POLARISDAN
New member
yup..sad to agree
A DEADLY weekend in Wisconsin!
- Thread starter groomerdriver
- Start date
What's wrong with having tuned triple pipesand no I'm not Ricky
X2!!!!! Loud pipes save lives
. I too sit on my rear all day at work. Standing on the sled because I ride old Yamaha which lacks in the suspension department.I did know him. He wasnt a Ricky Racer which is what this thread implies that the deadly crashes from last weekend were. Not looking for condolences either. But I am surprised at all the trouble people seem to be having on corners meeting other sleds. Cause I certainly don't. Its happened once. But I do believe that it is just as much my responsibility to make sure it does not happen on blind corners whether its Ricky coming around the corner or Grandma. I also groom and could care less if you spin your track or not, cause it will be groomed again regardless.
snobuilder
Well-known member
Well said. I am not perfect and i've been caught on the wrong side but have always been in control enough to get back over. I have had hundreds more that have had to swerve from my side back to theres. I can get over it.
groomerdriver
New member
Since I started the thread I'm compelled to respond to your post: it APPEARS that based on available information that in 3 of the 4 (actually 4 of the 5) deaths SPEED was a factor. MY problems last weekend (which caused my rant) were on straight stretches of 8' wide trails where I pulled over but the oncoming snowmobiler stayed "at speed"....i.e. way to effin' fast.
Ricky comes around a corner of an 8' wide trail, going too fast, with high banks of snow that they can't see around, and loses control and his/her sled that somehow lands in the chest of a 3 yr old on an oncoming sled........you want to dismiss this possibility (your gramma comment) and say "oh well it's your responsibility to be on the right side"? You gotta be kidding me!
IDGARA if you are a groomer driver if you really CARE about what happens on the trails EVERYWHERE, you wouldn't be so dismissive.
And you your comment about "spinning a track...it's gonna get groomed anyway"....did you read what I observed? a 10" trench 30' long? This is OK with you? You would be about the only 1 in 500 drivers I could poll.
The trails (anywhere in the USA) that we enjoy today were not created to be one's personal race track. Somebody somewhere has to stand up and say something....and something LOUD! I'm not afraid to shout it because I love this sport so much!
I just deleted another 3 paragraphs I wrote......why should I bother when people like "renegade" (club member, groomer driver) say it's OK. Sad....
EDIT - in the 70,000'ish miles I have ridden I am far from perfect as well. If I were starting from ZERO miles TODAY.....I highly doubt those 70k miles would be incident free.
You probably have some good points but your delivery through this forum is terrible so know one will ever listen to you. Until you learn to deliver the message in a positive, constructive way you are no more help to the sport then the "Ricky's". Regardless of the number of miles you groom.
Maybe you should tell us all how fast to go on the trails or when we pass you.....or better yet just take over the DNR and set the rules yourself. How old are you? Could it be a case these people passing you are in control? I had a guy this year wave at me to slow down and I swear I was just cruising along at 20 MPH as I knew we were coming up to a lake. He was in the middle of the trail and I was on the outside coming into a turn. I could tell he had his wife/two kids behind him so I just chalked it up to a overreaction on his part because he had the family behind him and he was suprised to see me on the curve. Heck, he probably called me a Ricky but I was nowhere close to out of control. Am I a Ricky because he was suprised to meet a sled in a curve? Should I have been doing 10MPH instead of 20?
I, like renegade, also rode lead all year on all the busy holiday weekends and didn't have one problem on the twisty trails. We've established that the sport is not getting younger because the price of sleds so who de we have to blame for all these incidents......the 50 y/o's???
