Hand Signals........

V

Vmax540

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Sorry, for beating a dead horse but, after last weekend in which I was given the middle finger again.... by a group of Blair Morgans, I just had to vent....


No one here unless you have ESP can tell the on coming sleds how many groups or lone riders are behind your last sled.... What does does it mean to you when you just passed the last guy after being given the fist? Does this mean #1 Open er up, #2 Hey I can ride on the other side now, #3 The group I just passed knows there is no one behind them so, I can ride recklessly and not pay attention? ! ? Please, explain why using the fingers system is good and what this allows you to do verse passing riders that don't use the finger system ? If you are the leader a simple quick arm up will warn your group.
While riding at night you see a headlight coming or the front sleds brake light come on what do you do.....yep, slow down and pull to the far right. During the day the same only this time the following riders clearly see the front sleds hand and in seconds see the oncoming sleds them selves. Always ride Assuming there are sleds coming around the next turn or hill, what you cannot Assume is there will be no more coming ? I often ride on small trail systems of around 100 miles total and have ridden in these high traffic areas where I have passed at least 30+ groups/sleds in a single day so, just how silly is it to all be fingering each other so that, while riding 1/4 of your day is with one hand.......sorry, that is scary ! Plain and simple Keep to the Right and Both hands on the bar !
 

Sometimes giving hand signals can be a bear, but it is something neccessary in my opinion. the way it was explained to me was hold up on left hand the Number of riders in your group, with each rider following holding up one less so you are able to account for each rider in that group, the last one holds up a closed fist, indicating the last rider of that group. if there is more than 5 riders in the group, continue to hold up 5 fingers until you progress further. if you are a lone rider, you hold up a closed fist.

that is what i was told.
 
We all follow hand signals even playing around on the river. For the most part i see all other riders doing it also. I personally find it helpfull. I agree you should stick to your side of the trail but knowing how many are in the group comming at you is nice also.
 
mountain_man said:
Sometimes giving hand signals can be a bear, but it is something neccessary in my opinion. the way it was explained to me was hold up on left hand the Number of riders in your group, with each rider following holding up one less so you are able to account for each rider in that group, the last one holds up a closed fist, indicating the last rider of that group. if there is more than 5 riders in the group, continue to hold up 5 fingers until you progress further. if you are a lone rider, you hold up a closed fist.

that is what i was told.
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I respect your opinion but please explain "something neccessary" or answer my question "what this allows you to do" ?
 
super1c said:
We all follow hand signals even playing around on the river. For the most part i see all other riders doing it also. I personally find it helpfull. I agree you should stick to your side of the trail but knowing how many are in the group comming at you is nice also.
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Ok, what does this allow you to do or change they way you are riding ?
 
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Around here we have a lot of narrow trails up and down hills, if I see headlights I'll wait at the bottom or top and if the guy signals that someone is behind him I keep waiting, giving room for the guy behind him.

You always have to ride like there is someone right beyond the bend though...
 
unfortunately there is not one set ethod.

Bottom line is the first guy gets his hand up to let his group know about oncoming sleds, and the last guy has a closed fist are the 2 most important ones. If someone is behind you , not in your group, act like they are to let the oncoming sleds know more are behind.

And even more important than all this, is you need to stay to the right, and assume that sleds could be around the corner. If you know 100% there is nobody coming around the corner from the opposite direction then you can have a little fun, but when in doubt, assume there is.
 
Vmax540 said:
How, what does this allow you to do or change they way you are riding ?
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think its more to do with common courtesy, i always try to give on coming sled a hand signal, ;)!
 
dhoward said:
think its more to do with common courtesy, i always try to give on coming sled a hand signal, ;)!
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common courtesy = Safe riding at All times ?
give on coming sled a hand signal = If they can see your hand they'll certainly see your sled ?
 
Hand signals are not the ROOT CAUSE of the problem you are venting about, it is the brains between the ears of the jackass riders that is the root cause of the problem. No matter what system is used to tell other riders of those in your group the same dumb people are going to do the same dumb things. I wish I had the answer to cure these people of their root cause but I don't. I believe the current hand signals are useful and work well. But like all other areas of life, rules and laws work only with those people that abide by them.
 
This past weekend was a classic example..... I was leader of 3 and met a group of 5 at the break of a sharp hill on a slight turn after which was a long straight. They were going in excess of ~ 75mph the leader with a deer in the head lights look made an effort to steer to the right all the while flashing me some (?) fingers. The rest tried to give me fingers and the last gave me a single middle which in the 3 seconds his group took to pass by is pretty impressive that he thought that quick.... I was truly and honestly scared that one of them were going to over correct and take out one of my following group.
 
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it can allow you to really watch corners if the sled you just past was haulinga$$ and holds up 4 fingers, you then know that there is a very good chance someone else ridding like a snow xer could be coming around that corner on your side of the trail. If you don't like them don't use them, but don't knock those who do. It has saved me more than once from meeting some over aggressive person on my side of the trail. Maxdlx
 
Seriously though, the hand signals are a good idea. The oncoming sleds are telling you there are more in their group, both for your sake and theirs. It is nice to know that you will be encountering a sled in the next little bit. It prepares you, maybe you were thinking about hitting that one little whoop a bit quicker, or maybe the guy that gave you the signal knows his buddy is an idiot, and he's trying to warn you. Yes I understand people should all ride according to the rules, but if everyone was that smart we wouldn't have speed limits or lines on the road. I'd say appreciate the signals and offer the others the same courtesy.
 
Sideshowrob said:
Seriously though, the hand signals are a good idea. The oncoming sleds are telling you there are more in their group, both for your sake and theirs. It is nice to know that you will be encountering a sled in the next little bit. It prepares you, maybe you were thinking about hitting that one little whoop a bit quicker, or maybe the guy that gave you the signal knows his buddy is an idiot, and he's trying to warn you. Yes I understand people should all ride according to the rules, but if everyone was that smart we wouldn't have speed limits or lines on the road. I'd say appreciate the signals and offer the others the same courtesy.
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By the time you see his signal, have you not seen his sled... and assumed/prepared you for there is possibly more ? Seriously, I am Not trying to be a D.H. 3-4 years ago I had a group of what I believed to be 4 male riders followed by a female straggler(our eyes met) who was obviously trying her heart out to keep up and she flashed me the fist while Sliding thru a completely snow free icy turn in which I made an exit over the snow bank to avoid a certain crash. Some of the riders in my group congratulated me on my quick thinking (which it wasn't.... I simply am always looking for an escape route) others commented I should have stayed on the trail for if I hit a buried bolder or stump the damage would be all mine to fix.
 
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I'm really not sure what you're looking for here? I guess if you you don't like the signals then don't use them. There will always be someone doing something someone doesn't like, that is life. We're just trying to justify why someone might use a hand signal.
Stay right, watch for light.
 
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