Spruit Rules

[Danger Dassie]

Must be if you think the thread up to this point is indicative of anyone having an off day, it's a discussions forum and there has been a discussion.

 

You shadup 29r infidel! .... Jokes aside, reading the thread it seemed to more on the heated than discussion side. Folks talking about jihads, suing this and that.

Such intolerance, it makes me want to punch a bunny.

[Wyatt Earp]

You shadup 29r infidel! .... Jokes aside, reading the thread it seemed to more on the heated than discussion side. Folks talking about jihads, suing this and that.

Such intolerance, it makes me want to punch a bunny.

Now it's going to move on to the animal anti-cruelty dudes.

[Danger Dassie]

A week ago another rider decided that he didn't like the jump that was built and proceeded to cut the lip off and make it a smooth bump, this didn't make the gnome very happy. . . .

 

Now that's just not on! In fact it's akin to helping yourself to another man's beer from his fridge without asking.

People get burnt for less, and I'm not talking about a viking funeral either!

[Danger Dassie]

Now it's going to move on to the animal anti-cruelty dudes.

 

As long as the bunny isn't a religious follower of any particular faith! Mein gott that would make me rabbit for the nearest exit.

 

hmm, now theres an interesting phenomena, a dassie that rabbits!

[Chris_K]

I agree with Eldron: Respect each other on the trail, that is why we mountain bike. Polite, friendly and have fun! Uphill has right of way but sometimes it is better to let the down hiller past and vis versa. If this is too complex you may be more suited to road riding.

 

Bottom like respect and have fun!!

[Arkadion]

Arkadion Regarding the Spruit what area are you referring to. I can only think of one and that is the hill from the Power station on Republic.

 

 

Hey SteveS

 

A bit hard to explain, it's that section in Bryanston close to the road where they have built the downhill jumps, just after that, heading back to Paulshof, there is a section where you can zigzag coming back, or take the lip of the hill to the left and then fly down a short sharp incline and pass between 2 trees as it levels out.

 

I'm sure everyone will agree that visibility of the route ahead is next to nothing, that's why I'm asking what would be considered mutually beneficial to both parties ? Once you have coming over the lip it's the point of no return, and only then can you see other cyclists coming up. Once you are going down the only option is to brake harshly which in my case worked, but I still almost hit the 2 guys coming up because one decided to go to my left blocking the path there, and the other decided to come up right between the 2 trees cutting off my obvious path of going straight.

 

Personally I think both of these riders should have stayed to one side and not split up like they did, OR I could attempt to stop at the brink of the hill in future (Which could put me in danger because of possibly rolling over the lip whilst trying to unclip).

 

I agree with people coming up having right of way but in this instance it's a little more difficult to reach a concrete rule to adhere when the law of physics says otherwise

 

The guys fixing up the spruit have done an amazing job, but perhaps there should be more signs and rules in these danger areas to prevent any crashes.

[SteveS]

OK Arkadion. I know where you are reffering to. To put the shoe on the other foot. I have been going up there when half way up the zigzag someone starts coming down even though I am already half way up and then he insiss on flying past completely breaking my momentum. I think this is one stretch where it should be "first in first out".

[Arkadion]

Good, some progress

 

I like the first in first out rule on this section, partly because it sounds fair and partly because it makes me right during my previous encounter

 

I was already rolling over the lip when 2 gents were still approaching the trees, they had ample time to move aside and also heard my warning call but decided not to show any courtesy.

 

If they were past the 2 trees and entering the zig zag already it would be my fault.

[Eldron]

YYSW, except that convetion has developed that the rider going uphill has general right of way. Have a look at what the world thinks, folow the arguments and then go ahead and do the lawless thing if you still think that you are right.

 

Hey, I am not pedantic, you may be right. But be sure of your case when you injure someone. The courts WILL look at the facts.

 

http://www.imba.com/about/rules-trail

 

 

Good luck

 

Oh boy.

 

Given that I'm fairly sure that IMBA is not allowed to promulgate new laws I think I'll continue with my "lawless" common sense.

[patches]

Rule # 52.

 

Don't drink the water!

[nolipoli]

I take it you view my comment as rude and you have taken it personal, if the shoe fits............

You totally miss the point, the Spruit is a mutual public ground shared by many individuals, we go against the flow all the time in either direction, if someone wants to practice their skills then pick a quieter time or a different location, I have no fear of going fast on the downhills but I don't need to do it where a track is packed.

