Topic: Am I Getting Intolerant?

[Angry Chicken]

Went for a nice 40 km trail ride today.  It was supposed to be a relaxing, stress-purging thing but instead it made me boil almost to bursting.  Instead of pounding the trail I felt like pounding my fellow man.  You be the judge.  I will try not to embellish.  People can be such a$$holes.

Bogey No. 1:  Guy riding bike with Doberman on leash about 100 m in front of me.  Me going about 5 km/h faster.  Good so far.  I ka-ching my bell a couple of times to warn him of my approach.  He obviously doesn't hear (or chooses to ignore the bell), lets his dog off the leash.  Dog proceeds to bound into the woods then right back out onto the trail running right at me.  I do a brake stand (not the good kind) and barely miss the pooch and doing a flying lip stand.  Dog owner says "sorry" several times.  I remind him that not-so-little dog is supposed to be on leash. 

Bogey No. 2:  I come to gate where the trail crosses a road.  I'm going to be there well ahead of a guy coming in the opposite direction and I'm used to passing through the gap without stopping (or slowing much) because I hate to break stride when I've got a good rhythm going.  He guns it in some kind of macho moment and arrive there just before me, hops off his bike and forces me to wait while he walks through the opening and subsequently remounts his bike.

Bogey No. 3:  Trail is clearly marked "no motorized vehicles".  Guess what I encounter?  Yup, a 4-wheeler, motoring along....helmetless dad and helmeted younger daughter....right down the middle of the path.  I lose it since I've already seen enough lack of consideration and swerve around forcing buddy to stop.  I remind him that there are not supposed to be motorized ANYTHINGS on the path and he pretends to not know.  I keep it polite because he's with his daughter and keep on going.

Of course there are some miscellaneous annoyances....dog crap where owners have failed to stoop and scoop, gouge marks where moto-crossers have left "screw you" donuts in the nice stone dust groomed trail and ruts left by farmers as they cross the trail between their fields.  Clueless runners with earbuds and the now ubiquitous "Beats by Dre" EMO headphones lost in their own little world and oblivious of cyclists.  Thankfully this forest trail is fairly new and hasn't been discovered by the hoards yet.

Question:  Am I the only one that thinks that people are getting less courteous/considerate?  Is people's attitude really, "It's all about me." or am I just getting more intolerant?

[tpl]

Seems to me that you should carry a silenced pistol or a garrotte and just kill the lot of them.     Maybe not the dog, but the daughter yes, she'll probably grow up into a spoilt princess with a father like that.


Question:  Am I the only one that thinks that people are getting less courteous/considerate?  Is people's attitude really, "It's all about me." or am I just getting more intolerant?

Yes, Yes and No you are just getting a bit older and probably a bit more right wing.   Seriously tho' I think that "all about me" is a result of the "cult of the victim" that has been getting more prevalent these last 20 years or so. The firm belief that it is always someone else's fault and never ones own fault. If you know that nothing is your fault then obviously everyone else is wrong and can be ignored.

[johngenx]

I figure "right of way" goes like...

1. Walkers
2. Runners
3. Cyclists
4. People with dogs

I fit into the first three on various occasions.  I figure if I'm walking, pretty much everyone else can see me, and avoid me.  I'm moving slowly.  I try to keep to the right side of trails when possible.

When running, I look out for walkers.  I yield to them and use my speed to dodge obstacles before they arrive at them.

When I'm cycling, I stay on the lookout for pretty much everyone.  No ripping blind corners (how the hell is a walker or runner supposed to yield to a mountain bike ripping a blind bend at 30km/h?) and hopping off when necessary.  I use my bell, but assume no one hears it.  Safest that way.

People with dogs just need to be on the lookout for everyone.  The let their damn dogs walk parallel to them, essentially making a wide trail block with the leash.  Thanks for that!  They let them crap all over everywhere.  Our urban trails are leash-on by law, but most let them loose, and thanks for that too, as when I run or bike, having your dog chase me IS the highlight of my day.  Why do you take offense to me kicking your damn dog, you chose to let them off the leash?

[safristi]

..Aaaah Urban BLISS..................I just walk my goldfish after midnight when the yuppies are asleep.....


 THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PRICKS.....................

[Angry Chicken]

@tpl:  Yeah, you're right.  Without over-generalizing, people don't have much personal accountability anymore, either to themselves or others.  I can count myself fortunate, on the other hand, that my own kids are very responsible and courteous.  People don't deliberately try to screw you (ok, I'm being naive) they just don't have the capacity to even think how their actions might bear on others.  It's not personal.

@johngenx:  Per above, if people thought about what they were doing, they wouldn't need such common sense rules as you lay out.  Common sense isn't very common.

@myself:  Chill.  Enjoy the ride.  Test your limits (physical, that is!) and try not to let people get you down.  Remember that you're not perfect either.

Thanks for letting me rant.

[Brigitte]

I just bought a mountain bike, and have been toodling around walking trails, hiking/biking dirt trails, and some road.  I'm with JohnG.  People who walk and people who bike only occasionally shouldn't have to be on the lookout for serious trail riders on a multi-use trail - they don't know the etiquette, anyway.  This is why I slow wayyyy down when I see them, and am super courteous.  We are all out for the same reason - to enjoy the day. 

If you're that serious about riding, go to a real bike trail if you don't want aggravation.  Otherwise... suck it up, buttercup.  It ain't gonna change.   

