I know none of the friendly brethren and ladies here on the boards/club are guilty but... I cant help but want to vent after the past few months of riding local trails and noticing the lack of courtesy and friendliness out and about. Maybe yall can advise..

The past few times ive ridden the WWC I have hit the Thread Trail just for some extra miles. Every time- I have encountered numerous riders not only unwilling to return or acknowledge a friendly "hello" but also to YIELD MUTUALLY. In one particular instance I had slowed and moved to accommodate a friendly passing and the opposing rider sped up and took the center of the trail causing us to pass on literally the most narrow part of the trail. I am not one to cry "danger" as I really don't consider my riding style conducive to my own safety.. but ill be damned if I let someone else make that decision for me. 
 

Has anyone else noticed an alarming population of riders that seem to have forgotten that cycling is a fun and friendly sport? Can someone help me understand the process for passing on Thread.. it seems like I am missing something. Is saying "hey" to people on the trail not cool?

I blame Robert C

Banjopickin wrote on 07/20/16 at 5:09pm:


Haha! Im glad I am not the only one. I cant help but get pissed off when I know they heard me and just choose to say nothing. ESPECIALLY when we are out riding bikes. I usually just get sneered at. Funny enough EVERY offender yesterday happened to be riding the same brand of bike which will remain nameless..

I always say "Hey how's it goin'?" Or "y'all right?" When I come across another trail user. And I say "thanks" when someone pulls aside to let me pass. 

And I ride a Specialized... 

My most negative trail encounters, every last one of them actually, have all been at the WWC.

That's sad.  I always say high to other riders on the trail. Some reciprocate, some do not.  Most do, though.   Trill Will, I've got some rusty barb wire at Fisher you can use to block those short cuts if you want it.   

Sure hope they're current on their tetanus booster...

Lots of people in Charlotte=Lots of assholes...Its a numbers game..... Even the most rural of areas always have one Bunghole....Plus the competitive nature of corporate jobs fuels the ego which unfortunately carries over to the day to day...

Just my opinion.... If you don't like it....STRAVA!!!!!!

Yep.

Another sign of the times.

You watch Waters World?

He holds up a dollar bill in midtown Manhattan and asks people whose picture is on it. Nobody knows...

FredRubble wrote on 07/20/16 at 9:41pm:


you still in Mineral Springs?

Speaking of etiquette....

What's the deal with people riding trail backwards / wrong way; do yall typically say something to them or let them go?  I encountered a guy at Sherman a few months ago going backwards (was coming from lake loop to shortcut I guess) and when I told him; hey man you're going the wrong way he was very rude and was like "I KNOW".  Needless to say that led to me voicing my opinion.

So since then; to avoid conflict I typically just let them go and figure if they hit someone b/c their bad decision they will have to deal with the recourse.

Fast forward to yesterday there was a guy riding backwards that we saw from a distance (end of figure 8 where you can see start of figure 8) and I almost ended up riding backwards too!  I some how hopped trail in a section I've ridden a hundred times without realizing it.  Knowing the trail it was evident to me right away, but I can now see how easy it is to get turned around and I wonder if the guy yesterday had just been riding in circles for hours  .


KB - This could have been all avoided if I seen this post yesterday; I would have cut in behind you and yelled STRAVA!!! LEADER ON YOUR LEFT!!!

I have to admit I went twice on the wrong way on Beatty, but once i was told I thanked and turned around. I think that some "entrances" to the path may be misleading especially for newbies like me. But when that happens and if you are told, you do what you are told with a big sorry smile!!

DK wrote on 07/21/16 at 1:01pm:

Now we have to be careful of riders checking for Pokemon. I have heard that at the WWC it is hidden a super rare pokemon...

Woods Rider wrote on 07/21/16 at 1:58pm:

Banjopickin wrote on 07/21/16 at 1:04am:


Good one Banjo....Nice to know you still have your sense of humor...

