M
Mike Vandeman
Guest
January 24, 2000 Tony Acosta Director, Office of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs 1520
Lakeside Drive Oakland, CA 94612
Re: The Psychology of Mountain Biking
Dear Sir:
For a psychologist, mountain biking is a fascinating
phenomenon. The first thing one notices about them is that they lie
___
continually! For someone from my generation, raised to tell the
___________
truth at all times, this is puzzling. Surely, they must know that everyone, at least all those who
aren't mountain bikers, can easily see through them! For example, Councilwoman Nancy Nadel caught
Eric Muhler, President of the Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay, publicly claiming that
mountain biking in Joaquin Miller Park has caused hardly any erosion! One look at Alec Karp's
photographs of the park is all it would take to know that he was lying. Similarly, an official of
ROMP ("Responsible Organized Mountain Pedalers") was caught red-handed building an illegal trail.
Their favorite lie, of course, is that land managers who ban off-road biking are banning
mountain bikers. Actually, it is only
_______________
their bikes that are banned! It would be impossible to ban mountain
_____
bikers even if we wanted to, since they don't look different from anyone else.
And they aren't doing their already rotten image much good. Since none of them ever admit lying, we
can only guess at their motivation. The best that I have been able to come up with is that they
don't believe that they can justify their selfish, destructive sport except by lying. Well, ... yes,
of course! Since mountain
_________
biking destroys wildlife habitat, drives away wildlife and other trail users, and benefits only
the mountain bikers, it is hard to see how anyone can justify allowing mountain biking in any
natural area.
Similarly, it is hard to explain why land managers lie so frequently, when asked why they allow
mountain biking. For example, a ranger at China Camp State Park told me that mountain biking is
causing "no erosion". An equestrian familiar with the park then told me that the bikers were
"turning the trails into powder"! I guess that the land managers are afraid to admit that they have
allowed political pressure -- or, in some cases, free trail maintenance provided by the mountain
bikers -- to cloud their better judgment.
Recently I suddenly realized why this pattern seemed so
familiar: they act exactly like the drug addicts that I knew when I
_________________________________________________________
worked with Synanon Foundation! They demonstrate the same
_______________________________
willingness to take enormous risks, just to continue their "habit". They risk their image, their
job, their relationships, their freedom, even their life, just to continue seeking the ultimate
"high". Many subscribe to mountain biking mailing lists at work, risking losing their job. Thousands
risk arrest and fines for riding illegally or even building illegal trails on public and private
land. The "Sedona Five" took advantage of a temporary closure of Grand Canyon National Park to ride
down the North Kaibab Trail, which is closed to bikes (and got arrested). Taking serious risks to
continue a habit of doubtful value is the best indicator of a true addiction. In mountain biking
newsgroups they exchange stories about their latest "high" (riding "sweet singletrack"), with extra
points given for experiences that were dangerous, illegal, or both.
____
When caught riding on trails closed to bikes, in my experience, they lie ("I didn't know it
is closed" -- but they don't offer to leave!), threaten ("I'm going to bust your head"), and
even physically attack whoever tells them to leave the closed area (one biker rode back up
the trail, turned around, and then rode into the guy who had told him the trail is closed,
as fast as he could, knocking him bloody). That is a lot of risk to take, just in order to
ride one trail illegally! And a good sign that they are addicted. Indeed, many of them, in
their discussions on the Internet, describe mountain biking as an "addiction".
Another psychological factor, of course, is the image boost that the sport and its
accoutrements give to rebellious young people, just as racing bikes did for an earlier
generation (hardly any of whom actually raced!). The knobby tires and "hardened" frames
clearly say "I'm tough. Don't cross me!" The names attached to the bikes and tires
("Velociraptor", "Omega-Bite") reinforce that image, as do the photos in mountain bike
magazines of bikers flying through the air (getting "big air"). These bikes are clearly
intended to indicate that they will help you "conquer nature" (while, ironically, actually
insuring that you will have even less contact with that nature, due to their speed, lack of
contact with the ground, and suspension systems!).
Yet another factor explaining their insistence on biking at all costs, even at the risk of
getting arrested, is embodied in the
psychological term "Cognitive Dissonance": after spending often more than $2500 for their bike, it
would be very embarrassing and upsetting if they had nowhere to ride it!
Perhaps this explains why, after years of talking about how they are going to put an end to
the erosion damage, illegal riding, and illegal trail building in Joaquin Miller Park, the
mountain bikers are continuing all of those activities unabated.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Vandeman, Ph.D.
pps Mountain biking also provides very bad role modeling for our children. Whether or not a bike is
ever ridden off-road, any child looking at one will get the impression that it is used to tear
up wildlife habitat, and that this is okay.
