hand signals

[polarisrider1]

This is the perfect mentality to have when riding - even about the smallest thing like hand signals. :wank: It starts there, and then the lack of courtesy or giving a rip about anyone else on the trails flourishes into a full blown "stay the **** outta my way, cause I am riding here, dag nabbit!"

Do me a favor pol1 - stay in the backcountry until you learn to be considerate of the other riders around you. And remember:



So if you happen to get one of those... or actually a group of 8 of them this weekend - you'll know who it was.



You don't know how I ride, how I manage my group, how I instruct the last rider, what communications equipment we use in the group, or how I regroup at all stops and intersections and check for trailing groups or sleds to let them by... out of that horrific thing called courtesy that you seem to despise so much, so - don't tell me what I know and don't know, cause you couldn't be more wrong... k?



You do know you can follow the rules and extend courtesy in addition, right? Give it a whirl.



You are indeed wrong... again. You have to learn how to ignore slams and issues on any forum... and honestly - the s/n ratio here on JD is minimal compared to what I see on most other forums of most any topic. This site is a huge repository of useful information and helpful people, and it is working out awesome - at least for me, and the groups I bring to the UP to pop their sledding cherries. Lots of folks on here contribute to that, and I thank them all immensely - I would also like to thank them should I run into them on the trails by letting them know how many are in my party. D@mn courtesy - such a bitch, isn't it?



Care to qualify how they are "out of date" in today's world vs yesteryear? The handling and suspension of modern sleds makes occassional, brief, one-handed operation easy as pie.

Wow! Totally out of context and you toy with the quotes to your liking. Nice. Flipping people off is your courtesy? I was stating that It is way safer to hang on than to try and give a signal with little meaning to me. Since others are on the way down the trail in due time anyways. Also I have been trail riding since 1972 with an average of 4000 miles per yr. I have it figured out. Also I am a Life member in MSA and a former member of the former "Flat river snowmobile club". I ran a groomer for yrs. I think I have it figured out. My parents lease land to the West Michigan snowmobile trail system for the lasy 40 yrs. I have an idea how it works. I have locked skis with a person who was "**** bent" on hand signals and not controlling their sled, wrecked both sleds and both our weekends. People holding up fingers does not make me feel all warm inside. And it is not the correct way to signal. And.......I can't believe I lowered myself to your standards.

 

[frosty]

WOW!!!!
Now boys we need to play nice, we cannot and will not spoil it for the rest of us!

Remember its only 10% that ruin it for the other 90.

Now kiss and make up!!

NO HAND GESTURES EITHER!!!!

 

[polarisrider1]

WOW!!!!
Now boys we need to play nice, we cannot and will not spoil it for the rest of us!

Remember its only 10% that ruin it for the other 90.

Now kiss and make up!!

NO HAND GESTURES EITHER!!!!

LOL. Sorry, but I live and breath snowmobiling. (makes me sensitive). Actually taking the wife trail riding this weekend. She is over packing now. lol.

 

[frosty]

Why aren't you helping her!? My wife would be busting my ba**s right now! She would yelling at me, put down the da$ computer and help. LOL, have fun and enjoy your weekend. Keep track side down.

I was also wondering, do you use your thumb or index figure to show one behind? LOL

 

[polarisrider1]

Why aren't you helping her!? My wife would be busting my ba**s right now! She would yelling at me, put down the da$ computer and help. LOL, have fun and enjoy your weekend. Keep track side down.

I was also wondering, do you use your thumb or index figure to show one behind? LOL

You gotta give her lots of space when she is packing. I got all my Klim stuff in a Brand new Castle bag I won at the John Dee ride In auction. I am always packed to ride. Then throw in a couple pairs of whitey tighties in my front pocket and I am good to go! LOL

 

[srobak]

Wow! Totally out of context and you toy with the quotes to your liking.

Just quoting the portions I was responding to... and everything was perfectly in context.

Flipping people off is your courtesy?

If people don't seem to find a need or desire to extend courtesy to me - then they shouldn't expect any in return. Amazing how that works, eh?

I was stating that It is way safer to hang on than to try and give a signal with little meaning to me.

Ok... so I should STOP all oncoming sleds and ask them if my signaling means anything to them or not on the off chance that it might be you? Or should I just continue to think that since about 95% of the sledders I signal to also signal back that it would be a safe bet to continue doing so?

Since others are on the way down the trail in due time anyways.

That's rather overly presumptuous, and not at all always the case. I have sat on the side of a major trail for 2 hours on a Sunday morning before and didn't hear or see a single sled the entire time.

[...***** waving deleted...] I have locked skis with a person who was "**** bent" on hand signals and not controlling their sled, wrecked both sleds and both our weekends.

So one bad apple spoils the bunch? I'm sorry he couldn't control his sled while signaling, or that perhaps you couldn't with both hands - but by no means does that mean that signaling is a bad idea across the board.

People holding up fingers does not make me feel all warm inside.

Okayyy? And?

And it is not the correct way to signal.

Tell that to 95% of the other riders as they seem to agree that it is. Correct or not, it is courteous, and again - is something you might wanna give a whirl.

I can't believe I lowered myself to your standards.

That depends entirely on your perspective. Seems as though you have the same poor perspective on standards as you do to trail courtesy to your fellow riders. Nice.

 

[coldbear]

Whoa there snobuilder...

Mabye I shouldn't have used such technical terms to describe the right,left easy and hard sweeping turns that upset you so.lol Mabye your sweeper in your closet would be more familiar to you! LOL!!

