Mamba rears its head - Tokai

[MoreTrails]

Where are the near misses happening?

 

Hey Mark, near misses on almost every trail i rode (okes riding up the single track, in the morning, of a public holiday, not sharp that), accentuated on the lower trails (below the red berm and further below that after the palette jump) where one starts getting blind corners.

Yes this is an on going debate, yes people feel strongly about it, yes people will get grumpy

Simple fact, there is no too much traffic and too many users now. Our sport hath grow-eth a lot...-eth. Executive decision needs to be made on the direction a trail and riders must deal with it. There WILL be a serious collision in the near future....I hope that an incident like that does not happen, but I feel it may have to to finally force a hand to make the call on directional use of the trails we use.

 

Regarding the stone, you are right Moretrails. Yesterday's inspection proves that anything steeper than flat will need reinforcing combined with laterite to last.. No quick fixes here!

 

Ja a bit of laterite, here and there... but I am talking about packed stone like the now famous corner in the Cobra trail....that is a piece of brilliance and is holding up better than anywhere else.

With the sandy trails, it is the one construction technique that will work and last with the traffic Tokia is receiving. Imagine the snake trails being predominantly built in rock as the feature and material of choice, they would become very unique and extremely hard wearing.

As for the crushed rubble - that would work, but it will introduce to many foreign materials into a national park setting. TMNP might have a hernia...

[marko35s]

That particular trail (Vasbyt) is a bi-directional trail at the moment, anybody riding up there is within their rights and it isn't fair to imply stupidity on their part. No matter what day of the year it is.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

That particular trail (Vasbyt) is a bi-directional trail at the moment, anybody riding up there is within their rights and it isn't fair to imply stupidity on their part. No matter what day of the year it is.

 

To add to this though - it IS okay to imply stupidity when okes see & hear others coming down and do fokkol to get off the trail if they're milling around (seen on the divert on Vasbyt - 4 okes just standing int he middle of the trail looking at the new features) or just pulling off to the side. As I go up I pull aside for anyone coming down. I'd like that to happen to me on the wy down as well. But I understand that up generally has ROW.

[(Deon)]

1. Executive decision needs to be made on the direction a trail and riders must deal with it.

 

2. Ja a bit of laterite, here and there... but I am talking about packed stone like the now famous corner in the Cobra trail....

 

3. Crushed rubble - TMNP might have a hernia...

 

1. Exec decision was made. Many/all of the downhill pointing trails will be one-way down only except for Vasbyt where it will be down right-of-way. This will be signposted at the bottom for clear understanding when entering for the uphill trip. It was agreed that this trail will become down only until a last minute call was made to keep the status bi with preference given to descending riders. The reason is that to cut off a popular uphill route without an option/alternative would be a tough rule to enforce. When new uphill designated trails are approved, it will switch in direction.

 

2. "Ja a bit of laterite, here and there... but I am talking about packed stone like the now famous corner in the Cobra trail..." - my sentiment exactly for areas with steep descents.

 

3. Parks already said no with a look that said, "really?!"

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

 

3. Parks already said no with a look that said, "really?!"

 

LOL. When I heard this originally I could hardly contain my mirth. In a red data list zone? Yeah, right.

[MoreTrails]

Thanks PoS for the info.....information is king!

[Headshot]

Ya, some signs at the bottom of vasbyt spelling out that the up rider yield to down riders will be good - the trail is a lekker up ride as well. You do have to keep your wits about you and listen for approaching riders though....

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Ya, some signs at the bottom of vasbyt spelling out that the up rider yield to down riders will be good - the trail is a lekker up ride as well. You do have to keep your wits about you and listen for approaching riders though....

 

Agreed. Much nicer than the monotonous slog up the fire road. Keeps things interesting and you can see any changes to the trail for the way down...

[Lone_Ranger]

Agreed. Much nicer than the monotonous slog up the fire road. Keeps things interesting and you can see any changes to the trail for the way down...

 

While I broadly agree with the sentiment here, one problem you have is that many folk (myself included) like to tear down the section of Vasbyt as you pass the pallet and lower. High speed descending + riders ascending = a problem if you come around a blind corner. There's one RH corner just before the split in the trail which comes to mind.

