Is trail etiquette dead?

[frostty74]

So I was out doing a few laps at Stromlo today and came across a guy with a flat tyre who didn't have a pump or spare tube. Doing the good trail karma thing, I stopped and asked if he needed a hand. He was hesitant to accept it, but I offered him my spare tube so he could at least get back to his car from over on Pork Barrel. We got him back on the trail and off he rode....all good.
About 20 minutes later, yep, you guessed it, I ripped a small whole in my sidewall and down the rear went. The sealant was coming out and couldn't quite hold the pressure.
While pushing back to the car park from the back side there were over 20 people that rode past me and not 1 person asked how I was doing, if I needed a pump(I carry my own by the way) or if they could help in some way. Now while I understand that dudes are too busy chasing Strava times, would it hurt to ask a fellow rider if they could use a hand!!

All of this came after a previous encounter while mackin down Pork Barrel and having to lock up the brakes and go into the bushes because 3 d1cks were riding back up it and wouldn't move off the trail as I came around a corner. No "sorry mate" or anything from them, they just kept on riding. Wankers. I'm sure they heard me coming too.

I hope that trail karma comes back around sometime soon.

 

[Big JD]

Sounds a bit shitty there mate. There are enough of us who always stop to see if someone needs help and give a friendly greeting on the trails.

Unfortunately your quite reasonable expectations of a civil and helpful society will often be dashed.

But chin up- know that you are different to the majority and better for it

 

[Calvin27]

I always stop and offer help, even on the road.

I do however, make a point not to hand out tubes (I'd be tubeless otherwise geddit) for the same reason you have now realised. Instead I hand out those patch kit sticky things. They are not great and do not hold air for long but it's enough to get them back up and riding.

 

[johnny]

I always stop and check, especially if there's a chance of injury. Not sure if I'd pass on my only spare for the exact reason you've experienced. Maybe I'd pass it on and ride back to the car park with them so I could get it back and do another loop.

As for people riding up very clearly marked trails that show they are going the wrong way, that would have received very angry words from me.

 

[frostty74]

I was speaking with a guy back in the car park and it seems he came across the same 3 guys riding up another trail as well. Maybe they were just having an off day and will learn to read for next time.

I usually try not to give out tubes so I can avoid exactly what happened today. Lesson learnt.

 

[John U]

Trail etiquette isn't dead. If I see someone stopped I always ask if everything's OK as I go by. I'd definitely stop if they looked like they'd taken a tumble. The same usually happens to me while I'm on the side of the trail trying to get rid of a cramp in my legs.

Some days the grogans do seem to be out in force though, but rarely.

These patches work a treat on smaller holes. Will last the for the remainder of the life of the tube from my experience. Easy to put on and stay put.
http://www.parktool.com/product/super-patch-kit-GP-2

 

[silentbutdeadly]

How would feel if (like me last Friday) you found an ignorant peanut with a Land Cruiser and a trailer parked across the track and a chainsaw in hand ready to drop a dead tree so he could save a few bucks by not buying firewood? Fortunately, said forkwit did not drop the tree across the track but the general disrespect of local landscape is a long ongoing issue....

 

[ozzybmx]

Good on you, hopefully the guy will pay it back to some unfortunate rider and your tube will do the pay-it-forward rounds before it dies.

A bloke who works with me had a split tyre on his roadie one day ~20km from home, he blew a hole in his tube through the hole in the tyre and was stuck on the side of the road... a guy in a van (a carpet cleaner) stopped while he was standing on the side of the road. Unbelievably not even a bike rider, asked him was he ok and did he need a lift... gave him a lift with his bike ~6-7km to a bike shop and when he learned during the journey that he had no cash on him, lent him $20 for a new tube and all he had was his home phone number to give him and his word that he would would pay him back.

He repaid the guy and got his carpets and sofa cleaned the very next week... the rest of us will also use the bloke to do ours when the time comes.

So its not dead, there's just some self absorbed people out there who dont even think about others. If good things can happen when you are even riding a roadie, then surely it will happen for us MTBers.

 

[John U]

How would feel if (like me last Friday) you found an ignorant peanut with a Land Cruiser and a trailer parked across the track and a chainsaw in hand ready to drop a dead tree so he could save a few bucks by not buying firewood? Fortunately, said forkwit did not drop the tree across the track but the general disrespect of local landscape is a long ongoing issue....

I heard recently (last week) that it was now legal to do this without a permit. I was quite surprised.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I heard recently (last week) that it was now legal to do this without a permit. I was quite surprised.

Doesn't surprise me. I take that as permission to accuse such a person of being a pinheaded thieving caarnt...or a fornicator of small animals. If they are legal then so is my character assessment of them...

Said fuckwit was not impressed...

 

[slowmick]

thank you for lending a hand frosty, trail etiquette is not dead - never hurts to ask if a stopped rider needs a hand. for me the worst way to finish a ride is walking. i carry 2 tubes. one for me and one as a an emergency to give away. it's a great way use up tubes when they have been patched a couple of times. so long as noone has to walk. :thumb:

 

[pink poodle]

I am regularly asked if I'm ok, I'm usually taking a nap at the time.

 

[wkkie]

I was on the trails on Saturday and had an issue with my rear tyre. About 2 out of 10 people asked if I was ok or needed a hand.

I clearly wasn't distressed or anything, but it was good to see a few people asking.

I always slow down to walking pace at least and ask if everything is ok. Just courtesy I reckon.

 

[slippy]

Maybe people only offer help if they feel they can give it. If you're not bleeding and losing conciousness there's not much a complete amateur can offer.

 

[wkkie]

Maybe people only offer help if they feel they can give it. If you're not bleeding and losing conciousness there's not much a complete amateur can offer.

In my case maybe 2 others slowed down and had a look and the other 6 or so kept flying past at race pace and didn't bat an eyelid.

 

[ozzybmx]

Maybe people only offer help if they feel they can give it. If you're not bleeding and losing conciousness there's not much a complete amateur can offer.

Yes, but those who have something to share on the trail, can teach those who may be amateurs something that they can pass on to someone else some day who may be even less clued in than them.

I showed a guy at the Fat Tyre Festival that a broken chain with no speed link is not the end of the weekend, a chain tool and a slipped pin can keep you running, I had a 10 man audience... I hope they all can share with other riders.

 

[slippy]

In my case maybe 2 MTBers slowed down and had a look and 6 amateurs kept toodling past at their top pace and tried to avoid eye contact.

Fixed with 10chars.

 

[slippy]

Yes, but those who have something to share on the trail, can teach those who may be amateurs something that they can pass on to someone else some day who may be even less clued in than them.

I showed a guy at the Fat Tyre Festival that a broken chain with no speed link is not the end of the weekend, a chain tool and a slipped pin can keep you running, I had a 10 man audience... I hope they all can share with other riders.

Yes, we agree. Those who have something to share, stop. Those who don't, don't.

P.S. I'm not going to be posting for a while, want to keep my post count just like it is...

 

[bikesarefun]

I think the issue is different depending on the style of riding.

The freeride and dirt jump scene is still friendly and collaborative in my experience. But I guess that's cultural.

 

[rearviewmirror]

I blame Obama and Strava.