# Done being polite on the trail, or, fuck you asshole mountain bikers. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 24, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843 "2012-02-24T15:01:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/41 "2012-02-25T21:29:56Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Seems impractical for the rider as often as horses shit and with the rider having to dismount that often (and where to put all that poop…saddlebags?). Perhaps the state should enact a law where a horseback rider using mixed-use, paved trails has to hire a “poop boy” to follow along and clean up. What about horse diapers; why aren’t they required? ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/42 "2012-02-25T22:32:17Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Pics, or it didn’t happen. George Carlin once made the same challenge. Jackass picked up the glove. It involves laxatives and running. If you for some light-forsaken reason need hard evidence, search youtube for Jackass Shit Run, because I sure as heck don’t need that image crossing my retinas twice. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/43 "2012-02-26T03:15:32Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Well, then, don’t get lost in your meditation. My meditation = Communing with nature, paying attention to my breathing, runner’s high, watching the trail to find my path, picking out my foot placement, feeling each foot as it strikes, and thinking about the rest of life in the half-seconds one of the other issues isn’t at the forefront. That a little metallic ‘cha-ching’ doesn’t catch my attention as well as a ‘two behind!’ does isn’t enough to make me change what I do. > [@elucidator](#): > > Oh, yeah? A horse can take a dump while walking. Can you? [Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lIKjXl5QlU) > [@Rick](#): > > That brings up a point I was pondering on a mixed use trail last week. > Dog owners are required by law to pick up their dog’s shit. Why are horse back riders allowed to let their animal leave steaming piles in the middle of the trail? Seems like should have to pick theirs up also. > This was not a fire road in the mountains, this was a paved mixed use trail in the middle of Orange County California. Horses. Goddamn horses. That’s another matter. They seriously fuck up trails like they own the place, and yes, shit all over. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/44 "2012-02-26T03:20:19Z")
One advantage is that equine poop is less nasty than canine poop. Generally true of herbivores over carnivores. I’ve had both on my shoes, and far prefer the “horse d’overs” to the dog-gum. Next advantage, a dog owner has some control over where the dog poops, but the horse owner has very, very little (next to none) over where the horse poops. Dogs can “hold it,” but horses pretty much cannot. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/45 "2012-02-26T15:54:01Z")
Yes dog poop is smellier. But with a horse you get 17 times as much. Advantage dog. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/46 "2012-02-26T19:11:02Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > I am also adding a few, since I am feeling snippy: Me too: – People that are coming toward you in the middle of the pathway. So after you make it sure they know you’re on the right, they realize they have to pick a side, and they pick…poorly. – People that are coming toward you, two abreast in the pathway. They wait until the last second to move over and make room for you, but it’s on the side you’re on. – When I’m passing someone late at night, and not only give them a wide berth but yell out that I’m there because they don’t seem to notice me, and then when I do pass them they yell in a sarcastic tone “WHOA! I didn’t KNOW you were THERE! You _SCARED_ me!” ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/47 "2012-02-26T20:16:58Z")
Or, and I know it’s a radical idea, maybe don’t ‘whiz’ by pedestrians. If there are people on the path slow down. Go fast where it suits and slow down when it doesn’t. That would really solve a lot of problems, it seems to me. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/48 "2012-02-26T21:06:29Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Yes dog poop is smellier. But with a horse you get 17 times as much. > Advantage dog. Yes, but because of the size it’s much easier to see and avoid it. Dog poo can be sneaky. Advantage horse. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/49 "2012-02-26T22:55:51Z")
Is the path that you run on very narrow? I commute every day by bike on a mixed use trail and 99% of the time passing a jogger or another bike isn’t an issue because there’s space for both of us. I’ve never made an announcement while passing a horse either, but the only horses on the path are police horses so presumably they’re trained to be used to sudden movements and such. It’s annoying though when joggers randomly veer into my path but I’ve never even come close to hitting anyone, I just yell “be careful.” Some people appear to be either terrified or bikes or just disrespectful of them though (not saying this is you, I’m speaking in general). I’ve had people yell at me to “slow down” when I pass them even if I’ve slowed down to the point where I’ll tip over if I go any slower. Ringing my bell normally gets a non-reaction aside from the group of pedestrians who yelled “ding ding ding” at me. I removed it when I got new handlebars and haven’t bothered putting it back on. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/50 "2012-02-26T23:07:14Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Or, and I know it’s a radical idea, maybe don’t ‘whiz’ by pedestrians… Well, for radical ideas, why whiz past them when you can whiz on them? This would promote public interaction and a brisk exchange of viewpoints, though certain customs and health regulations would need to be relaxed, and may require women of exceptional gymnastic ability. On second thought, this is a stupid idea, and I never said it. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/51 "2012-02-27T13:33:59Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Me too: > > – People that are coming toward you in the middle of the pathway. So after you make it sure they know you’re on the right, they realize they have to pick a side, and they pick…poorly. > > – People that are coming toward you, two abreast in the pathway. They wait until the last second to move over and make room for you, but it’s on the side you’re on. I get these too plus something that seems unique to British walkers - they stare at their feet. I was riding a smooth, flat, straight trail about wide enough for the two walkers to go side by side. We were approaching each other and I’d spotted them from about 100 yards away. They were engrossed in conversation and staring intently at their feet. The closer we got the slower I went until stopping about 10 feet away. If my brakes hadn’t squeaked they would have walked into me. If you’re not going to enjoy the outdoors by glancing around occasionally you might as well go to the gym and use the treadmill. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/52 "2012-02-27T13:49:24Z")
> [@CatherineZeta](#): > > Is the path that you run on very narrow? I commute every day by bike on a mixed use trail and 99% of the time passing a jogger or another bike isn’t an issue because there’s space for both of us. I’ve never made an announcement while passing a horse either, but the only horses on the path are police horses so presumably they’re trained to be used to sudden movements and such. > > It’s annoying though when joggers randomly veer into my path but I’ve never even come close to hitting anyone, I just yell “be careful.” > > Some people appear to be either terrified or bikes or just disrespectful of them though (not saying this is you, I’m speaking in general). I’ve had people yell at me to “slow down” when I pass them even if I’ve slowed down to the point where I’ll tip over if I go any slower. Ringing my bell normally gets a non-reaction aside from the group of pedestrians who yelled “ding ding ding” at me. I removed it when I got new handlebars and haven’t bothered putting it back on. The trail on which the incident occurred was [single track trail](http://swopetrails.com/)…take a step to the right or left, and you’re no longer on the trail. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843/53 "2012-02-29T00:18:51Z")
> [@kferr](#): > > I get these too plus something that seems unique to British walkers - They always try to circumsise you too? I hate that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/done-being-polite-on-the-trail-or-fuck-you-asshole-mountain-bikers/613843.md?page=2)