Mountain Bikers respond to Safetrails.net
We have received an overwhelming number of emails from mountain bikers protesting
our site.
We will first summarize our observations about this flood of emails and the
points they raise and then share excerpts of some of the emails.
- First, we were surprised that almost all of the writers were from distant places,
especially Canada, New York and other Eastern states as well as a few from Europe.
These all ignored the local aspects of our problems. They apparently found the
site through biker networking, as it is not yet accessible from search engines.
For us this is a local issue having to do with local conditions, we can only
assume that our local bicycle organization has seen fit to alert people all
over the world to our site in the hopes that we will be overwhelmed by the volume
of responses. The dearth of responses from Santa Barbara riders is puzzling,
however.
- Second, because they are totally unfamiliar with the local area, most of them
assumed that our descriptions of steep, rocky trails and the predominance of
downhill bikes and riders are lies. A recent survey of ours showed that about
80% of the bikes on Tunnel Trail during prime weekend hours were downhill bikes
with fully armored riders. In fact these riders do not ride uphill but are shuttled
to the top by car.
- Third, many debated the amount of suspension travel on the bike shown. In
fact, it has 7 inches of travel in the front and 10 inches in
the back. They also pointed out that it weighs 43 pounds and
that we should have called the tires knobby not cleated.
- Fourth, there was extensive use of profanity and ad hominem arguments as well
as a few implied threats of bodily harm from the writers.
- Fifth, they regarded being characterized as thrill seekers as insulting. Let
us make clear that there is a substantial body of research on the characteristics
of thrill seekers as a group. Individuals of course may depart from those central
tendencies. Further we should make clear that we do not regard the “risky behavior”
as "bad". In fact some of us are thrill seekers, fit some of the characteristics
well, and think that it’s an important set of characteristics to keep in the
human gene pool. The point of the essay was that the personalities are different
and the desired experiences are different as a result.
Excerpts from emails to Safetrails.net:
Mountain biking is the light in my life. Mountain biking is poetry in
motion.
Let me tell you why I love biking:
I love the wind in my hair.
I love that on a bike I am more than just human.
I love to be outside. I love the trees and the sky and the earth.
I love the challenges and opportunities for all types of personal
growth
biking affords me.
I love the camaraderie.
I love the smell of dew in the morning just as much as I love
the smell of
blood in the dirt.
I love that biking offers me an entirely different perspective
on the world.
I could go on and on.
I have been riding all my life in harmony with everyone else
on the trail. I
smile and chat with hikers, equestrians, and whomever else might
be out. You
see, their love reflects my love. Through them, my love is strengthened.
It
makes me happy to see other people happy.
I want very much for you to be happy. If campaigning to close
trails to
bikers is what makes you happy, then so be it.
I humbly offer you my advice: true happiness comes not at the
expense of
others.
I don't hate you and neither do any of my comrades who emailed
you angry
responses. We just want to keep doing what we love.
Sincerely yours,
Kurt Diegert
downhill racer, downhill rider, xc racer, xc rider, road racer,
road rider
Just to let you know, the downhill suspension bike you show ever
so prominently on your website is just that -- a downhill bike.
If you are saying that you could ever run into one of these on
a normal trail is laughable at best. That bike is heavy, (50+
pounds) inefficient, and only has a large chainring. That means
that it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to ride up any hills, whatsoever.
Unless you are walking on downhill mountain biking trails with
ski lifts, you are not seeing this bike.
YOU ARE AN ASS. If it wasn't for mountain bikes many of the trails would be
closed. Stay out of the damn way.
Hello,
I have an incident to report...I received word of a website called SafeTrails.net.
I can not believe the amount of anti-bike propaganda and false and outrageously invalid arguments you all post. Adolph
Hitler would be very proud of your elitist anti-bike view points. SHAME ON YOU!
Do you realize that WE AS MOUNTAIN BIKERS are a MAJORITY?! Your viewpoints
make you sound like you are insane, do you honestly think any representatives would even listen to you??!!
Thank you for providing a list of people to contact on your website. I posted it on several mountain biking sites
and WE WILL BE HEARD.
Sincerely,
Justin Keith
A 25 Year Old Republican Male Mountain Biker
Tell me, when you write yoru articles, do you do any research at all, or do you just let that crap fly out of your mouth and wait to see where it falls?
: : Jeff Monk
: : www.dropmachine.com : :
I happened upon your website from a fellow mountain bike rider recently. I
wasn't surprised that your rhetoric sounds like something from a pre-segregation white power movement brochure. Wasn't Hitler the one who touted the bio-chemical differences between Jews
and Arians? Your lack of respect for those who choose to recreate in a manner
which is foreign to your "trail experience" is childish and generalized.
I have to say that I am completely offended by your website. In reading through
the pages of poorly written, unsubstantiated rhetoric, I'm reminded of propaganda written by the non-tolerant,
backward thinking peoples before you, whom composed and published their lies
with the sole intention of spreading hate. Make no mistakes about it, you are
evil hate mongers, trying to divide peoples whom, despite your lies, DO share
lands together successfully. Your fascist, uber ales, beliefs have no place
in these times where an increasingly growing population - with different interests
and values - must share this world. Perhaps, your race of perfect souls can
create a new society where you will not have to be tolerant of peoples with
different interests than you. Please hurry in doing so as their is no room on
this planet for those people whom breed hate.
