The conflict between hikers and bikers is as old as the sport itself - and yet as explosive as ever. After 37 years on a mountain bike, I thought I knew how to behave properly. Not so. Recently I completely lost it. Report of a personal defeat.
Everything done right, right?
My brother and I are standing near the summit. Bavaria at its most beautiful: Morning sun, dry rock, silence, blue mountain ridges in the distance. Our favourite trail starts here. We got up extra early so as not to bump into anyone. 6 a.m. - and yet a hiker appears within the first few metres. We pull over. The man, maybe in his mid-40s, pokes us with his Leki poles, shakes his head and says: "Do you have to ride here?"
Buttons pressed
That sentence triggers me. In the mountains, I want everything but to be schooled. The trail is not forbidden. We are allowed to be here. He's allowed to be here. The very fact that he is talking to us infuriates me. But I have learnt to control my anger and, above all, to avoid a discussion. Because it escalates. In 80 per cent of cases.
The fronts are hardened
The positions are too entrenched for a consensus, the anger too great, the nerves too frayed. We won't be able to convert the hiker into saying: "That's right, you also have a right to be in the mountains. The trail is not forbidden. So have fun on the descent!"
The same applies to us. So don't say anything! If you can't do that and absolutely have to say something, then: Good morning! Good morning or good afternoon is the maximum. Not: Get well soon! No provocation. No: a simple good morning. Like in an interrogation behind enemy lines: Name and rank. Nothing more! Say nothing!
You guessed it: that's not how it went.
My brother can't help it.
Laurin: "We stopped and gave way - what's your problem?"
Wanderer: "That you're driving here."
Laurin: "We're on the road extra early so as not to disturb anyone."
Hiker: "Even worse! You're disturbing the animals' sleep!"
The pulse rises; it escalates
That's when my patience snaps.
I hiss: "Shut up! - Fuck you - and fuck the animals!"
I start pedalling - and regret it before the words are completely out.
What did I say?
Especially about "Fuck the critters" - Fuck the critters? Anyone who knows me knows that I love flora and fauna, have been involved in various nature conservation organisations, don't eat meat and pick worms off the tarmac.
My brother is furious. And rightly so. Because now we're the bogeymen and have given the guy exactly the powder he needs for his opinion shotgun. Piff-paff: Bikers are hooligans. Bikers have no consideration. Bikers are all about having fun without responsibility.
Rebuke from the brother
At the next stop, Laurin gives me an enema and tells me that the hiker shouted after me: "And in the end, I still have to save you". A mountain ranger, then.
I don't care about that. What I do care about: I've lost my temper. I talked rubbish in a rage. I upset my brother. And worst of all, I have all these thoughts in my head now. They pollute my mood and I can't switch them off, no matter how hard I try. The result: instead of enjoying my favourite trail, I'm juggling thoughts, my head is full instead of free.
And since I'm a master at blaming others, I say to my brother: "That you had to say something too!" - He: "Oh right, now I get the blame. You're crazy!" So even brotherly spats so early in the morning. In one sentence: a win-win situation turned into a lose-lose situation. The question: How should I have behaved?
A perfect morning round turned into a lesson in humility.
How should I have behaved?
I asked someone who should know: Nicolas Gareis. He is a mountain bike and environment officer at the German Alpine Club.
BIKE: Nevertheless, discussions are often unavoidable. Or is it?
Nicolas Gareis: That's right, everyone has their own emotional state. It's almost impossible to prepare for all situations. Experience has shown that rational argumentation often achieves nothing. Arguments such as that you are allowed to cycle here by right, that bikers don't cause more damage to paths than hikers etc. fall on deaf ears - if you have a hardliner in front of you. You can forget the discussion, it only heats things up.
BIKE: So it's better not to say anything at all?
Nicolas Gareis: Hello, Servus and that's it? (Laughs) We can't officially recommend that.
BIKE: But I don't want to be schooled in the mountains either. So what should I do?
Nicolas Gareis: Don't lose your temper like you did, because that doesn't help anyone. My tip: smile and wave. Or maybe say something nice like: "The summit is waiting for you!" Or: "We're lucky with the weather, aren't we!" In other words: spread a good mood and swallow the resentment!
BIKE: What not to do under any circumstances?
Nicolas Gareis: Getting tangled up in a discussion and letting aggression build up. Because this negative mood will linger with you for a long time. Then the beautiful day and the relaxation you were looking for in the mountains will fizzle out. Because you spend the whole time thinking about what the hiker said, what you said. Things like that are difficult to forget. In other words: If I know that I'm allowed to ride on the trail, then I'm in the right. So a friendly word, a nice greeting and ride on.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
