azdesertrhino
March 18th, 2007, 05:01
I'd like to thank Gavin (Fergie) for taking the time to put the following information together.
There are some real rugged areas in Arizona where we play. Make sure your rig is capable before you head out on the trail. We all work together on the trail to help out if someones rig breaks. Don't complicate matters by taking your rig out there held together with duct tape and bubble gum and expecting your brother/sister Jeepers to fix it when it breaks going over a speed bump.
Thanks again FERGIE!! :patriot:
__________________________________________________ ______
As a growing Club, and members in the Off-road community, we have an obligation to put our best foot forward, both as individuals and as a group. One of the best ways to represent ourselves is through our actions, specifically our Trail Etiquette.
Most of us yearn to get out on the trails as much as possible, and when we do get out, we like to enjoy our experience. With this in mind, take heed of the easy to follow Rules of Etiquette to keep your outing, and everyone else’s as enjoyable as possible. Most of the rules are common sense, and simple courteous actions; they are not enforced per se, and are not set in stone, but are more of a guide.
PREPARATION
If you don’t have the time to prepare for the trip, then don’t go. In extreme environments like Arizona, it can be a life or death decision. You can get in serious trouble for not bringing a very simple item, like water. Other basics include: tow strap, jumper cables, shovel, jack, and spare tire. For a more complete list of things you should consider bringing, see my post here: (I will make another post that contains the “packing list”). As trails change from year to year, you must always be prepared to face them properly. If you are not traveling with someone who is familiar with the trail, at least talk to other four-wheelers ahead of time, and research the trail’s rating and conditions. Never go alone into remote country, and especially if you are attempting a trail that is going to challenge your capabilities or the capabilities of your vehicle. A good rule of thumb is how far are you willing to walk back? Always leave details about where you are going and when you plan to return. Don’t count on someone coming along to rescue you by chance.
HELP ONE ANOTHER
If you come across someone who is in trouble, you better damn well help them as you will inevitably be in this situation sometime in your wheeling life. Signs of someone in need of assistance include: someone walking along a 4x4 trail, a vehicle parked with the hood up, or someone looking under their vehicle, or waving at you as you approach. If you encounter someone on the trail who is stopped, it is fine to just say “Howdy, how y’all doing today?” However, given that you are in remote, and sometimes dangerous areas, err on the side of caution and analyze the situation first. If you get the heebie-jeebies from the person, wait for others, and don’t let your guard down. Offer to call someone for them. If the vehicle requires towing, do so only if you are willing, able, and the vehicle has proper recovery points.
AIR CONDITIONS
If you drive by someone on a dry dirt road at 10 mph or more, you are DUSTING them. Many 4x4s are open-air, so a big cloud of dust is not just inconvenient, but hazardous if the driver’s eyesight or breathing is momentarily impaired. Be considerate and mindful of what your actions cause.
TAILGATING
Always allow each vehicle to traverse the tougher obstacles one-at-a-time. Closely following another vehicle is dangerous in any situation. In off-pavement driving, braking distances and maneuvering is significantly affected. Keep distances that are appropriate for the situation. This allows vehicles room to brake and maneuver, as well as sufficient distance to read the terrain and pick a line. On steep four-wheeling hills, downhill vehicles could be struck by debris flung from spinning tires, or worse, a rolling vehicle. All of us have experienced failed climbs. You do not want to be tailgating someone up a hill when he fails his climb. Another good reason to wait for other vehicles to finish traversing an obstacle: I have seen multiple vehicles get stuck simultaneously in the same mud hole, with no way of getting out because of their impatience.
PASSING
Passing involves getting by each other, either in nose-to-nose situations or when one driver wants to proceed more quickly than another. If someone obviously wants to go faster than I do, I find a wide spot and pull over to let them by. Always look for a place wide enough so that neither vehicle will have to drive over vegetation or lean into each other. I have seen four-wheelers scrape each other’s roofs as they tried to get by each other in a V-ditch. Remember, four-wheeling is three-dimensional.
When you come nose to nose with someone on a one-track trail, whoever has a wide spot behind them backs up, except on hills, where the uphill driver has the right of way. This is because backing down uneven terrain poses the problem of poor visibility, with the driver potentially backing down a ledge off-camber and rolling.
TIRE SLIPPAGE
Usually, wheel spinning that lasts longer than a few seconds can mean two things. One, driver error: you may be going too fast or picking a bad line; or two, inferior equipment: you may need heavier-duty equipment than you currently possess in order to effectively traverse the particular terrain you are attempting. Either way, the results are obvious: flying rocks and dirt, trail rutting, or even an equipment failure. Let your common sense dictate your course of action instead of your ego. Try another line, a bypass, or turn around.
