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I've always wondered how often this happens since there are no ONE WAY signs.
 
Dang, that went better then I thought but still a scary time.
 
That's why I quit riding at 360 (north Arlington) about 40 years ago. Too many people appearing out of nowhere and going any which way. And then the 3-wheelers and dune buggies started getting into the act.
 
Jarrett said:
Yeah, its on Instagram, but worth the click:

Instagram

www.instagram.com www.instagram.com

Tiger 900 vs. 2 Smoke

Who is at fault on that one?
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My theory, 2 way trails so really nobody. That said the dirt bike is going pretty fast and swinging to the far outside, knowing it's 2 way. Plus he went left instead of right before impact. But 2 way trails, I hit @GSTJOHN in SHNF head on. It happens. Glad they're ok. And before people jump on his case, right or wrong most folks ride the Sam that fast. And it does happen. Sometimes with bad results. I hate leading.
 
woodsguy said:
My theory, 2 way trails so really nobody. That said the dirt bike is going pretty fast and swinging to the far outside, knowing it's 2 way. Plus he went left instead of right before impact. But 2 way trails, I hit @GSTJOHN in SHNF head on. It happens. Glad they're ok. And before people jump on his case, right or wrong most folks ride the Sam that fast. And it does happen. Sometimes with bad results. I hate leading.
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This video, the dirt biker was flying through there over a blind turn and hill. Both have the right of way but the guy on the ground was riding like he was the only one out there. He had no idea what was on the other side.

Most of the time at SHNF, you can see far enough through the corners and the trees to see if someone is coming at you. Easy these days as SHNF has lost 10s of thousands of trees over the past 10 years.
 
X1Glider said:
This video, the dirt biker was flying through there over a blind turn and hill. Both have the right of way but the guy on the ground was riding like he was the only one out there. He had no idea what was on the other side.

Most of the time at SHNF, you can see far enough through the corners and the trees to see if someone is coming at you. Easy these days as SHNF has lost 10s of thousands of trees over the past 10 years.
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Not to argue but not sure when you went to forest last. There's corners I almost stop and peak around before proceeding, it's so think in places. At an 18-20 mph avg, what my group does, things happen real fast as far as closing speeds go. Only way to be really safe and I imagine what forest service has in mind is a nice leisurely trail ride. I back off on many corners but to be honest I'd have to backoff a lot more to avoid something. Real easy to see how bad it is, just go th Kelly Pond and ride first half mile in either direction at speed. See how comfortable you are.
 
Had a similar experience 1988 or 89 at Red River. I was leading a group of about 10 men women and kids. Crossing trails bike coming from my left hit my left fork leg spun my bike 90 degrees. I went over his bike and he and I wound up in a pile. Neither of us was hurt beyond a few bruises. He was hauling the mail riding by himself. I wasn't poking along, but not hauling it either. Vision was actually pretty good both directions coming out of sweeper corners. We just arrived at the same place at the same time. We visited made sure we were ok, shook hands and finished the ride. Tire mark was still on the fork leg when I sold it 12 years later.
 
One of the reasons I try to ride generally places with one way trails, hard to find real fault guy on the big bike was kind of center of trail coming
up to the corner but the guy on the other bike was coming up at a speed that was going to make flowing to the outside of the turn a natural move.
He may have tried to go further outside but by then it was too late as the guy on the ADV had already fixated on him and was going to him
 
woodsguy said:
Not to argue but not sure when you went to forest last. There's corners I almost stop and peak around before proceeding, it's so think in places. At an 18-20 mph avg, what my group does, things happen real fast as far as closing speeds go. Only way to be really safe and I imagine what forest service has in mind is a nice leisurely trail ride. I back off on many corners but to be honest I'd have to backoff a lot more to avoid something. Real easy to see how bad it is, just go th Kelly Pond and ride first half mile in either direction at speed. See how comfortable you are.
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It's been a few years since I sold my bike. Compared to years past, especially the mid-2000s, the tree density got real thin, losing 10,000 trees a year starting in 2009. I can remember when the sky was blocked out and it was pretty dark even with the mid-day sun bearing down on the world. But at no time had I ever had an issue seeing if someone was coming at me. Looking far enough ahead, I was always able to see between the trees and see a rider approaching, even if they were double my speed. I'm the slow one, easily 5 mph slower than what your group rides at. So me coming to a stop was never a problem.

