Had 3 different sleds swerve into my lane while trying to signal yesterday. 2 were smaller riders and 1 was some Johnny sno-cross type. Trails in H/L area were busy. I don't see the benefit . Makes sense for the leader to sig. # of riders in the group but I don't need 4,3,2,1 closed fist countdowns. C/F does'nt mean much when ya got a group of sleds directly behind you.... Mike

i couldnt tell ya how many groups we past that DID NOT use hand signals. and a a few groups riding on the wrong side of the road,i thought you were suppose to ride with the traffic when riding on the side of main rodes. best snow of the year with the biggest idiots to go along with it. other than that GREAT weekend. besides finding out the dealer we got the girlfriends sled form this year, never put the washer that goes on the shock up by the bellypan, shock cam off and went right through the belly pan. both shocks did not have them on it. 600miles on the sled. never going to GRACE performance again.

I agree. If the leader of a group can signal the # of riders with him, thats all I need, because most of them can't ride with two hands, much less one.

You're right, you don't ride worth a damn..........

How 'bout this signal... Click to view attachment

If im the leader ill always signal, or if im on a nice smooth straight trail or something ill signal where i am in the line. but if its bumpy or turning back and forth its to easy to have a ski grab and go into the other lane, so i dont bother. what most people should do IMHO

It's definitely more important to keep control of the sled when the conditions permit.

As far as signaling, I'm all for having only the first and last riders in a group signal. Makes no sense doing a count down. Especially when you can see all the riders behind the leader.

For those that are experienced riding I believe hand signals are a good thing. If those don't feel as comfortable with control of the sled and trying to hand signal at the same time then don't.
As the sport grows, we need to understand that there are new riders, and that they may not have the same experience. This will alway's be an ongoing problem in this sport.

Think as a general consensus, give a hand signal if you feel you can control your machine on the right side of the trail. If you can't...DON'T. Always expect everything......... I was in the same area as you were "westshore" with my son and his friend. I explained the principle above to them. Gave my rev to my son and rode a friends Skidoo 600. That damn thing was the dart from hell machine. I was not about to give hand signals just so we might meet by accident.

Be safe everybody!!

/Users/kevin/Desktop/smilies/handjive.gif

Repost and this in not about hand signals really it is more about common sense and rider skills IMO

Well, even being the hand signal natzi that I am I'll bet there were more times that
not that I DIDN'T signal this weekend strictly because of the conditions. Trail 7 was
in it's typical form yesterday in Gaylord and even though I may have been helping
to tear it up a bit, I'd be damned if I was gonna signal while trying to ride through
that fuckin' minefield. Sorry, not happening.

What I REALLY like are the idiots I see getting up on the railroad tracks in that area
and riding them. WTF is wrong with you people that do that?!?!?

I use hand signals myself. I have been known to skip them on the tightest, roughest streach of trail if I wasn't leading. The number one safty issue on the trail is people on the wrong side. This is not generally due to hand signals. Usually, it is either the act of some hotdog squaring up a corner, or the result of it. The result is when some considerate rider hits the ice on the inside and plows out across the trail because the previously mentioned trail racer spun all of the snow out of tha corners. Safty advice....leave some snow on the trails for the next person. Track sliding and spinning ain't cool on the trails.

The idiots riding the rails near Gaylord will close that trail along the railroad. The State of Michigan and the railroad will not tolerate that. Under the right conditions, the snow packed by enough sleds can form an ice layer over the rails, resulting in a train derailment.

Be safe, and enjoy the snow while it lasts.

-Les

As far as signaling, I'm all for having only the first and last riders in a group signal. Makes no sense doing a count down. Especially when you can see all the riders behind the leader.
[/quote]


I agree, first and last. Plus the younger or more inexperienced riders are in the middle so they can keep their hands on the bars. Was a busy weekend for sure.

I agree.
My hsuband told me to stop signaling, since in the daytime, it should be obvious there is a sled coming, and of course at night you can't see the signals. He told me to slow down, keep both hands on and concentrate on stay far to the RIGHT. I ride with my little girl and have only one season of snowmobiling experience, so it makes since to me.

Besides, I ride so slow, there is always another group gaining on me, I would hate to give closed fist (indicating the end of my group) and someone slams into the leader of the next group behind me.

or when you stop for a smoke and the lady
says...sledders sure are nice....they always wave hi to me.........
LMAO........