In response to Tom McFarling’s Feb. 8 letter regarding dangerous mountain bike riding on Lake County Trails and the new Strava app (McFarling: 'Strava' causes concerns on local trails, http://bit.ly/1grf8gw ) , I offer the following opinions.  

I am an experienced equestrian of over 60 years; involved in training, backcountry riding with pack strings and trail building.  

Mountain biking evolved in Marin County back in the 1970s when riders took to public trails with balloon tire bikes without permission.

After many conflicts and incidents, bikes were restricted to fire roads and not the narrow footpaths used by hikers and horseback riders. Bikes are going far faster than equestrians and hikers, dangerous on narrow trails with cliffs, blind corners and a lot of trees or brush. Other counties restrict bikes to wide fire roads.

There is not just a perception about this danger, but documented injuries and deaths to other users from mountain bikes.

Bicycles now have sophisticated suspension equaling the dirt bikes of the 1970s and nearly as fast. Riders are often wearing face helmets and full body armor.

The hazard comes in the fact that these trails are the same footpaths which hikers walk watching birds, exercising or simply out to have “family time,” equestrians and joggers enjoying the serenity of nature.  

The state prohibits bikes on public sidewalks for safety reasons and they do come under the auspices of the Motor Vehicle Code.

How can people, hiker or equestrian, indulge in safe recreation when they face the possibility of being struck by a mountain biker hurtling down a trail at 20-plus miles per hour or 29 feet every second with more energy than a bullet leaving the muzzle of an AK-47? (Hiker/horse 6 feet /sec.)

The county has a “user agreement” allowing the high school racing mountain bike team to train at Highland Springs, which seems contrary to the fact that the county has a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of keeping them safe. I have called Scott De Leon, head of Public Works and a signatory on the document, but he has not returned my call after two weeks.

In early January, an experienced rider on a well-trained horse in Folsom was thrown after an altercation with speeding mountain bikers, breaking her pelvis in three places along with five ribs, and dislocating another bone.

Horses can be trained to accept traffic, loud noises, crowds, loose dogs and wildlife but any animal, be it horse or human, is going to jump out of the way when a speeding vehicle is coming directly at them from the front or behind.

Already, many of our State Parks have become unsafe for hikers and equestrians, with Annadel, Wilder Ranch and China Camp simply being avoided by both. Illegal trail building and resource damage cost counties thousands of dollars also.

Boggs State Forest has mountain bikers training at a fast speed for sanctioned races on a constant basis.  Both Youtube and Strava are proof of all these activities.

This isn’t a case of a few bad apples, but a regular occurrence countrywide. Bicycles also need to be removed from public trails for it has become a venue for racing via Strava.

Drag racing, ski racing, stock cars, horse racing all have specific venues where they practice and race.   Why should the county allow racing when the public has a right to quiet, safe enjoyment of their public lands?  

Perhaps the county can find a separate location for mountain bikers to develop their own trails and practice their sport. There are also hundreds of miles of ORV trails in this county that are more suited.

Dave Lowrie lives in Kelseyville, Calif.