You need to compare the number of hiker fatalities with the

number of mountain biker fatalities. The causes of what led to the
deaths would

be of interest too.

Ah, are you finally suggesting we actually look at data about the
actual number of incidents and fatalities ... rather than simply relying on Ed
Dolan magical numbers ? Hallelujah.

Reports from the media are more than sufficient for this
purpose.

No, they're not because media reports come from all over. You need data for the same place and over the same period to be in any way comparable.

Fatalities are of course rare for both, but not as rare for

mountain bikers. However, accidents not resulting in fatalities are
not rare.

And mountain biker accidents tend to be far more serious than hiker
accidents.

No argument from me there ... so what ? Your premise is that
hiking is almost entirely safe and mountainbiking inevitably seriously
injurious. The data says that, yes, mountainbiking is not as safe as
hiking but, at 1.54 injuries per 1,000 exposures, is safer than many other
sports and, overall, relatively safe. You are thus incorrect in your basic
assumptions.

Nobody knows what is meant by "exposures" Your reliance on
this kind of "data" is hilarious.

Yes, Ed, people know exactly what is meant by exposures. If you could care to do some study instead of simply spouting you can read about it here ... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1472638/

However, I fully expect that you won't bother and will remain secure in your ignorance.

I once read a book about hiker accidents in the National Parks

and elsewhere in the American West. It made for interesting reading
because of

what led up to the accidents. It was hiker error every time. The only
error

mountain bikers make is trying to ride their bikes on a hiking trail
to begin

with. Dumb, dumb, dumb!



What nonsense ... if you walk a trail, step on unstable terrain,
and therefore break a bone and die of exposure because rescue doesn't reach you
in time (a real case from the report) how is that 'hiker error' any more than
it's 'biker error' if you hit a rock awkwardly and thereby fall off ? It's
the natural environment not sanitised to make it 'safe' ... there are risks
whether you hike or bike.



Hiker errors resulting in accidents are interesting because
they are unique. Mountain biker errors resulting in accidents are dull because
they are all the same. The biker hits an irregularity in the trail and goes
flying over the handlebars and lands on his head or back. Dull, dull, dull!

Oh dear Ed. So, the fact that the number one category requiring Mountain Rescue was "Slip, Trip or Stumble" with 111 of the 433 injuries in the Lake District in 2013 is indicative of a wonderful range of innovative and 'interesting' new injuries suffered by hikers ?

Rider hits irregularity and falls off (OTB is relatively rare), hiker slips, trips or stumbles over irregularity. What a fascinating degree of similarity don't you think ?