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Trail sabotage is a serious thing, and as mountain bikers we should report it whenever it happens. There have been plenty of cases, all around the world, of folks deliberately placing obstacles with the intent to injure cyclists, and it’s not cool. At all.
Today I came across a headline out of Australia that made me do a bit of a double-take: ‘Sabotage’: Mountain bikers say logs, rocks put on Blackbutt Reserve trails
Rocks and logs are generally to be expected on a trail, though to be fair the trail in question is one used by beginners. The photos in the story don’t show anything that looks particularly dangerous either, but again, it sounds like the land managers/trail stewards want to keep the trail clear and they didn’t intend for those rocks and logs to be on the trail.
Is it possible mountain bikers are “sabotaging” their own trails to make them more technical? Are there degrees of sabotage, and if so, is there a risk of “crying wolf” every time someone moves a rock or a log?
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It’s most likely a walker/hiker that don’t like the trails being dual-use and assume the only group that should be allowed to use them is, of course, theirs.
The sabotage looks to be annoying more than dangerous and mountain biking involves the risk of new obstacles being introduced onto the trails without warning so I can’t imagine I’d be doing much more than clearing them at this stage. Everyone should learn to ride in a manner that allows them time to stop if they see something they can’t get past.
If I saw someone placing them in the trail, I’d snap a pic of them to pass on to the authorities and wouldn’t think too much more about it.
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Everyone should learn to ride in a manner that allows them time to stop if they see something they can’t get past.
This. In my experience, wind is the biggest trail saboteur in the forest. 🙂
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@Jeff +1 Wind won’t stop sabotaging the trails. I am amazed there are any trees left. And why do they always land on the trail.
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And why do they always land on the trail.
Yeaahhh, why is that? Someone really should get an NSF grant to study this wind trail-sabotage effect!
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If it involves riding as many trails as possible and counting the trees that fell on the trail vs away from the trail; then I am in. I think $200/hr ought to cover my salary and expenses.
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If it involves riding as many trails as possible and counting the trees that fell on the trail vs away from the trail; then I am in. I think $200/hr ought to cover my salary and expenses
Oh, you have to think much bigger than that, this is the NSF after all.
~You’ll need a research group – I humbly offer my services as a research assistant.
~You’ll need hardware. May I suggest high-end Full suspension bikes, hardtails, downhill and fatbikes for each member of the research team.
~You’ll need a title for the project. How about “Atmospheric, Geostatic and Human Influences on Trail Traversal in Bio-diverse Systems?”….sorry Jeff, having way too much fun with this.;-)
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Ya’ll need to ask yourselves “How have I personally interacted with other user groups on multi-use trails?”
Everyone likes to play “victim”, but at anytime have you contributed to the contentious climate on multi-use trails?
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but at anytime have you contributed to the contentious climate on multi-use trails?
Nope. Everyone gets a cheerful greeting and a suggestion to have a great day.
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Nope. Everyone gets a cheerful greeting and a suggestion to have a great day.
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You must be one of the “good ones” out there.
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Well, I think maybe it’s easier for hostility to grow between two camps as the numbers swell. If you’re a hiker and see four bikers, it’s easier to glare at the “group” and it starts a tenniss match of bad vibes. I think it’s harder for people to be that impolite to each other when it’s one-on-one. I have come across people that look angry to see me and even say some impolite things about me being there but still reciprocate in kind when I say hello and tell them to have a great hike.
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Ya’ll need to ask yourselves “How have I personally interacted with other user groups on multi-use trails?”
Everyone likes to play “victim”, but at anytime have you contributed to the contentious climate on multi-use trails?
@Hagwest I think we’ve all come across people on the trails that rub us the wrong way whether they be fellow hikers, runners, equestrians, or fellow MTB’ers. It could be because of a lack of etiquette, failure to yield, unleashed dogs, etc, etc. And while I suspect MTB’ers are probably least appreciated on trails given the speeds we tend to carry, there really is nothing that justifies trail sabotage.Trail sabotage, or just rocks and logs?
As for the article Jeff, I kind of chuckle when I look at the pictures as it certainly doesn’t strike me as the work of a disgruntled MTB saboteur. Lol. Much more likely to be some kids adding a few (unauthorized) features to the trail.
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@Hagwest I think we’ve all come across people on the trails that rub us the wrong way whether they be fellow hikers, runners, equestrians, or fellow MTB’ers.
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You’ve forgotten one of the most heinous multi-use trail destroyers on the on the planet. Motorized dirtbikers… In USFS districts that allow this type of archaic recreation behaviour. Like Idaho. I believe these emotionless, heartless, animated humanoid like beings should be eradicated from the face of the planet. Would anyone even care if motorized users were mortally injured by unseen trail traps? Oh, it would be hilarious to see a horseman and a motorized dirtbiker tangle. With the dirtbiker getting shot by the o’l cowboy of course. Lets face it, I think they would love it if the same painfull fate happened to Mtn bikers.
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