Originally Posted by
Puddlefish
TLDR version: That 5% can be crazy and dangerous.
My alternative is to do what we're doing right now. Spread awareness pre-hike. In the internet age, that vast majority of the population has the ability to get information, on backpacking, on hiking, on camping. Chances are they'll stumble across the LNT concept and read about it once or twice. The more often they read about it, the more often they'll memorize it, the more often they'll consider "Hey, these ideas not only limit my actions, but they provide me some real benefit as well."
If someone chooses to act like the ass on the trail, chances are they somehow are clueless how the internet works, and about LNT principles, or that they've chosen that the rules don't apply to me, or I'm smarter than everyone else, or screw those treehuggers, or generally some combination of anti social, entitled, selfish, lazy, and self centered. The first group can be educated by a single person telling them about the LNT goals. The second group, aren't going to care what you have to say, mommy never told them no, and some group of preachy people ganging up on them might just make them throw a tantrum. People can get insanely protective of their ideas.
Forming a group, escalates the situation. Humans in groups are dangerous things. You might not know that person you invited into your vigilante education group. That person might have different ideas from just polite education. When someone smirks at him, that person might throw a punch. Suddenly, you're the one breaking up a fight.
Lead by example, speak one on one only if you feel it's safe to do so, control what you can control, move on down the trail and keep away from the people who are ruining your experience. Take a picture, report to authorities, warn other hikers of the situation.
I retired from a non-armed, field, federal law enforcement position. I'm trained in conflict resolution. I've dealt with many thousands of people on the wrong side of the law. The vast majority you can help out through empathy, education and access to helpful tools. There remains a smaller percent who know exactly what they're doing, and don't care about social niceties. An even smaller minority were flat out dangerous. I also spent a few years in a miserable apartment complex. Confronting most of these people would result in screaming matches, get your property damaged, or get you beat up.
Do what your going to do, just be aware of the consequences.