I was wondering what the people on here think of hand signals. Personally, I'll 'throw a sign' if the trail conditions permit, but for the most part, I don't worry about it.
It _really_ bugs me when I see people coming towards me going fast around a blind corner in the whoops and then they let go of the bars with one hand just to flash me a '3' or something. Keep your hands on the bars and steer your sled!
The other thing that bugs me about hand signals, is that when some people see a 'zero' they think that it means theres no one else on the trail an it's OK to run WOT and pick the inside line, even if the inside is the left side...

I'm not against hand signals, I just think that people are too worried about always giving a signal even if it makes them look like they're riding a bull in the rodeo... I also think they give people a false sense of security.

It's really funny when you get a group of slow people who are so oblivious to their surroundings that the last guy in the group gives you a 'zero' even though there's a pack of guys 6 inches from his bumper waiting to go by...

If I'm running clean-up spot and I know there's another group behind us, I flash a '5' (if conditions permit...) Sometimes if I'm the last guy and I see oncoming sleds that are 'out of control' (If _I_ think you're out of control you probably are because the way I ride I get an occasional dirty look from people...) I flash them a 3 or something to try to trick them in to getting their act together...

Agreed. ride first, signal later. I think it's kinda fun though. If you are in doubt about how many sleds are in back of you, don't signal, or a lot of times just point to the rear with your thumb. That should pass along the idea....

Don't make a big deal out of it. It's no more than a wave, saying hello to another rider out enjoying themselves.

The one I'de like to see more often, when possible, is in a passing situation.
As you are passing somebody, try and get your hand out there indicating how many more are in your group that will be passing also. This especially if you are the first one passing, will often have the slower group slowing/pulling over to let your buddies by....

Obviously the first priority is to maintain control of your sled. But the majority of the time it is possible to signal while maintaining control of your sled!
People who don't signal drive me nuts!!!! :bash: I realize the OFSC wants you to go down a trail flapping your arms like a bird to convey a miriad of info to others. I think that is over kill & yes, dangerous for some. But you should atleast tell others, "Sleds following, & Last sled". Common sense would be for the last guy to keep an eye out for other groups that may have caught up to you & signal accordingly.

Personally, I believe you should always be in enough control of your sled to be able to signal. Other than maybe on a sharp turn or in unexpected conditions.

That being said, I think it damn ignorant not to have the courtsy to signal. Its not like its hard.

And yes, you need to assume there are always others coming, but its nice to know if there is more to the group that you just met or not.

FishHog

I use signals as much as I can. I never go alone unless it's on a lake and there's no need for signals while riding around on a lake. When I go trail riding I usually go with one other person, maybe two. I'm always last in line so I just hold up my fist each time we ride by someone.

I'm agreed on this too... Ride first, signal later. I don't think I'd like seeing an oncomer about to bounce off his sled coming at me holding up a peace sign. :D

If you make up your own signals, you can really keep them guessing......only kidding. I use signals. A lot of our trails are too narrow and twisty and others need to know what else might be coming at them.

USE THE HAND SIGNALS!!!!!!!

I as well as the group I ride with are very good about the hand signals. We always make sure that if we have a new guy with us that he knows the signals as well. Like others have said, it is not hard to do! If your riding to fast to signal, SLOW DOWN!

What really drives me crazy is the people you signal and they just wave "Hi"! :bash: :bash: :bash:

Control of the sled is most important but if you can't signal on the trail because of a control problem you must being going to fast for the trail. I like to know how many sleds I'm coming upon. I understand its not aways easy to signal because of tight trails but if you can try to do it. I rather be safe then sorry then have to call 911.

Due to the conditions of a tight /twisty trail - it just makes sense to signal if you have the chance. I ride alone alot of the time and appreciate it when a group leader lets me know how many riders there are comming up, and I let them know I am the only sled.
Just ride defensively - a person should always assume that there could be a sled approaching around the next corner and always keep to the right when comming up to a turn - but sadly there is alot of people that dont do this :cussing: .

I remember the first time I rode and no one explained the hand signals to me so I was thought everyone going past us was waving so I held up 5 fingers because I was waving back lol. They must have thought the rest of our group crashed somewhere lol. Then after a few hours I figured it out.