 

What I saw at Jonkers on Monday, was that the fast flowing sections are uni-directional (down obviously) and the rockier sections lower down are bi-directional. So the descending riders generally aren't carrying high speeds.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

While I broadly agree with the sentiment here, one problem you have is that many folk (myself included) like to tear down the section of Vasbyt as you pass the pallet and lower. High speed descending + riders ascending = a problem if you come around a blind corner. There's one RH corner just before the split in the trail which comes to mind.

 

What I saw at Jonkers on Monday, was that the fast flowing sections are uni-directional (down obviously) and the rockier sections lower down are bi-directional. So the descending riders generally aren't carrying high speeds.

 

Ja, but then one has to apply some logic. If you now a trail is bidirectional, you need to be mindful of that fact and expect someone around the corner. It's common sense, really.

 

Likewise, people coming up need to be mindful of the fact that they need to look out for others bombing down. It's when people think only of themselves that the accidents happen, taking no effort to look out for others on the trail.

 

To extend your point somewhat - if you were barreling down and a father and daughter were experiencing their first ride together, him on his bike and her being towed behind him on one of those half bikes (met them last week - lekker kid and she was enjoying it properly) - they were going PROPERLY slow, and I saw them just as I came down that rock drop you're speaking of - essentially the same thing as encountering a rider coming up the other way - they weren't visible from the drop, but I knew there was a good chance of someone coming up so I was on the brakes anyway. What would you suggest then? They couldn't have been going more than 5kph. But I was going way faster, so the effect would have been that I come up on them REALLY fast, and only have a little bit of time to react.

 

Do we institute a minimum speed? This is the same end result of someone coming up very slowly on a bi-directional trail. So if you ban people coming up, surely you should ban people going less than a certain speed? Remember - it's not a downhill trail - it was designed and built to be ridden both ways (unlike the DH tracks which are designed to go one way only and speeds are often far higher and you don't expect someone coming up to meet you)

[DJR]

..................... but I am talking about packed stone like the now famous corner in the Cobra trail....that is a piece of brilliance and is holding up better than anywhere else.

With the sandy trails, it is the one construction technique that will work and last with the traffic Tokia is receiving. Imagine the snake trails being predominantly built in rock as the feature and material of choice, they would become very unique and extremely hard wearing.....................

 

I like what you are saying! It makes sense.

Edited April 24, 2014 by DJR

[Lone_Ranger]

Ja, but then one has to apply some logic. If you now a trail is bidirectional, you need to be mindful of that fact and expect someone around the corner. It's common sense, really.

 

Likewise, people coming up need to be mindful of the fact that they need to look out for others bombing down. It's when people think only of themselves that the accidents happen, taking no effort to look out for others on the trail.

 

To extend your point somewhat - if you were barreling down and a father and daughter were experiencing their first ride together, him on his bike and her being towed behind him on one of those half bikes (met them last week - lekker kid and she was enjoying it properly) - they were going PROPERLY slow, and I saw them just as I came down that rock drop you're speaking of - essentially the same thing as encountering a rider coming up the other way - they weren't visible from the drop, but I knew there was a good chance of someone coming up so I was on the brakes anyway. What would you suggest then? They couldn't have been going more than 5kph. But I was going way faster, so the effect would have been that I come up on them REALLY fast, and only have a little bit of time to react.

 

Do we institute a minimum speed? This is the same end result of someone coming up very slowly on a bi-directional trail. So if you ban people coming up, surely you should ban people going less than a certain speed? Remember - it's not a downhill trail - it was designed and built to be ridden both ways (unlike the DH tracks which are designed to go one way only and speeds are often far higher and you don't expect someone coming up to meet you)

 

Speaking for myself, I know I tend to slow down at that particular bend knowing the risk. I've almost taken one dude out there once. Might be worthwhile putting warning signs warning descending riders of climbers at the top as well. I'm actually very surprised that there aren't that many collisions up at Tokai. Perhaps people are generally more cautious than we think

[jimmy hardtail]

I assume fairy garden will be up only?

[Capricorn]

I assume fairy garden will be up only?

 

will be a bit of a pity because its a kinda fun section to end off the day with at Tokai.

[(Deon)]

the fairy is bi

[Capricorn]

the fairy is bi

 

rhetorical much?