Dirt Jump Etiquette

would the development of DJ etiquette be helpful - provided people followed it?


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digger

Likes Dirt
It appears that there are some pretty pissed off jump builders because people post 'their' jumps, next thing hordes or people come from nowhere with no respect for the jumps eventually trashing them. this seems to be creating a real localism mentality not unlike surfing which I for one do not want to see happen with bikes. what guidelines should a DJ code of conduct / etiquette contain?

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[ADMIN EDIT - RYAN - Adding rules to first post]

Dirt Jump Etiquette – Compiled by Farkin.net

1. The first rule of dirt jumping is dig, dig and dig some more. Dirt jumps only exist because people build them, they don't just magically grow out of the ground. Regardless of where they are built, the people who build jumps own them while they exist, end of story.

Helping out with digging is the only way you can earn the right to ride their spot and the only way you will conceivably earn the right to have input on the way the trails progress in the future.

If you ride a spot frequently you are at the very least obligated to spend some time before or after you ride repairing take-offs and landings. If you case a landing or blow through a lip it is your responsibility to fix it. Obviously there are exceptions to this rule for visitors from out of town and so on. Apply it at your discretion.

2. Don’t assume that because you have discovered a wicked set of hidden trails that you immediately inherit the right to broadcast their location. Unless jumps are on council land assume that they are meant to be secret unless someone who is obviously a local tells you otherwise.

3. Take out what you take in. The ground around the trails is not the place to throw your empty chip packets, coke cans, busted inner tubes and used syringes. If the jumps are on private land the owners probably don’t want you using the place as a rubbish dump. Take a plastic bag with you and carry out any trash you accumulate during the day.

4. Don’t ride trails when it’s wet unless you have permission from the owners to do so. During dry months limit skidding as much as possible as dry conditions make maintaining jumps more difficult.

5. If you can’t ride a set of trails either go and find a set you can ride or ask the owners for pemission to build a smaller set. Do not under any circumstances assume you have the right to modify any set of trails that are obviously in use to make them easier for you to do.

6. Don't be a snake. If you cut in front of the line waiting to roll-in or cut someone off mid-run you are liable to be abused, threatened, pelted with debris, beaten and buried semi-concious in the middle of a jump. You have been warned.

7. If you are a minor and you have injured yourself doing something you're not supposed to do (say riding a set of secret trails out in the bush when you were supposed to be going to the shop to get mummy some milk) then for the love of all that is holy don't disclose the location of the trails or the details of your accident to your litigation-happy guardians.

Trails in Australia HAVE been plowed after parents chased down the diggers / land owners for public liability when their precious little darlings injured themselves taking a calculated risk. Be the kid who gets your local trails plowed and I guarantee broken bones will be the least of your worries.
 

Ryan

Radministrator
It only needs one rule: No dig, no ride.

I'm all for this, if we can make a good enough "Dirt Jump Ettiquette" list I'll make this thread a sticky like "Skatepark Ettiquette" is.

And seriously, rule number one should be; No dig, no ride. If you go to someone elses jumps spend 20 minutes fixing lips and landings after you ride. You don't have to rebuild the place, just have the courtesy to leave jumps in the condition you found them.
 

nitwit

Likes Dirt
I think there well always be inconsiderate people screwing jumps up.
The "no dig no jump rule" is a tuff one, because some people don't even know how to use a shovel, i have had to demonstrate tool use to many riders and half the time it just does'nt sink in. Although any help is better than none.
If it's a kinda secret spot you usually only get riders there that willing to help, and if they don't, there is in most cases a local there that can enforce the rule.
Places like red hill (syd) have riders passing through all the time, they stop for a few jumps and leave, as long as they don't stuff any jumps up, i think its fine. If they start coming more reguraly, they need to put in some type of effort to help. Most jump builders appreciate help even if you only help for half an hour.
There definetly needs to be some kind of rules that people follow, otherwise localism as you see at surf spot well become rife, i personally know what this is like surfing at Maroubra for 12yrs. We don't need that type of neanderthal mentality coming to MTBing.
If the greater MTB community does'nt start working as one, it is going to turn more ugly than it already has been with trail closures, jumps bulldozed left, right and centre and riders getting pumped for not fixing the jump they just cased. I for one don't want this to happen and i'm sure most other riders don't either.
 

kizza

Likes Dirt
Rule Two: Take your ribbish home!