I agree with most of the above, but one more thing.
If you ride in a group and the people behind you ride relativly slow compared to you, (so they are a mile back) Don't signal that they are behind you. There is nothing worse than coming up on a signal that there are 2 more people, and for 2 miles your just waiting and waiting for people to be coming. I understand, better safe than sorry, but this is rediculous.

Originally posted by rfmckee@Sep 22 2004, 12:37 PM
I agree with most of the above, but one more thing.
If you ride in a group and the people behind you ride relativly slow compared to you, (so they are a mile back) Don't signal that they are behind you. There is nothing worse than coming up on a signal that there are 2 more people, and for 2 miles your just waiting and waiting for people to be coming. I understand, better safe than sorry, but this is rediculous.
347000


Heh, maybe you were one of those people who I thought was riding too fast so I gave you a false signal to make you slow down. Just kidding... what you mentioned bugs me too. This is why over the years I've sort of lost respect for hand signals. I'm not saying I won't give signals, I try to if conditions permit.. I'm just saying that I don't believe the signals other people give me. More times than not the signals I get don't match up with what my eyes are seeing. I've seen whole groups that add 1 or 2 to their count just to slow people down.

I disagree with the replies on here which say 'you should always be going slow enough to singal...' If that were the case, why do they even put brakes on sleds? we should all be going slow enough to coast to a stop without using our brakes, because we might have to singal at any time... My signal hand is my brake hand, so if I'm coming around a blind corner and I see oncoming sleds, I get to choose whether to signal or grab the brake, and I usually choose to grab the brake...

I also don't think it makes sense for people to be mad if someone doesn't signal.
If you see me coming around the corner and I don't signal, instead of flipping me the bird you should be happy that I am railing on the breaks and hugging my side of the trail instead of risking fading over into your line while I try to bounce through the whoops and around the corner one handed...

Once again, I'm all for singals if conditions permit, but _especially_ in the tight an twisty trails I'd much rather see the oncoming rider grabbing the brake than giving hand signals... By the time the 1st oncoming sled hits his brakes, hopefully the rest of the pack will slow down and then maybe the last oncoming sled will be able to give me the 'all clear', but if no one in a group signals, I'm not going to lose sleep over it, I'm just going to assume they were trying to control their machines and stay on their side of the trail...

Yes to signals and dim headlights.

I use hand signals all the time. About the only time I may not use them is if the trail is particulary rough and slow going.

I always signal provided it is safe to do so. I find most riders we see are using signals. Often the ones not signalling are the ones out of control, locked up sideways trying to avoid hitting you on your side.

Keep right, be aware of the sleds infront as well as behind, ride according to the conditions, signal and use your head.

When a fella is coming at me on my side out of control I signal my thoughts with a universally accepted gesture.

I always use signals but drives me absolutely nuts when other people don't show the same courtesy.

Originally posted by 2002mxzx@Sep 22 2004, 03:12 PM
I always use signals but drives me absolutely nuts when other people don't show the same courtesy.
347040

I use hand signals and so do the others I ride with.Agreed that when safe use them but don't endanger yourself or others doing it while on a blind curve,snow dust conditions, etc.It seems that last year many riders make up there own hand signal which at times is a little confusing. Funny one was last year on our trip a rider came flying down a steep hill on a 90degree corner and as he almost wiped all of us out, he gave a signal--still don't know what it was but he defintely was out of control and seeing a black Rev coming at ya with a guy waving while trying to avoid a collision was something to see! Maybe he thought he was bullriding with his hand in the air!!!!

My riding group always try to signal. In my opinion is if you are riding so fast that you can't control your sled when you sidnal then you need to slow your @#$ down. There is a place and a time for speed and it is not out on the trails where there are hundreds of other riders that you are endangering every time you blast around a corner at 80 mph. Hope this doesn't ruffle anyones feathers!

I just thought of another type of signals which are used within your own group.

We kind of customized our own set for communicating to in our group. We use arm down on a 45, hand flat making a downwards patting motion to signal caution ahead, slow up, the faster the patting motion the more urgent the caution and right arm, up, back of hand facing towards the sleds following to signal stop ahead. The piping on our gloves and sleeves make these good at night also.