POLARISDAN
New member
most of us try not to base ricky on age..although a higher percentage of the more reckless riders are younger that I encounter..remember we all were young once..less discretion generally..i think we try to base it on the high speeds in the curves and the no slow for straights on oncoming...I probably stick to 80-90 on straights except when oncoming is approaching, so im not a slow rider, and will burn turns when I can safely stay right..again not slow but not reckless..
so I don't know where we r going with this now..except 5 deaths in one weekend is just too many for one state..i guess people just have to realize that these machines kill, reckless riding puts others at risk, and god forbid its YOUR FAMILY MEMBER of friend that's killed..then maybe the understanding will come
so I don't know where we r going with this now..except 5 deaths in one weekend is just too many for one state..i guess people just have to realize that these machines kill, reckless riding puts others at risk, and god forbid its YOUR FAMILY MEMBER of friend that's killed..then maybe the understanding will come
F
fusion
Guest
Dude....way too harsh! The man devotes his time to the sport and his opinions are not out of order, so probably best for you to have some respect for other peoples opinions and not be so sensitive to a bit of criticism. Unless of course he hit close to home, then I guess you'd be offended. Never hurts to have a voice of "reason" once in awhile.
True. I don't think the "Ricky" moniker is so much an age thing as a mentality thing. There are "Rickys" of all ages. I think the issue is twofold: there are too many people have little, if any regard for the other guy (as in many other facets of life), and there is also the mentality that "bad things can't/won't/don't happen to me, they always happen to somebody else" (I saw this quite frequently in my FD days). Either one is bad enough on its own but when one person's actions are dominated by both, it's an especially dangerous mix.
Having no knowledge of any of the incidents mentioned previously, I'm not saying this applies to any of them. Just a general observation.
Again, people respect those who respect others. Mr groomer driver told Renagade, another groomer driver, that he doesn't give a rats A$$ about his opinion and that he doesn't care about the trails. That's great hat he devotes hims time to grooming but it doesn't mean the rest of our opinions don't count. He can shout all he wants and be dismissed by the majority.
groomerdriver
New member
It was a severely piped long track Doo with a paddle track......and like my post stated, the skis were off the ground at a solid 30 degree angle the entire time. Snow was very soft.
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groomerdriver
New member
1. I don't respect you and if the feeling's mutual I'm good with that.
2. I didn't say that IDGARA about his OPINION.
3. Everybody's opinions DO count.
4. Dismissed by the majority? OK....if the internet and it's keyboard heroes say it's true then it must be.
I admit the use of the word Ricky is wrong. It can be a 15 year old or it can be a 55 yr. old. Two sleds passing each other on an 8' wide trail and one is doing 40 mph. IDGARA if the sled going 40 IS in control, it is not safe....on an 8' wide trail.
I'll try to do a little math here, but admittedly it's not my strong point. Using my sleds' advertised ski stance of 42" (and I know they're all different but probably not significantly), if I were to put them side-by-side that would be 84" -- exactly 7 feet. That leaves a margin of error of 1 foot. If the ski stance is measured at the spindles and not the outside edges of the skis (and I admit I don't know where they take the measurement) then it's even less than that. I can't speak for everybody, but I can say I personally would prefer to not be that close to a passing sled at 40 mph. Maybe I'm just a geezer but I think groomerdriver makes a valid point with this example.
ridindirty800
Active member
Seems like every thread on here turns into Ricky racer. Fact is right or wrong people are going to ride the way they want right or wrong. If you don't like go to northern mn or Canada where you pass 10 sleds a day. I lead a lot in my group and this year only had 2 close encounters but like many said was able to get back on my side before any problems. This sport comes with a great risk and all we can do is enjoy the time we have out there. When the comes I am worried about who's coming at me around every corner I won't ride as it would not be fun. My motto is life is to short to think about what could happen and I will enjoy every moment on the trails and even if it comes with a few close calls. And for those who think the trails are to dangerous try riding early to mid week and you won't have that problem. The weekend warriors a lot of times come Friday and they rack up as many miles before they go home Sunday. So yeah it can get a little crazy out there. Just my 2cents
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snobuilder
Well-known member
No trails are only 8'... 10' minimum. Any groomer driver knows this. Our drag is 20 years old and is 10' wide. The new drags are up to 14' with articulating wings.