Take it home guys, dont just throw it on the ground.
I think im going to have to take my spare garbage bin down to my local jumps, then at least people can put it somewhere, not on the ground.
 

Inverted

Likes Dirt
All you have to do is be considerite, pick up a shovel and repair the jumps you cased. Dont tell the builders how to build unless you help build the jumps and dont whine about the jumps if you cant ride them especially if you dont help build them. A goood example of this is at Red Hill (Sydney) if you search the Red Hill threads you will see what I mean. This place is quite unique as its a well used spot by the mountain biking community and it has various styles of trails from DH, XC, DJs & free ride and its not national park or state forest land its owned by a church group. My little bro has been working on the jumps at RH for about a year now building a very large rythme section which is looking awesome. He gets shit put on him because people who dont like to help cant ride there because of there own riding ability. This is a perfect example of no ettiquette. I do agree with nitwit no dig no ride is harsh because of the younger generation who has no experience in digging. Ive seen kids as young as nine up there helping and at least asking if they can help, this is ettiquette. So if you read this thread take notice and if you want to ride peoples jumps have some respect.
 

konasaurus

Likes Dirt
Rule Three : If you happen to find the jump building shovels and other tools hide them again after you use them .. there is nothing worse than having stolen tools.
 

kizza

Likes Dirt
so ture konasaurus. I had 2 shovels and a saw stolen from my local jumps :evil: luchy they were only cheapo ones. :lol:
 

oleitch

Likes Dirt
Rule 4: Unless you build the jumps, don't change them!

If you want to jump bigger jumps then dont build on other peoples, you may be preventing newbies or bad riders from using jumps they were happy with AND THEY BUILT!!!! Go build your own bigger ones seperately And second that about the rubbish, nothing worse than damn broken glass from dickheads breaking their beer bottles :evil:
 

360xup

Banned
Alright so its been done for skateparks but i just thought id clear it up...
DIRT JUMP and TRAIL ETTIQUETTE
1- Always be willing to lend a hand digging.
2- Respect the locals and respect the jumps and always ask before
starting a new jump/set.
3-Build only whats necessary for the trail/ dirt jumps site.
4-Always ask permission of locals about giving out jumps location and if
no local - no listing of location
5-Always take out with you what you take in.
6-Be courteous to those using the trail/site ie - give way to those
quicker/waiting to go
7-Be prepared to fix what you break/wreck, whether it be casing the jump
or breaking a ladder.
8-Try to limit skidding
9-Dont bring unnecessary attention to the trail or jump site.

I know this was posted as a topic but i just thought itd be good here...
 
Couldn't agree more with everythign 360 just wrote. Here is some additions:

No taking/borrowing/using/moving tools without permission

If you bust a lip or a lander, you should offer to fix it (if you are capable)

Don't destroy the local bushland unless the trail builder is doing so (IE don't extend run ups or run outs)

Don't ride the trails in the rain or mud. UNLESS the trail owner/builder is doing so and doens't mind

Find out who 'owns' the trail. Most trails usualy have one 'owner' and about 3-10 other builders. Make sure you know who is in charge so you're not asking the wrong person for permission.

Don't go off at local greenies/concern civilians unless you are the owner. Except in the case that they are destroying the track, then you can bust heads.

Don't complain about the jumps, offer advice and offer to help. NEVER complain with nothing to back it up.

Don't ride things you can't ride, or change them so you can ride them. This includes putting palletes between jumps so you can short them or roll over them.

and lastly:



DO NOT BORROW/TOUCH/LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLES TOOLS WITHOUT PERMISSION

I know some of these were covered and I dd repeat myself but think these are pretty important rules. Along wihall that 360xup said, plus everyone elses.
 

notb4dinner

Likes Dirt
oleitch said:
Rule 4: Unless you build the jumps, don't change them!
Something along the lines of "unless they are obviously abandoned" should probably be added to that. If a set of jumps is in complete disrepair I don't really see a problem with fixing them up to suit your own needs.
 
