"Blackblade" wrote in message ...

Ah, at last, we can cut to the chase. The issue has very
little to do with mountainbikes vs hikers ... if there were 17 hikers also on
that trail they would have caused similar levels of erosion.

I note also that this guy concedes that he did not feel threatened
or endangered.

Edward Dolan wrote:

There are always saps in the world who do [not] mind being pushed
aside provided it is done with politeness. Mr. Vandeman is the expert on who
causes what kind of erosion. I am the expert on who should be on a trail in the
first place. It has to do with purpose, not who causes the most erosion.

What expertise do you have Ed ? I see none aside from your own prejudice.

I claim expertise based on all the idiots I have to deal with here on this newsgroup.

If you don't have an issue on the grounds of erosion, which is what the article is about, and there isn't an issue on the grounds of conflict between users then what, precisely, are you objecting to ?

This thread is not about any single issue, but about bikes on trails - period! There is a conflict between users based on purpose. Hikers use trails for contemplating and communing with nature. Bikers use trails for sport riding as on an obstacle course. Different universes!

There is absolutely an issue ... we have to preserve the natural
environment for future generations. My argument with you is that you seem
to believe that hiking is entirely beneficial and mountainbiking harmful.
The facts are that they are both activities which cause similar levels of
erosion and there have to be user limits if we are not to destroy the things we
love.

I suppose you would think that motorcycles and all-terrain
vehicles would also cause "similar" levels of erosion.

No, Ed, the research suggests that hikers and bikers cause similar levels of erosion ... horses and powered vehicles cause far far more.

It is not just a question of who is causing more erosion, but also a question of what kind of erosion is being caused by the different modes. Bikers cause one kind of erosion peculiar to wheels, hikers cause quite another kind of erosion due to boots.

Mountain bikers are barbarians and have no right to be on any trail used by
hikers - rant snipped

I get it .. you don't like mountainbikers. You don't need to re-post the same text incessantly ... it just makes you look foolish.

It is part of my signature, Get used to it because it defines my position exactly. Others may be reading these posts besides us, and I want them to know where I stand without any equivocation.

Mountain bikers are barbarians and have no right to be on any trail used by hikers – unless they want to get off their god damn ****ing bikes and walk like everyone else. When they crash and injury themselves, I rejoice! If and when they manage to kill themselves, I say good riddance to bad rubbish! Death to mountain bikers!

“Tread softly! All the earth is holy ground.”
~ Christina Rossetti (Psalm 24),
from "A Later Life: A Double Sonnet of Sonnets"

Mountain bikes have wheels. Wheels are for roads.

Trails are for walking. What’s the matter? Can’t walk?

Ed Dolan the Great
aka
Saint Edward the Great