How do I behave on trails and forest paths?

Published 04/26/2021 · Updated 01/05/2022

It’s the old game. Everyone knows it. Pedestrians complain about cyclists and cyclists about pedestrians, motorists about cyclists and vice versa. You can’t seem to please anyone, so if you’re riding your mountain bike on a remote trail, you should follow a few rules to enjoy the area in harmony with nature and your fellow human beings.

Be friendly

True to the motto: What goes around comes around, we should approach a hiker on our bike. Be friendly, say hello and don’t just speed past. Show other people you are there without startling them unnecessarily. A startled walker can quickly feel provoked or harassed if you sneak up on them silently. Have respect for each other.

Slow down

Even though we prefer to step on the gas and speed down the trail, the trails are not ours alone. We share them with hunters, riders, hikers, Nordic walkers, joggers and nature lovers. It’s better to slow down or stop and let the others go first. Horses in particular require the utmost attention, they are very skittish and can break free.

Show consideration

Squealing brakes and skidding tyres are enough for many bikers to alert a walker to get out of the way, but who wants to be braked at wildly! A friendly hello or may I pass by for a moment is quite enough. Ride with foresight and don’t always insist on your right. You should be especially careful at intersections or unmanageable passages. Not only your own safety is important, but also that of others.

Proper waste disposal

We all agree, rubbish does not belong in the forest. Even if there are public rubbish bins, it is better to take your own rubbish home again, because someone will have to empty them in the end.Animals are also interested in the rubbish and sometimes scatter it all over the forest. Stick to a few rules, that way we all get something out of nature.

Forest, animals and plants

Whether animal or human, the forest belongs to all of us. It is very important to respect the different habitats. Stay on the indicated paths and do not leave the trails. With the e-mountain bike, it is child’s play to open up new trails and cover an entire forest in an hour. This limits the wildlife to an extreme. Give the creatures their deserved distance and observe the general rules of conduct that apply in the forest

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