Bikers Bite Back

Regarding the anti-mountain biker diatribes (“Hikers Versus Bikers,” Letters, May 10): We all need to peacefully coexist. IMBA, the International Mountain Bicycling Assn., telephone toll-free (888) 442-4622, has thousands of members and educates them about the rules of the trail (i.e., bikes yield to hikers and horses). In Southern California, CORBA (Concerned Off Road Bicyclists Assn.) and SHARE work toward the same end. These groups devote countless hours each year to voluntary trail maintenance.

A few riders are rude, but we should all not be excluded as a result. There are as many or more cyclists on trails as walkers and equestrians combined. We will not be discriminated against. More trails need to be opened to us, not closed.

JAMES WASSER

Long Beach

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I’m a longtime biker of our local mountains. The exaggeration expounded by letter writers Sidney Lewinter and Joan S. Weaver epitomize why hiking, not mountain biking, may actually be the extreme sport.

Lewinter complains that most mountain bikers do not give advanced warning of their approach. But actually, it is the job of individual trail users to be as aware as possible of the elements on the trail. I have passed many hikers that appear surprised to see me. There should be no surprises. Bikes are not completely silent--they give off some type of sound.

We do not ban multi-ton cars traveling at great speeds from using streets with crosswalks on them, despite the many accidents with pedestrians that happen yearly. We should not ban slower moving, 25-pound bikes from trails.

VLADIMIR VALDES

Chatsworth