[Andrew]

Hi

FMC have asked us to survey our members on the following questions. Please post you responses on this forum:

1. How do you feel when on a tramping trip you meet a mountainbiker on the track?

(a) Positive
(b) Neutral
(c) Negative

Please give reasons for your feelings.

2. How do you feel about a limited 3-month season (Feb-Mar each year) for mountainbikers on the Heaphy Track?

(a) Positive
(b) Neutral
(c) Negative

Reasons?

3. How do you feel about mountainbikers being allowed access on the following tracks in national parks? (select from same answers as above)

(a) Wangapeka (Rolling River to Stone Hut)
(b) Flora Saddle to Barron Flat
(c) Poulter River – Casey Hut
(d) Bridge to Nowhere
(e) Rameka Track
(f) Six-foot track (Te Urewera NP)

Thanks for helping out.

Andrew

[Allan Mac]

Question 1:
a

Probably because I’m a keen mountainbiker as well as tramper.

Question 2:
a
The walk is a fantastic mountainbiking opportunity. I don’t see any major conflict arising with trampers during the off-season. I walked the track this year in April and was thinking what a great ride this would be (or rather was). Before the National Park was gazetted, I mountainbiked the track shortly after Christmas. I don’t recall any problems with trampers on the track. The track is now improved over what it was when I cycled it in 1995 (sigh).

I think having a season, outside of peak, when the track is available is a good idea.

[Grant Newton]

Q1 B – happy to see mountainbikers as long as they are under control
Q2 A – a limited season outside of the peak season would be a suitable trial
Q3 – Happy to see these tracks opened, probably again for a 3-month season initially

[Wayne Stevens]

Q1 A – provided the mtn bikers are behaving ok (ie not going too fast). The problem will be a risk that a few loonies will act irresponsibly and collide with a few trampers.. But, most mtn bikers are ok so i support it (provided the tracks are suitable)

Q2 A – definitely for a limited season (outside of the peak season – probably over the winter months would be best). Some of the tracks suggested are quite popular over summer – dont think they would be suitable for mtn biking then

Q3 – yep in principle think they should be opened for mtn biking for a limited 3 month season (but all the tracks would need detailed assessment to see if they are suitable). Also if problems emerge with track damage or bad mtn bike behaviour that is treating the safety of other users, then they could close the tracks again etc.

[Don Goodhue]

1)B – Provided they consider other track users I don’t have any problem.

2) A – As far as I am aware it was not a problem before it was a NP

3) No problems with any of those. At the end of the day, only a small number of tracks will ever be suitable for MTB. It is a matter of balancing MTB with other users. I think trampers will not have an issue with MTBers provided the MTB remember there could be a tramper around the next corner. The key issue is probably education for the mix to work – education/awareness for all users of the issues relevant.

Perhaps if MTBers had a Hollywood budget there would be no problem allowing access!!

Don

[Ian Bunckenburg]

q1-negative-I enjoy wondering along trcks with out having to keep an eye out for fast moving objects
q2-Negative-Same as above and it also takes away the remotness of being in the bush when a micanical devise powers some one past you.
q3-Negative I feel we should endevour to keep our remote areas remote and not open them up any more.Openening these tracks up will put a lot more preasure on to these areas that are bissey enough now. Sadly some ares of our back country are slowly being spolt by the large numbers going across eg the Tongarerio crossing.

[Harry]

Q1 – There are really two separate isues here: whether mountain bikers should be where they are in the first place, and how they behave when I meet them.

On the first issue, I don’t have any problem with mountain bikers being present when you’re on what is basically a road anyway, e.g. four-wheel-drive tracks, old forestry roads, old railway lines like the Rimutuka Incline, farm roads, etc. On the other hand I’d hate to see mountain bikers on “real” tramping tracks, but they’re unlikely to be there anyway. (If I ever met mountain bikers on the Tararua Peaks I’d first congratulate them on their accomplishment in getting there, before pushing them and their bl**dy machines over the edge…. Not that I’m very likely to be on the Tararua Peaks myself anyway….)

That basically leaves a relatively small number of high grade tramping tracks like the Heaphy, the Five Mile Track, etc. I don’t think there’s any simple yes or no answer that can apply to all of these as a whole. I think they all need to be treated as individual cases, but certainly I think the general policy has got to be that mountain biking is prohibited unless it has been specifically allowed, rather than the other way around, and I don’t think it should be allowed in cases where there are large numbers of foot users.

On the second question of what the mountain bikers behave like, I’d expect them to slow down and stop if necessary and give way when they meet walkers. Nothing is more likey to raise the ire of walkers than mountain bikers racing past at high speed, knocking people off the track and showering them with mud.

Q2 – I’d be happy with a limited off-season period of 2 or 3 months for mountain bikers on the Heaphy – at least for a trial anyway, after which it could be assessed to see if there were any problems. I don’t know about it being in February and March though – that’s still summer and I’d expect there to still be a fair number of walkers at that time of year.

Q3 – I wouldn’t like to see mountain bikers on the Wangapeka Track. I wouldn’t have a problem with them on the Bridge to Nowhere track – it’s an old roadway anyway, and I don’t think it gets much foot traffic. I don’t know the other tracks mentioned.

[Dennis Gazley]

Question 1 Neutral.
As long as I am not bowled off the track by them. I can understand parents with kids being very negative. Depends a lot on the attitude of the bikers

Question 2 Positive
The queen Charolette walkway system seem to work very well. There would have to be good information available so that the mountain bikers were prepared for the terrian that they were giing into. There are many unprepared bikers doing the Karapoti.

Question 3
Wangapeka, Flora Saddle, Bridge to Nowhere, and the Rameka Track would all be OK. Dont know the others.Some tracks must always remain off limits, such as the Tama Lakes track, due to the soft terrain and that the bikes can be ridden of track.
I feel that initially it would be a bit like skiers attitude to snow boarders. It wasnt until boarders learned some ski field manners that they started to be accepted.

[warren nevill]

1, a, No problem, don’t see why when I am walking I should hold the opinion that I have sole rights to the great outdoors

2, a, excellent ideas, would suggest taking it throughto include easter

3, a-f, the more the merrier

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