-An offended rider whom makes more money, doesn't use drugs, and is a greater
contributor to society than you.
Hello,
I was reading your website today and was rather appalled. Some of this is
actually Slander and Defamation of character. Although I agree with the
purpose that trails should be shared, but not all bikers are like the
examples you portray on your site. One thing is certain this quote Is a
slander and If you don't see fit to have it removed from your website. I
will see to it that my attorney does and I assure you it will happen. Thank
you have a good day.
Quote from that website: "This difference is also found in mountain bikers,
in particular as compared to other groups. These "sensation seekers" typically engage in a whole range of more risky activities than do individuals who are less inclined to seek thrills. These activities include
drug usage, law breaking, risky driving, heavy alcohol usage and risky sex."
Your sight is a joke and you need to proof read. So many errors its pitiful.
Sincerely,
A pissed off mountain biker who always gives time back to the environment.
From: "Jon watt" <wattjb@hotmail.com>
Date: 2002/11/13 Wed PM 05:54:49 EST
To: SafeTrails@cox.net
Subject: you ignorant piece of ....
O NO! Watch out for them crazy bikers coming down the trail! I am a professional cyclist who enjoys both cross country and downhill mountain biking. You are fighting a hopeless battle. I have seen many of
our local trails get shut down to bikers because of ignorant people like you. So, you would think this would stop the problem, wouldn't you. However, we will continue to ride. When OUR trails get closed down to bikers, we will build new trails which cause more erosion. We will also poach these trails you have closed and go even FASTER since we may be being
chased! I know I am just throwing fuel in the fire of your rage against cyclists, but you are just throwing fuel in the fire of trying to stop mtn bikers! You cannot and will not stop us, just encourage us to go bigger and faster.
Thank you for your help in encouraging this so I can enjoy illegal trails that are better than the easy hiking trails anyway. Please continue to be a NAZI and dictate who you think gets to enjoy the wonderful outdoor trails that you apparently own!
Anyone associated with your organization should consider themselves an absolute
MORON!
Old fart, granola eaters such as yourselves, should merely stop moaning.....but
I digress.
The propaganda on your site is beyond comical. I find your analysis of the
Santa Cruz downhill racing bike and Dianese protection gear to be a joke. To
imply that the manufacturers of these products created them to simply erode
local trails is completely FALSE! If you really wanted to be an unbiased or
newsworthy website, you would post many of the arguments from mountain bikers
like myself who are against your views that we are the major cause of erosion.
Maybe a forum where people on both sides can express their views.
Otherwise your can take your biased, one-sided, thickskulled views of the
world and look out behind you. I may become "aroused" by the thought
of running you over.
Ryan Kramer
You people are sick, sick, sick!!
I could care less about what the forest service says I can ride when they allow horses and cattle to roam on the same banned trails and land. Do you really feel safe with horses and like
stepping in crap on the trail? I'll continue to ride any trail I damn well
please but will gladly ride around hikers and am cautious during decents.
Downhill mountain biking is a real blast and many of us just love it.
You'll never win by attempting to get us removed from access. I'll continue
riding and can pay as many fines and tickets as I get cause I'll never stop riding on these awesome mountains and am disgusted that you'd try and stop me....
"Philip King" <pking@cplaw.com>
Date: 2002/11/14 Thu PM 03:43:56 EST
To: <SafeTrails@cox.net>
Subject: Um, you're a bunch of fucking lunatics ...
I read your site and after getting up off the ground, where I was
laughing uncontrollably, I realized that you're serious. Seriously
deranged that is. I hope you get killed by bikers. None of the people
I ride with (all drug addicted, sex crazed, alcoholic, thrill-seeking,
unemployable adulterers of course) would do something like that, but
there are always a couple of bad apples who spoil it for the bunch. I
hope the bad apples ride over you repeatedly with spiked tires until
you're dead.
Oh, and keep up the good work. As long as people see websites like
yours pretending to protect the rights of hikers, they'll know that
you're just a bunch of nutcases. That does us a world of good. Thanks.
Regards,
Philip King
This is from 42 year old mountain biker from Fort Lauderdale Florida ( yes
we have mountain biking here) who thinks your paper is Full of Shit, you are
an egotistical hiker who wants to wander with your head in the clouds and not
have to share anything with others that don't believe the same as you. If you
could you would probably return to horse and buggy. My advise is go join the
Mormons.
i say your argument is applicable to a small portion of the mt community.If
you honestly believe that every mountainbiker is a risky, drugged up psycho
on the edge of control, you can write all the propaganda you want cause it wont
pass the test.Oh and by the way i know just a few hikers that toke up. Just
cause we have the abilities to ride terrain that people cannot walk, dont knock
it
. ive saved the profanity to the end,
FUCK YOU and your FUCKIN organization, get your goddamn facts straight. your
worse than the pittsburg radio personality that said bikes should be banned
from city streets.
