Enjoy our public lands, but mind your manners

One of the perks of living in Utah is the spectacular outdoor playground.

Unfortunately, some of the people at the playground never learned those basic elementary school rules — play nice, take turns, share and clean up after yourself.

I run with my dog most days, and we run into dozens of people who believe the local trails are their private property. They let their dogs run loose and never clean up after them.

I have a colleague who rides a mountain bike on local trails and often encounters runners. While most are polite, some refuse to move off the trail to let a biker continue uphill.

"If I am cranking up a steep hill with my lungs bursting out of my chest, why can't a trail runner who is coming downhill simply step off for three seconds while I pass?" she asked me. "Most runners on the Dry Creek section are considerate. I am just curious what the few who won't step over are thinking."

They are thinking the same thing that driver who refuses to let you merge is thinking. "I have the right of way, and I'm going to use it to punish you."

While the outdoors are a getaway for most of us, the perfect hike, ride or run can be ruined by the rude and inconsiderate.

I went to the "listening session" hosted by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar Tuesday. He was in Salt Lake City as part of the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market and spent most of Tuesday gathering information for the president's initiative (American's Great Outdoors) to develop a conservation agenda for the next century.

The public was invited to ask questions and offer comments.

Here is a random sampling of the sentiments I heard:

"Off-road vehicles have thousands of miles of trails, so keep them off the ones I like."

"The only way some people can see the outdoors is on a motorized vehicle, so open more trails."

"Off-road vehicles are noisy, and I go to the mountains for peace and quiet. (But I want to drive my car to a campsite.)"

"Mountain bikers need more trails."

"Don't close trails without talking to the people who are using them first."

"Companies who drill for oil and gas need a more efficient process to secure leases."

"We need to pursue more renewable forms of energy."