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Don't take this attack on Mountain Bikers
If you are reading this then I thank you for taking a break from your crack pipe or putting down your spray can.
WTF?!
Well as this is a mountain bike forum one assumes you're a mountain biker, and if one is to believe the labels put on us recently we are all involved in "... Vandalism, Graffiti and possibly widespread use of Drugs and alcohol...". That quote comes straight from a flyer that has been circulating in Hornsby to try and sway locals against a plan for mountain bike skills areas and trails.
It's a sad state of affairs that with no actual evidence, logic or reason to argue against a small, yet much valued mountain bike plan Ku-ring-gai council has approved, those who oppose the plan have resorted to throwing around wild accusations.
Yet the worst of it is that Ku-ring-gai council staff have actually listened to submissions based on this nonsense and changed their plans, scrapping part of the project, holding a second phase indefinitely and wasting funding on studies called for by various scaremongers. To be frank, it's disgusting.
To be clear, such a turn of events will affect much more than this one plan: If mountain bike riders are to ever receive fair treatment and planning for the facilities they require this council and other authorities need to be shown that the accusations levelled in the flyer are pure nonsense and riders will not stand to be labelled in this way.
If you too take offence at being labelled a vandal and drug addict just because you choose to ride a mountain bike please take a minute or so and write to the Ku-ring-gai council and let them know this. Let them know you are disgusted that they would lend any credence to such claims and modify already approved plans as a result. It might also help to mention if you support both stage one and two of the Golden Jubilee mountain bike plan and call for both stages to go ahead unchanged.
Please write to these councillors and the local politician, and explain all this as tactfully as you can:
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Thank you.
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Is the meeting this Saturday (5/3)? And if so should we attend?
@cake... nah, this is an old flyer. The meeting was a while back.
It would have been nice to expose their deception.
Just emailed this
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Scott T, married with 2 children, Son age 10, Daughter aged 6. Both my children love riding bikes, in particular my 10 year old son.
Living on Sydney's' Northern Beaches, my son is starved of areas to practice his BMX skills and to ride his bike in an area that is free of vehicular traffic. At present we travel to Fred Caterson Reserve at Castle Hill, where there's a BMX track and associated bike trails through out the reserve. The other area I take my son is the Northbridge pump and dirt jump track. Both areas promoted and maintained by their councils and I must say, without any disruption to residents.
I read with much interest Hornsby Councils proposal to build dedicated bike tracks to suit such activities as BMX, Dirt Jump, Pump Track and Mountain Biking, which is my sport of choice.
It's not often that a family can participate in a sport where all members of that family can enjoy it together. And a sport that promotes a healthy lifestyle, one void of drugs, alcohol and public desecration.
I also follow the NRL quite passionately, but am often disappointed when I read of "off field" incidents involving alcohol (Todd Carney as recent example) drugs and public nuisance.
But never do I read anywhere that these same offences occur during Mountain Biking contests, BMX etc....
So it disturbs me to read the scare tactics of local residents living in the vicinity of Golden Jubilee Fields labelling me, a 43 year old father of 2 as a drug taking graffiti artist who's only interest is to terrorise the residents of Hornsby or any municipality where I wish to ride my bike !
It is also very concerning that Council can re-nig on a promise due to a minority group who are ill informed and deliver these accusations without proof!
I direct you to look at the many such facilities in New Zealand (on a much larger scale) where there is no such activities as suggested by the flyer being handed around in protest of the Councils proposed cycling facility.
Please revisit Councils decision not to go ahead with both Stages 1 & 2, re-instate the proposal and be proud in that decision, knowing you have guaranteed promotion of the Hornsby Municipality, supporting local business whom stand to reap the rewards and families who can enjoy a day out together, sharing in a sport that is much loved.
Kind Regards,
Scott T
It is the same stupid perception of mountain bikes riders that causes things such as Manly Council to think that they could shut the Dam without there being any real opposition. For some silly reason, there is the perception that mountain biking is primarily enjoyed by delinquent young men and their underage drinking, drug use, vandalism and generally unwanted behavior.
The reality is that it is generally enjoyed by responsible professionals often with families but definitely with a sense of community pride and a responsibility for our chosen spot and the areas in which we enjoy it.
The question should not be "would you approve of mountain biking with its drug use, drinking, vandalism, etc. etc. in your local area" but "would you approve of resources within our local area being utilised by a group of responsible, community minded people who will be engaging in a healthy, sporting activity (and will likely be in bed by 10 PM after a nice glass of red rather hanging out on the streets with a crack pipe and a flask of goon - this bit may be just me!)".
Upbraided them gently for reacting to a petition fuelled by a slanderous anonymous piece of factually incorrect rubbish.
For furhter impact I followed that up with a group photo (with bikes) from a recent ride, and detailed first names and what each rider did for a living or studied. Turns out most are professionals, a much larger portion than the general population are tertiary educated, all are responsible family people (men in this case), or the sons of responsible family men, and with reasonable disposable incomes. Hardly the drug-taking spraypainting drunken vandals depicted by the flyer.
I then pointed out that something crucial was missing from the photo... what is it? Can you see it?
That's right - no engines. The bikes are pedal driven. No noise, no trailers, no wanton trail destruction, and the loudest noises we make are the sound of quiet conversation, and heavy breathing when we ride uphill.
I closed with an assessment of how singletrack trails will assist Council to meet its targets for improving activity levels among its population and the provision of unstructured recreation opportunities, followed with three action points:
* Educate their constituents that we are not noisy destructive dirt bikes, but responsible citizens on bicycles with a low environmental footprint with money to spend in their community when we visit
* Reverse the reversal and reinstate the approved plan to provide trails
* Allow for the use of volunteers from the community in build and maintenance to build a strong sense of community ownership of the asset
Got a sympathetic response from one councillor before I left for the day.
These people are clearly very bitter and childish.
Just to clarify the talk.
Residents were rude and misinformed.
Council staff put a proposal to the community for approval in August 2010 of which Council approved stage one. We will be going ahead with stage one which consists of XC trail 1- to the west of the golden jubilee penninsular and a high energy zone which will be constructed with money we have available- dirt jumps have been removed, sorry. We are now about to embark on preparing the site. This will consist of capping the site with sandstone to make it safe from old tip material.
Watch this space for further updates.