Right of way?

[RCMP DAD]

I was out in the Bergen area a couple of weeks ago with some riding companions. We reached the crest of a hill and down below were two other riders wanting to come up the hill. There was very little room on the trail for anybody to actually turn around, but just enough to pass if sleds were to SQUEEZE to the side. I know if you were to stop at the base of a hill and then try to get going again with skinny/icy conditions, you may run into a problem. What is trail etiquette in this manner.

 

[Lund]

I was out in the Bergen area a couple of weeks ago with some riding companions. We reached the crest of a hill and down below were two other riders wanting to come up the hill. There was very little room on the trail for anybody to actually turn around, but just enough to pass if sleds were to SQUEEZE to the side. I know if you were to stop at the base of a hill and then try to get going again with skinny/icy conditions, you may run into a problem. What is trail etiquette in this manner.

Rider's going down, alway's have the right of way.
Rider's at bottom have to wait.
The problem can be communicating this to the rider's at the bottom can be a problem, especially if they them self don't know the etiquette.

 

[RCMP DAD]

Rider's going down, alway's have the right of way.
Rider's at bottom have to wait.
The problem can be communicating this to the rider's at the bottom can be a problem, especially if they them self don't know the etiquette.

Thanks lund. We were waved down by the other riders and did inform them of the number of sleds in our group so they were aware. I appreciate your reply. None of the riders in our group were actually sure of the right of way.

 

[Lund]

Thanks lund. We were waved down by the other riders and did inform them of the number of sleds in our group so they were aware. I appreciate your reply. None of the riders in our group were actually sure of the right of way.

In these situation's you can't take it for granted that the other rider's at the bottom know this. Especially if you get in to the mountain scene, as some trail's are very steep and a sled can become very difficult to control or even impossible to stop, going down. Great care needs to be takin in these situation. Being waved down is alway's a nice feeling to know the coast is clear.

Eventually though you will meet a rider or rider's going up while your going down, it is almost unavoidable as some time's the bottom cannot be seen or a rider might already be on the hill and you didn't see him. My advise is alway's ride with the intention of pulling your sled off trail if needed, an off trail sled will stop much easier then an on trail sled.

 

[RCMP DAD]

In these situation's you can't take it for granted that the other rider's at the bottom know this. Especially if you get in to the mountain scene, as some trail's are very steep and a sled can become very difficult to control or even impossible to stop, going down. Great care needs to be takin in these situation. Being waved down is alway's a nice feeling to know the coast is clear.

Eventually though you will meet a rider or rider's going up while your going down, it is almost unavoidable as some time's the bottom cannot be seen or a rider might already be on the hill and you didn't see him. My advise is alway's ride with the intention of pulling your sled off trail if needed, an off trail sled will stop much easier then an on trail sled.

Thanks again Lund. I guess caution is the best approach if you can't see the bottom.

 

[52weekbreak]

I consider right of way a somewhat flexible notion based on what I feel is common sense. On narrow trails and hills i travel at a speed based on how far I can see. If the way is clear obviously OK to go but if I see someone, I start looking for a place to pull over. What you describe (a narrow icy trail up a hill) I would wave the other guy on whether I was at the top or the bottom and make sure I am out of the way. I always assume the other person is clueless and prepare accordingly. I have lots of time so always give others the option of passing me on their terms.

On the hill you describe, it sounds like travel either way (up or down) could be a bit of a challenge but the person coming down has fewer chances to stop if icy. If the people at the bottom are sitting on the trail, I would hold off unless I could see there was plenty of room to get around them (possibly at warp factor 5)

 

[RCMP DAD]

I consider right of way a somewhat flexible notion based on what I feel is common sense. On narrow trails and hills i travel at a speed based on how far I can see. If the way is clear obviously OK to go but if I see someone, I start looking for a place to pull over. What you describe (a narrow icy trail up a hill) I would wave the other guy on whether I was at the top or the bottom and make sure I am out of the way. I always assume the other person is clueless and prepare accordingly. I have lots of time so always give others the option of passing me on their terms.

On the hill you describe, it sounds like travel either way (up or down) could be a bit of a challenge but the person coming down has fewer chances to stop if icy. If the people at the bottom are sitting on the trail, I would hold off unless I could see there was plenty of room to get around them (possibly at warp factor 5)

Good advice. I guess it will be a give and take depending on riding conditions. Safety first. Thanks