a sad day on the trails...

[Mr.Ed]

   Last Saturday after a 17 mile trail ride at them local stomping grounds. A friend and I met some other riders in the parking lot afterwards, and learned of the following.

Our friendly, once peaceful trails are now the target of sabatoge !!!!  This other local informed us that a week earlier he had come down a certain trail, and stopped midway down a hill to clear a small log off the trail. After remounting and riding another 20 feet or so his eyes met a wire strung betwen two trees at neck height. He stopped in time and removed it.

Had he not stopped to clear the log, something bad could very well have happened. He would have been carrying far too much speed to stop in time had he even seen the wire.

This is a classic case of "distract them with something  so they don't see the real danger ahead."  I'm told it's a common warfare tactic.

As populations rise, trail use and tensions will also rise. And now that riding season is upon most of us, it's up to us to be proactive in our trail riding affairs.

Just a word I thought to pass on....

Ed

[Frankd3000]

Thank god he saw that wire! That's absolutely horrible!!!!!!!!!!!! [smiley=furious.gif]

I can't believe people do this?! [smiley=disbelief.gif] [smiley=depressed.gif] [smiley=blankstare.gif]

Can you further discuss "proactive in our trail riding affairs"? What do you mean by that?

Not trying to make ANY fun of the situation, but it's sad to think that CC riders would have to resort to having a full-face helmet for a simple ride. And neck bracing or gaurd or something.

[seanzzo]

They need to contact there local cop's what was done is a crime, It's called attempted murder!!
I lost a good friend on a dirt bike that way,The perp was charged under a federal law in massachutts USA [smiley=coolfrown.gif]

[Mr.Ed]

"proactive" meaning that if there are a group of trail users maintaining and using the trails in a responsible manner, possibly their presence will not be looked upon in a negative manner, by other user groups.

I have always thought the riders in our local area are a very proactive group, cleaning trail debris, calling proper authorities to remove abandoned vehicles, and communicating with the BLM on trail use and closures.  

I have yet to see or hear of conflict of any kind until this.

I'm sure almost any mountain biker in Northern Cal. knows of conflict between different user groups.

If this rider would'nt have stopped to move that log, the wire would of nabbed him. Being "proactive" quite possibly saved his life.

Unless the perpatrator is caught red-handed, I would imagine its quite difficult to find the guilty party(ies)

[nieuportpilot]

Putting a wire accross a trail like that is ridiculous.  Hopefully someone in that area can put the word out about the seriousness of the consequences.  Not only could a rider (or hiker for that matter) be seriously injured or killed, but the perpetrators could have serious civil AND criminal liablity for such a thoughtless act.

[Scott]

I remember one of our up and coming MX racers in New England Sports Committee of the late 70's  was caught that way and ended up racing with a breather tube inserted through hsi trachea.  I think they caught the man.