Tread Trainer Newsletter

Tread Trainer Newsletter Winter 2007-2008

What is a teachable moment?  It is serendipitous.  When you were a kid your mom probably caught you running with scissors and stopped you to explain how you could hurt yourself.  That is a teachable moment.  It is an instance when you see a behavior that is inappropriate and you take that opportunity to educate the perpetrator of the consequences of his or her actions.  Then you present possible measures that would alleviate or eliminate those consequences.  The idea is to get the message in their head, so the next time they may think twice before repeating the same behavior.

The next time you witness poor behavior on the trail, try to create a teachable moment.  They are a bit tricky to navigate, especially if you don’t know the person behind of the action.  But if you approach it with a positive attitude you just might make a positive change in the way people ride or recreate.

Let’s look at the situation of catching an ATV rider who is riding illegally cross country.

1.   Approach the person and break the ice.  Ask them how the day is going?  What their ride is like?  Find common ground.  Use probing questions such as “Do you like to fish, hunt?”  or “Do you ride here often?”

2.    Gage their attitude.  If you think the moment is right…strike.

3.    Don’t be accusatory.  Keep a positive attitude and don’t be defensive if their disposition changes.

4.    Using a question is a good start.  “Did you know it is illegal to ride off trail here?”  Another option is to provide a fact about the environmental or social impacts of off trail riding, such as water quality issues because of erosion or the increasing populations of invasive species.  If the threat of trail closures is an issue in that riding area, it won’t hurt to throw that information in the mix.

5.    Finally, if the conversation turns negative, move on.  It’s not worth it to put yourself in a bad situation.

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