Shredder wrote on 07/21/16 at 6:50pm:


The CTT is the only trail where I have a problem.   It seems that folks (power rangers mostly) don't know how to yield the left hand side of the trail to on coming traffic.

I ride that trail very fast and aggressively but I am never unsafe, I always call out opposite direction traffic and I always yield the left side. 

Perhaps a quick left hand to their handlebar and a lesson will be learned. 

Lack of common courtesy is a sign of the times. More and more, people are self-absorbed.

Let's all do our part to friendliness and goodwill. 

Banjopickin wrote on 07/20/16 at 5:09pm:


This!  I'm going to start doing this, any time someone doesn't reply to a kind word.

I've noticed this mainly at the WWC as well, I've came to the conclusion that it's like a public golf course...mainly enthusiasts but a lot of hacks.... Wrong way riders on rentals.. Spandex Strava Warriors trying to set a PR on thread before a riverjam (with water) so they can brag to their buddies over a Chickultra.... I usually go out of my way to acknowledge other hikers/bikers.... But I don't get but hurt when someone strolls past... All in all its a wonderful community of people and I'm happy to call many of them my friends.

I always say hello and smile at other riders on the trail. Most of the time I get some sort of s response. 

Now, when I don't, my inner asshat comes out and I am pretty verbal about it. I let them know they should reply to me because I was so gracious! : )

I always try to be nice to riders. People these days are so impatient and rude! I was visiting a few weeks back and my grand daughter and I drove over to Ming Garden in Cornelius. After picking our order, we got in the turning lane going into West Catawba Ave. from Sam Furr Road. The light was red long enough for the cars to be coming out of the road between the CVS-Cashions. This Direct TV van 2 cars back decided he wasn't going to wait. He pulled out, passed us on the right and made a left hand turn and the cars had to stop to keep from hitting this jerk. What are people thinking these days?

runningon wrote on 08/22/16 at 9:14pm:


Glad you've had good experiences as a runner on the trails. Besides good manners, the bikers should always be gracious when walkers and runners yield the right of way. In all of the Mecklenberg County parks pedestrians have the right of way on the trails, so a "thank you" is always in order when they yield to us bikers (which they graciously do almost 100% of the time). (Plus, selfishly, its a great conditioning mechanism for the pedestrians if they hear that "thank you"!) Sometimes its hard, but we bikers always need to be ready to yield to other users, even when we might have the right of way (Lake Norman State Park). Nobody (especially kids and horses) deserves to get scared by a biker on a multi-use trail - even if they're clueless.

I believe almost all bikers prefer the runners to go in the opposite direction for the reasons you state. I have seen a few rare exceptions for runners that are particularly fast.

runningon wrote on 08/22/16 at 9:14pm:


At Beatty the bikes run CCW and the pedestrian traffic CW.  I always thought the little signs were self explanatory but they must be unclear to some.

Sherman runs CW for bikes so foot traffic should be going CCW.

sager wrote on 08/23/16 at 6:43pm:


That makes sense.

runningon wrote on 08/22/16 at 9:14pm:


I'm glad that you exercise responsibility when it comes to avoiding other trail users.

The problem with opposing traffic on single track trails is two fold.

Closing speed and limited visibility.

Closing speed = Your speed + the speed of the opposing traffic

It's easier for me to avoid you traveling in the same direction, than it is to hope you avoid me traveling in the opposite direction. After all, you have the right of way and it is my responsibility to avoid you. It is more difficult to do when our speeds are added together, I have no control over where I pass you (surprise, surprise), and collisions are likely to be more serious.

Carolina thread trail has a number of places where there is not enough room for two to pass. Without someone riding, stepping or falling off the trail down into the creek. Like Springs, there are also a number of blind curves.

Of course most trail users are conscientious. But others don't understand to keep right. Some even have earbuds in both ears and seem oblivious to any hazards.

I've had a number of close calls. And I ride carefully to the extent possible.