Editor:
Re: Letter: Burnaby trails plagued by bikers and 'aggressive' off-leash dogs, NOW Letters
The above letter has started circulating through various mountain bike groups and I thought I would weigh in. I am a mid-40s mountain biker from Vancouver, a research scientist at UBC, and I have been primarily biking at Burnaby Mountain for about 10 years.
I have mountain biked, in one form or another, for around 20 years. My experiences at Burnaby Mountain have largely been very positive. Burnaby Mountain is home to a number of gentle, moderate trails, where beginner or conservative riders can enjoy themselves and learn how to bike safely before attempting the bigger lines on the North Shore.
It has seen a few changes and restructuring in my time, likely due to the hard work of volunteers in the Burnaby Mountain Biking Association. I have also largely had positive experiences with fellow hikers in the area. I know well to ride defensively, anticipating the hiker around the corner, and decrease my speed when approaching a hiker (or one of them off-leashed dogs), potentially to a stand-still, depending on the situation.
I am never in a big rush to keep going, and I am more than happy to wait until it is safe to carry on. I also let the hiker know if I'm alone or I have a friend just behind me. I always thank the hiker if and when they move to the side (which is pretty much all the time).
My interactions with hikers have generally been quite friendly, even at times chatty. I've never had the negative experience that the author of the above letter experienced, from both biker or hiker.
I hope I never do.
However, I can appreciate the environment which led to this letter. I know full well that reckless, rude, and aggressive bikers exist. I too wish they didn't exist, I wish they would just leave and bike the Whistler bike park or under the gondola instead, and I'd rather bike in places where they are less likely to congregate.
They stress me out too, and I worry that one of them might one day lose control and crash into me. We mountain bikers circulate our "code of ethics" every so often, reminding ourselves of good decorum, like waiting patiently to pass a slower rider, or giving the right-of-way to uphill riders, but it doesn't seem to change the existence of the a-hole rider (or riders, as they tend to travel in groups). I also do not like the proliferation of unsanctioned trails. I am a member of various mountain biking organizations (e.g. SORCA, NSMBA), that put thought and effort into regulating, building and maintaining sustainable, low impact trails. I don't like the idea of a small group of people building a trail wherever and whenever, as this tends to erode away at protected wilderness.
All that said, the above letter resonated with me, and I understand the frustration, though it did sound to me that the author was equally reactive during his example confrontation with an aggressive biker - I think he took the situation too far, and certainly made it worse.
I know many bikers of many ages, and I don't know anyone who fits the description of this author's attacker. I'd like to hope that this particular cyclist is very much an outlier, not the status quo. My group is the polite, courteous, safe group, who sometimes angrily tells off the a-hole biker doing something reckless or obnoxious on the trail.
Contrary to this letter, I don't agree that all of the mountain should be closed to bikers: I don't agree that this is a justifiable solution. Many of the trails (as we learned from the posted documentary Jammed Gears) were legally built for biking, not hiking, though I don't believe any biker would say that hiking should be forbidden on these trails. I'd like to think that coexistence between biker and hiker could happen. Perhaps more signage, perhaps more trail designation (uptrack only, primarily biker, hikers only). Certainly an open forum, not so people can vent their frustration, but present ideas to solve this problem.
People who enjoy mountain biking come from a variety of demographics, and do not fit one personae. Not all of us are maniac, self-entitled daredevils without any thought to our neighbours. Many of us enjoy mountain biking, not just for its excitement and speed, but because it is a challenging, cerebral activity that takes practice, patience and calmness.
I hope to continue mountain biking well into my old age - and with all my limbs intact.
I certainly hope that the environment that sustains mountain biking can continue, and I am happy to be a part of its evolution to something that accepts all users, with always one eye on preserving the landscape.
Shannon Healy, Burnaby
