Was traveling easterly on the 142 trail between EX212 & EX341 about 11 AM this morning. Encountered two groups of sleds traveling way too fast and was almost hit by riders in both. The first group was lead by an adult with a youngster riding on his gas tank. He was going too fast approaching a 90 degree right hand curve and almost hit me. The kid (approximately 12 years old) following him was going too fast and tried to slow down, rolling his sled up on the left ski and I thought he was going to roll into me. We missed by less than a couple of feet. Then encountered a second group traveling too fast, mostly on the left side of the trail and the last two sleds would have gotten at a curve me if I hadn't locked up the brakes. Really wish those knuckle heads would ride slower, on their side of the trail and maybe closer to home. It would be so much safer for the rest of us.

Unfortunately, it's becoming all too common. I was just thinking today as I was out riding if there were others experiencing the same thing I do. It seems, especially on weekends, that I have a couple of near misses with these snow cowboys using the trail as a race track. Going too fast for the conditions and sight lines and carrying too much speed into the corners which forces them to drift out of their lane. Why is it so hard to slow down for the corners? Once you get to an open section go as fast as you want for all I care but treat every corner as though you have traffic coming toward you. Is that so hard to comprehend?

I think it's the "ME" mentality and don't even be concerned about anyone else.

the zipperheads won't learn until it's too late! it's a shame that we all can't enjoy a nice day out without fearing for our lives on every corner because "joe kool" want's to play snow pilot!
i think we should have new signs along the trails saying "RIDE RIGHT OR STAY HOME" !

maybe we need to start carrieing baseball bats and just take them right off there friggin sleds when we meet them? that might wake them the fuck up!!!!!!!

Well do like what Ive done when people run me off the trail.
Turn around and catch up to them and flag the person down, if they dont stop take there tail light out with the front bumper.
It gives the person the idea that your not happy with what they have done...

There is A LOT of dudes who own too big of a machine for their experience level.Others seem to lack the brainpower to even work a drive-thru at your local McDonalds!.I can tell you one thing,Mr.Wrongside of the trail Jonny would encounter a mini UFC fight match with me!

Quote: Strait to Hell: "Well do like what Ive done when people run me off the trail.
Turn around and catch up to them and flag the person down, if they dont stop take there tail light out with the front bumper.
It gives the person the idea that your not happy with what they have done..."




That's a frickin' brilliant idea!!! Sno-Rage - just the thing that will improve the situation.

Just remember to stay right all the time as you "chase them down" and ride in control as you "take out the tail light with the front bumper".

Were you dropped on your head when you were a child??

I am in full agreement as far as idiots thinking the trail system is there personal race track, but sled manufacturers hold some responsibility, 1000cc's or better, where and when in the hell do you get to use it. Unless of course you live in Alaska or Greenland. Maybe we should have more Rock racing amateurs so they can at least get it out of there system. But I can gaurentee one thing, the first good accident if you survive, .....will be your teacher. In the intrim, I pray the innocent aren't the ones who pay......FOR STUPID

My family and I went for a ride yesterday from Nash Stream, yes I know this is a VT sight but we ride in VT too, and I always lead so hopefully the hammer heads will hit me and not the kids or my girl friend. Well I had a couple of really close calls and from what the kids say not only did they come close to me but them as well. On the way back to the truck going through the stream on 5 one guy on a black mach Z came completely sideways before luckily being able to straighten it out before he went by me. The trail was freshly groomed, met the groomer going the other way, and he was going way to fuckin fast. It was dark time to boot. I like to ride hard and when I'm not with the family I like to clean out the carbon but I always make sure it is on a straight and I never approach a corner so I have to use the left side snowbank to make it around the corner!!! If the dude with the mach Z reads this, I have a green sabercat 600 EXT and was the lead sled out of a pack of 4, I'm sure you would remember the insident I am talking about SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!!!!!!!!!!

I wish he would've launched it in the woods when he got sideways then maybe that would teach him and the other fucking hammer heads out there that there are other people on the trail and some of them are kids.

