Mountain biker attacker on North Table

[Aloha_Shooter]

My girl friend lives on the side of Table right by the blue house and we hike there all the time. If you don't get out there right when the sun is coming up its a crowded mess. Hikers/runners have the right a way over bikers (there is a $50 fine for not doing so) and some of those bikes haul ass down the hill and expect hikers/runners to get out of the way. I'm betting the biker ran the guy off the trail and might have deserved a beating.

You might be right but the quotes in the newstory (admittedly all from the biker) don't support that interpretation.

Andrew said he was riding up a trail on the eastern side of North Table Mountain Saturday when he came upon a runner with earbuds in both ears.

“When I saw [the runner], I started to ring the bell on my bike that I have to give him a heads up that there was someone behind him,” Andrew explained.

Andrew said another mountain biker descending the trail in the opposite direction also stopped to try to get the runner’s attention.

“As I passed, I shook my head because wearing headphones that cover both ears or two earbuds when out hiking or riding or running on these crowded trails on a weekend just seems – it’s sort of not a good idea,” Andrew said.

Andrew did not expect a profanity-laden response from the runner.

“The runner took exception and said, ‘shake your head at me like that again and I’ll beat your a** mother ******,’” Andrew told us.

Mary Ann Bonnell with JeffCo Open Space said Andrew’s story highlights the problem of wearing earbuds on the trail.

“The earbuds prevented that individual from knowing that this cyclist, who was doing everything right, ringing the bell, trying to politely announce himself, trying to pass, just couldn’t get this trail runner’s attention.”

When it comes to trail etiquette, Bonnell summed it up with two words.

“Be respectful,” she said. “If you can just keep that in mind, everything else should fall in place.”

It doesn't matter if you're hiking, biking, running, or sunning -- YOU are the problem when you are oblivious to the environment and expect everyone else to adjust to you. I like to listen to podcasts or audiobooks when I'm out walking around too -- but I keep the volume low enough to be aware of my surroundings. I still keep eyes on trail and surveying around me.

[SuperiorDG]

You might be right but the quotes in the newstory (admittedly all from the biker) don't support that interpretation.

It doesn't matter if you're hiking, biking, running, or sunning -- YOU are the problem when you are oblivious to the environment and expect everyone else to adjust to you. I like to listen to podcasts or audiobooks when I'm out walking around too -- but I keep the volume low enough to be aware of my surroundings. I still keep eyes on trail and surveying around me.

Perhaps. Hopefully they will catch the guy or he will step forward with his side. I've had issues with hikers as a bike rider where the hikers were unaware of me for whatever reason and got pissed at me. One time a lady went off on me and her husband had to step in and let her know that I was trying to let her know I was there but she didn't notice. She happen to have two dogs on those 20 foot long leashes taking up about a forty foot wide section of the open space. Anyway, fighting someone over this, regardless of what I said above, was probably not the best idea on either side.

[.455_Hunter]

I am sure, like always, that there two sides to the story. An unbiased witness to the actual assault would be helpful.

When my son was 2, we were hiking on the Apex trail behind Heritage Square. A mountain biker, recklessly bombing the trail for his own pleasure, just about nuked my son on a blind corner. I question whether my response would have been totally non-physical if he had been seriously injured.

Our current house access road is crossed by an open space trail, with a steep embankment on one side. A trial runner with ear buds, coming uncontrolled downhill, actually ran into the side of my wife's car and bounced-off as she drove past.

Idiots. Idiots everywhere.

[Rumline]

Our current house access road is crossed by an open space trail, with a steep embankment on one side. A trial runner with ear buds, coming uncontrolled downhill, actually ran into the side of my wife's car and bounced-off as she drove past.

I would pay to see a video of that.

[hollohas]

Runner must have been some sort of ninja to snatch the bicyclist by his throat from his moving bike.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Runner must have been some sort of ninja to snatch the bicyclist by his throat from his moving bike.

Unless the cyclist WASN'T tearing around like a madman and instead was being respectful and taking it easy when passing pedestrians ...

[sniper7]

I'm just glad this was on a trail and not on the roads that bicyclists shouldn't be allowed on at all.

[SuperiorDG]

I'm just glad this was on a trail and not on the roads that bicyclists shouldn't be allowed on at all.

True Dat

[roberth]

Today I'm going to take my bike out on the road, just to spite you.

[waxthis]

Today I'm going to take my bike out on the road, just to spite you.

Me too..