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Old October 26th 14, 08:05 AM posted to rec.bicycles.soc
EdwardDolan
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Default The Joys & Pleasures of Cycling on Trails

"Blackblade" wrote in message ...
[...]

Edward Dolan wrote:

Road cycling has certain inherent dangers from motorists which
have been around from day one. I have already told you that bike paths are the
answer to that particular problem. But getting hit by an obstacle in the trail
is so ****ing stupid as to boggle the rational mind. You like to do dangerous
things because you are a fool. Worse yet, you encourage others to do dangerous
things which makes you a criminal in my eyes.


The road is a dangerous place ... agreed ... so why cycle there for pleasure when there are better alternatives ?


Obstacles do not hit mountainbikers I think you'll find ... it's the other way around :-).


However, as the data shows, mountainbikers don't hit obstacles that often and the injury stats are relatively low (1.54 injuries per 1,000 exposures) as a result. And, those self same obstacles also cause hiker injuries too.


So, your characterisation of mountainbiking as extremely dangerous has no basis whatsoever in fact.


Media reports say otherwise ... and so does common sense.

I think you have met me half way on this issue of safety. But
that is not my main objection to bikes on trails. If fools want to injure and
kill themselves, let them!


Perhaps ... I have never stated that mountainbiking is totally safe and have certainly fallen off my bike several times. However, as you say, adults are entitled to make their own decisions about the level of risk they are prepared to accept.


Only a fools do things that are risky. Hiking on a trail is not risky whereas biking on a hiking trail is risky.

My main objection, as you should well know by now, is
the inherent conflict that is present between someone riding a trail and someone
walking a trail. That you can't' see it from my perspective means that we are at
permanent loggerheads. I want to walk a trail in order to enjoy what natural
beauty there is. You want to ride a trail for sport. Never the twain shall
meet!


I understand your perspective completely ... I simply disagree with it. We are comparing two recreational activities and you have the view that yours is inherently superior. I don't share that view so, no, we will never agree. I want to enjoy a sport and nature ... at the same time ... which mountainbiking allows me to do.


But in order for you to do what you want to do, you distract from the enjoyment of what others want to do. The conflict is inherent and is never going to go away. It will have to be settled by raw politics. I believe I belong to the stronger party and will prevail in the end.

We've both just written down what we want ... and they conflict to some degree ... so the only solution is to find a compromise which gives both of us some, but not all, of what we want.


If you continue to simply dig your heels in and deny others' rights then, as I've said several times, you will simply get ignored. You accuse me of failing to understand your perspective yet I can assure you it's not the case. I understand your perspective completely; you want what you want and are not prepared to compromise one iota. Given that this is your position is it any wonder that we will never agree ?


There is no such thing as a “right” to bike on a hiking trail.

I have agreed that cyclists can have their own trails if removed sufficiently from trails used by hikers. What you want is impossible since it conflicts with what others want. And those who want to hike are by far in the majority – always have been and always will be as long as we humans are creatures who walk for locomotion.

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 injure themselves, I rejoice! If and when they manage to kill themselves, I say good riddance to bad rubbish! Death to mountain biking!

“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


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