This is a promise to all that choose to put myself and my family in danger. If you choose to ride out of control and either launch your sled in the woods or hit myself or one of my family members if you aren't hurt after the accident you will be and if you do get hurt I will finish you off!!!!

I am not a violent person at all but my heart is pounding out of my chest just thinking about it.

HAMMER HEADS, SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!!!!!!!!!

Oh by the way, the hammer heads are probably the first ones to bitch cause the trails are all beat up from them tearing them up!!!

It seems that it's the same story again and again. It won't end until the trails are shut down. Maybe then the manufacturers will realize the mistake they've made by supplying 100 mph sleds for trail use. They say it's supply and demand, but they're supplying machines that should be restricted to the race track.
There was a time when riding was a family event that was done on the weekend. Now families are being pushed off the trails for the sake of crazy speeds and out of control operators.
It's no wonder the sport has lost members in the past few years.
The rights of the average rider are being compromised for the sake of performance.
Every time a responsible rider calls it quits, the organization loses a piece of the stability that holds it together. It's not the trail idiot that does the trail work, attends meetings and helps with fundraisers. The idiot is too busy being a selfish moron.
The day is coming when government control will happen. The criers will be the idiots that didn't listen to common sense.
For those that don't think it'll happen need to ride in NY or NH. They have speed limits and don't like it.
It's only the beginning. Once government control begins, it doesn't stop. It's a way for them to tell us that we weren't smart enough to handle it ourselves.
As far as someone beating the snot out of a trailside dumbass, well......, no witnesses. My Dad would call it a trip to the woodshed. Some need to learn a lesson that leaves an impression. A broken pride beats a broken neck.
Thank for the concern. You're absolutely correct.

Well i almost got hit twice this weekend both times on blind corners in Groton . The first time on the 5 south trail maybe 8 mi in after the upper valley grill three sleds first two all over my side of the trail and I had to come to a complete stop I was alone and going no faster then 20 mph those two sleds were outta control . Now this morning get up nice and early so i'm down at the grill for gas at 7:45 ,and heading back to the upper parking lot on the 302 trail the only tracks are the ones i made on the way down and the ones i'm making now going about 15 mph looking for moose tracks and checking the woods real good when this ass comes flying round the corner at about 60 mps no shit obviously just left the butterfield lot thought he and his buds were the only ones on the trail well the next four riders all got the middle finger. i was so pissed i was gonna turn around and talk some sense into him , but i just would've lost it so i went back to camp and put my cover on the sled and called it a day at 8:05. AM . Hope the rest of the state gets some more snow it's danderous out there!

well i've said it before and i'll say it again, we (responsible riders) have no control over the other driver! putting limits on the sleds from the manufacturers isn't the answer, it's no different than autos, who needs to go from 0 to 60 in 3.8 sec.? no one! it's the nut behind the wheel.....and i don't think we need more law out on the trails or speedlimits either, if that happens i will give up the sport.
just stress to all that it is important to stay right! ride in control , ride responsibly.
i guess the more of us that do, the less chaos there will be on the trails.

RE: NASH STREAM (NH), the was a single snowmobile accident there about 1030 PM last night. Seems a sled found a few large large rocks. The operator was down and out as Groveton EMS was responding.

glad you made it out alive Topper! I've thought long and hard about steps that clubs, or better yet VAST, could take to alleviate the increasing problem of yahoos on the trails. Some of my suggestions and merely topics that could promote discussion, while my last suggestion is really in jest, but wouldn't it be nice?

1. increased the quantity of signs prior to turns/curves. Four signs telling someone a sharp curve is approaching better do the trick.
2. Somehow (I have no idea how) don't groom the corners so that a slower speed will be needed to navigate the turns/curves. Am I suggesting big speed bumps approaching a corner to help retard the speed? Yes, I guess so.
3. What about license plates that are short enough to only contain the tree letters and the number. When a yahoo passes you on the left going up a blind hill, you get the tag number and report him. If a person gets a few a certain number of infractions, heavy surcharges or removal of TMA is the next step. A system like this would force us all to become vigilant and tech the yahoos out there that EVERYONE is monitoring safety, not the random cop that you might see once per season.
4. it would be take a ton of work in the fall to do it, but make TWO DISTINCT groomer paths for those corners that are conducive to high speeds. Certainly this is not always possible due to the width of a Pisten Bully, but we could experiment.
5. Lastly install a few of these in random places
Click to view attachment

Don't berate me for an idea you find foolish and please don't tell me "have you ever done any fall trailwork idiot". These are suggestions for discussion, and yes, I do spend several weekends in the fall helping out my local club. Yup, I could do more, but so could everyone. I'm just trying to create a dialog to keep our sport intact. Too many yahoos are eventually going to ruin it for all of us.

