Outdoor advocacy organizations including IMBA, the American Trail Running Association, the Back Country Horsemen of America, the American Motorcyclist Association and more have been collaborating on a nationwide campaign dubbed Trails are Common Ground.
The campaign cites the increasing trail traffic over the past year and a half as the major reason for its birth.
With the pandemic, and millions of people looking to recreate in safe and healthy ways, trails across the world are feeling the squeeze. According to a study done by the Outdoor Industry Association, 8.1 million more Americans hiked in 2020 versus the prior year, and legacy users also went out more frequently.
“Trails are Common Ground is a national campaign that recognizes how increasingly crowded trails, rising user conflicts, and compounding pressures on the environment are threatening land access and having a negative impact on off-road pursuits.”
Trails are Common Ground says that the campaign is the work of the largest coalition that’s ever collaborated to try and solve the dilemma of educating outdoor users without alienation.
The organizations met over 15 times, according to a statement. The result is not a rule set, but an attempt to make the trails better for everyone since all user groups have similar goals in the outdoors. How the campaign will materialize is a little less clear though, as the launch only included digital materials which emphasize the golden rule.
Sometimes though, just sending out a positive message is all you can do. Earlier this year, Singletracks editor-in-chief Jeff interviewed the man behind the ‘Be Nice, Say Hi‘ campaign, which had a similar intent: if everyone greeted each other on the trail, it would be a better place.
We spoke with IMBA’s executive director Dave Wiens to get a better understanding of how the campaign will play out and what their hopes are from a mountain bike advocacy perspective. Wiens emphasized that the campaign hopes that it will reinforce the idea of kindness on the trail, having awareness of others and what’s around you, and what your intent is on the trails and how that interacts with others’ intent.
“To think about it, we’re trying to raise the profile of trails in people’s minds, because I don’t think a lot of people put a lot of thought into trails, they just go out there and do their thing. And the biggest challenge that we have is a term called goal interference,” he says.
A mountain biker’s goals on the trails share some similarities with hikers’, but both are enacted differently and can interfere with each others.
By drawing people to the Trails are Common Ground website, they hope that all trail users will gain some education, without being preached at, and gain empathy for other trail users. Aside from the initial launch, the campaign hopes to sustain momentum, and outdoor influencers and ambassadors will continue to carry the message over social media.
The collaboration between different user group organizations creates more hope for better functioning trail systems as well, says Wiens. At a time when everyone could use a little bit more time outside, the ideas should be more welcome than ever.
OK for the most part hikers and bikers near and at my preferred riding areas are all common folk who get along just nicely however there are a few bikers to include hikers who believe that right of way is all theirs. That said I read al over that bikers are to yield to hikers ok how about some common sense here if there is a single track trail where a biker meets up with a hiker in my mind and in the mind of most hikers it is much easier for the hiker to step aside allowing the now slow riding biker to proceed. I have occasionally stopped and discussed with hikers and most (99%) are in agreement that it not only makes more sense but the easy step aside is the preferred hiker method where I ride. Now if you have a rider hauling a$$ and not caring about public safety these riders should ride in areas that do not include hikers like designated bike trails. It’s called RESPECT.
Of course the hiker should yield to the cyclist, it’s the only thing that makes any sense. The most maneuverable should always give way to the least maneuverable.
Totally agree however as mentioned it states all over on proper bike etiquette that bikers yield to hikers and horse back riders. I do stop when I encounter horses being ridden even though I totally disagree that the two should share the same single track. That’s another story.
My “of course” was not directed at your comment as if saying dah but in emphatic agreement. My experience has also been that most hikers agree since they always step off the trail typically before I even see them…thank you hikers.
Would be nice if more people ditched the ego and narcissism that is so prevalent.
What became of courtesy or politeness? Banned by FaceFvck and Twatter, I suppose.
I went on a long ride today and having this article in the back of my mind I feel like I was paying attention more. Firstly, no matter how much you spent on your bike get a bell! Seriously they are not that heavy noticeable or anything at all, but unless we both signed up to race neither of us are racing and maybe we don’t want to make words so a quick flick and ding rider coming along. A bell really isn’t any more startling than a holler of ‘on your left’ and its top class accessory. Personally I slow down to pass to make sure the person I caught up with is genuinely slower than me and won’t be held up if I make poorly timed pass, and most every time we agree to when the pass can happen. Especially commuting feel free to ride my wheel and I for sure have ridden other people’s wheel. And if I’m taking a break somewhere on the trail and someone else is too, when they go I don’t jump on their wheel I count to at least 30 seconds to give us both space. When on the downhill if there’s climbers ahead I always slow down and if they’re on the uphill often they let me pass first all the same, and when the hikers and I are going the same direction of course wait for them to find a good spot to step off. Lastly just kinda ride and respect other people like you’d want them to ride and respect you. It’s that simple respect gets respect. Now sometimes I do startle people and I am getting better at not going for the best corner ever anymore especially around blind corners, but startling folks happen so keep the brakes working well. Really just let other people have fun too.