Mountain biking, pedestrians, dogs and sharing Table Mountain

[Dirkitech]

Erm did you miss the bold bit?

but if you ignore the rest of the sentence, its just an empty floating tank top?

[Eddy Gordo]

what was he doing on the Cobra.  that is a no running no walking.  just mountain biking????

Exactly, the whole of hoogekraal is mtb only. I went as far as showing the section on the clubs website.

I decided not to ride the cobra that day, but shortly after a group of 3 or 4 riders blasted down there. Hopefull he $#@ himself.

[Duane_Bosch]

BTW. While we're on the Sanparks/Parks theme.

 

There's a sunset special at Table Mountain for locals. R145 for a return ticket. You need to take your ID along.

[Kom]

Extract From Sanparks:

https://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain/tourism/access-cards-permits.php#permits

[Headshot]

Ai, SANP, the guys who pillage R100 Million p/a from Cape Point and Boulders and put precious little of that back into any other part of the park, let alone bike trails. 

 

Note how they have happily closed Lions Head - a major tourist attraction, for trail maintenance, maintenance that should have been planned and carried out before the tourist season. They make no money from Lions Head so they don't care. 

[Stefalbertyn]

I'm on the mountain above town every day with my dog - I have a permit. I have a few spots where I take her off the leash for a while, but I always call her in and put the leash on when MTB are approaching. I also always get off the jeep track to leave the space for the cyclist to choose their line - being considerate - and greet everyone. There are 3 or 4 cyclist who will always greet back and even stop to chat - but except for them I have been greeted or thanked for getting out of the way no more than a dozen times in a decade. MTB riders are a grumpy bunch trying to get downhill as fast as possible, I understand - its fun - no worries, we will get out of the way.

 

As far as leashes are concerned - be tolerant - how would you like to have an 8km/h speed limit introduced for the safety of others? No? Ok then - let them also run wild a bit.

 

SBTW - The lady with the 7 dogs are up there 4-5 times a day with different sets of dogs - it is how she puts food on the table - cut her some slack!

 

If you have a permit you do not own the mountain!

[Kom]

Any discussion about interactions with dogs would be incomplete without this...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iguu-rAdAI4

????????????????

[Jewbacca]

As a runner, a rider of bikes and a dog walker, I'm with Stafelberg.

 

Dogs are frikkin rad and they only get to go out the house once or twice a day. Why not let them enjoy it? 

 

If 'Parks instituted a 12kph speed limit on shared trails, would everyone enjoy that? 

 

The only thing slowing down will effect is your Strava times, which realistically aren't important at all.

 

You won't be using the Downhill data for training and you won't be training for DH/Enduro on shared trails.

[Meezo]

I'm on the mountain above town every day with my dog - I have a permit. I have a few spots where I take her off the leash for a while, but I always call her in and put the leash on when MTB are approaching. I also always get off the jeep track to leave the space for the cyclist to choose their line - being considerate - and greet everyone. There are 3 or 4 cyclist who will always greet back and even stop to chat - but except for them I have been greeted or thanked for getting out of the way no more than a dozen times in a decade. MTB riders are a grumpy bunch trying to get downhill as fast as possible, I understand - its fun - no worries, we will get out of the way.

 

As far as leashes are concerned - be tolerant - how would you like to have an 8km/h speed limit introduced for the safety of others? No? Ok then - let them also run wild a bit.

 

SBTW - The lady with the 7 dogs are up there 4-5 times a day with different sets of dogs - it is how she puts food on the table - cut her some slack!

 

If you have a permit you do not own the mountain!

Classic, calling MTB ers a grumpy bunch on a cycling forum.

 

I'm too on table mountain every day, we must of seen past each other... And I'll always try and slow down as far as possible, but it goes both ways.

 

All the jeep track on table mountain are "duel" ways , if your dog is going to be roaming free the very least the dog and it's owner should stick to one side. If this can't be done because well it's a dog, then get a leash. We all very well know that this mountain is very busy at certain areas and certain times of the day.

 

Anyway trail co existence has been a long battle, and as a cyclist we are own worst enemies. However hikers/walkers/runners didn't do themselves any favours with the sabotage acts they pulled in dear park and the glen recently.

 

It's a minority anyway

[Trance Dance]

Classic, calling MTB ers a grumpy bunch on a cycling forum.

 

I'm too on table mountain every day, we must of seen past each other... And I'll always try and slow down as far as possible, but it goes both ways.

 

All the jeep track on table mountain are "duel" ways , if your dog is going to be roaming free the very least the dog and it's owner should stick to one side. If this can't be done because well it's a dog, then get a leash. We all very well know that this mountain is very busy at certain areas and certain times of the day.

 

Anyway trail co existence has been a long battle, and as a cyclist we are own worst enemies. However hikers/walkers/runners didn't do themselves any favours with the sabotage acts they pulled in dear park and the glen recently.

 

It's a minority anyway

 

What happened in Deer Park?

[DJR]

I walk Table Mountain with my dog and I ride it on my mountain bike. It is extremely easy to share trails by simply being polite. My dog is well trained and well behaved. If it is off the leash and I see a biker approach, I give one short sharp whistle command and he sits down on the spot. But even so, it is amazing how often riders think they can keep going full tilt and pass close to the dog at 25 km/h. Dogs do not think as we do, and anything barreling down on them at speed will frighten them and cause unexpected reactions. The exact same thing happens when you come up behind walkers at speed and silently. They will startle and they will react unpredictably. So, what is the solution? Simple, slow down to near walking pace, announce your presence, say good morning......and pass without incident. Oh, and say please and thank you, it cost nothing.

[Meezo]

What happened in Deer Park?

There was a series of instances of guys wiping out due to logs put across the trail , Dick's drop. TableMountainBikers set up some cameras and the perp(s) was caught on camera don't know if they've managed to locate him.

 

Two of the crashes were serious, think broken nose and broken wrist in 2 separate crashes

[Capricorn]

There was a series of instances of guys wiping out due to logs put across the trail , Dick's drop. TableMountainBikers set up some cameras and the perp(s) was caught on camera don't know if they've managed to locate him.

 

Two of the crashes were serious, think broken nose and broken wrist in 2 separate crashes

 

We have some very spiteful walkers and dog owners on Lions Head and Signal Hill as well. It's not the answer. Sharing is here to stay. best both sides get with the tolerance.

And to the trailtyahoos: going full tilt down single track when it's clear there are walkers ahead, is just plain stupid. Cool your jets and get off your damn pedestals. Your atittude causes *** for everyone else.

[Headshot]

I'll say it again... Tokai. The only bike only single track in the park.