RIDING THE VEHICLE
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Road Crossing
In some cases, you will be approach-
ing t he road from a ditch or snowbank.
Choose a place where you know you
can clim b witho ut difficulty. Use the
standing position and proceed w ith
only as much speed needed to crest
the bank. Stop completely at the top
of the bank a nd wait for all traffic to
clear. Judgethedroptotheroadway.
Cross the road at a 90° angle. If you en-
counter another snowbank on the op-
posite side, position your feet near the
rear of the vehicle. Remember, your
snowmobile is not designed to oper-
ate on bare pavement and steering on
this type of surface is more difficult.
Railroad Crossing
Never ride on railroad tracks . I t is il-
legal. Railroad tracks and railroad
rights-of-way are private property. A
snowmobile is no match fo r a train.
Before crossing a railroad track, stop,
look and listen.
Night Rides
The amount of natural and artificial
light at a given time can effect your
ability to see o r to be seen . Nighttime
snow mobiling is delightful. It can be
a un iqu e experience if yo u acknowl-
edge your red uc ed visibility. Before
you start, make certain your lights
are clean and work properly. Drive
at speeds that will allow you to stop
in time when you s ee a n un known or
dangerous object ahead. Stay on es-
tablished trails and never operate in
unfamiliar ter ritory. Avoid rivers and
lakes. Guy wires, barbed wire fences,
cabled road entrances and other ob-
jects such as tree limbs are difficult
to see at night. Never drive alone. Al-
ways carry a flashlight. K eep aw ay
from residential areas and respect the
right of others to sleep.
Riding in a G roup
Before starting out, designate a “trail
boss” toleadthe party and another per-
son to follow-up at the end of the party.
Ensure that all membe rs of th e party
are aware of the proposed route and
destination. Make certain that you are
carrying all necessary tools and equip-
ment and that you have sufficient fuel
to complete the trip. Never overtake
the trail boss or, for that matter, any
other snowmobile. U se down-the-line
hand signals to indicate h azards or in-
tent of direction change. Assist others
whenever necessary.
ItisalwaysIMPORTANTtokeepa
safe distance between each snowmo-
bile. Alwa ys maintain a safe interval
and allow sufficient stopping distance.
Don't be a tailgater. Know the position
of th e mac hine ah ead.
Signals
Ifyouintendtostop,raiseeitherhand
straight above your head. A left turn is
indicated by extending your left hand
straight out in the proper direction. For
right turns, extend the left arm and
raise the hand to a vertical positio
nsoit
forms a right angle at the elbow. Every
snowmobiler should relay any signal to
the o ne s behind.
Trail Stops
Whenever possible, pull off the trail
when you stop. This w ill reduce the
hazard to other snowmobilers
using
the trail.
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SAFETY INF
ORMATION
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