This article (and our campaign) was originally published in 2020, but is as relevant as ever!
Love Trails - Respect Rules: These are 6 rules for relaxed, sustainable, peaceful and environmentally friendly coexistence on the trails. They applied years ago, they apply now and, in all likelihood, they will continue to apply for as long as there are hikers, bikers and animals in nature. So as a reminder, refresher and for the first contact:
1 - Trail sharing - Respect other trail users
Nobody goes into the forest or up the mountain to cause stress and all recreational users have a basic right of access. The conditions for peaceful coexistence on the trails are therefore good. In addition, the rule has always applied on forest and mountain trails: those coming from below have priority and consideration should be given to slower and weaker trail users. This means that mountain bikers in particular have a duty of care, as they are the fastest and - depending on the handlebars - also the widest trail users. A duty that couldn't be simpler: To avoid scaring hikers, slow down early, make yourself noticed and greet them in a friendly manner. A "thank you" for letting you pass and two or three friendly sentences will also ensure a good atmosphere. If you are travelling in a larger group, it doesn't hurt to prepare the hiker for the fact that they are about to be overtaken again. Hikers approaching from below: Stop, say a friendly hello and let the group pass.
The worst way to make yourself noticed is to scrape along the trail with the rear wheel locked. Firstly, a startled hiker is rarely in a good mood and secondly, the skid mark you leave behind is the next reason for discussion. A good idea, on the other hand, is a Trail-Bell e.g. the Albschell. Trail sharing also involves simply avoiding popular hiking routes at certain times. If you want to enjoy a free ride, it's best to find them in the early morning or in the evening.
2 - No Shortcuts - Stay on the paths
You often read in the daily press about "cross-country mountain bikers". This is an argument from bike opponents that we thought had long been dispelled. If only because it makes no sense, let alone fun, to ride through impassable undergrowth. But what is really important is to respect the work of the trail builders. Please ride the trails as they were designed. No shortcuts in hairpin bends, no blocked rear wheel in steep sections. There is no shame in pushing downhill if a section of the trail seems too difficult to ride!
And also very important: Please do not go round puddles! In the long run, this will result in a massive widening of the trail and the trail maintenance staff will have a lot of work to do to restore the trail to its original condition. It is therefore best to always cross puddles in a straight line. Even if there is already an alternative trail of hiking boot prints. Bikers don't have to make the same mistake. Tip: Riding technique courses on the topics of "hairpin bends" and "wheelie riding" (to get through the puddle dry) are offered all year round.
3 - Stay Safe - Ride in your comfort zone
There is hardly a mountain biker who has never misjudged the difficulty of a tour and had to pay the price for this mistake. You even come across Alpine crossers on the mountain who have simply downloaded a route from a tour portal and have no idea where the tour will take them. Therefore, for your own safety: plan your tours in advance so that you know where you are at all times and can find an alternative route down to the valley in an emergency. The level of difficulty of the tour should also correspond to your riding ability. Familiarise yourself with the technology of your bike and at least with emergency repairs (such as punctures and chain breaks). A mini-tool, spare inner tube, pump and first aid kit are part of the basic equipment in your rucksack. And very important: only ride with a helmet!
4 - Ride for Future - Leave no rubbish and no traces behind
The rule is self-explanatory and the good news is: bikers are not the ones who dump their old fridges, car tyres and building rubble in the forest. Nevertheless, you can sometimes see bar packaging fluttering through the undergrowth on highly frequented trails. Please don't leave any tissues or banana skins on the trails either. And even better: take a small bag with you on your tour and collect other people's rubbish instead. This is good for the reputation of all mountain bikers and especially good for your own karma account!
5 - No Nightrides - Give the animals their rest
There is no legal ban on riding at night in German forests. Nevertheless, hunters and nature conservation organisations do not like it when mountain bikers shoot through the forest at night with high-powered spotlights. The reason: at dusk, the game is most active and leaves its daytime hiding place in search of food. Blinded animals either freeze or are startled and may run onto the road in panic.
This is particularly problematic in winter, because in order to save energy, wild animals slow down their entire organism when it is cold. This makes them less fast and agile or costs them so much energy that their fat reserves are not sufficient until spring. There are already various studies on this topic, some of which contradict each other. Therefore: If you can't/won't do without night-time rides through the forest, you should at least limit yourself to wide gravel roads, which are frequented more often anyway. Please avoid trails that lead to hunters' stands, animal feeding stations or deep into the forest - for the sake of the animals.
6 - Stop building illegally - legal routes must be created!
Because they don't know what they are doing: in fact, many people who go into the forest with a shovel, saw and pickaxe are not even aware that they are doing something illegal. The fact is, however, that German forests are mostly privately owned or leased. In contrast to other countries, such as New Zealand, these forests are not fenced off. This is prevented by German forest trespassing laws. According to this law, anyone seeking recreation is allowed free access. The forest owner or leaseholder is not held liable for accidents - as long as they are typical forest dangers that a user has to expect.
If, on the other hand, someone is injured because of an illegally built berm, tables, jumps or even frequently seen Northshore constructions, then these are NOT typical forest dangers and the leaseholder can actually be held liable. However, this is only one reason why forest owners react sensitively to illegal trails. There are also said to be trail builders who cut entire roots out of the ground and large branches or even entire trees. These are intrusions that nobody would otherwise tolerate on their property. For nature conservation reasons alone.
But of course, not everyone has the opportunity, the money or the driving licence to head to the nearest bike park. So the only thing that helps is what can currently be observed in many places: Bikers are getting together to form an association and are officially seeking dialogue with the authorities and forest owners. #LoveTrailsRespectRules
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
