To the ass-hat on Bridle today at 5pm...rant-warning

I am an avid mountain biker. I absolutely love this sport, and I spend way to many hours reading and commenting on content from this site and that lovely rose-colored one...and I wish I could ride more than the 1-2 times per week that our busy lives can tolerate.

My family (wife, 6 & 9 year old kids) all love to ride bikes. Today we went out for a hike and were coming back down Bridle on Seymour. It was quiet out there, so we decided to let the kids have some fun and walk the "log" prior to the Highschool (down) entrance. We were approaching the end of the log and I noticed a guy came to a stop to wait for us...or so I thought. As we just-just got off the end, this total ass-hat burns by us (by inches) to get onto the log. My wife (who is Captain Calm) called out that he was too close and could have waited another 10 seconds to let us clear the entrance. To which this grey-haired, helmet-less, e-bike riding ass said "well how long should I be expected to wait"...it was literally 15 seconds buttercup...I then called out that he was not riding safely and he could have been more patient and his e-bike would have easily allowed him to catch up to his interval time. While riding the log at this point, he began to mock us about how we were just whining and complaining. We were completely speechless...

As I mentioned earlier, I love this sport. I am quite concerned about how the negative commentary from the public could directly hurt access for the sport that I love. I am going to be actively participating in the Blueridge community association session about parking/trail-access this coming Wednesday. There is a real possibility that the parking restrictions (or more) from 2020 could come up again to further restrict access. I live in the Hyannis/Berkley neighborhood and we donate/contribute/volunteer as a family to the trail association and in our opinion everyone deserves to enjoy these trails. This place is awesome.

I am appalled and disgusted by the behavior of this idiot. It is 5+ hours after our interaction and it is still bothering me. Luckily (or not, depends on how you look at it), this fool made his "move" and comments to a mountain biking family...imagine if/when he does the same to someone who came to the shore to hike for the first time, or had just moved to North Van and sought to explore the amazing North Shore mountains for the first time...or were horseback with an animal that could spook easily. This toxic behavior is completely unacceptable. We can do better. My wife and I spent the rest of our walk explaining to our kids how that persons behavior is not acceptable and mountain biking is an inclusive and fun sport.

I know this dip-sh*t isn't on this board...or if he is f*ck you for endangering my family - if I see you on the trail anytime...we will be having an animated discussion. 

We all play a part in how our sport is viewed by the public. COVID sucks, it has tossed our personal and professional lives into turmoil and is actively impacting our family. COVID has challenged every one of us but it doesn't give ANYONE the right to endanger others or be an outright asshole.

I ask everyone on this board. Be amazing. Be tolerant. Be approachable. Be polite. Be patient. Be the perfect mountain biker. Show the public that ass-hats are in the 1-2% range of mountain bikers and are not representative of who we all are.

rant over

I agree with you. This bozo should have waited, especially since you were a family unit with little kids. Unfortunately, it sounds like this clown is the kind of person who thinks that rules / morals / codes of conduct don't apply to him. They are above all that. I'd like to see him try that move on a group of veteran shore riders. It would not have went well for him. I always try to be extremely polite to anyone I pass. I think every rider is an ambassador for the sport in some way. I hope this incident doesn't stop you & your kin from going for hikes.

Well the good news is these encounters are rare and hopefully will remain so. I've been trail running and mtb-ing on the north shore for 7 years now and can count on one hand the negative experiences I've had, even in the past year given the huge increase in volume. Ya, there are the occasional grumpy or rude faces, but generally whenever I encounter another user group, everyone goes through the Canadian stand-off routine (please go ahead! no you! no you!) and we continue on our merry way. If anything, I've had more annoying experiences with other riders when I'm riding (people riding my ass and not asking to pass - riders taking a break, see me coming, then jump in to be ahead of me even though I've got momentum and speed on my side etc). 

Only thing I can do is be as courteous and nice as I can and remember that humans will be humans and the only thing I can control are my own actions. It can be frustrating but I don't wanna give others the power to ruin my trail time. 

I'll also be on that call this week and I hope the parking restrictions don't come back, mainly because it just pushes people further down the block resulting in a never-ending NIMBY scenario.

