Trail Etiquette and setting your Trail Mindset
We’d caught up quickly to a couple of other riders and my riding buddy gave them a friendly ‘G’day fellas, can we pass when there’s a chance?’ and the rider at the back said to his mate ‘two blokes passing’. As passed them and said hi, they both said ‘wow, good job!!’.
Did I:
A) Say ‘thanks’ and keep riding, feeling positive about the interaction and that I’ve been congratulated for my mad skills
B) Say ‘don’t sound so surprised’ and feel my blood pressure rise as I ride away, annoyed at the comment.
C) Stay quiet, seething at how rude they could be to mistake me for a man and then patronise me by saying ‘good job’. Then go out and buy a helmet with pink on it, so I wouldn’t be mistaken for a guy again.
Women’s Beginner Skills Series at Stromlo Forest Park
The response I’d have to this situation today is much different to the response I had about 15 years ago.
In reality, the answer could have been any of these, depending on my mindset and mood on the day, my previous experiences, my own insecurities about my riding, or the tone of the people making the comments. I didn’t contemplate the intent of the comment or interaction. Looking back, I think the intent was nothing more than positive encouragement.
One of my wise Outdoor Education mentors once told me to ‘assume rapport’ with the students and staff I was meeting. He recommended that I spend time focussing on what sort of energy I was going to bring to the program, and spend some time preparing my mindset about how the week was going to play out before the first meeting.
That piece of advice was gold. From that moment on, I have taken time to stop and think about the energy I’d like to bring to my interactions, and hope that for the majority of the time I’m bringing a light hearted optimism to the table.
When we do this, we can more easily look for what we have in common with other riders that can allow us to connect and see them as human beings, and not an annoyance or a punching bag for pent up anxiety.
Everyone comes to the trail with their own stories. Everyone has something going on in their lives outside of mountain biking. People communicate in different ways. Some people don’t have the skills to communicate well, and this can come across as rude, patronising, ignorant. But most people don’t have the intention of making others feel bad, or patronised, or upset. Assume rapport and good intent. Is it worth getting upset over something that may not have even been intended to insult?
I’ll always stand up to rude and inconsiderate behaviour, but I’m pretty glad to say that I’ve found this to be the exception rather than the rule.
Trail etiquette is generally the same wherever you go, so here are a few things to be mindful of before you head out:
Be friendly. Assume rapport with your fellow riders. Communication is key to happy interactions on trail.
If you’re the rider approaching another rider from behind to overtake, the person in front has the right of way (and the right to be there). Say hi, and ask them if it’s possible to pass whenever it’s safe and they feel comfortable. Something like ‘hey how's your day going? Can you let me know when you’re happy for me to pass? No rush’.
If you’re the rider being approached from behind, say hi. Tell them that you’ll indicate when it’s safe to pass. And then look for a place and move over a little if it’s possible. You don’t need to stop and have your ride interrupted, but you should feel comfortable to slow down and move over slightly when the trail widens.
If you’re an intermediate or advanced rider, you should have the skills to slow down a little if you need to and move over. You shouldn’t need to put a foot down, although of course you can if you want.Know if the trails you’re riding are one directional or two directional. Ride trails in the correct direction.
Keep a safe space/distance. You need to be able to stop if the rider in front of you crashes or stops suddenly.
Avoid riding in wet, muddy conditions. This can damage trails and creates more work for trail crews.
Mountain bikes must only be ridden on approved trails. There are heaps of illegal trails around and while you might be bored of the approved trails, creating your own trails is just a headache for the landowners and gives mountain biking a bad rep. If you want to build trail, get a job with a trail building crew, or volunteer with the local groups to help build and maintain trails- there are plenty around!
Carry emergency equipment- first aid, mobile phone, clothing appropriate for the weather.
Check out the rules of the trail for each place you ride at. UC Stromlo has some additional info specific to the venue here: UC Stromlo Park Safety and Trail Etiquette
In summary, be friendly, follow signage and rules of the trails for each place you visit, leave no trace, be prepared, and respect other trail users.
View from UC Stromlo over the Brindabellas. Photo credit: Annie Arnott
Send me an email at info@dirtmaidens.com.au if you have anything to add (or if you want to find out if I ever bought that pink helmet!).