right of way...

BIGWOODY

BIGWOODY

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Location
Thomasville
I was riding this past weekend at UNF with a few other buddies on bikes. We came up on several groups of jeeps/trucks etc... when we were approaching them we stayed to the right and passed without issue. I was leading our group through one trail and saw a couple of jeeps approaching, we were going at a pretty good clip, I moved to the right and noticed one jeep moving over towards me as to pinch off my line by him. I squeezed between the bank of the trail and his jeep only to hear him utter something not nice as I passed. The guy directly behind me saw him doing this and moved about 4 feet off the trail to pass him as not to collide. The guy in the Jeep (black rubicon if my memory serves me correctly) stopped the next guy in our group, the fellow turned off his bike and asked him what the issue was. The guy in the Jeep then informed him that when we're riding and see a Jeep/truck etc... we should pull over and stop to let them by. My buddy then asked him if he was a park ranger or land manager and the answer was no...but that the reason trails are getting closed down is because off people riding off trail ,I agree by the way. No one would've gone anywhere off the trail if this guy didn't basically try to run us off the trail. Is this the general concensus of the 4x4 community that rides at UNF? I'm curious because later in the day we came up on a group of a buggy, 4wheeler, and a highly modified RZR. Again we were going at a pretty good pace , we came up behind them and followed for a mile or so at what was a fast pace in a rig, but lugging first gear on the bikes, the buggy was propane fueled which used to make me very sick(puking) riding behind one in my buggy days. After making several attempts to make ourselves known and passing a few spots where they could've let us by , I decided to make a pass at a wide spot in the trail. I ended up behind the RZR that immediatley gassed it and started running full speed to the point where he endo'd a couple of jumps, I got around him after his near crash. Everyone else riding with us experienced the same thing, they would not let us pass cleanly.
Now everyone riding with me that day has a season pass and rides there at least once a week or so. We stopped earlier and helped people stranded in an XJ with no brakes that was stuck on Dicky Bell. We fixed it in a few minutes and had them underway. Are we missing something? Do the people in Jeeps/trucks have the right of way everywhere based on the "largest vehicle has the right of way principal?" When I wheel UNF in a jeep/truck/buggy etc....and someone comes up behind me wanting to go, I quickly move over....if they are approaching me on the trail I move to the right and try to get over out of their way (especially a bike or 4wheeler). I'm I doing it wrong?
As for the guy in the Rubicon , consider yourself lucky you didn't get me stopped by running me into the bank, I wrote you off as a nondriver and kept going.
 
Greg you are in the right. I pull over and let the faster guys go if its a jeep or a bike etc etc. I will ask the offical answer tonight at the FOU meeting and see what Ranger Walker says...
 
Yeah, the only time I might disagree is if the Jeep is coming uphill (especially on a big climb) and the bike is going downhill. In that case, I'd think the bike should give way.
 
Vehicle traveling uphill has ROW. Horses have ROW. Interested to hear what the FS has to say, but that's I've always heard.

Stopped vehicles or large/slow groups should cede ROW to faster moving vehicles. That's just plain common sense and courtesy.
 
I don't agree with the guy getting over to block your way beside him but on that note if the trail is narrow and your meeting head to head it is easier for you on the dirtbike to get over and make room than it is for the "rig". I always try to give room so nobody has to stop but the guy that moved into your path was just being a dick and you should have put a nice dent in his hood with your fist. As for coming up behind a group or a rig if its a buggy you probably dont have a mirror and depending what it is and the exhaust system you may not hear the vehicle behind you. I only say that because last weekend we had a group of 3 rigs and i was leading, i don't have any mirrors and my exhaust is pretty loud, a couple of bike came by us and i'm sure they were pissed we hadn't stopped but with the other 2 rigs behind me no mirrors and loud exhaust i never knew they were back there until they passed me.
 
Could be wrong, but seems like the downhill rig has the Row, uphill driver can back down easier than downhill driver can back up the hill.

Anyone catch my drift?
 
Decomp said:
Could be wrong, but seems like the downhill rig has the Row, uphill driver can back down easier than downhill driver can back up the hill.

Anyone catch my drift?
Click to expand...

Nope. Downhill driver should have waited at the top.
 
Copy and pasted from Tread Lightly Web site

RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS
Respect the rights of others, including private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed.

