This happend on our local trail system that my club grooms and maintains. I know this portion of the trail and it could have been totally avoided... Nothing like a reminder to play safe on the trails when something like this happens close to home. I know family members who were riding with when the accident happened, and I know people on the Taylors Falls Fire Department who responded and it was not a pretty scene. My thoughts are with the people involved and please.... keep your heads on straight on the trails and ride safe!
http://www.startribune.com/local/114450354.html
http://www.startribune.com/local/114450354.html
Sorry to hear, Thanks for the post. Totally aggree, stay to the right, ride within your means. Our thoughts are out to the family Al
i use a orange vest and have a flag on mine . there is a red light on the flag 
they say its easy to see thru the woods when you cant see the sled . it may look odd but being seen is the point . flag should be minatory. then we would have a better chance of seeing sleds coming
and the orange vest really slows them down
they say its easy to see thru the woods when you cant see the sled . it may look odd but being seen is the point . flag should be minatory. then we would have a better chance of seeing sleds coming
and the orange vest really slows them down
s fortuna said:i use a orange vest and have a flag on mine . there is a red light on the flag
they say its easy to see thru the woods when you cant see the sled . it may look odd but being seen is the point . flag should be minatory. then we would have a better chance of seeing sleds coming
and the orange vest really slows them down
I dunno about manditory flags but if it can be determined that the survovir was on the wrong side, charge him with manslaughter.
Sounds like both were approaching the same hill from opposite directions so I'm not sure a flag or orange vest would have done any good. Staying on the right side of the trail would have allowed both to go home.
I cringe with every blind hill I approach, hanging one or both skies off trail to the right taking my chances with hidden off trail obstructions rather then with 600+ lbs. of on coming crazyness.
No amount of driving like you're invisable can help with some goon on the wrong side of a blind hill. That is my biggest fear when riding. A freind of a riding buddy lost his HEAD (helmet and all) in this very senario. We rode with the kid two weeks prior.
WHY DO THEY USE FLAGS IN THE DUNES http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b12W6wDVMLs
OH SOME ONE COMING ???
IF EVERY BODY HAD THEM WE WOULD LOOK FOR THEM . HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON TITE TRAILS THAT ARE LIKE TUNNELS . THE FLAGS COULD SHOW UP WERE YOU CANT SEE SLEDS COMING ON MANY CORNERS
OH SOME ONE COMING ???
IF EVERY BODY HAD THEM WE WOULD LOOK FOR THEM . HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON TITE TRAILS THAT ARE LIKE TUNNELS . THE FLAGS COULD SHOW UP WERE YOU CANT SEE SLEDS COMING ON MANY CORNERS
s fortuna said:
Whoa there handsome, no need to yell.
Based on the limited info from the story, neither you or I can say a flag would have done any good. The story says the lone rider may have been on the wrong side of the trail. My guess is that the lone rider would have been more likely to be hauling the mail and taking chances than the guy out with a large group. Do we ban lone riders?
I'm not arguing for or against manditory flags although I typically side with fewer goverment intrusions. Looks to me like following simple rules of the trail would have prevented this so adding more regulations is going to do what? As Ron White says, you can't fix stupid.
I know I wouldn't rely on seeing a flag when entering a blind corner or hill but if they were manditory, perhaps a novice rider would.
Also, your sand dune reference leaves out the biggest reason for using flags there... at least the dunes I've been to (Silver lake, Mi.). It's a free for all with hilly areas without marked trails. Yet even with flags you can bet stupid incidences still occur. I won't call them accidents, because IMO they most likely aren't.
Can we discuss this without yelling?
Vmax540
VIP Member
snomofo said:
X2 I agree !
MY PUTER IS NORMALLY ON CAPS FOR MY INVOICING .NO YELLING HERE
but i really doubt that flags would hurt . its more that people would say IM NOT PUTTIN THAT ON MY SLED . life is not about THE IMAGE . . people that follow me say they can see the flag flying thew the woods , and its easy to follow . oh there's a corner up there . is it not like the harley black . oh i didn't see you . i use the neon green on my cycle . the comments are , i can see that for a mile . that's the point help me being seen , shur cant hurt .
but back to sleds , yes for the woods racers it may not help as there going sooo fast , all they can focus on is the trail right in front of them . but you never know if the got a glimpse of something they could have a better chance that there's someone coming . did the story say it was on a blind hill ?
but i really doubt that flags would hurt . its more that people would say IM NOT PUTTIN THAT ON MY SLED . life is not about THE IMAGE . . people that follow me say they can see the flag flying thew the woods , and its easy to follow . oh there's a corner up there . is it not like the harley black . oh i didn't see you . i use the neon green on my cycle . the comments are , i can see that for a mile .
that's the point help me being seen , shur cant hurt . but back to sleds , yes for the woods racers it may not help as there going sooo fast , all they can focus on is the trail right in front of them . but you never know if the got a glimpse of something they could have a better chance that there's someone coming . did the story say it was on a blind hill ?
s fortuna said:MY PUTER IS NORMALLY ON CAPS FOR MY INVOICING .NO YELLING HERE
but i really doubt that flags would hurt . its more that people would say IM NOT PUTTIN THAT ON MY SLED . life is not about THE IMAGE . . people that follow me say they can see the flag flying thew the woods , and its easy to follow . oh there's a corner up there . is it not like the harley black . oh i didn't see you . i use the neon green on my cycle . the comments are , i can see that for a mile .
but back to sleds , yes for the woods racers it may not help as there going sooo fast , all they can focus on is the trail right in front of them . but you never know if the got a glimpse of something they could have a better chance that there's someone coming . did the story say it was on a blind hill ?
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I think flags might do more harm than good and give sledders (like black HDs with loud pipes) a false sense of security.
Again, based on the limited info from the article, I don't think a flag on either sled would have mattered.
from the story...
The snowmobiles collided on the crest of a hill where the trail curves, said sheriff's Cpl. Shane Carroll.
"The belief is that they couldn't see each other for a period of time," Carroll said.
Whats kept me alive all these years both on the road, in the trail and on water is to ride like I can't be seen and expect the unexpected.
Whats kept me alive all these years both on the road, in the trail and on water is to ride like I can't be seen and expect the unexpected
me to i just make myself stand out , all you need is that ##$$% extra time that can make the diff
me to i just make myself stand out , all you need is that ##$$% extra time that can make the diff