 

[lenny]

I am 45 and have been riding since I was 18. My experience with hand signals is mixed. I don't think that hand signals are a bad idea but I have been very concerned about dummies coming up at high speeds, decelerating and darting around, in the center of the trail. I would rather see safety be of strong emphasis here. If people were not going so fast it would be a help but I see hand signals as a problem these days. I don't get or see hand signals in cars, boats, bikes etc,,,

I don't need to know or care how many people are in other groups. I often wave to other riders but I no longer signal because I would rather see a rider use his senses and ride accordingly than to mistaken a rider from a different group and throw off the signal, it happens all the time in heavier traffic. Signals are a nice gesture but not worth it in my opinion.

flip me off for not signaling? You gotta be a complete idiot to act that way. That's like a baby demanding his own way and than crying about not getting it.

If you can signal safety it could benefit some people who think they need them so they can get back on the gas and think they are safe, to each his own

flippin people off for not signaling,,,lol,,, now I've heard it all

 

[Canoepaddler]

I think it's both a courtesy and safety measure when it can be done safely, but there are certainly times when it's best to hang on to the handle bars with both hands.

When I lead, I view my signaling as a safety measure for the others in my group and will almost always signal. It warns the oncoming riders to stay on their side of the trail instead of cutting that next corner. Running lead, I view that as my job to my group. When I'm in back or alone, it's just a courtesy to the oncoming riders and there will be times when I refuse to signal.

If I'm alone and the oncoming rider is going too fast or looks out of control, I will not signal because I don't want him to signal. I just want him keeping both hands on the bars. If he's just going too fast and didn't slow at all to meet, I also don't signal because he doesn't need a green light. If he's not courteous in meeting, I'm not going to show courtesy in signaling. On a rare occasion when I need both hands to take evasive action to avoid an idiot on my side of the trail, he obviously won't get a signal. But, once he's by, his followers will get the 1 finger salute that they can all discuss at their next stop.

 

[markshop]

If it wasent for hand signals My sled would have been hit. I was first in my group came across on coming sled group. The first guy signals that there is 5 sleds behind him. But there is a 200ft gap between the first sled and the second. I was being extra carefull waiting for the other sleds. When they finally got there they were all over the trail trying to avoid me. I had to go out in the deep snow to avoid them. I was ready for them because of the hand signal from the first guy.

 

[whitedust]

This year leaders have been better overall hand signals & sled control. I have more trouble with mid pack & sweepers out of control. Sweeper is strong rider not weak link riding **** bent to leather to keep up. Put that guy in middle or create 2 groups that can keep their pace.

 

[local897]

I got a Hand Signal For some of them yahoo's!

 

[sammy]

i agree with zaskar habd motion for sleds behind. stops all the other 5 4 3 2 stuff

 

[Skylar]

And to think I got shredded when at the beginning of this thread I said, "Dang, we almost made it through the whole season."

The responses in this thread are EXACTLY why I said what I did in the beginning. After the initial question was anwsered, I should have locked this thread up.

Oh well.

 

[stealthv]

Care to qualify how they are "out of date" in today's world vs yesteryear? The handling and suspension of modern sleds makes occassional, brief, one-handed operation easy as pie.

When sleds topped out at 30 mph and there was no such thing as a groomed trail with nothing but a single track through the woods, signaling may have made sense.

With people doing 100 mph on the trail and running it like a race course, hand signals are dumb.

In the last 10 years, I've seen more sleds dart towards me when the driver takes their hand off the bar to signal than not.

There's always someone else coming around the next corner that you don't know about...


We all better start using handsignals when we commute to work to let other drivers know there are cars behind us. Not.

 

[stealthv]

If it wasent for hand signals My sled would have been hit. I was first in my group came across on coming sled group. The first guy signals that there is 5 sleds behind him. But there is a 200ft gap between the first sled and the second. I was being extra carefull waiting for the other sleds. When they finally got there they were all over the trail trying to avoid me. I had to go out in the deep snow to avoid them. I was ready for them because of the hand signal from the first guy.

That's how one should always ride - Like there's someone cutting the next corner @ WFO.

Hand signals aren't an OK to squeeze the throttle or relax sensitivity to the unknown.

 

[polarisrider1]

When sleds topped out at 30 mph and there was no such thing as a groomed trail with nothing but a single track through the woods, signaling may have made sense.

With people doing 100 mph on the trail and running it like a race course, hand signals are dumb.

In the last 10 years, I've seen more sleds dart towards me when the driver takes their hand off the bar to signal than not.

There's always someone else coming around the next corner that you don't know about...


We all better start using handsignals when we commute to work to let other drivers know there are cars behind us. Not.

Thank you! That is what I was trying to say in my post.

 

[famousguy]

And to think I got shredded when at the beginning of this thread I said, "Dang, we almost made it through the whole season."

The responses in this thread are EXACTLY why I said what I did in the beginning. After the initial question was anwsered, I should have locked this thread up.

Oh well.

Shredded?? Cmon Skylar.

I thought this was a discussion board. I guess I was wrong, because you think a thread should be locked up after the initial question is answered. No more discussion allowed.

Clearly if a thread is 4 pages long, then there are some people that want to discuss the issue.

 

[snobuilder]

I see there are 200 users online right now,....I bet JD and his sponsors like that!

 

[miaferominka]

wrong answer famousguy. the correct answer would have been to follow the instructions posted in the link above which accounts for people who wear mittens, no actual fingers are needed

Why wear mittens if you have no fingers?