[Angry Chicken]

I just bought a mountain bike, and have been toodling around walking trails, hiking/biking dirt trails, and some road.  I'm with JohnG.  People who walk and people who bike only occasionally shouldn't have to be on the lookout for serious trail riders on a multi-use trail - they don't know the etiquette, anyway.  This is why I slow wayyyy down when I see them, and am super courteous.  We are all out for the same reason - to enjoy the day. 

If you're that serious about riding, go to a real bike trail if you don't want aggravation.  Otherwise... suck it up, buttercup.  It ain't gonna change.   

Wait a minute.  I didn't say I pound down the multi-use pathway.  A ride that I said was supposed to be "relaxing and stress-free" is the ride I've been yacking/moaning about.  I don't remember saying anything about terrorizing people on a hell-bent attack on a multi-use pathway.    I was steaming along at maybe 25 km/h.  The pounding I reserve for "real" trails.

Fact remains that though I was admittedly yacking/moaning/venting and generally bi+ching, people are largely inconsiderate and if I want to avoid issues I should avoid people.  That sucks.

[Brigitte]

Yes, it sucks.  As for my attitude (to keep my blood pressure low), I pretend that everyone who walks on a multi-use trail is a four year-old, or my 89 year-old grandmother.  Generally clueless, slow to understand and move, but not deliberately inconsiderate.  Either way, they still deserve my respect if I want to gain theirs.

Why do I say this?  Because I was almost run over by a mountain biker last year, hiking on a supposedly no-bikes-allowed single-track trail.  Guy had no bell, was coming from behind me, and I had a very heavy pack on my back, thanks to 3 litres of water in my hydration system along with everything else.  HE had the nerve to scream at ME for not getting out of the way.  Was I being inconsiderate?  I don't think so.

We are all ambassadors for the sport, and should always remember that. 

[quadzilla]

If you're that serious about riding, go to a real bike trail if you don't want aggravation.

Don't kid yourself. Unless you are on a trail in the middle of nowhere by yourself, there always seems to be at least that one person that doesn't understand trail rules (IE: person going uphill has the right of way). 

The fact is there are three type of people out there:

1) don't know trail rules
2) don't care about the rules
3) considerate to others

How much I love summer and the heat there are just some days that cold and windy are amazing because it keeps people out of the beaches (I ride through two beaches to get to/from work). The number of people that don't look while crossing the path, walk with their friends across the entire path, string their dogs out across the path, let their kids draw with chalk on the path, play badminton/catch on the path, stand in the middle of the path, job/ride/walk on the centre line......I'm sure I can easily think of 20 more.

The thing is, its just not the path the "stupid" people like to go. Walking down a sidewalk, grocery stores, malls. I've even confronted these people on the GO Train in the morning. Yes, they are everywhere and they out number us.

[ktm525]

Wow. You need to move to the country. #2) No issue there, you got served., next time pedal harder if you want to win.

[quadzilla]

Had to yell at a family that were going to cross the bike path without stopping to look. Then the father (?) yells to me to slow down. I had to reply, stop and look both ways first. I would have liked to use more descriptive words but they did have two small children.

Why would you not teach your children to stop and look when crossing a busy path or road?

[Angry Chicken]

 

[articsteve]

Seems to me that you should carry a silenced pistol or a garrotte and just kill the lot of them.     Maybe not the dog, but the daughter yes, she'll probably grow up into a spoilt princess with a father like that.


Question:  Am I the only one that thinks that people are getting less courteous/considerate?  Is people's attitude really, "It's all about me." or am I just getting more intolerant?

Yes, Yes and No you are just getting a bit older and probably a bit more right wing.   Seriously tho' I think that "all about me" is a result of the "cult of the victim" that has been getting more prevalent these last 20 years or so. The firm belief that it is always someone else's fault and never ones own fault. If you know that nothing is your fault then obviously everyone else is wrong and can be ignored.

 

[articsteve]

Wow. You need to move to the country.

 

Humans, like their brother the RAT, become intolerant to each other after a certain density is reached.

When I'm on the trail I'm glad to see any type of person, because I figure my odds of been ripped to pieces by a bear are that much less.

[wing]

Wow. You need to move to the country.

Ha I was going to say the same thing!  I hate people (so I've realized living in the big city (same one that AC is from and noticed people are just to self centred.  So here I am in the country with no I D 10T's around

[rrocket]

Indeed.  IQ used to find it odd that strangers mowing their lawn, or walking, or whatever used to wave to us in the as we passed in the car.  I told her it's a "country thing".....

[dr_spock]

I moved into the country.  It was great in the beginning, very low traffic density, smell of manure in the mornings, avoiding deers and farm tractors on the road.  A couple of decades later, the country-side is well developed.   No more deers, bloody traffic everywhere, speed limits reduced, car insurance up, lots of crappy drivers who can't drive for ####.   Not good for grumpy old guy.

[Angry Chicken]

I moved into the country.  It was great in the beginning, very low traffic density, smell of manure in the mornings, avoiding deers and farm tractors on the road.  A couple of decades later, the country-side is well developed.   No more deers, bloody traffic everywhere, speed limits reduced, car insurance up, lots of crappy drivers who can't drive for ####.   Not good for grumpy old guy.

Going to move further into the country?  Wait a minute....if we all do that we're going to meet in the middle!   
I've got an idea   Why don't we tell people how awful it is to live here and they'll just stay away? 

I feel the darkness of hermit-hood descending around me.....

[wing]

You have to be far enough away that it doesn't become city.