Road.cc - Full Article
by Laura Laker
May 5 2016
Councillors in California banned mountain bikers from a local preserve after Strava data revealed riders were travelling at speeds in excess of 20mph on shared trails
Horse riders and hikers raised concerns over riders using Byrne Preserve trails in Los Alto Hills, California at “incredibly unacceptable” speeds.
The ban was unanimously passed by the local council in January, thanks in part to Strava data from the trails, with no opposition to the ban made by the local cycling community. Some feel a worrying precedent has now been set and are asking riders to consider their behaviour on local trails.
Ryan Dunfee, writing in Teton Gravity (link is external), said: “While Los Altos Hills' action is seemingly a unique example of what can happen when folks who don't want bikers around use bikers' own data against them, it's not hard to imagine Forest Service rangers or other public officials being forced to take action against illegal trails or in the case of Los Altos Hills, revoke legal trail access mountain bikers already enjoy.”
Dunfee said it is possible for a “vocal minority” to use Strava data to back up concerns raised to local councils and help ban bikers, and said cyclists need to be proactive in monitoring behaviour in their community.
Some local horse riders registered complaints about cycling speeds in the Preserve, in particular the steep Artemas Gintzon trail, and the potential for horses being spooked by bikers appearing unexpectedly around blind corners, and the dangers that poses to younger, less experienced riders...
- See more at: http://road.cc/content/news/188615-strava-data-used-ban-cyclists-trail#sthash.eoe8VkSq.dpuf
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