Close Call today..almost bit the bullet..gulp!!!

bluemonster1

bluemonster1

LIFE MEMBER ONLY ONCE!!!
Joined
Dec 30, 2005
Messages
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68
Location
Howden ,Manitoba,Canada
Well have had a lot of snow here today and it is fun but hard riding in the deep stuff.Was heading out along the Hwy in the ditch.The trail there is about 6-8 feet wide.It was hard to see with snow coming down,but all of a sudden there comes a doo.What the hell is his problem.He is not even trying to move over,really pissed me off.Hate them yellow doo's.He puts up his right hand,thought he was waving.But there was a lot of white dust behind him and I guess he was warning the doo behind him.At the speed we both were going,he stayed on the trail and I like a fool get off it into the deeper powder and tall grass.The second doo comes up on me..his friggin hand goes up,so I waved and continued.Now couldn't see to much ahead of me but decided to cut back in onto the trail because I was having a hard time in the deep stuff.Then from no where a third sled and I almost collide..I didn't expect him and it was close as I was getting back onto the trail.I'd say about 3 feet apart..I was stunned for a second and then all of a sudden a forth friggin sled and I were on a collision course,he was stunned to and cranked away from me.I thought to myself..this is BS. I guess if I would of stayed my course originally and made him move over..I would of smacked the second or third sled for sure.It was so close that I didn't even notice what kind of sled they were or the color.I just thought to myself..that was to close for comfort and this only 1.5 miles from my house.
I could see how people get injured or killed,even on a trail well used when it is snowing really good and the snow dust from the sleds make it impossible to see ahead.Next time..I still will stay on the trail,why should a Yami move over for a doo and I will take my chances.I think I really made the last sledder poop his pants ..lol.It was really close with that guy.
How the hell do you guys handle a situation that arises like this that pops up in a split second..man o man.
 
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first of all, learn the rules of the trail, especially the hand signals. by your own admission, you saw the hand come up, but apparently you did not see the finger count for the following sleds due to the snowy conditions. first thing to come to mind would be let off the throttle and proceed with caution. perhaps a group is coming? who was behind you? did you alert the oncoming traffic as to what they should expect? how did the riders behind you fare to the oncoming traffic due to your lack of judgement? be the better rider! be responsible! learn the signals! doesnt matter what brand your riding its about courtesy and respect. secondly, if you were riding alone, shame on you. in my book, thats just wrong. no one should ever venture out alone. we get well enough negative impact from our sport without people doing stupid things. riders on the trail with your attitude just piss me off. i dont care what color you ride: blue, red, yellow or green. its about knowledge, courtesy, and respect for all fellow riders.
 
I did not venture out very far from the house,I was driving at a slower speed.These guys where just flying and before you know it,it was to late.Sure the guys signaled back,but I am sure the guys behind them couldn't see a thing.I did pull off the trail because I didn't like what I saw and thought all was safe and started to cut back in.Couldn't see much because of the snow dust they created.It's a good thing the other guys were not following to close.I started to pull over out of the way since the first guy wasn't,he was just flying.This is the first time this has happened to me,so from now on I will pull over until I can see clear ahead again before making my move.This works as long as the other guys are following in a straight line,but if everyone was staggered..your guess is good as mine.
 
I ride locally here and always ride alone,no body close to me I know anyways to ride with.Besides I don't like riding in packs because of the very issue of eating someone's snow dust.I am the only Yamaha sled out this area ,the rest are doos and cats that I see. I have never had any problems except for today..so next time something like this arise's...I won't take it for granted that there is 1 or 2 sleds only until I can clearly see ahead.This was a waker upper for sure.
 
so by being the lone yamaha guy, sounds like you need all the help you can get from others. play nice. i have been riding gor over 30 years. unfortunately, i have seen alot. i treat every blind area with paranoia. especially with my loved ones following behind. beware of the unexpected. i have do to about a 6 mile ride from my yard to the top of the mountain, and i see every kind of a hole from top to bottom. sorry for the rant, but countless times i have either picked someone out of the snow, ditch or trees that had no clue there could possibly be other riders on the trail, let alone understand hand signals. oh, i thought that was a peace sign, now i know that means two following, or oh, thought you were just waving. learn and live!
 
Doug this is the second or third time now you've almost bit the bullet,carefull dude,your yammies need you. :mrgreen:
 
don't ya worry about me daman. If I so called "bite the bullet",I will leave you my sleds to you in my will.You can add on to your collection. This is the first time anything like this has ever happened in all my years of riding.Goes to show you that you can never be to carefull out there. Apparently there was an accident involving a sled on a small river not to far from me.I am trying to find out more and what happened.It was last night it occured.Someone got hurt badly.
 
THE SNOWMOBLIE ACCIDENT CLOSE TO ME was Fatal. So Sad

Snowmobiler killed
By ADAM WAZNY, Sun Media

Last Updated: 3rd January 2009, 12:45pm
A snowmobile accident claimed the life of an Oakville man Friday night.

RCMP say a 25-year-old man struck a low-lying tree while travelling on the La Salle River in the R.M. of Macdonald and was thrown from his machine.

He was taken to Grace Hospital in critical condition and later died from his injuries. His name has not been released.

RCMP believe alcohol was not a factor.
 
