[pct-l] What do you say to mountain bikers on the PCT

[JB de Anza]

While I may disagree with the blanket prohibition against bicycles on the
PCT, I can sympathize with the frustration that good/legal trail users feel
when faced with the behavior of bad/illegal trail users. As we all know,
trail users of all kinds have been violating the rules, endangering
themselves and other, and degrading delicate recreational and environmental
resources since time immemorial.



I agree with those who have suggested that remaining civil and friendly
while reminding illegal users of the rules is probably the best we can do.
As I've said, I have trouble imagining how snapping pictures or videos and
simply dumping that unconfirmed "evidence" on a land agency will ultimately
help very much but I suppose people can do that as long as they don't think
it will provoke a confrontation. As Timothy Nye observed, "The ones that do
care [i.e., the vast majority of good, responsible mountain bikers] aren't
on the trail in the first place." I'm sure that's mostly true. And, of
course, that's one reason that a ban on bicycles insures that many if not
all the cyclists on the PCT are the bad apples with no good apples
alongside them to help educate and indoctrinate them. So I guess it's up to
the hikers and the never-present rangers to do the best they can on the
ground. Maybe that's not working so well.



I did notice that near the start of these mountain bike comments,
Chiefcowboy posted an ostensibly unrelated comment about trail closures
that mentioned hikers traveling illegally on closed trails as well. Where's
the condemnation of that behavior on this list? Doesn't anyone have any
urgent ideas about what we should do to rein in scofflaw hikers? I see that
Dan Jacobs has been brazen enough to point to this issue as well.



As folks might already imagine, my idea for a genuine solution that goes
beyond snapping pictures, sneering and pretending the problem of illegal
trail use will go away is to lift the blanket closure; look for places
where shared use of the PCT might make the most sense; engage the community
to prepare for that change; work together to educate and indoctrinate trail
users regarding proper trail etiquette (as we've done with trail users for
decades to address the exact same problems); and then enjoy and preserve
the PCT as a unified trails community.



Recognizing that my post goes beyond simply complaining about mountain
bikes and ventures into the forbidden topic of trail sharing, I assume this
post – not to mention any future posts by me on any topic at all – is going
to be blocked and expunged by the moderator but I figure I should try
posting anyway. I consider it part of my duty as a supporter of the PCT.
Happy trails to all.