Mountain Bikers Produce Unhappy Trails for Some : Recreation: Residents and hikers complain that the cyclists spook horses and flout traffic laws. Officials in a few peninsula cities are discussing ways to deal with the situation.

Marc Smoot is 37, but he feels like a kid again when he rushes down dirt trails on his mountain bike. He especially enjoys the sound of crickets and smell of flowers when he rides at night, guided by a bicycle lamp as powerful as a car headlight.

Smoot is among hundreds of cycling enthusiasts attracted to the Palos Verdes Peninsula’s hilly terrain and freedom of its open spaces.

While Smoot says he is always courteous to other trail users, a small number of bikers have failed to follow his lead.

On the road, cyclists traveling in packs as large as 80 sometimes hold up cars and flout traffic laws. And off the road, mountain bikers occasionally clash with hikers or spook horses and their riders.

In the past month, officials in two of four peninsula cities have discussed ways to keep mountain bikes off horse trails, and another city says complaints regarding mountain bikes are increasing.

“There are some (mountain bikers) that are considerate, and some that barrel over those hills,” says Palos Verdes Estates resident Georgeann Dorn, who sent a letter to City Hall complaining about reckless mountain bikers after her husband narrowly escaped being run over twice.

Palos Verdes Estates City Hall, which had never had any complaints about mountain bikes before, has received about half a dozen over the past few months, said Scotty Steiner, secretary to the City Council and the city manager.

In Rolling Hills Estates, the equestrian committee also received a complaint last month.

In nearby Rolling Hills, where mountain bikes are banned from horse trails, Councilman Godfrey Pernell said at a recent council meeting that he spotted bikers near the gated city’s trails, and City Manager Craig R. Nealis promised to notify Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies.

Deputies patrol three of four peninsula cities, and say they have not received any formal complaints, but if mountain biking became a major issue, they could deploy horse, motorcycle or mountain-bike patrols.

The mountain bike, known for its thick frame and wide tires, has grown in popularity over the past several years. But in Rolling Hills Estates, an ordinance banning all bicycles from the city’s 30 miles of horse trails dates to 1979, said City Manager Doug Prichard. Rolling Hills’ ordinance dates to 1990, said City Manager Nealis.

Violating the ordinances is a misdemeanor, punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. But, officials say the ordinances have rarely, if ever, been enforced.

The largest peninsula city, Rancho Palos Verdes, also contains the greatest number of off-road trails: about 100 miles. But officials say that less than 10% are on city property or are officially recognized. Officials add that they haven’t received complaints about mountain bikers disturbing other trail users.

In Palos Verdes Estates, police officials say the city’s fire trails winding through undeveloped areas are off-limits to hikers and bikers, but they rarely enforce the ordinance. Prichard attributes any recent rise in complaints to students on summer break.

Mountain bikes are banned from horse trails because a mountain bike whooshing down a dirt trail can easily spook a horse, causing the rider to be thrown or the biker to be kicked.

But a more serious peninsula problem, say some officials, is caused by street cyclists attracted to the peninsula’s hilly terrain.

Besides traveling in packs that may hold up traffic, the cyclists run stop signs and break speed limits, officials say.

Once, when a group of cyclists was hogging the road, said Palos Verdes Estates Police Sgt. Dan Dreiling, “we rounded them all up and cited them.”

Clarke McTaggart, son of Rancho Palos Verdes City Councilman John C. McTaggart, cycles through the peninsula with a group of other cyclists almost every Saturday. Clarke McTaggart has also been ticketed by Palos Verdes Estates police for running a stop sign. (He says he beat the $111 ticket in court because the officer who wrote the ticket was not the one who reportedly saw him run the sign.)

Clarke McTaggart says cyclists do not blow through traffic signs because they think they’re invincible or above the law, but because they are going slow enough to see it is safe.

“I’ve certainly gone through stop signs without stopping,” Clarke said, “but generally I’ll look and go.”

As for holding up traffic, Clarke McTaggart acknowledges that large groups of cyclists and cars may not mix well. But he said cyclists understand that and they try to watch out for cars. The Hermosa Beach resident could not remember anyone being hit by a car since he began combing the hills three years ago.

“If someone’s riding like an idiot,” Clarke added, “people tell him.”