Taking the kids on trail rides

[random rider]

Eventhough I cannot be classed as a kid as a new rider it is nice to have someone following. Means that when I do something stupid they don't have to walk back to find out why I'm eating dirt/sand

You have to learn for yourself what speed to go and crashing is a good and quick way to figuring out when to slow down. My brother follows me and keeps distance so I don't feel hounded by him but know he is there - he will also tell me when I have chosen bad lines or sitting too much etc when we get back in.

And I agree - be nice to kids/newbie riders - I get freaked by the riders that think it is ok to cut me off and roost me just because I am holding them up for 20 metres!

[barty5]

Have to say it can be furstratin when you do come up behind some who is learnin going slow if your movin aat a good pace, But then you have to or at least should be thinking what if this was my kid how would i respond to the cock that races up and dang near or dose force them of the track. So you have to take it as it comes and as booom said wait and pass when you can safely hell everyone is out for the fun of it.

Never seams to sink in to some dont know how many times ive heard Scott and other at the start of a ride explain it not a RACE funny how its them guy that end up in the ambo.

[L Rider]

Have to say it can be furstratin when you do come up behind some who is learnin going slow if your movin aat a good pace, But then you have to or at least should be thinking what if this was my kid how would i respond to the cock that races up and dang near or dose force them of the track. So you have to take it as it comes and as booom said wait and pass when you can safely hell everyone is out for the fun of it.

Never seams to sink in to some dont know how many times ive heard Scott and other at the start of a ride explain it not a RACE funny how its them guy that end up in the ambo.

I'm sure many pple get frustrated being "held" up but like you've said you've just gotta stop & think - everyone started somewhere & were all learners once.
When i'm holding someone up i try to get in a decent postion so they can safely pass - sometimes i'm not in that much control so it makes things a bit harder or if i can i'll stop & let them pass. But pple impatiently riding right up my butt won't make me move it just irritates the shit outta me.

Few weeks ago at the sandpit there was a line of quads then a sweeper on a 2 wheeler riding together. I had jst gone a few meters into a track & i was holding them up so thawt i'd do decent thing, pull off & let them pass. Couple passed then one stopped & waved me on. It took a bit for me to get bike started & pulled back onto the track then nxt thing this tosser pulls up besides me & asks if he can pass (the 1 who waved me on). No worries that now he couldn't fit past so i can to pull my bike outta the way again

[Crisis management]

I've got to say that passing little kids is the worst experience in my book, firstly they are completely unaware that you are there or want to get past and secondly they can be travelling really slowly and wobbling all over the place.
To safely pass them you have to creep up beside them so they realise you are there, then carry on creeping past so as to not roost or scare them...it's bloody difficult in soft terrain as you end up wobbling around yourself and making the whole situation worse.

Obviously there is no real solution and both learners and experienced riders have to try and see the others position and be tolerant...good luck!

[vr4king]

I've got to say that passing little kids is the worst experience in my book, firstly they are completely unaware that you are there or want to get past and secondly they can be travelling really slowly and wobbling all over the place.
To safely pass them you have to creep up beside them so they realise you are there, then carry on creeping past so as to not roost or scare them...it's bloody difficult in soft terrain as you end up wobbling around yourself and making the whole situation worse.

Obviously there is no real solution and both learners and experienced riders have to try and see the others position and be tolerant...good luck!

Agreed i was at a mates track and there were a few kids there and i was coming up to decent table top and leaving the top at same time as one of these little-ins and my back wheel just nicked his helmet nothing major but enough to scare the hell outta him and he fell of........Man did i feel like mud but he did sorta cover the whole face on a big diagonal luckly hes a little hard ass and got up and thought it was the coolest thing ever

[aids]

hey there dude b4 we moved down to the wsetcoast i and a mate took our kids up to waunga road and it was better for the kid's behind so they could see where to go as you never know whats around the nxt corner

[Ktmboy]

hey there dude b4 we moved down to the wsetcoast i and a mate took our kids up to waunga road and it was better for the kid's behind so they could see where to go as you never know whats around the nxt corner

Hi aids, welcome to KB. I've been avoiding you for 30 odd years but you've finally caught up with me. Thats a cool name but rather gay

[green machine]

I've got to say that passing little kids is the worst experience in my book, firstly they are completely unaware that you are there or want to get past and secondly they can be travelling really slowly and wobbling all over the place.
To safely pass them you have to creep up beside them so they realise you are there, then carry on creeping past so as to not roost or scare them...it's bloody difficult in soft terrain as you end up wobbling around yourself and making the whole situation worse.

Obviously there is no real solution and both learners and experienced riders have to try and see the others position and be tolerant...good luck!

