Are you scared of mountain bikers?

From HK Mountain BIking Association:

Dear all outdoors enthusiasts

致所有戶外活動愛好者

Hong Kong’s biking community is growing with more than 12,000 registered bikers, and rising, by an average of 4000 a year. The amount of legal trails on Hong Kong Island, The New Territories and Lantau Island is a mere 150K, with a high percentage of that on concrete country park roads. It is reaching saturation point and it is only set to get worse as more and more people take to riding or hike in the country parks. Something needs to be done, and done soon.

香港越野單車社群已經有超過12,000個公眾人士登記，人數亦以每年4,000個陸續上升。現時合法的越野單車徑於香港島﹑新界和大嶼山總長約150公里，有大部份都是郊野公園內的石屎路，使用狀況已達飽和，如有更多越野單車使用者和行山人士使用，情況將會更加嚴重，我們必須有所行動。

Over the last twelve months Hong Kong Mountain Bike Association (HKMBA) members have been working tirelessly to make outdoors pursuits in Hong Kong a safer and more pleasurable experience. The HKMBA has been in discussions with governmental departments, mainly the AFCD, in what it considers to be a major concern to park users, the biker/hiker conflict. We are looking at ways to alleviate this problem, but we cannot do it alone. We need your help.

在過去的一年，香港爬山單車協會會員盡能力令香港野外活動更安全和舒適。香港爬山單車協會曾經和不同政府部門﹙主要為漁農自然護理署﹚討論過郊野公園使用者，越野單車使用者和行山人士爭路的問題。我們正在尋找一個解決方案，需要大家的協助。

We have just initiated a "Share the Trails" campaign aimed to highlight the best way that we can all safely and successfully enjoy the country parks. Our "Share the trails" information poster (attached) highlights what hikers and what bikers should do when they encounter each other on the trail.

我們發起了「共享山野路徑」計劃，目的是強調如何安全地享受郊野之樂。我們「共享山野路徑」的資料海報﹙見附件﹚已經列出行山人士和越野單車使用者在路徑上碰面時該怎麼處理。

This is where we need your help. Please pass this poster on to all who may find it useful, print it out and post it up in hiking shops, schools or anywhere appropriate. By spreading awareness the few incidents that do occur could easily be avoided.

我們需要大家協助！請把海報傳閱，列印並且張貼在戶外用品店﹑學校或其他合適的地方。提升大家的意識就可以防止意外發生。

We want to gather trail users opinions. Your opinions matter.

我們想收集使用者的意見，你的意見很重要。

How do you think we can avoid incidents in the parks?

你認為怎樣能夠避免在郊野公園內發生意外？

What should bikers do to give a more positive image?

你認為越野單車使用者該怎麼做才表現出正面的形象？

Do you think The AFCD should open more trails to bikers?

你認為漁農自然護理署應該開放更多越野單車徑嗎？

What trails do you see as congested?

你認為哪一段路徑比較擠塞？

What have your encounters with bikers been like?

你對遇見過的越野單車使用者有何印象？

Are you scared of bikers, and how can we change that opinion?

你懼怕越野單車使用者嗎？我們該怎樣令你改變印象？

We want to open constructive dialogue with other concerned trail users. Tell us what you think and together we can hopefully find a solution that will benefit all.

我們接納所有關心郊野路徑的人意見，歡迎告訴我們，共同尋找最佳解決方案。

Please send us your views and thoughts. Or if you have any questions email: [email protected]

你可以把問題或意見電郵到︰[email protected]

We have also been looking at alternative trail options in the parks to alleviate congestion on trails heavily used by bikers and hikers. There are easy solutions to dramatically improve the trail network by using international trail building methods. Bikers could also use abandoned trails that are rarely used by hikers. However our efforts to convince the government on these points have been unsuccessful.

我們正努力尋找辦法解決人車爭路的情況，一個簡單改善﹙單車﹚路徑網絡的方法就是跟據國際標準去修築，單車使用者亦可以使用已荒廢﹙或較少用﹚的山徑；可惜，我們用這一點游說政府部門並不成功。

To learn more about our advocacy efforts go to our website: http://www.hkmba.org

想知更多關於我們的工作，歡迎訪查網頁︰www.hkmba.org

HKMBA is committed to the safe and enjoyable use of our country parks for all users, Mountain Bikes included.

香港爬山單車協會致力令所有人﹙當然包括越野單車使用者﹚能夠享用安全﹑舒適的郊野公園。