This is a nice river to ride in,but every year more and more trees are falling into the river due to erosion of the river banks.I was on that river a few days back.It is a narrow river with a lot of turns and icy patches on most corners.Trees are literally falling down into the river.The guy must have been going to fast and came upon the tree with no real warning or was unable to maneuver fast enough out of the way.Another thing about this river is that it has a lot of turns,and you cannot go to fast around corners in case another sled is coming from the other way.Being it was Nightfall..he didn't have a chance then.
This makes 2 snowmobile deaths already,the other Dec 13/08 .alcohol was involved this time.

Winnipeg man killed in snowmobile crash
Updated: Sat Dec. 13 2008 11:40:47

ctvwinnipeg.ca

Speed and alcohol are thought to be contributing factors in a fatal snowmobile crash near St. Eustache Friday night.


RCMP say a 46-year-old Winnipeg man was killed at about midnight when he lost control of his machine after hitting an approach to a field.


He and three other people were travelling northbound in a ditch.


The man's name is being withheld while next-of-kin are notified.


The investigation is continuing.


St. Eustache is about 55 km west of Winnipeg.
 
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Good to hear your still around to ride another day.
Hmmm hand signals
Last year on the tight twisties our group met up with another group going the other way so I pulled as far to the right as possible and gave the signal that there where 3 more sleds behind me and the idiot tried to "high five" me.There was trees on either side of the trail and our skis glanced off each other and that was it but it could have been worse so now I keep both hand on the controls just in case I meet another person like that.On the wide open trails I simply pull off the trail and leave lots of room for passing (as long as there is not three feet of powder and weeds off the trail).I hate getting stuck!
 
boondoctor.we got a pretty decent snowfall finally.I am happy.Had to snowblow the driveway twice today,and I have a long driveway.Hoefully the Red River will have accumulated a good base,just worried about soft or possibly open/slushy areas.Ice ridges still exist to,even with this snow I wouldn't want to hit them with my SRX at 100.
 
stein.I didn't want to go off the beaten path because my sled throws a lot of snow up and over the hood into my face shield when it is 2-3 feet of powder and I am not pinning it.So things happened fast,snow dust from the other sleds,me jumping into the powder and grass,plus snow flying up at me and my visor was getting fogged up.It's the damn USI ski's I put on years back,it lowers my front end on the 600 and I think the skid plate(bellypan protector) dips down towards the back where the control arms,a-arms or whatever you call them,and catches snow and push's it up and over.On my SRX,which is heavier..the Simmon's Ski's float way better and I do not have that problem.I have to get the front end up higher on the SXR in power riding.
 
Whether your sled throws up alot of snow or not on the side of the trail if your alone, and someone throws up hand signals you need to move over, or just stop and be patient. Every time I see sleds coming my way I always pull over and stop, regardless of how the side of the trail is. Head on collisions are way worse then snow in my face.
Also I don't see how the make of the sleds have anything to do with this. Unless of course they passed you from behind, which they didnt.

sorry dude, but it had to be said!
 
bluemonster1 said:
stein.I didn't want to go off the beaten path because my sled throws a lot of snow up and over the hood into my face shield when it is 2-3 feet of powder and I am not pinning it.QUOTE]
I hear ya Doug ;)!
Went for a five mile ride on the trail just outside of town with my neighbor and he gave up. He couldn't see and his airbox was full of snow (polaris) and I was covered with snow (even went down the back of my jacket) and completely soaked.I thot I was driving a snow plow or something.
Can hardly wait till the Viper is up and runnin again. It does not plow as much as the vmax does.
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don't worry I pulled over and hit the friggin powder and started to slow down even more.They were just pinning it good creating a whiteout completely. After the first 2 guys(Yellow sleds) which didn't even bother to slow it down or even move over like I did,there was no way in the world anyone could see a thing.The stupid bast**d was a jerk .The doos out this way think they control the trails and are rude.I have seen this time after time.They are pinning it and when we pass on good clear days..I will wave at the guys,but they never wave back....same goes for the cat guys out here,really unfriendly when we meet and I am on my SRX.Guess they think Yamaha's suck or something.
Last year I was riding the River system which is a wide river.I was on my 600 just running along and these 3 doo guys were racing and they passed me from behind within inches of me,scared the crap out of me and then all the friggin ice and snow pellets are flying against my windy and face shield.And passed me on a corner,and I was only a few feet from the river bank and the guy passes on my inside yet.Was I ever pissed.I would not and could not do that to someone,looking for disaster there.
 
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stein.Once this snow gets packed down and hardened,it is a totally different
ride.It was my luck today to come across 4 guys coming the other direction.I really thought he was going to pull over,but he didn't,so I made the move first and I was taking on snow bigtime.Plus the snow they tossed up made it dangerous.Next time I'll pull over right out of the way,as long as no one is coming off the trail from the other direction at the same time.It's a no win situation as I see it,luckily no one got hurt.Sure I can stop,and the sledder from the other direction could slam into me off the trail..how do I know.Tommorrow is another day,and I hope we all learn from this.
 
If you a riding in the ditch you are supposed to go in the direction of the vehicles on the road, who was going the wrong way? Hand signals are a must.
 
blkmax600 said:
If you a riding in the ditch you are supposed to go in the direction of the vehicles on the road, who was going the wrong way? Hand signals are a must.
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Some of the trails in the ditch are only on one side making it two-way traffic.

Hand signals are good in the wide open trails but I rather have my hands on the bars when the trail is only 10 feet wide in the bush passing oncoming snowmobilers.
 
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