I am a self proclaimed sucker for trail etiquette. It is also a major pet peeve of mine. I grew up hiking, backpacking, and horseback riding. I always believed that everyone who loves the outdoors is one big happy outdoor activity loving family. When I grew up and found out that was not the case it bothered me. There is a lot of animosity between different outdoor groups. I know there are a lot of reasons for that, but I believe a big one is simple: respect and etiquette.
If everyone took the time to be respectful of each other and learn and practice some simple trail/backcountry etiquette I think we can all learn to get along and all be able to enjoy the outdoors in the way we all love. This is the first of a three part blog covering some of the etiquette and what I would think would be common sense (which is not so common).
Let’s start with Aretha’s favorite topic: respect. It’s not hard, and I promise it won’t kill you or ruin your time to show a little respect to people who are also out recreating like you. There aren’t any respect police out there forcing you to be respectful. This is one of those situations where you choose to be a decent human being and have respect for your fellow man. A little bit of respect goes a long way, and even a little can make a huge difference to someone and have a lasting effect.
Take passing a camp area for example. You’re riding along on the trail and you see a camp area ahead. You have two choices:
- Blast past the camp area at full speed. You don’t know if there are dogs/children/capybaras/etc. in the camp site that may run out into the trail. Depending on the time of year you may end up dusting out the campers.
- Slow down and drive at a respectable speed past the camp site. This will allow for adequate reaction time if something or some one runs out into the trail and it will also help keep dust and noise down.
I will guarantee you those campers will remember you either way. The difference is in how they will remember you. If you choose option 1, there is a good chance your actions left a bad taste in their mouth (along with the dust). They will not only think negatively of you but will think negatively of everyone who participates in your activity of choice. That’s just human nature. If you choose option 2, they will remember you for being respectful of them and their camp site and they will most likely think positively of people who partake in your activity of choice.
That respect goes beyond camp sites. If you come across people stopped on the trail, slow down and give them a wide berth. If you come across people slower than you, either in UTVs or enjoying other activities like mountain biking or hiking, slow down and give them space, then wait for a safe opportunity to pass them without them feeling like you’re running them off the trail. They should also extend respect to you by looking for a safe spot to pull over or move over and allow you to pass.