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"). Want to
help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
Lakeside Drive Oakland, CA 94612
Re: The Psychology of Mountain Biking
Dear Sir:
For a psychologist, mountain biking is a fascinating
phenomenon. The first thing one notices about them is that they lie
___
continually! For someone from my generation, raised to tell the
___________
truth at all times, this is puzzling. Surely, they must know that everyone, at least all those who
aren't mountain bikers, can easily see through them! For example, Councilwoman Nancy Nadel caught
Eric Muhler, President of the Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay, publicly claiming that
mountain biking in Joaquin Miller Park has caused hardly any erosion! One look at Alec Karp's
photographs of the park is all it would take to know that he was lying. Similarly, an official of
ROMP ("Responsible Organized Mountain Pedalers") was caught red-handed building an illegal trail.
Their favorite lie, of course, is that land managers who ban off-road biking are banning
mountain bikers. Actually, it is only
_______________
their bikes that are banned! It would be impossible to ban mountain
_____
bikers even if we wanted to, since they don't look different from anyone else.
And they aren't doing their already rotten image much good. Since none of them ever admit lying, we
can only guess at their motivation. The best that I have been able to come up with is that they
don't believe that they can justify their selfish, destructive sport except by lying. Well, ... yes,
of course! Since mountain
_________
biking destroys wildlife habitat, drives away wildlife and other trail users, and benefits only
the mountain bikers, it is hard to see how anyone can justify allowing mountain biking in any
natural area.
Similarly, it is hard to explain why land managers lie so frequently, when asked why they allow
mountain biking. For example, a ranger at China Camp State Park told me that mountain biking is
causing "no erosion". An equestrian familiar with the park then told me that the bikers were
"turning the trails into powder"! I guess that the land managers are afraid to admit that they have
allowed political pressure -- or, in some cases, free trail maintenance provided by the mountain
bikers -- to cloud their better judgment.
Recently I suddenly realized why this pattern seemed so
familiar: they act exactly like the drug addicts that I knew when I
_________________________________________________________
worked with Synanon Foundation! They demonstrate the same
_______________________________
willingness to take enormous risks, just to continue their "habit". They risk their image, their
job, their relationships, their freedom, even their life, just to continue seeking the ultimate
"high". Many subscribe to mountain biking mailing lists at work, risking losing their job. Thousands
risk arrest and fines for riding illegally or even building illegal trails on public and private
land. The "Sedona Five" took advantage of a temporary closure of Grand Canyon National Park to ride
down the North Kaibab Trail, which is closed to bikes (and got arrested). Taking serious risks to
continue a habit of doubtful value is the best indicator of a true addiction. In mountain biking
newsgroups they exchange stories about their latest "high" (riding "sweet singletrack"), with extra
points given for experiences that were dangerous, illegal, or both.
____
When caught riding on trails closed to bikes, in my experience, they lie ("I didn't know it
is closed" -- but they don't offer to leave!), threaten ("I'm going to bust your head"), and
even physically attack whoever tells them to leave the closed area (one biker rode back up
the trail, turned around, and then rode into the guy who had told him the trail is closed,
as fast as he could, knocking him bloody). That is a lot of risk to take, just in order to
ride one trail illegally! And a good sign that they are addicted. Indeed, many of them, in
their discussions on the Internet, describe mountain biking as an "addiction".
Another psychological factor, of course, is the image boost that the sport and its
accoutrements give to rebellious young people, just as racing bikes did for an earlier
generation (hardly any of whom actually raced!). The knobby tires and "hardened" frames
clearly say "I'm tough. Don't cross me!" The names attached to the bikes and tires
("Velociraptor", "Omega-Bite") reinforce that image, as do the photos in mountain bike
magazines of bikers flying through the air (getting "big air"). These bikes are clearly
intended to indicate that they will help you "conquer nature" (while, ironically, actually
insuring that you will have even less contact with that nature, due to their speed, lack of
contact with the ground, and suspension systems!).
Yet another factor explaining their insistence on biking at all costs, even at the risk of
getting arrested, is embodied in the
psychological term "Cognitive Dissonance": after spending often more than $2500 for their bike, it
would be very embarrassing and upsetting if they had nowhere to ride it!
Perhaps this explains why, after years of talking about how they are going to put an end to
the erosion damage, illegal riding, and illegal trail building in Joaquin Miller Park, the
mountain bikers are continuing all of those activities unabated.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Vandeman, Ph.D.
pps Mountain biking also provides very bad role modeling for our children. Whether or not a bike is
ever ridden off-road, any child looking at one will get the impression that it is used to tear
up wildlife habitat, and that this is okay.
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"). Want to
help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