Thats true dinner, but they should also remember that the trails were once someones and that the original builder still has rights over the new builder. To an extent.
 

mustard

Likes Dirt
With our jumps it's that on fridays afternoon all the little kiddies come down for soccer and reck them and itts older guys aswell, They know that it's taking ages to build thse jumps and they come down and reck them

D-man
 

digger

Likes Dirt
360xup said:
Alright so its been done for skateparks but i just thought id clear it up...
DIRT JUMP and TRAIL ETTIQUETTE

gee glad you thought of that, It would have never occured to the rest of us to put everyone's input together to formulate something.

Does anyone else have anything else to add before 360xup the dictator begins his efforts to overtake the whole world once he's finished with this thread...
 

Ryan

Radministrator
OK, hows this for a list;

Dirt Jump Etiquette – Compiled by Farkin.net

1. The first rule of dirt jumping is dig, dig and dig some more. Dirt jumps only exist because people build them and regardless of where they are built, the people who build jumps own them while they exist, end of story.

Helping out with digging is the only way you can earn the right to ride their spot and the only way you will conceivably earn the right to have input on the way the trails progress in the future.

If you ride a spot frequently you are at the very least obligated to spend some time before or after you ride repairing take-offs and landings. If you case a landing or blow through a lip it is your responsibility to fix it. Obviously there are exceptions to this rule for visitors from out of town and so on. Apply it at your discretion.

2. Don’t assume that because you have discovered a wicked set of hidden trails that you immediately inherit the right to broadcast their location. Unless jumps are on council land assume that they are meant to be secret unless someone who is obviously a local tells you otherwise.

3. Take out what you take in. The ground around the trails is not the place to throw your empty chip packets, coke cans, busted inner tubes and used syringes. If the jumps are on private land the owners probably don’t want you using the place as a rubbish dump. Take a plastic bag with you and carry out any trash you accumulate during the day.

4. Don’t ride trails when it’s wet unless you have permission from the owners to do so. During dry months limit skidding as much as possible as dry conditions make maintaining jumps more difficult.

5. If you can’t ride a set of trails either go and find a set you can ride or ask the owners for pemission to build a smaller set. Do not under any circumstances assume you have the right to modify any set of trails that are obviously in use to make them easier for you to do.

6. Don't be a snake, if you cut in front of the line waiting to roll-in or cut someone off mid you are liable to be abused, threatened, pelted with debris, beaten and buried semi-concious in the middle of a jump. You have been warned.

7. If you are a minor and you have injured yourself doing something you're not supposed to do (say riding a set of secret trails out in the bush when you were supposed to be going to the shop to get mummy some milk) then for the love of all that is holy don't disclose the location of the trails or the details of your accident to your litigation-happy guardians.

Trails have been plowed after parents chased down the diggers / land owners for public liability when their precious little darling injured themselves taking a calculated risk. Be the kid who gets your local trails plowed and I guarantee broken bones will be the least of your worries.
 

digger

Likes Dirt
Not too bad, I reckon it's pretty soon to be finalising this, not everyone is constantly on-line to keep up with what's going on. give it a week or so.
 

toodles

Wheel size expert
If you get hurt riding jumps you're visiting, and you're in a position where one of your parents/guardians will kick up a stink - lie. Tell them you hit a tree or something riding on a bike path. If I see one more jump spot bulldozed because some parent whines their kid got crumpled, I'm going to make sure any hurt kids I find can't tell anyone where they got smashed. You ride at your own risk remember.
 

nitwit

Likes Dirt
Well put 360, eddie and Ryan.
Most of those said rules are common sense and courtesy which most little kooks unfortunetly only learn from, getting them drilled into them by older or more wiser riders.

And as digger said as time goes on more riders well express their views and concerns. After this happens, maybe one of the greatly experienced riders can finalise some etiquette or rules for DJ.

So far ryan compiled the most well put ones, aswell he has some authority on here. But everyones opinions are important.
 

technoboy

Dirty Imports
yes!!!

well put everybody maybe the runts can read this and learn something!!!!
Don't think anyone missed anything alright!!!!
 
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