New sleds are indeed 4' wide out to out of skis.
Most ppl I encounter ,even on wide grades will back off when passing.
The only time I ever saw someone get roosted is when the slower guy....on a straight grade was going 35 mph and would not yeild to faster traffic and in fact was blocking like some sorta trailcop....I LOL'ed as I watched it unfold.
Our group passed the clogger at the next stop even though he tried to not let us by there....too bad for him.
New sleds are indeed 4' wide out to out of skis.
Most ppl I encounter ,even on wide grades will back off when passing.
The only time I ever saw someone get roosted is when the slower guy....on a straight grade was going 35 mph and would not yeild to faster traffic and in fact was blocking like some sorta trailcop....I LOL'ed as I watched it unfold.
Our group passed the clogger at the next stop even though he tried to not let us by there....too bad for him.
groomerdriver
New member
Guys and gals......I'm passionate and I care....maybe too much.....about the sport. Last Saturday was the first time ever where I came home and said to myself "that really wasn't fun". My son is home on leave from the USAF and I want to enjoy every second we have together.
IMO - the trails are slowing being taken over my riders who either don't know, don't care, don't understand, don't (insert yours here) about other sledders on the trail. It's their trail and they will do whatever they want.
I guess I just have to avoid areas where many of the trails are narrower (i.e. 8' wide like Sawyer Cty., WI) and hope and pray that I'm not in the hospital after taking the next blind corner.
It's March 15th and we're still riding!!! Let's go!!!
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I guess it is just me seeing things when I measure both of our drags and they are 96" wide? LOL!!
IMO - the trails are slowing being taken over my riders who either don't know, don't care, don't understand, don't (insert yours here) about other sledders on the trail. It's their trail and they will do whatever they want.
I guess I just have to avoid areas where many of the trails are narrower (i.e. 8' wide like Sawyer Cty., WI) and hope and pray that I'm not in the hospital after taking the next blind corner.
It's March 15th and we're still riding!!! Let's go!!!
- - - Updated - - -
I guess it is just me seeing things when I measure both of our drags and they are 96" wide? LOL!!
G
G
Guest
When it comes right down to it there really is nothing 'safe' about the sport. To begin with you are out in an environment in which you could easily die if stranded. You are piloting a vehicle over ice and snow which is inherently slippery. There are no laws that mandate good carbides on your skis to increase control. You can get a ticket if you drive your car or truck with bald tires. It is relatively easy to get a snowmobile driving permit. Heck, if you are old enough you don't need one at all. Which means that virtually anybody can ride a snowmobile. This can be both good and bad. Just about anybody can enjoy the sport. The flip side is that just about anybody can enjoy the sport. The same folks that are bad drivers on the roads ride sleds also. You have to drive your snowmobile defensively all the time. Assume that somebody will do something stupid. That is how I drive my cars and that is how I drive my sleds. I have never had an accident with another vehicle on either sled or 4 wheeled vehicle. I might this afternoon but so far so good. As far as sleds ripping up the trails I have learned to live with it. But if I were a groomer operator it would probably get me a little fired up. This is only natural I think. Operator error comes in many forms. Certainly excessive speed and booze are contributing factors to many crashes. But so are inherent stupidity, general incompetence and just plain physical inability. Extremely uncoordinated folks can ride a sled legally. The trails can be a dangerous place. People die on sleds. That is how this thread started. The friends and families have my deepest sympathy. Some recreational activities come with risks and always will. Ours is one of them. Ride safe. I will shut up now.
snobuilder
Well-known member
I don't doubt for a minute that you have a 8' drag, but I have to assume your cleared trail is at least 12' between obsticles and that you groom both out and back with a small drag....otherwise your trails are too small AND VERY dangerous, which i highly doubt is true....LOL