  • Be considerate of others on the road or trail.
  • Leave gates as you find them. If crossing private property, be sure to ask permission from the landowner(s).
  • Yield the right of way to those passing you traveling uphill. Yield to mountain bikers, hikers and horses.
  • When encountering horses on the trail, move to the side of the trail, stop, turn off your engine, remove your helmet and speak—you want the horse to know you are human. Ask the rider the best way to proceed.
  • Proceed with caution around horses and pack animals. Sudden, unfamiliar activity may spook animals—possibly causing injury to animals, handlers and others on the trail.
  • Do not idly ride around in camping, picnicking, trailhead or residential areas.
  • Keep speeds low around crowds and in camping areas.
  • Keep the noise and dust down.
 
Decomp said:
Could be wrong, but seems like the downhill rig has the Row, uphill driver can back down easier than downhill driver can back up the hill.

Anyone catch my drift?
Click to expand...

Much more likely to lose control while backing downhill.
 
This wouldn't have happened if you still had a buggy. And in that case you could have just monster trucked the gay jeeper!









I had to say that, you know this man!:flipoff2:
 
snappy said:
Copy and pasted from Tread Lightly Web site

RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS
Respect the rights of others, including private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed.

  • Do not idly ride around in camping, picnicking, trailhead or residential areas.
Click to expand...

So does this mean I need to push my rig away from my camping area and through the trailhead area?
 
Decomp said:
Could be wrong, but seems like the downhill rig has the Row, uphill driver can back down easier than downhill driver can back up the hill.

Anyone catch my drift?
Click to expand...
I absolutely catch your drift, and agree from a physics standpoint. It's easier for the guy going up to stop/wait than the guy sliding down the muddy hill. The guy going up is generating his own momentum, but the guy coming down may not be able to stop his momentum.

But common sense should prevail in ALL situations and allow deviations from the "rules" when appropriate. That would address all of the above circumstances.
 
I too was there this weekend. First off let me say I dont care what you are driving or riding on as long as you show some common sense and courtesy. Friday night my group was going down the "chute" on Dutch John. 2 four wheelers come up behind me. Im at the top waiting for the truck in front of me to clear the obstacle. As soon as i start down the hill the fourwheelers do to. 2 minutes later i hear a "Oh shit" then feel a crash into the back of my truck. The fourwheeler tumbled end over end and landed up against my truck. Thank God I have a steel bumper and a steel ladder on the back door. Otherwise the back glass would have been shattered. They should have waited for me to be clear before they started down the hill, but they didnt. Come to find out they had just gotten a ticket from the park ranger for riding on the road. I even helped them flip the damn thing back over. I told the kid to hold the brakes so it doesnt keep rolling when we get it upright. He said "It doesnt have any brakes"!!!!

Then Sat night we were camping on RM loop by the Daniel intersection. We hear a bunch of ruckus down by the creek crossing. Turns out that 6 four wheelers had decided to ride up the creek itself up into the woods. We put some spot lights on them and yelled at them to get back on the trail, but just they just revved up their engines and flicked us off. Ive been going to Uwharrie every few weeks for the past 4 years and I can say the only complaint or dislike I have with URE are all the dirt bikes and four wheelers out there riding so damn fast. Ive almost been hit a few times by them coming around the corner at Mach 1.

90% of all the illegal trails or cut throughs at Uwharrie are from dirt bikes or quads trying to get around full size rigs.
 
Decomp said:
Could be wrong, but seems like the downhill rig has the Row, uphill driver can back down easier than downhill driver can back up the hill.

Anyone catch my drift?
Click to expand...


Uphill always has ROW.
Period. Downhill can stop and restart. Up hill who stops may be backing all the way down or finding a worse faster way down.
 
K-Rover1 said:
Ive been going to Uwharrie every few weeks for the past 4 years and I can say the only complaint or dislike I have with URE are all the dirt bikes and four wheelers out there riding so damn fast. Ive almost been hit a few times by them coming around the corner at Mach 1.

90% of all the illegal trails or cut throughs at Uwharrie are from dirt bikes or quads trying to get around full size rigs.
Click to expand...

I hope you have the perspective to realize te converse is true as well.
For the majority of bike and ATV users their biggest complaint is full size vehicles slowing them down. Nature of the beast, when you ride a dirt bike you have to travel faster than I comofrtably want to trail ride my buggy. Thats just reality. I bet there is a dirt bike rider saying, man Ive almost ate it a few times coming around a bend and having a Jeep plug the whole damn road. We both have a right to be there. We can fight amongst ourselves an everyone lose it or find a way to all enjoy what we have.

