Is it too hard to say "hello"

[Danny B]

Yes and no, If it's an obvious downhill track (meant to be ridden down and not up, not a downhill track) then I always give way if i'm climbing. Also the climbing rider shoudl give way if the DH section is rough or fast enough that they can't stop safely.

I ALWAYS say hello/g'day etc. Even if i'm absolutely buggered or flat out I just give a nod. It's common courtesy. I find roadies don't usually do this and maybe Roadies crossing over to MTB's are where it's coming from. Maybe... I know alot of great people that primarily road ride that aren't like this.

Also, DH riders not saying hello to XC riders is stupid. They think were silly for wearing lycra but miss the fact that pretty much all the top riders ARE XC riders and were all out to ride MTB's.

+1 to this.

Mostly good times, meeting courteous pleasant folks out on the trails. But two weekends this past month went out to Youies, each time encountered a pair of mute XC racer types riding up track 13, not giving way around bermed corners etc, no word, nothing... I mean "I'm sorry... wtf?!" As my mum always said "a smile costs nothing and buys plenty". Some folks gotta chill out.

BTW what is the point of lycra when you're riding at ∼15kph?

 

[top_oz_bloke]

BTW what is the point of lycra when you're riding at ∼15kph?

Why does it have to have a 'point' regardless of what speed you ride at?

 

[TotalIdiot]

Like this thread - well done among like minded

The only people I do not acknowledge are those riding without a helmet (especially if they are with kids). I guess I figure they are already "brain dead" and my conversation would be fruitless - "get a f....ing helmet dude" may not get my point across. Some people should not be permitted to contribute to the gene pool - me included - oops too late - my kids wear helmets!!!

 

[Refreshinglygood]

Yes and no, If it's an obvious downhill track (meant to be ridden down and not up, not a downhill track) then I always give way if i'm climbing. Also the climbing rider shoudl give way if the DH section is rough or fast enough that they can't stop safely.

.

sorry don't agree with that. if it's a dh trail that is to rocky or rough for the dh rider to stop or even slow down, then who the hell is climbing that???

If we are talking general trail riding (which i assume we are) how do you determine an "obvious" dowhn hill trail?? for sure, a trail that isn't climbable is clearly a DH trail. Why would i be climbing that kind of trail anyway???

If the trail is non directional, and is climbable, then surely the dhing rider should give way if i'm halfway up a pinch and stopping means losing momentom and not getting up the rest of the pinch.

 

[Elbo]

I think i'll start playing that game while riding. Probably gonna look like a crazy person.

Haha! I always make an effort to say g'day to everyone I pass and half the time I also have a massive grin on my face which seems to allay bitterness. After growing up in a country town with a tight knit MTBing community, saying g'day is just a natural reaction for me now. Over the years I think I've spent as much time talking trailside, as I have riding.

I ran into a guy in Lane Cove National Park in Sydney at the start of the year and said g'day, let him cross the creek first as we both arrived on opposite sides of it at the same time. He had iPod in blaring. He was doing a good job of ignoring me until I got up in his face in a friendly way and started talking non-stop about random MTB stuff until he took his earphones out Mission accomplished!

I've also met some really happy people on those same trails who were more than happy to stop and have a chat and who I hope I run into again one day.

Less and less people respond to a "g'day" these days, but if they do, you can both ride on knowing you've added a little bit to each others day, and if they don't you can just embarrass them and make it really awkward for them by starting a conversation or being overly friendly, mess with their psychology :biggrin:

 

[Refreshinglygood]

sometimes i ride to be alone, i talk to people all day at work, sometimes i wear headphones just to isolate myself from the world.

for sure i say hello to other riders, and sometimes i stop to chat as well, but when your a dad of 2, have a full time job and other responsibilities the last thing i want to do is stop to talk to some random rider on the side of the trail, My riding time is limited, sorry if i offend by not stopping to talk about the latest version of xto9


I agree that it's nice to say hello, but come on, why get so upset if some one just wants to be left alone. I think it's just as rude to force someone to interact with you as it is to ignore someone.

 

[Steve-0]

sorry don't agree with that. if it's a dh trail that is to rocky or rough for the dh rider to stop or even slow down, then who the hell is climbing that???

If we are talking general trail riding (which i assume we are) how do you determine an "obvious" dowhn hill trail?? for sure, a trail that isn't climbable is clearly a DH trail. Why would i be climbing that kind of trail anyway???

