Keeping hikers and bikers happy in the woods
My son, James, loves the idea of riding a bike on a trail through the woods. Personally, I go into the woods to see and hear things, mostly birds. And I stop frequently. Just ask my wife, who has bumped into me many times on the trail.
And of course, there's everyone else out there in-between the mountain bikers, like James, and the birdwatchers, like me.
Hey, different strokes for different folks. The important thing is that we all have a good time in the great outdoors and peacefully share the trails, which unfortunately doesn't always happen.
Stephanie Eichholz, executive direction of Green Earth Inc., says she gets emails and calls several times a week from visitors at Chautauqua Bottoms with complaints of bad behavior by both bikers and hikers.
And a 2015 OutsideOnline.com article recounted several stories of irate hikers out west actually setting up booby traps on popular trails to scare off cyclists. Yikes!
The good news is that this stuff ain't rocket science, and everyone following a few simple "right-of-way" rules should keep us all happy out on the trails.
Regarding biker and hiker interactions, according to rei.com, bikers are expected to yield the trail to hikers, but then it goes on to say that because bikers are usually traveling much faster than hikers it's usually easier for hikers to yield the right-of-way. No duh.
Of course, right-of-way is less of an issue on wider trails where head-on collisions are not an issue and passing on the left is pretty straightforward.
What do I expect from bikers when I'm walking on the trail? First, don't treat your ride like it's a race on a BMX track. Seriously. Because if you run me off the trail, I'm gonna be ticked. Second, if you are passing me, give me plenty of notice. Shout, "On your left." And probably bike past me defensively, because I might not have heard you.
Passing little kids or obviously older folks should be done with extra caution, too. Again, not rocket science.
Regarding hikers vs. hikers, certainly if you are hiking in a group, don't hog the trail. Groups are technically supposed to walk single file. But if you are on a narrow trail, solo hikers are expected to yield the trail and let groups pass.
According to a sign at Chautauqua Bottoms, hikers with dogs should yield the right-of-way to hikers without dogs. I mean, I guess. But again, on a wider trail, that wouldn't seem to be an issue. Whoever is hiking faster should just pass on the left, ideally offering a friendly "Hello" or "Good morning" or some other pleasantry.
In the end, I think the golden rule of trail sharing is simply, "don't be a jerk." The trails don't belong to just you. And they don't belong to just me. The trails belong to all of us collectively, and we all lose when we don't treat each other with respect out there.
• Mike Baltz has a PhD in biology from the University of Missouri and writes about changing the world from his home in Carbondale.