I hear ya....i had a nice trip over the bars on a downhill section at the Glenn Murray ride when a little fella took a hard right towards the gate....unfortunatley it was right in front of me,then the 2 guys behind me came off too,all landing in a heap together haha.....little fella tootled off oblivious to the carnage he had just caused...but hey,they are just kids out having fun and we all survived albeit a bit winded

[browny]

On the in front or behind discussion id say behind,theyll work out there own pace.ther might be a bit of bark off the elbows but theyll be abetter rider for it ...but ive seen a few ding ups ,caused by nippers wobbling round a track theyre not ready for .kids loops are for kids/learners and they should stay ther till theyre ready to graduate.the learners will be safer for it and the main loopers will be happier too.Theres no need to roost anyone esp. kids, those guys need a slapping but its all about riding to your own ability and because that guy flew past you flicking up a few pebbles[a fact of physics] doesnt mean hes an arse it might just mean you dont have the ability to keep up with him/her [most likely him tho. haha sorry girls]

[laserracer]

son and his boss recently went on a trail ride and ventured onto the novice track, and were very surprized at just how many little kids they had to rescue who had been abandoned by there parents, most of these kids cant even start or pick up there own bikes... so really its probably best if you have them in front of you then you can keep an eye on them, especially on organised trail rides where you can only go one way

[L Rider]

son and his boss recently went on a trail ride and ventured onto the novice track, and were very surprized at just how many little kids they had to rescue who had been abandoned by there parents, most of these kids cant even start or pick up there own bikes... so really its probably best if you have them in front of you then you can keep an eye on them, especially on organised trail rides where you can only go one way

You get alot of parents who won't ride with their kids at all - basically kids are put on a track & left to it while the parents go have their own fun. Ends up being parents like us who stay & watch our kids (4 & 5yrs) who end up helping other kids on the 'kids' tracks or on the bigger tracks random pple as they approach an abandoned kid stuck.
good on your son & his boss helping out the kids

[clmintie]

On the main loops of organised rides, following is best. It's a pretty big responsibility you have to keep them as safe as possible. It got difficult towards the end of last summer for me to keep both my kids in sight, one being more a aggressive rider than the other, but a simple rule of 'who ever gets to the next intersection first is the winner, but must wait for the others to arrive before continuing' seems to work well, especially if dad has fallen off at the back (or stopped to help a rider in need.. )

I took my kids to their first couple of organised rides and didn't ride myself, just spent the whole of each day watching and teaching on the kids track. Apart from anything else, they enjoyed it all being about them.....

[oldskool]

It's cool watching my kids steadily progress from the first days of learning balance and changing gears, to steadily developing into competent riders, and to watch them increase their confidence level as they tackle and overcome new challenges everytime we go out.

The most rewarding part for me is having both a son and daughter as best riding buddies for the while, before they outgrow me.

[camchain]

We have a new MNZ chief. Was on TV (Prime sport?) coupla weeks ago talking about his concern about number of injuries happening on trail rides. He stressed the intention was not to make 'rules' just look at ways to make trail riding safer.

Seems to me SOME learner riders/parents could do with a bit more of a heads up to move out of the way a little more and let faster riders through. Parent riding behind in protection mode definitely the best place if their youngster is a beginner as they can keep a close eye and be a good buffer for them. The slower the rider in front is, the more care I take to pass slowly & with enough room so's not to freak them out, but some parents riding behind sometimes seem to almost obstruct you by weaving or riding smack in the middle of track. I can totally understand it but this probably causes more frustration and fast passes in dodgy spots (I don't doubt they've seen some rude buggers almost mow their kid down and roost them going past).

Sadly, a few parents appear to be really letting their kids down and need a tune up. Recent ride we took a youngster under our wing, she was wandering around like a lost soul in the carpark while Dad was out riding. Bike was brand new and this was her first ride. Patetonga ride had no kids loop. Was very tricky, wet clay based pine forest, absolutely no way a beginner had a chance of getting around it. This was obvious as trail entrance was slippery climb that competent riders were getting stuck on. Hopefully the wife withdrew privileges & gave him a clip round the ear when he got home!

[Reckless]

I think the prime rule we lived by in Karting would apply to MX as well.
The onus was always on the passer to pass safely!
BUT the slower person had to hold their line and not wander all over the place.
Probably a little harder to do on a trail but if the parents taught their kids to try not to wander all over the place and make erratic changes in direction there would at least be some predictability for the passing rider to SLOW down and then pass safely.
In saying the above I have noticed that the very unregulated atmosphere of the Enduro and MX world (as you can't have a flag marshall with a blue passing flag in the middle of a forest can you!) is made really really good by the helpful interaction between most riders. Riders helping strangers and kids they don't know whenever there is a problem! If it wasn't for this good general attitude between most riders there would be significantly more accidents and injuries.
So I think we just need to have a bit of patience in most situations (after all we where all there in the beginning weren't We!) especially when there's no finish line or chequered flag at the end of the ride!!!