If the trail is non directional, and is climbable, then surely the dhing rider should give way if i'm halfway up a pinch and stopping means losing momentom and not getting up the rest of the pinch.

Alot of tracks are usually ridden one way even though they are bi-directional. I giveaway on these (as do most people I see).

Also, obvious Downhill, as in sections that are fast that have blind corners or really rocky/steep. It's simply not safe for the downhill rider to stop because they can't.

I don't understand the "momentum" BS. It's not that hard at all to start riding again unless a) your very unfit b) your on a 29'er.

It doesn't matter too much anyway because 8 time out of 10, both parties stop.

 

[latheboy]

I don't want to stop and talk to every rider i see,I would never get anywhere.
I would just like a hello or smile or grunt or even just a nod to show me you know i'm there.
I ride with usually 3 or more other people and i'm in front most of the time. I like to tell a rider going the other way that there are people behind me, it's a bit hard when they wont even acknowledge that i'm there.

It'll never change, i'll just have to except people are too wrapped up in their own world to bother with anyone else.

 

[Blotto]

sometimes i ride to be alone, i talk to people all day at work, sometimes i wear headphones just to isolate myself from the world.

for sure i say hello to other riders, and sometimes i stop to chat as well, but when your a dad of 2, have a full time job and other responsibilities the last thing i want to do is stop to talk to some random rider on the side of the trail, My riding time is limited, sorry if i offend by not stopping to talk about the latest version of xto9


I agree that it's nice to say hello, but come on, why get so upset if some one just wants to be left alone. I think it's just as rude to force someone to interact with you as it is to ignore someone.

I think that its more about acknowledging peoples presence more than stopping for a chat. I always try to say G'day as much as I possible can, but I agree with you that most of the time I am not keen to stop for a chat. I also ride to get away from it all, but being shouldn't hinder that, and it doesn't. It only takes a nod. Stopping for a chat, however, is taking it a bit far sometimes, unless I've already stopped for a breather.

 

[haltz]

I found a short downhill track that's not in a general mtb area it's just in a random section of bush it crosses a fire trail. Last time I was riding it I noticed a bunch of xc guys (not to be taken condescendingly I ride xc myself) coming up the fire trail a few turns before the track gaps over the fire trail so I stopped just as to not risk hittin anyone even though I could see exactly where they were and also just to say g'day as were all silly bike riders. 2 of the guys were upset I stopped they wanted to see the road gap get hit the other with out another word started blowin sayin I could've hurt someone that I shouldn't be riding there and that I'm just another dumb downhill guy apart from a couple remarks about his Lycra cutting off the blood to his brain I pushed back to the top pretty quietly to start again but was over it I cruised back down the fire trail past them loaded up and left. Sooo I'm asking am I in the wrong?

 

[Spanky_Ham]

BTW what is the point of lycra when you're riding at ∼15kph?

the pigs penis.... you can clearly see the outline while we're wearing Lycra... you mean, there's another reason to wear lycra ?

Oh, and this morning on our ride into work we called out "chiko" instead of hello to passing riders and possibly screamed "baconated cola" at another rider who ignored the pigs first "chiko"... and yes, the pig saw your head turn after screaming "baconated cola" at you...... LOLZ!


S

 

[Elbo]

I think it's just as rude to force someone to interact with you as it is to ignore someone.

I think that its more about acknowledging peoples presence more than stopping for a chat. I always try to say G'day as much as I possible can, but I agree with you that most of the time I am not keen to stop for a chat. I also ride to get away from it all, but being shouldn't hinder that, and it doesn't. It only takes a nod. Stopping for a chat, however, is taking it a bit far sometimes, unless I've already stopped for a breather.

Completely understand that most of us riding around are time poor, and one of the main reasons I ride is to get away from it all as well. I agree with you in those circumstances. But, getting away from it all and being downright unfriendly are completely different things. It's more like Blotto put it, it comes down to acknowledgement. When someone is stopped anyway and you stop as well and say, "Hey, great day for a ride isn't it? I'm new around here, where does this trail lead?" and they look the other way and don't even acknowledge you exist, that's a bit rude and I really hope I never run into someone that self-absorbed again.

 

[Refreshinglygood]

Alot of tracks are usually ridden one way even though they are bi-directional. I giveaway on these (as do most people I see).

Also, obvious Downhill, as in sections that are fast that have blind corners or really rocky/steep. It's simply not safe for the downhill rider to stop because they can't.

