrong thing by kicking up rocks?
> It probably had the desired effect, the trail bike rider would be very
> unlikely to ride out there again.
> What do you all think. Who was correct?
> Were the greenies who did much the same kind of thing to a friend of mine
> doing the right thing when he was riding a mountain bike out Kedumba?
>
> Ken

the mtb rider is a tosser. Not just of rocks.

Yes, the moto rider isn't allowed out there, but we don't have the
right to take the law into our own hands - and why would we? You heard
the bike, he stopped. Why not exchange pleasantries and allow him to
continue? Ask him to ride carefully, if you must. If the mtber was
really bothered about it, it's a simple matter to call the cops -
although plates are often removed/obscured.

The mtb rider could have been charged with something far more serious
than moto riding illegally on a firetrail, had he injured the moto
rider.

Will the moto rider be back? My money says he will, but he'll have a
new found hatred for mtbers as a result of the dickhead, and you can
bet his plate will be removed.

And I guess the final question to the angry mtber... Do you ride
single tracks? Guess what, most of the time you're doing so illegally,
just like the moto rider was. There's very little legal singletrack in
the Blue Mountains. Sections of the Oaks and St Helena, and a few
firetrails that have degenerated to singletrack, and that's about it.

Did the trail bike rider do the wrong thing by chucking up rocks? Yes,
but his reaction is unsurprising.

Did the greenies do the wrong thing? Yes. Even though Kedumba is
illegal for bikes. That said, if you mate was riding like a dickhead,
he deserved to be told. My guess is he probably wasn't.

Share the trails, people, ride responsibly, and get along.

Peace.

Tony F
www.thefathippy.com

On Dec 4, 5:05 pm, "Theo Bekkers" <tbekk...@bekkers.com.au> wrote:
> Kenny wrote:
> > The mountain bike rider picked up a rock and
> > threw it at the bike and hit it on the exhaust pipe.
>
> This is called assault, and is a criminal offence.

Not so. You've deleted the words about the trailbiker spraying the
MTBer with rocks after receiving a few choice words. It is extremely
unlikely the MTBer would be charged, let alone convicted, for
retaliating (makes me think about the current case of a fellow who
retaliated with a rock after being egged, and left the egger in a coma
- I recall he was not charged?). I'm chuckling too to think of the
trailbiker laying a complaint, having committed criminal assault
himself whilst riding illegally.

I've encountered trailbikers while riding in Brisbane Forest Park.
They were fanging at high speed and swerved in front of us as they
passed, spraying rocks and dust - and of course they had hidden their
plates, knowingly breaking the law and evading detection. If I had
caught them I would have "had a word" too. Yes, it's always better to
stand back, get a plate and report to the police, but I think there
are some people being a bit precious here.

Donga

In aus.bicycle on Tue, 4 Dec 2007 19:36:48 -0800 (PST)
Donga <idomybestworkonabike@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Dec 4, 5:05 pm, "Theo Bekkers" <tbekk...@bekkers.com.au> wrote:
>> Kenny wrote:
>> > The mountain bike rider picked up a rock and
>> > threw it at the bike and hit it on the exhaust pipe.
>>
>> This is called assault, and is a criminal offence.
>
> Not so. You've deleted the words about the trailbiker spraying the
> MTBer with rocks after receiving a few choice words. It is extremely
> unlikely the MTBer would be charged, let alone convicted, for

"Well Your Honour, the surface was looser than I was expecting, so as
I was in haste to away from the really angry guy on the bicycle the
tyre slipped a bit in the loose rocks. Next thing I know the cyclist
is deliberately attacking me!"

> retaliating (makes me think about the current case of a fellow who
> retaliated with a rock after being egged, and left the egger in a coma
> - I recall he was not charged?). I'm chuckling too to think of the
> trailbiker laying a complaint, having committed criminal assault
> himself whilst riding illegally.

The motorcyclist may or may not have deliberately attacked the
cyclist. The cyclist most definitely attacked the motorcyclist, and
it was not self defence as the rider was going away.

They might not charge anyone over it as no one was hurt. If someone
had been, then the other might get charged.


> They were fanging at high speed and swerved in front of us as they
> passed, spraying rocks and dust - and of course they had hidden their
> plates, knowingly breaking the law and evading detection. If I had
> caught them I would have "had a word" too. Yes, it's always better to
> stand back, get a plate and report to the police, but I think there
> are some people being a bit precious here.
>

"eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind". It's about ethics
really.

Some got 'em, some don't.

Zebee

On Dec 5, 6:33 pm, Zebee Johnstone <zeb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> In aus.bicycle on Tue, 4 Dec 2007 19:36:48 -0800 (PST)
>
> Donga <idomybestworkonab...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > On Dec 4, 5:05 pm, "Theo Bekkers" <tbekk...@bekkers.com.au> wrote:
> >> Kenny wrote:
> >> > The mountain bike rider picked up a rock and
> >> > threw it at the bike and hit it on the exhaust pipe.
>
> >> This is called assault, and is a criminal offence.
>
> > Not so. You've deleted the words about the trailbiker spraying the
> > MTBer with rocks after receiving a few choice words. It is extremely
> > unlikely the MTBer would be charged, let alone convicted, for
>
> "Well Your Honour, the surface was looser than I was expecting, so as
> I was in haste to away from the really angry guy on the bicycle the
> tyre slipped a bit in the loose rocks. Next thing I know the cyclist
> is deliberately attacking me!"
>
> > retaliating (makes me think about the current case of a fellow who
> > retaliated with a rock after being egged, and left the egger in a coma
> > - I recall he was not charged?). I'm chuckling too to think of the
> > trailbiker laying a complaint, having committed criminal assault
> > himself whilst riding illegally.
>
> The motorcyclist may or may not have deliberately attacked the
> cyclist. The cyclist most definitely attacked the motorcyclist, and
> it was not self defence as the rider was going away.
>
> They might not charge anyone over it as no one was hurt. If someone
> had been, then the other might get charged.
>
> > They were fanging at high speed and swerved in front of us as they
> > passed, spraying rocks and dust - and of course they had hidden their
> > plates, knowingly breaking the law and evading detection. If I had
> > caught them I would have "had a word" too. Yes, it's always better to
> > stand back, get a plate and report to the police, but I think there
> > are some people being a bit precious here.
>
> "eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind". It's about ethics
> really.
>
> Some got 'em, some don't.
>
> Zebee

AOL.

Besides, from Ken's account, the moto rider was behaving (despite
riding illegally) until he was abused by the mtber.

A bit of tolerance from the mtber, and all the grief could have been
avoided. In Donga's example, the moto riders weren't behaving
reasonably in the first place. Even so, I'd let them leave, and record
details if I was upset - make and no. of bikes, helmet designs,
jerseys, etc. The cops could probably still catch them with enough
detail. In most places there aren't that many exits a moto can use -
and definitely not on the track Ken mentioned.

Chill out, and peace. Tis the season for goodwill, or something. ;^)

Tony F
www.thefathippy.com