Hill walkers V well everyone....

iwillhtfu

Lemming wrote: »

How wide are those boardwalks? They don't appear to be particularly wide, certainly not to accommodate two people side by side, so what happens when a walker meets a walker, i.e. who steps off into the bog?

I ask because if the boardwalks are not particularly wide enough for more than one person, then arguments about bikes vs. walkers are a bit moot since walkers vs. walkers would most likely also be an issue.

Two sleepers so around 20" wide

As you point out it's a moot point and I'd say bikes off of the board walks tend to cause more rage as apparently tearing up the upland heather that the emm.. sleepers are resting on

Best avoided though and one where I'd vote choose your battles,

Lemming

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Two sleepers so around 20" wide

As you point out it's a moot point and I'd say bikes off of the board walks tend to cause more rage as apparently tearing up the upland heather that the emm.. sleepers are resting on

Best avoided though and one where I'd vote choose your battles,

Oh completely, I'd not bother with sections like that if they were busy at all. I tend to avoid popular outdoor routes too where it's a good day and/or a bank holiday and I'm not there early enough to avoid the crowds because you'll just not be able to do much either due to simple volumes of traffic (tbh it'd be the same if it was choc-full of cyclists), people with dogs on retractable leashes standing on opposite sides of whatever trail it is, or the prospect of meeting ramblers of a particular disposition who do their best to impede you.

(bold bit is my emphasis)

knucklehead6

Lemming wrote: »

How wide are those boardwalks? They don't appear to be particularly wide, certainly not to accommodate two people side by side, so what happens when a walker meets a walker, i.e. who steps off into the bog?

I ask because if the boardwalks are not particularly wide enough for more than one person, then arguments about bikes vs. walkers are a bit moot since walkers vs. walkers would most likely also be an issue (I'm getting visions of two particularly bolshy walkers doing a bout of Gladiators to decide who has to step out of the way, with walking sticks for puggle sticks with a third walker refereeing in their finest Scottish accent impersonation; "Contestant, reeeeady! Gladiator, reeeeady")

As i said earlier, it's generally accepted that the person on ascent has 'right of way' but that may not always be observed.

If I'm wearing boots and gaiters and I meet someone on the boardwalks whos wearing shiny white runners with no socks and those jeans that end around the ankle then i'd let them hold the boards, no matter if I'm going up or down. Again, someone with a kid would get the same treatment

Tenzor07

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Two sleepers so around 20" wide
As you point out it's a moot point and I'd say bikes off of the board walks tend to cause more rage as apparently tearing up the upland heather that the emm.. sleepers are resting on

Many a times I cycled over to Djouce mountain from War Hill before they put in those Boardwalks, what a tough slog on softground..

iwillhtfu

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Many a times I cycled over to Djouce mountain from War Hill before they put in those Boardwalks, what a tough slog on softground..

I'd say it was alright but worth as I'd say footfall was low then without the sleepers in place you actually had to hike

Tenzor07

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I'd say it was alright but worth as I'd say footfall was low then without the sleepers in place you actually had to hike

I hear that MM are installing a 2 way Travelator to replace that boardwalk! :pac:

iwillhtfu

Tenzor07 wrote: »

I hear that MM are installing a 2 way Travelator to replace that boardwalk! :pac:

I thought they'd no tools

Too soon

Stark

Surprised there's no handrails anywhere.

iwillhtfu

Just saw this posted on the gap page and this comment wins the internet this evening. She does not look happy at all.

I was actually watching this guy the other day and he was sending it like a good un, no pads or anything just a pair of track bottoms and runners

prunudo

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Just saw this posted on the gap page and this comment wins the internet this evening. She does not look happy at all.

I was actually watching this guy the other day and he was sending it like a good un, no pads or anything just a pair of track bottoms and runners

Saw that earlier, the look on woman in the grey tops face reminded me of this thread

covey123

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I thought they'd no tools

Too soon

Brilliant :-)

Icyseanfitz

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Everyone was relieved when that award was overturned.. Have never heard of a MTB'er claiming.. Example of which is the GAP bike park which has been open 5 years claim free from MTB'ers.

And don't worry I can spot the sorts, been encountering them on the trails since the 1990's..

wasnt that what contributed to BPI closing down/not able to renew insurance?

prunudo

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

wasnt that what contributed to BPI closing down/not able to renew insurance?

Think its a bit more complicated than that, and mods delete if inappropriate, but I believe it was another insurance company claiming off their policy.

Icyseanfitz

prunudo wrote: »

Think its a bit more complicated than that, and mods delete if inappropriate, but I believe it was another insurance company claiming off their policy.

such a pity, what a great place ditto with regards inappropriate posts, delete away mods

John_Rambo

Absolutely shocked at walkers placing neck height wires on bike trails. What if a 13 year old grom biker was killed? That's just criminal, sinister and craven, it makes other sporting perceived possession like surfing localism look like a tea party.