One of my fastest sections was all those whoops on the way to 1375 from Kelly's pond. Bordered on out of control. I don't ever recall not being able to see through the trees well enough anywhere. The only part of the trail system I've ever had trouble seeing around corners was the other side of the forest road 204 going towards the lake, so from Kelly's pond, instead of splitting to the left, you go right. It's the much less used part of the trails and really gets over grown to the point it's like being in that maze in The Shining.

But as you pointed out, it's been a few years since my last visit. If things are growing back, then that's awesome.

But I have to say, the guy in the video was riding like he was racing without even considering that something might have been around the blind corner and over the hump. It was completely blind. I get it. He was in the zone with the red mist. When you're having fun, you're having fun. As you say, it's a 2 way trail. Both riders are responsible for their actions. I'm just saying the guy on the Adv didn't even have an "out."
 
X1Glider said:
It's been a few years since I sold my bike. Compared to years past, especially the mid-2000s, the tree density got real thin, losing 10,000 trees a year starting in 2009. I can remember when the sky was blocked out and it was pretty dark even with the mid-day sun bearing down on the world. But at no time had I ever had an issue seeing if someone was coming at me. Looking far enough ahead, I was always able to see between the trees and see a rider approaching, even if they were double my speed. I'm the slow one, easily 5 mph slower than what your group rides at. So me coming to a stop was never a problem.

One of my fastest sections was all those whoops on the way to 1375 from Kelly's pond. Bordered on out of control. I don't ever recall not being able to see through the trees well enough anywhere. The only part of the trail system I've ever had trouble seeing around corners was the other side of the forest road 204 going towards the lake, so from Kelly's pond, instead of splitting to the left, you go right. It's the much less used part of the trails and really gets over grown to the point it's like being in that maze in The Shining.

But as you pointed out, it's been a few years since my last visit. If things are growing back, then that's awesome.

But I have to say, the guy in the video was riding like he was racing without even considering that something might have been around the blind corner and over the hump. It was completely blind. I get it. He was in the zone with the red mist. When you're having fun, you're having fun. As you say, it's a 2 way trail. Both riders are responsible for their actions. I'm just saying the guy on the Adv didn't even have an "out."
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It's not the trees that are blocking our line of sight ...It's the lower level scrub that has grown up (Yaupon etc). It's like riding in a tunnel. The lack
of control burning in some of the areas has allowed the "brush" to overgrow the trail. I'm out trying to clear it with the Coalition.

I've gotten the broken bones to prove it.
 
“the guy on the ground was riding like he was the only one out there. He had no idea what was on the other side”


That right there is why I gave up early on a lot of group rides on dirt roads or pavement. You wouldn’t do it in your truck but you think your bike is special.
 
I get your drift but think about a 20 mile loop in SHNF, I have no idea how many blind corners there are. I can't compare a trail ride on trails to a truck on the hiway. For the most part we do pretty good here. Things still happen. In reality there is very few corners we really know what's around it.
 
Yes sir, I was just quoting that to group rides on public roads. Trails and tracks, I can see the issues.

I have a very open dirt track at my house and I still tell all visitors it’s counter clockwise
 
I have been very fortunate with some very close calls but never a head on. That video is plumb scary. We started riding in the Angelina, Sam H and Kisatchie in '72. Had some great folks in the family oriented group who taught/cautioned us noobs to ALWAYS treat corners liks a gun. AWALYS loaded! Being a low skilled scaredy cat helps also.
 
GSTJOHN said:
It's not the trees that are blocking our line of sight ...It's the lower level scrub that has grown up (Yaupon etc). It's like riding in a tunnel. The lack
of control burning in some of the areas has allowed the "brush" to overgrow the trail. I'm out trying to clear it with the Coalition.

I've gotten the broken bones to prove it.
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They used to be real good about controlled burning in years past. Plenty of times on the east side, I'd see trees cut down in a line and trenches dug so they could drop those glycol balls from the helicopters and contain the fire to a given section. All the years I rode out there, I never saw it on the west side now that I think about it.

But it's good to hear that there's growth out there. Maybe it will help with the erosion.
 
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