Circling above our heads means let er rip or wind er up, moving arm forward and pointing means go ahead and thumbs up at each other is used as an acknowledgement everything is good to go. No problems. For example at a stop the leader may put a thumbs up and look in the rear for the others to acknowledge so we can proceed. Lack of acknowledgement and we wait for the signal. Sometimes it gives someone a second to make an adjustment without getting left behind.

We also use a slash across the neck which means shut er down due to problems or an extended delay.

It's funny how without radios you can convey so much information especially if you ride often with the same person or people. It almost becomes second nature.

Hey I got nothing against riding hard, but if you have to slam on your brakes and swerve back the right side, requiring the use of both hands to avoid oncoming sleds, you're going too fast for that trail. Obviously you can't signal 100% of the time, but it's not hard to do, and it really does make trails safer. Nothing irks me more than guys who just blow by you that have the ability to signal, yet don't.

I use hand signals. Have not ever found myself in a spot when I wasn't able to signal due to speed or anything.

I think it's just common courtesy.

I remember my first trail ride, I was wondering why everyone we passed was waving. :dazed: Did figure it out by the end of the day at least.

Originally posted by BCthetwo@Sep 22 2004, 01:47 PM
Yes to signals and dim headlights.
347026


People who don't dim their headlights really ticks me off as well, Do these people not realize that these lights are no different than the truck they towed their sleds with. There is nothing worse than having to slow down and squint as you hope your skis don't catch the retards going the opposite direction. :cussing:

Hand signals are cool, always use them except at night.Thanks Scott S for the hand signals I really like the thumps up one.

Originally posted by JasonF@Sep 22 2004, 06:30 PM
People who don't dim their headlights really ticks me off as well, Do these people not realize that these lights are no different than the truck they towed their sleds with.* There is nothing worse than having to slow down and squint as you hope your skis don't catch the retards going the opposite direction. :cussing:
347113


The bright headlights in the eyes really bothers me also. Especially the different color high candle power :wink: .

Ian

Originally posted by Scott S@Sep 22 2004, 03:10 PM
I always signal provided it is safe to do so. I find most riders we see are using signals. Often the ones not signalling are the ones out of control, locked up sideways trying to avoid hitting you on your side.

Keep right, be aware of the sleds infront as well as behind, ride according to the conditions, signal and use your head.

When a fella is coming at me on my side out of control I signal my thoughts with a universally accepted gesture.
347038

:withstupid:

If the conditions allow, I'll signal (when I know I'm the last sled) last sled (the slashing motion) & the thumb to rear for more sleds following.

Hand signals?
Dont see the need for it.
Say on your own damn side, problem solved.

I signal when others are following.This let's oncoming traffic know someone is behind and lets people behind me know of oncoming traffic.

Originally posted by polaris man1@Sep 22 2004, 09:21 PM
lets people behind me know of oncoming traffic.
347170


that's my key reason for the signal when i lead, i feel you are responsible for your group when you lead.

I agree somewhat, but if you use a mirror, you can see there are people behind you, just use common sense and signal more sleds a com'n. I never liked the mirror mounted to the sled, I have found the hand mirror works great for me.
I signal all the time, and like it when other are courtiuos and do it also.
Just my 2 cents. :bash:

This is out of my New Hampshire "Snowmobile Safety and You" book from the OHRV safety course I took. Sorry about the size.
http://www.geocities.com/mysnowmobile/Hand.jpg

Originally posted by BCthetwo@Sep 22 2004, 01:47 PM
Yes to signals and dim headlights.
347026

yep thats me

wow..thats a big picture.

i agree with everyone else, just common courtesy. first time i saw everyone doing the hand motions, i waved back, then i caught on....did not know about headlights, but i get the idea, and i will do it this season, or try to.

hand signals,hand signals,hand signals,hand signals. be safe. use them. learn them . live them.


Be safe out there.

Its all common sense. Just like the guy said earlier, nobody explained it and he figured it out. Also the same common sense says that just because the last guy in the group signals no more, that doesn't give a license to ride on the wrong side. Common sense ,common courtesy, And dim those lights.

To all that give me a hand signal I say Thank You, and I appreciate you thinking of my well being.

Personally, I save my hard riding for after dark. You can ride so much harder and safer in the dark than during the day. Night time, is the right time. And my favorite time.