I don't understand the "momentum" BS. It's not that hard at all to start riding again unless a) your very unfit b) your on a 29'er.

It doesn't matter too much anyway because 8 time out of 10, both parties stop.

Oh, Ok, if you say thats the way it is, it must be true!!!!

 

[bikeyoulongtime]

I like this rant. I'll join in..:biggrin:

it makes a lot of sense to give way to down-goers on MTB trails, for all the reasons mentioned previously plus the obvious 'its fun to have a nice flowing downhill, why spoil it for anyone' factor, AND you get to get even tougher at standing starts up climbs. Phwoar!

Not to mention, it is the total opposite of car-drone rules...

Fark, it should apply even if they're going down the 'wrong' way on a 'one way' trail (pfft, one-way trail.... haha! a busy city invention designed by antisocial people for antisocial people... and I'd be hard pressed to believe that anyone has NEVER had a crack at reversing a 'designated one way trail')

My general policy is to at least give fellow silly mountain bikers a bearded toothy grin even if you're overtaking me in a race, up a hill or even down a hill, even at lake mountain, even if you're wearing lycra and really, really, really should NOT be. I might be up for a chat, but might not. Either way, it makes sense to celebrate the collective silliness of our chosen activity and its participants with a little social participation! Why? buggered if I know, just seems to brighten up the day...

have a few more guinesses, go ride, have fun. yeah. or something. baconated cola! :biggrin:

 

[Steve-0]

Oh, Ok, if you say thats the way it is, it must be true!!!!

Thats because its common sense...

I like this rant. I'll join in..:biggrin:

it makes a lot of sense to give way to down-goers on MTB trails, for all the reasons mentioned previously plus the obvious 'its fun to have a nice flowing downhill, why spoil it for anyone' factor, AND you get to get even tougher at standing starts up climbs. Phwoar!

Not to mention, it is the total opposite of car-drone rules...

Fark, it should apply even if they're going down the 'wrong' way on a 'one way' trail (pfft, one-way trail.... haha! a busy city invention designed by antisocial people for antisocial people... and I'd be hard pressed to believe that anyone has NEVER had a crack at reversing a 'designated one way trail')

My general policy is to at least give fellow silly mountain bikers a bearded toothy grin even if you're overtaking me in a race, up a hill or even down a hill, even at lake mountain, even if you're wearing lycra and really, really, really should NOT be. I might be up for a chat, but might not. Either way, it makes sense to celebrate the collective silliness of our chosen activity and its participants with a little social participation! Why? buggered if I know, just seems to brighten up the day...

have a few more guinesses, go ride, have fun. yeah. or something. baconated cola! :biggrin:

+1

 

[Refreshinglygood]

Thats because its common sense...

again, i don't think it is. I give way to climbers when i'm descending. More often than not, i don't stop, i jus slow down, let the sufferfest go past, and then keep going.


For sure manners are important, i just don't see what the big deal is if a rider doesn't feel like saying hello!!!!!!!!

 

[FuelXC]

I always try to nod, say hello and otherwise acknowledge people. I always try to remember we are all different. My son loves to rock climb but does not acknowledge others. While you might find it rude I think it is awesome for him to be in a place with a bunch of other people because he is autistic.

Maybe the rider you just past is mute or deaf. Maybe they are autistic. You don't know so please don't judge.

 

[Puddleduck]

+1 bikeyoulongtime
Why interupt the flow, I sure do appreciate it when someone gets out of my way when descending and try to acknowledge the good act. I'm always happy to stop when climbing and watch someone blast by. Gives me a chance to rub my big belly, enjoy the day and catch my breath.

 

[rdurrell]

Not all bad news...

Took the young fella (9 years old) out for his first run around Kurrajong at Yowies a few weeks back. He's on a 20 incher and obviously not at the peak of trail etiquette yet:biggrin:. We did about 6 ks and he was absolutely blown away at the end of it - not because of the dirt trails, the berms, etc. Nope he was absolutely stoked because pretty well every person said hi, waved or encouraged him along. His exact words at the end of the ride were "Gee they're really friendly here." I honestly don't think he had experienced it anywhere else on a bike.

 

[cameron_15]

I've noticed that the chance of a rider saying hello is inversely proportional to the cost of their bike...


I always say hello or at lease acknowledge there existence, it's awesome when they do the same!