When I do my speed work, I normally do it at a location where there are very few other riders or horses for that matter (don't even get me started how riders outside our area piss the horse riders off)

 

Dangle. What pissed me off was the assumption that everyone that happens to enjoy riding fast on the spruit must be some kind of irresponsible, discourteous danger to all the other spruit users out there.

 

For the record, I have never had any kind of close call, or right-of-way issue on the spruit, ever. I would view myself as a courteous rider even when I am practising my skill.I am happy for you that you have the time to practise your speed work in off-peak periods. I don't.

 

So next time I am riding fast on the spruit and come across someone headed the other direction, I will do the same thing I always do - greet them and ride past.

[mtbvip]

The reason I started this thread was because a certain Spruit Genie/Gnome has done a huge amount of work on the spruit.

Cutting alternate lines off the main path which make it more fun and challenging for skilled riders.

 

A week ago another rider decided that he didn't like the jump that was built and proceeded to cut the lip off and make it a smooth bump, this didn't make the gnome very happy. . . .

 

And rules aside, 2 XC riders decided to ride up the landing of a hip jump and then stopped at the top of the take off to watch a rider coming straight for them, funny thing is they could see the rider was doing the jump line before they decided to ride it and then didn't even bother trying to move out of the way.

 

Dude, you don't know what you're talking about. The two riders in question was myself and a mate. We were coming up a steep uphill section(slowly. Once we got to the top another idiot (I suppose that would be you) came charging downhill from the jump section. We were ALREADY on the top of the bump when this rider shouted "HEY" and kept charging straight for us. We had nowhere to go. Nonetheless, the rider decided to complete his jump, just missing us.

 

I have a number of objections :

1.We had right of way

2. If you want to build jump sections that cross the normal riding path (that I have been riding almost daily for the last 2 years- the jump section has only been built in the last few months)I have no objections, but don't expect me not to cross your path.

3. If you will be doing jumps at 10am on a Satuday morning have someone posted at the end part of the jump to warn oncoming riders.

 

You are wrong and have a lot to learn about mountain biking and its rules - accept it and move on.

[Wyatt Earp]

Dangle. What pissed me off was the assumption that everyone that happens to enjoy riding fast on the spruit must be some kind of irresponsible, discourteous danger to all the other spruit users out there.

 

For the record, I have never had any kind of close call, or right-of-way issue on the spruit, ever. I would view myself as a courteous rider even when I am practising my skill.I am happy for you that you have the time to practise your speed work in off-peak periods. I don't.

 

So next time I am riding fast on the spruit and come across someone headed the other direction, I will do the same thing I always do - greet them and ride past.

Cool, now we can both sleep peacefully.

[Daft Vader]

MTBVIP, Actually it was me. Where you rode was not a trail that has been there for 2 years as it was only built last summer. It is a jump line and there are guys putting effort in to put in alternatives to the normal (boring) line.

 

Until you guys start putting some effort into developing trails yourselves, please respect the work put in by others by not destroying the lines that are obviously built for one way traffic.

 

All the discussion on this post is who has right of way on multi-directional trails. Now we are talking about a one-way trail. You never have right of way going the wrong way on a one-way section of trail.

 

I think this is a reasonable request. You cross country boys think that everyone must give way to you, but never consider anyone else in your self-centred equations.

 

The jumps have been built for everyone, it is not an exclusive club, but please don't destroy the lips by riding the wrong way over them.

 

I will concede that I acted a little irrationally, but those jumps have just been rebuilt due to XC riders destroying them.

[Wyatt Earp]

You cross country boys think that everyone must give way to you, but never consider anyone else in your self-centred equations.

 

Easy there tiger, or else next time I see you I will have to moer you with a Red Spank chain on the head

[acroblanc]

Looking after the whole spruit route is everyone's responsibility and blaming deterioration of something as indestructible as a muddy jump lip on "XC" riders going down instead of up is another irrational idea.

 

How did you get to your special one directional piece of jump heaven and was it also built by a certain genre of cyclist or do we all appreciate the spruit fairies?

 

This is public property used by a bunch of people that enjoy the out doors and newly developed interesting lines

and everyone has right to every piece of land doesn't matter what bicycle you ride.