AbnormalWrench
Well-known member
- Likes
- 70
- Location
- Seattle, WA, USA
I'm just curious if anyone else have had this kind of interaction. Perhaps it is different in other areas, but we don't have very many electric dirt bikes show up in my area. I have only seen 2 other Starks there and maybe 7 Surons. I saw one or two KTM Freerides. I feel most people are curious and ask the usual questions (what is the range? How long does it take to charge?)- some will make somewhat negative comments like "I'll never buy one of those" or ignorant comments like "I hear they catch on fire all the time". Those don't bother me, it just makes me feel bad for them because they are missing out on an amazing riding experience.
But today I had someone get really hostile about it, to the point I was worried he was going to throw punches. That is definitely a first for me. The park was pretty busy today, because it was so nice out. I prefer avoiding the crowds so I was riding some of the more obscure single track trails that are towards the edge of the park, which usually means I won't see anyone else for the entire day. But this time, there were several people on the same trails. I came up on a guy going the same direction as me and he was going considerably slower than me. I'm never sure what the best way to handle this situation, since you can't just hold in the clutch and rap the engine a few times to get their attention. So I tend to ride close to them so they can get a chance of hearing something, and purposely slide the rear and do burn outs out of corners.
This guy did not appreciate my method of getting his attention at all. He heard it, glanced behind to see me and immediately fell over. It was a very minor drop, a narrow section of thick hedges on both sides, the bike was caught on the hedges, trapping his leg, but he wasn't even at a 45 degree angle. I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but he was extremely upset. Immediately started yelling about electric bikes and how they shouldn't be allowed. I asked if he needed help, but he just angrily waved me by, yelling "Go! Go!" The path was very narrow and I wasn't comfortable with it, because I was pretty sure I was going to end up rubbing against him. But he was very insistent and I wasn't really wanting to hang out with this angry guy. So I slowly went by him, but was seriously worried he was going to do something while I passed him. But he didn't.
I mentally played with how I might have done things differently, but I don't see how I could do much other than quietly follow him with more room between us until he noticed me, but that could take forever. I guess it would help if he wasn't so painfully slow. But I don't know. Any one else running into issues like this?
But today I had someone get really hostile about it, to the point I was worried he was going to throw punches. That is definitely a first for me. The park was pretty busy today, because it was so nice out. I prefer avoiding the crowds so I was riding some of the more obscure single track trails that are towards the edge of the park, which usually means I won't see anyone else for the entire day. But this time, there were several people on the same trails. I came up on a guy going the same direction as me and he was going considerably slower than me. I'm never sure what the best way to handle this situation, since you can't just hold in the clutch and rap the engine a few times to get their attention. So I tend to ride close to them so they can get a chance of hearing something, and purposely slide the rear and do burn outs out of corners.
This guy did not appreciate my method of getting his attention at all. He heard it, glanced behind to see me and immediately fell over. It was a very minor drop, a narrow section of thick hedges on both sides, the bike was caught on the hedges, trapping his leg, but he wasn't even at a 45 degree angle. I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but he was extremely upset. Immediately started yelling about electric bikes and how they shouldn't be allowed. I asked if he needed help, but he just angrily waved me by, yelling "Go! Go!" The path was very narrow and I wasn't comfortable with it, because I was pretty sure I was going to end up rubbing against him. But he was very insistent and I wasn't really wanting to hang out with this angry guy. So I slowly went by him, but was seriously worried he was going to do something while I passed him. But he didn't.
I mentally played with how I might have done things differently, but I don't see how I could do much other than quietly follow him with more room between us until he noticed me, but that could take forever. I guess it would help if he wasn't so painfully slow. But I don't know. Any one else running into issues like this?