Lets turn your second thought around, less bikes and quads would cut illegal bypasses if more OHVs yielded easier pass.

The jack asses riding in the creek should have their bikes taken away.
 
I only know of 3 places to go offroad with a full size truck in NC. The only one open to the public is URE. Mean while I know of half a dozen places for quads and dirt bikes only.

And yes I always play nice with everyone out there until they give me a reason not to. Lack of common sense is the major culprit, regardless of what people drive and or ride.
 
K-Rover1 said:
I too was there this weekend. First off let me say I dont care what you are driving or riding on as long as you show some common sense and courtesy. Friday night my group was going down the "chute" on Dutch John. 2 four wheelers come up behind me. Im at the top waiting for the truck in front of me to clear the obstacle. As soon as i start down the hill the fourwheelers do to. 2 minutes later i hear a "Oh shit" then feel a crash into the back of my truck. The fourwheeler tumbled end over end and landed up against my truck. Thank God I have a steel bumper and a steel ladder on the back door. Otherwise the back glass would have been shattered. They should have waited for me to be clear before they started down the hill, but they didnt. Come to find out they had just gotten a ticket from the park ranger for riding on the road. I even helped them flip the damn thing back over. I told the kid to hold the brakes so it doesnt keep rolling when we get it upright. He said "It doesnt have any brakes"!!!!

Then Sat night we were camping on RM loop by the Daniel intersection. We hear a bunch of ruckus down by the creek crossing. Turns out that 6 four wheelers had decided to ride up the creek itself up into the woods. We put some spot lights on them and yelled at them to get back on the trail, but just they just revved up their engines and flicked us off. Ive been going to Uwharrie every few weeks for the past 4 years and I can say the only complaint or dislike I have with URE are all the dirt bikes and four wheelers out there riding so damn fast. Ive almost been hit a few times by them coming around the corner at Mach 1.

90% of all the illegal trails or cut throughs at Uwharrie are from dirt bikes or quads trying to get around full size rigs.
Click to expand...


Yeah...well riding like an idiot is not what I'm asking.
 
Generally I'm leading a group of 4-5 full size rigs when we go to uwharrie. Most everyone gets out of the way of my big ugly truck, lol, but if I meet a group numbering more than us I'll tell our group on the cb to clear the trail for them then I'll motion them on by. If its a group of ATVs or bikes they usually get over for us. Its much easier for a smaller group or a smaller rig to find a place to yield. For example its much easier for an ATV or two jeeps to make a hole for my five full size trucks to get by but its easier for my five full sizes to make a hole than it would be 15 jeeps or ATVs. The last vehicle in our group will let us know via cb if faster rigs or bikes are behind and we'll make room for them to pass ASAP.

I agree the uphill rig should get right of way. Its a bitch to build momentum back up in a 6000 lb rig :)

What gets to me are the people who block the trail to do repairs when they could get off. Its one thing to block the trail with a broken knuckle or c clip axle til you can make repairs but I've sat behind rigs while the driver reinstalled a belt or rewired a fan before. You mean they couldn't roll 50 feet further and pulled off?
 
K-Rover1 said:
I only know of 3 places to go offroad with a full size truck in NC. The only one open to the public is URE. Mean while I know of half a dozen places for quads and dirt bikes only.
Click to expand...

But do you understand that, that is irrelevant?

URE is open to both and both have equal right to be there.
 
I am fully aware. Again its more the lack of common sense and respect than its about what you're driving or riding.
 
jeepinmatt said:
I absolutely catch your drift, and agree from a physics standpoint. It's easier for the guy going up to stop/wait than the guy sliding down the muddy hill. The guy going up is generating his own momentum, but the guy coming down may not be able to stop his momentum.
Click to expand...


Would you start down the hill at Dickey Bell or Dutch John if there was uphill traffic? No. You pause at the top and make sure nobody else is on the way up.
 
K-Rover1 said:
90% of all the illegal trails or cut throughs at Uwharrie are from dirt bikes or quads trying to get around full size rigs.
Click to expand...

I disagree. I'd say 99% of the illegal trails are made by four wheelers at night just looking tear shit up.
 
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