1. increased the quantity of signs prior to turns/curves. Four signs telling someone a sharp curve is approaching better do the trick.

if a yupee passes 1 or 10 signs saying sharp curve ahead, he's still gonna grab on his handle bar strap and hang off the sled at 40mph with one ski on the air

2. Somehow (I have no idea how) don't groom the corners so that a slower speed will be needed to navigate the turns/curves. Am I suggesting big speed bumps approaching a corner to help retard the speed? Yes, I guess so.

the same yahoo will still try and get air off one of these bumps while landing and going into mentioned handle strap sideways

3. What about license plates that are short enough to only contain the tree letters and the number. When a yahoo passes you on the left going up a blind hill, you get the tag number and report him. If a person gets a few a certain number of infractions, heavy surcharges or removal of TMA is the next step. A system like this would force us all to become vigilant and tech the yahoos out there that EVERYONE is monitoring safety, not the random cop that you might see once per season.

what if you are going around an icy corner, and cant control your sled from veering 2-3 feet into the middle of the trail... and some asshat behind you reports your being an out of control rider...and you get an infraction for that... it has its pros, but im thinking way more cons.


4. it would be take a ton of work in the fall to do it, but make TWO DISTINCT groomer paths for those corners that are conducive to high speeds. Certainly this is not always possible due to the width of a Pisten Bully, but we could experiment.

in the fields sure, but some of those mountain trails are steep and barely passable for one sled....

5. Lastly install a few of these in random places
Click to view attachment

lol




just feel like babbling tanite, not really for or against any of the points you brought up. some of your questions all have pros, and equal cons. the bottom line is that any sport or activity that you like, has its piece of shit yahoo's, and enforcing it to the extreme only hurts the average joe's who follow the rules the best they can. i think someone mentioned in the other posts about leaving accident scene sleds in high traffic area's should give good visuals as to what happens when you want to fuckoff in blind corners, hills, fields etc. interested to hear other responses.

If we stopped grooming the corners, you'd lose most riders that enjoy smooth trails. My old bones can't take the bumps too well anymore. I 'd be willing to take a bump if it insured my safety.
Wide sweeping corners are a great idea, but most of the problems are on corners that can't be widened. As a groomer operator, I always try to swing as wide as possible, to bring the snow back to the inside and to widen the corner. It would be a hard sell to the landowners to cut down more trees to widen the trail. It's still worth asking. If a landowner is approached with a plan and the reasons for the request, it might work in some instances. It doesn't hurt to ask.
I like having 2 lanes where possible, but it would go along with widening the corners.
If the corners could be widened, how about snow fence between the lanes. It would be obvious when the idiot lost it. He'd be tangled in the fence.
The traffic spikes .... well....
As far as trail work, if you've done any, you'd be a welcome member at our meetings.
When it comes to punishment, by the courts, mandatory trail work and a stiff fine. When they start giving some sweat and blood to a local trail project, the attitude would change. I believe VAST needs to establish a set of conditions/steps that lead to revocation of the TMA for a period of time. Then, law enforcement could have more leverage and a killer would be pulled off the trails. I'm a firm supporter in certification of every operator, young and old. It could work just like a driver's license. You screw up, you lose the right to ride. That would take them off from any sled. Get caught, then, and wear the cuffs.
Sound tough? Good. I treasure my riding time and if tough makes for a safer ride, I'm all for it.

ONE solution that really sucks but it increases your 'safety' on the trails tenfold:

Don't go to Woodford on the weekends.

precisely why I'm going tomorrow and not today!