Banjopickin wrote on 03/07/18 at 5:21pm:



All the above is true...  Highlighted more so.  My mother is a horse owner/rider. She had an encounter on a multi-use trail w/ a Mt Biker.  The horse spooked... and she fell off over the front shoulder of the horse and then got stepped on by the spooked horse. She almost lost her leg as a result.
Horse folks are a weird bunch of entitled people... some with little to NO real control over the animal so keep this in mind when riding multi-use trails that allow horses AND Mt Bikers on the same trail at the same time.

Quote:


huh?

But can I ride both directions on WWC Thread trail still?

Harry Balsagna wrote on 03/08/18 at 12:27am:


You can... but you probably shouldn't.

I really miss the old two way trail... on my best day I could run both directions out and back in under 20 min. It was a fast fast trail.  Only once in the many years of riding that trail did I have a close call where an opposing direction rider cut hard left across the trail 3 feet in front of me.  Luckily I was on the way out moving fast uphill on the section right before the power line cut over.  I didn't hit him... but it was close. 

Aside from that incident every other two way rider interaction happened almost exactly as I describe in the post above... both riders yield the center and left hand side of the trail and continue on their merry way.

People w/ dogs... riders or walkers... are my nemesis.  Put your efing dog on a leash.  I will not intentionally run over a dog... but I will not risk injury to myself by swerving to avoid someone's unleashed dog... it gets run over.

If you're not seeing uphill riders soon enough on a two way trail, you are either..

1. Traveling too fast for conditions.

2. Not keeping your head up and your eyes moving (staring at the trail in front of your bike, see #1).

Best to knock it down a notch or two on two way trails.

Practically every rider I've almost collided with was riding too fast for the trail conditions and their eyes were staring right in front of their front wheel.

Therefore, they did not know I was there until it became too late for them to brake under control. Of course, I try to look out for these kinds of legends and stay out of their way. 

Seems simple enough for me. Two way multi-use trail, limited visibility, extra caution. Expect the unexpected, could be a 5 year old. Perhaps it's not for everybody.

I can say that if they damage me or my bike, my reaction will not be positive. I guess everybody's gotta learn. Some harder than others.

As for pedestrians, it's a different problem. I've often wondered why at a trail like Springs, with the sheer number of pedestrian only trails, why a hiker or a dog walker would choose the mountain bike trail. Especially a small woman with a large dog that's unruly or uninitiated.

Good tip.

I whistle in the case of low forward visibility on two way single track trails around Charlotte.

Yes, I sound like an idiot. But if it prevents one crash then it's worth it.

When I yell it's usually because a collision is imminent and the rider coming towards me isn't looking forward. They have their head down staring at their line.

Sort of ironic, the faster you go, the more you need to keep your head down scanning the trail directly in front of you. I'm being facetious.

sager wrote on 03/08/18 at 5:39pm:


I take it you're being facetious. But I'll explain anyway for those that might benefit from not having a lengthy injury recovery or lawsuit from some other trail user. 

The concept is very simple.

If the completely unexpected happens around the next bend, can you avoid hitting hit and/or avoid injuring yourself or others.

In the winter it's easier because there's more visibility. In the summer trail visibility declines. Trail moisture content and traction also play a factor.

Certainly many trails where I could go faster downhill if;

A. It was unidirectional
B. It was a closed off course (aka racing)
C. I could afford to get hurt riding alone way back in the woods some place

I'm just not in that much of a hurry, so I'm looking out for you. A little help's always appreciated.

I understand that two-way trails are sometimes a necessity in use as connector trails, but I have never understood the point of intentionally designing an entire trail system as two directional.  You're asking for trouble.  This was always a bone of contention when riding two-way trails on OHV trail systems.  Now you wanna talk about potential for injury around blind turns!  Because of this I have always been hyper-aware when riding two-way trails on any 2/4 wheeled device.  If others do not feel the need to do the same it will only be a matter of time before Darwin teaches them a lesson...   

Keep your head up and always anticipate that someone is around the next blind corner or over top of that next hill and you will prevent 90% of your potential for injury.

Yeah, s... happens to some people. I never wonder why.  

It's why most old guys play golf, ride around in golf carts and spend their time relishing their next trip to KFC with the ol' ball and chain.