The type of group that would happily endanger the lives of other users would have no problem destroying tools left near a bike trail. The more I read in to the walkers FB posts the more I believe the destruction was carried out by do-gooders mistakingly destroying the wrong tools.

spookwoman

John_Rambo wrote: »

Absolutely shocked at walkers placing neck height wires on bike trails. What if a 13 year old grom biker was killed? That's just criminal, sinister and craven, it makes other sporting perceived possession like surfing localism look like a tea party.

The type of group that would happily endanger the lives of other users would have no problem destroying tools left near a bike trail. The more I read in to the walkers FB posts the more I believe the destruction was carried out by do-gooders mistakingly destroying the wrong tools.

That is something that should be reported to the police. That's no better than punji sticks for walkers.
Not the first time something like that has happened
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/irish-cyclist-escapes-serious-injury-7832281

Wanderer78

I'm also a hill walker, some walkers would wanna get over themselves, we collectively have the right to be there, we just need to learn to respect each other

Hurrache

John_Rambo wrote: »

Absolutely shocked at walkers ...

Don't categorise them as walkers, they're just pricks, no matter how they get around.

prunudo

Wanderer78 wrote: »

I'm also a hill walker, some walkers would wanna get over themselves, we collectively have the right to be there, we just need to learn to respect each other

100% and that goes for all walks of life, not just mountain biking vs walking. For a country that has changed so much in recent years I'm still amazed at the lack of understanding amongst some people.

xxyyzz

Hurrache wrote: »

Don't categorise them as walkers, they're just pricks, no matter how they get around.

This, this whole thread is shining a spotlight on a couple of dickheads who happen to be walkers and it creates an unrealistic picture of walkers in general, I don't think I've ever had any grief with a walker in over 15 years of mtb. The vast majority will say hello and a lot of them are very curious about mtb. Creating animosity is never going to solve anything, it just makes things worse.

iwillhtfu

xxyyzz wrote: »

This, this whole thread is shining a spotlight on a couple of dickheads who happen to be walkers and it creates an unrealistic picture of walkers in general, I don't think I've ever had any grief with a walker in over 15 years of mtb. The vast majority will say hello and a lot of them are very curious about mtb. Creating animosity is never going to solve anything, it just makes things worse.

I get the whole live and let live philoposhy and that assholes can wear many masks but the animosity is already there so I'm not sure discussing it and highlighting it is making it worse. If hill walkers care to make their own thread of the other side of the coin belt away.

I've found the most recent issue with walkers is generally by those new to it and families out walking. The older (yes I used the word again after being accused of being ageist already.) disgruntled walkers tend to do the very Irish thing of a disapproving look.

I can't say I take offence to the discussion and have a foot firmly in both camps.

covey123

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

wasnt that what contributed to BPI closing down/not able to renew insurance?

Totally off topic here,but any rumors of BPI ever opening again?

iwillhtfu

covey123 wrote: »

Totally off topic here,but any rumors of BPI ever opening again?

Yeah everytime that's asked its usually followed with hoping to open soon. The land is costing them nothing so assume it will at some point if the market still demands it and insurance allows it.

prunudo

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Yeah everytime that's asked its usually followed with hoping to open soon. The land is costing them nothing so assume it will at some point if the market still demands it and insurance allows it.

They are involved with the trail building in the Sleive Blooms too so probably no rush back until the uncertainty of covid makes it viable to open properly.

Wanderer78

iwillhtfu wrote:

Yeah everytime that's asked its usually followed with hoping to open soon. The land is costing them nothing so assume it will at some point if the market still demands it and insurance allows it.

It cost them 50k a trail to build, then there's all the equipment they bought, buildings built, and other land alterations, so there's a good chance there's some substantial debts there. Having no underwriters available in either the Irish or UK markets, has left them hanging, until that's resolved, they'll be waiting

prunudo

mad turnip wrote: »

The uplift point has also been extended. I don't think I've yet seen any walkers on the new afterburner, seems to be more of an issue with euroskeptic or skyline.

Family on metro and old couple on afterburner today in the wooded section. Fast trails so no time to stop and have a detailed conversation about the ins and outs of trail safety. Just a quick 'becareful, this is a bike trail' as i passed by.

steamsey

xxyyzz wrote: »

This, this whole thread is shining a spotlight on a couple of dickheads who happen to be walkers and it creates an unrealistic picture of walkers in general, I don't think I've ever had any grief with a walker in over 15 years of mtb. The vast majority will say hello and a lot of them are very curious about mtb. Creating animosity is never going to solve anything, it just makes things worse.

Agree. Many years on the bike and off the top of my head I can think of two occasions where walkers got snotty. There is no general animosity - sometimes you meet people who are either complete nobs, or are just having a bad day. I've met countless more dickheads when cycling on the road.