"Blackblade" wrote in message ...

Yes, am quite prepared to take a relatively low risk in order to
be active and enjoy my life. If I fall off, which I do periodically, then
I view it philosophically as the price to be paid.

As it's my life and limb I am fully entitled to do so.

Edward Dolan wrote:

If you are knowledgeable about the risks that is one thing,
but most folks are NOT knowledgeable. It is a crime to be promoting mountain
biking on hiking trails without full knowledge of how dangerous it
is.

By the way, if you were to suffer a really serious injury, one
that left you paralyzed for example, I doubt that you would think it was worth
it. Price to be paid - indeed!

Well, clearly, you DON'T understand risk either or you would not have written this.

It is EXTREMELY UNLIKELY that such a fate will befall me ... but not impossible. If you live your life based on worrying about extremely unlikely events then you will end up doing a Howard Hughes and never leaving your house.

It is not as unlikely as you think it is. Helmets will not protect you from a paralyzing injury. Bikers who ride their bikes on hiking trails will hit something and go over the handlebars. It is not rare for this to happen. How you land will determine how serious your injuries will be. Why risk any of this?

However, since the odds of killing or disabling yourself whilst walking down the stairs or taking a shower are also unlikely, but not zero, even there you are not safe.

Hikers walking a trail are not in much danger of killing or injuring themselves whereas bikers who do what they do on trails are. Very odd that you would argue anything to the contrary.

Mountain biking, measured against other risks, is not at the top of the risk tree ... but it's not at the bottom either. Pay your money and take your choice. As I also enjoy extreme skiing and motorcycle racing I take it you can guess where I draw the line.

You are risking life and limb doing dangerous things. When the inevitable happens you will have nothing but second thoughts about the risk taking. It is entirely possible to enjoy what the outdoors has to offer without doing anything foolish. I enjoy trekking, but I would never for a moment consider any kind of climbing. Why? It is dangerous and doesn't add to my enjoyment of trekking. Adrenalin rushes are strictly for idiots.

Now that I have got you down for an idiot, at least have the good sense and common decency not to recommend that others go and do what you do. I never do anything that I would not recommend to others. Just part of being a Great Saint!

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