He likely has a really small unit....and maybe a Corvette. Much less, a wonderful family that he can appreciate the trails with.

One thing I learned along time ago is that if someone is an asshole, that makes them an asshole. It really means nothing to you.

You have to give their opinions value in order for them to affect you and if they reveal themselves to be jerks then you can just dismiss their opinions from having value.

No helmet and arguing with a young family? Sounds like serious mental issues! Strange that someone with that level of mental divergence has the cash for an emtb

Posted by: Taz123

I ask everyone on this board. Be amazing. Be tolerant. Be approachable. Be polite. Be patient. Be the perfect mountain biker. Show the public that ass-hats are in the 1-2% range of mountain bikers and are not representative of who we all are.

That is such an amazing uplifting conclusion to come to after a run-in like this. Chapeau.

Had a few negative run-ins now with helmetless newbie entitled e-bikers. It's difficult not to just smack them 😄

I walk/hike a fair bit on Seymour and unfortunately there are more than just a rare encounter of assholes on bikes. Blasting into Bridal off of a side trail with no regard for who or what is on Bridal. Impatience while passing from behind. Expectation that the incoming hiker/walker/jogger should clear the trail and if not then nearly clip them on the pass (at speed). When there's a group of riders it's like a train that's not going to stop for anything. Even entering Old Buck from the parking lot I see riders barreling into the parking lot - it's a climbing trail not a Strava segment.

These aren't novice riders or riders unfamiliar with the area.

It's unfortunate that too many riders feel they own the trails/mountain, whether it be how they deal with other users or how they illegally ride on hiking-only trails.

I feel bad for the courteous riders as there are a lot of them. The rude ones are going to ruin it for then.

Sorry that guy was a jerk. 

Not sorry for him - as I get older and older I believe more and more solidly in karma (or balance or whatever you want to call it). 

One run in I had with a fella like that resulted in me explaining to the kids its low confidence or low self esteem that makes people behave badly. I've had to be reminded of that lesson in turn by my son more than one time!

Posted by: Hepcat

Had a few negative run-ins now with helmetless newbie entitled e-bikers. It's difficult not to just smack them 😄

Is this a thing? Helmetless ebikers? WTF?

Maybe the ebike thing won't last after all if Darwin has anything to do with it....

As for the wanker who tried to run your kids off the log, what a creep. I hope his battery died and he bit it hard.

As for the rest of us - keep representing. This board is full of courteous riders putting a brilliant face on mountain biking. If you see someone being a wanker - call them out on it. Don't let them give us a bad name.

Thanks everyone for the supportive comments - this was only a rant that I needed to get out somehow and you fine folks were the lucky ones to enjoy my thoughts so that I could mentally let it go.

Of course we will be returning to the trails and know that this interaction is very much a small percentage of our on-trail interactions - it was just so blatant. In the end, it led to a good discussion with our kids about respect in all aspects of life.

Covid has brought out all sorts with a bike in the garage. No helmet & ebike, makes me think Seawall poser more than mountain biker.

I ran into a group of two families on K-mart bikes. 2 dads & 4 kids on 24" junk bikes walking down the mid-section of Severed on the weekend. (about where the new roll down woodwork is between the switchbacks) 

Even if they were aiming for John Deere and missed the turn they would have been in over their heads, but severed  was straight up irresponsible....

Posted by: MaxRockatansky

Even if they were aiming for John Deere and missed the turn they would have been in over their heads, but severed  was straight up irresponsible....

Is John Deere that much easier than the other Seymour trails (i.e. Severed)? IMO, although it is less technical/steep it makes up for it by being much faster and still quite rough (trail seems pretty eroded vs. how it was when it initially opened).

Posted by: switch

It's unfortunate that too many riders feel they own the trails/mountain, whether it be how they deal with other users or how they illegally ride on hiking-only trails.

Prime example.... the dudes pushing up Upper Old Buck Sunday morning, past "No Biking" signs and in view of hikers. I get that people ride in the area, but if you're gonna do it, pick a less obvious day/time.