Protected Trails

[Former Member]

I run trails in the Wissahickon, which is a very large urban park in Philadelphia, PA. Most of the park's approximately 53 miles of trails are allowed to be ridden by mountain bikers, but a small portion of them are not. Those that are off-limit to bikes are noted on the park's official map, which is posted throughout the park, plus at virtually every trailhead. That said, these off-limits trails are often still ridden by bikers. Strava is not entirely responsible for this bad behavior, but I can't help but feel as though the ability to create segments of any trail, whether it's allowed to be ridden or not, helps to promote said bad behavior. Plus, if a user posts their ride, which features an off-limits trail(s) being ridden, said user is basically advertising that trail(s), which again, promotes riding off-limits trails. So, my idea is to allow users the ability to flag a trail or section as "off-limits" so that the user who posted a ride on these trails is notified of their wrongdoing or mistake. Users could back up their flags with proof by way of an official park map, etc. Please consider this idea, as my park is currently being overrun by unruly users who don't pay any attention to trail maps or markers.

[Jan_Mantau]

On the Strava segment web site you can flag these segments as dangerous if you feel riders shouldn't be competiting on it. But I never would want Strava to play local law enforcement, that's out of their competency and they really have better things to do.

[anchskier]

While well intentioned, I don't see this as being something that is really practical.  There are a lot of places that change from time to time.  Keeping track of what is open/closed to bikes or other types of uses would be very difficult and often resulting in mistakes.  Where I am at, there are people who just don't know what is legal or not and will argue with you even with a sign right in front of them.  Those kind of people, or just some who don't like bikes on "their trails" would keep trying to flag sections of trails as closed to bikes and addressing those would be a pain.  

[Jana_S]

If this was in my neighbourhood and I wanted to help preventing this bad behavior... I'd probably reach out to the park administration / rangers and show them how to use Strava. Do those inconsiderate bikers ride where they're not supposed to - and are even bragging about that? It's a piece of evidence served on a silver plate...

[Scout]

Hello, 

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughtful feedback with us. We take the safety of our athletes very seriously and expect our athletes to follow our Community Standards, which include:

• Staying safe is more important than being fast: Use good judgment and consider the risks of your activities before getting started. Use common sense, stay in control and don’t put yourself in danger.
• Obey the law: We expect everyone using Strava to know and obey all laws and rules related to their activities. Our sports happen in dynamic environments that we share with motorists, pedestrians, other people, equestrians, pets and wildlife. Prioritize everyone's safety and enjoyment of our shared resources and respect the law.
• Follow local trail rules: Most trail systems have their own rules and codes of conduct. Know them, follow them, respect others who are enjoying the same environment. Don’t use illegal or closed trails, or trespass on private property — ever. Stay in control and take care of the people and environment around you. Do the right thing and be an ambassador of your sport.
• Don’t get distracted by your device: Focus on your surroundings and prioritize your safety. Use your device when it’s safe to do so.

Regarding your suggestion to allow users the ability to flag a trail as "off-limits," we recommend using the hazardous segment tool. This tool is designed to alert athletes about potential dangers, and removes the segment from competition on Strava; specifically, the hazardous segment tool:

• Alerts the community there are risks associated with the segment
• Disables the leaderboard by default
• Prevents athletes from setting Goals on flagged segments
• Disqualifies the segment from receiving Achievements (PR, XOM, etc.)

As some of the comments mention, it's helpful to work directly with those overseeing the use of the land. If you are concerned about other athletes violating local trail rules, we encourage you to work with your local authorities to address the issue.