Bikes will always be ridden in the woods, why dont youjsut pull the sand out
of your vagina, and man up, Bitch. Heres a link you can use for you next page.
MTBR.COM and theres thousands of us BITCH your gonna get so many emails your
modernized hippy ass will explode.
i am very disipointed on the information you give on the site about safe trails yes i am a down hill mountain bike racer and yes i RACE on RACE courses you say we ride on hiking trails really fast well actually 15-25mph is slow
for us if you would like to see FAST visit a world cup down hill race! if you want bikers go get off "your trails" then make us some! i dont ride a v-10 like you have posted on your site i ride a kona stinky
mine has a combined travel of 12" that i ride off 20+ foot clifs with ease. bikes can have any where from 0-14" of travel front and rear! not up to 10" please get your facts strait and i dont wana hurt you but if your in the way
on "OUR" trails i wont move for some one putting down bikes. i respect every sport and you have no right to put mine down!
www.pinkbike.com
www.drunkcycles.0catch.com
drunk cycles c/o
shawn mcmillan
mtbx@hotmail.com
drunkcycles@hotmail.com
Bikers are here to stay. Get used to it. We do not go "too fast":
we go "bike speed". Get used to it.
Randy Victory
Arizona State Park Ranger
Sedona Trail Boss
Level 1 Universal Trail Assessment Process Trainer
Instructor, Mountain Biking 101
National Mountain Bike Patroller
You are a paranoid freak. Try therapy and medication for your problems, not
banning mountain bikes from the trail.
rom: <flowshow@hotmail.com>
Date: 2002/11/14 Thu PM 05:47:48 EST
To: <SafeTrails@cox.net>
You dont like black people or something? ASSHOLE
You hikers have it so wrong.
Sometimes I think you have such a small view of the whole picture other than
you own. Take a good look at both sides.
Than you will realize that there will always be happenings no matter what
you try to do! You use a car as an example of a hit and run, well than if someone
hit and runs you that means we should all live in fear of being hit by a car?
No we keep our eyes and ears open for oncoming traffic so we do not get hit!
Most of the time you hikers are too ignorant to move off the trail even if
we give you a heads up or are riding with bells.
You are now the danger! And if you are dumb enough to stand in front of a
moving bike than maybe you should go and stand in front of a moving car!
Dumbass
Get a life bubble man!
From: "simon" <simon_gnay@hotmail.com>
Date: 2002/11/14 Thu PM 07:26:50 EST
To: <safetrails@cox.net>
you guys are so fucking stupid
You need to realize that as of now we have every right to be on these trails.
Yes, it's extremely dangerous for hikers to be faced with fully armored bikers
descending at high speeds but why do you feel that hikers have more rights then
bikers?!?!?! Did it occur to you guys that we are just as concerned about a
collision? We get hurt too! What's to stop us from starting our own ONE-SIDED
group/web-site to try and illelagize hiking (stupid right?)! Think about it,
there's no difference.
It's really simple. We need to designate hiking trails and biking trails.
This is the only solution. Or, you guys keep the trails and we'll build our
own! I'd be up for that. Let's work on that. Just remember you can not keep
us from riding. It's part of our life.....your site is fucking with part of
my life..
From: j27hihw7o001@sneakemail.com
Date: 2002/11/15 Fri AM 07:57:32 EST
To: safetrails@cox.net
Subject: You'll Love This Site
http://drunkcyclist.com/index1.html
Watch your back!
From: ROSCOECLARK@aol.com
Date: 2002/11/15 Fri AM 09:07:40 EST
To: SafeTrails@cox.net
Subject: What a site!
You must be joking! I honestly cannot belive that someone has sat down and
designed such a truely unhinged website. Surely this is a send up? I'm sorry if this is actually a serious site, however
if it is then...
Get a life you sad fuck!
So we are ripping up the trails. Yeah id agree, but thats what it is designed
for.
Hello,
Well, I would like to inform you that your website need some
TRUE FACTS. Not the lies upon lies you have given here showing
mountain bikers to be the scum of the earth. I would like to point
out how you mentioned disc brakes on the downhill mountain bike.
It says how they break up soil, well the truth of the matter is
without them alot more bikes wouldbe un-able to stop, thus resulting
in more accidents, the same goes for tires, we need the grip to
keep control. Also walkers are not perfect people either, I have
heard plenty of stories of walkers being on CLEARLY MARKED MOUNTAIN
BIKE ONLY TRAILS. And yet they still walk on them and have the
cheek to complain when a biker cycles past. There have also been
reports of walkers pushing riders off, and even throwing rucksacks
at cyclists. This really isn't helping the case for walkers, is
it?
I am appauled at your website, and can only say thank god there are not organizations
such as this in my country, Great Britain.
Thank you for your time.
James Scott (14)
©Copyright 2002 Safetrails.net
Use of any materials of this web site is prohibited by copyright unless granted
by written permission of the owner.
safetrails@cox.net
Privacy Policy, Copyright Statement, Terms of Service