ROCK STACKING
Okay, time to touch on a very touchy subject: Rock Stacking. All of us stack a few rocks from time to time in order to get through a particularly nasty spot. If you have to do this repeatedly, you are on the wrong trail for your equipment. Not only are you disturbing the environment by taking rocks from one place and moving them to another, but also you are ruining the fun of the guy who comes up the trail in his more-modified-than-yours 4x4. There seems to be a general attitude among homosapiens: everyone with rigs less modified than yours is a wimp, and everyone with a rig more modified than yours is a lunatic. Give everyone respect for where they are in the four-wheeling world. Besides, if everyone had similarly-built Jeeps, then trails like the Rubicon, Poison Spider, and Broken Arrow would require stoplights to deal with all of the traffic.
TRASH
I have always espoused the Leave No Trace ethic: “Take only pictures, leave only footprints.” Catchy phrase, but it isn’t quite enough. With the increase in outdoor recreation, we have some catching up to do. I know I said I wasn’t going to get preachy, but this might cross the line. Read about the Tread Lightly principles. Not only should you not take anything from the environment, or leave anything that was not part of the environment, but leave the area better than you found it whenever possible. That means pick up trash, disassemble rock stacking, and clean up vehicle fluid spills, even if they are not yours! Your efforts don’t count if you leave the trash bag by the Forest Service sign, either. Carry it out with you, and dispose of it properly. If we want to continue to have trails for four-wheeling, we must take responsibility for them.
SPOTTING
Here is the best explanation for spotting etiquette that I can come up with:
If you want a spot, ASK FOR IT. Don’t expect people to do it for you, and don’t spot unless asked to. If someone does ask for a spot, they need to designate ONE PERSON as their spotter, and this person is the only one to communicate with the driver, except when the driver/vehicle is in danger of hurting themselves, or others.
RADIO USE:
Everyone should have a CB radio, or at least be between vehicles that due. Radios allow you to keep in contact with the rest of your group, and to communicate trail conditions, or vehicle issues. While we all like to chit chat and banter along, doing so on an open group channel is not appropriate. The group leaders need to designate one channel for group related communication(trail condition, vehicle conditions, headcounts), and if you and your buddy want to chatter back and forth, switch to an obscure channel to keep the main one less cluttered.
There are some real rugged areas in Arizona where we play. Make sure your rig is capable before you head out on the trail. We all work together on the trail to help out if someones rig breaks. Don't complicate matters by taking your rig out there held together with duct tape and bubble gum and expecting your brother/sister Jeepers to fix it when it breaks going over a speed bump.
Thanks again FERGIE!! :patriot:
__________________________________________________ ______
As a growing Club, and members in the Off-road community, we have an obligation to put our best foot forward, both as individuals and as a group. One of the best ways to represent ourselves is through our actions, specifically our Trail Etiquette.
Most of us yearn to get out on the trails as much as possible, and when we do get out, we like to enjoy our experience. With this in mind, take heed of the easy to follow Rules of Etiquette to keep your outing, and everyone else’s as enjoyable as possible. Most of the rules are common sense, and simple courteous actions; they are not enforced per se, and are not set in stone, but are more of a guide.
PREPARATION
If you don’t have the time to prepare for the trip, then don’t go. In extreme environments like Arizona, it can be a life or death decision. You can get in serious trouble for not bringing a very simple item, like water. Other basics include: tow strap, jumper cables, shovel, jack, and spare tire. For a more complete list of things you should consider bringing, see my post here: (I will make another post that contains the “packing list”). As trails change from year to year, you must always be prepared to face them properly. If you are not traveling with someone who is familiar with the trail, at least talk to other four-wheelers ahead of time, and research the trail’s rating and conditions. Never go alone into remote country, and especially if you are attempting a trail that is going to challenge your capabilities or the capabilities of your vehicle. A good rule of thumb is how far are you willing to walk back? Always leave details about where you are going and when you plan to return. Don’t count on someone coming along to rescue you by chance.
HELP ONE ANOTHER
If you come across someone who is in trouble, you better damn well help them as you will inevitably be in this situation sometime in your wheeling life. Signs of someone in need of assistance include: someone walking along a 4x4 trail, a vehicle parked with the hood up, or someone looking under their vehicle, or waving at you as you approach. If you encounter someone on the trail who is stopped, it is fine to just say “Howdy, how y’all doing today?” However, given that you are in remote, and sometimes dangerous areas, err on the side of caution and analyze the situation first. If you get the heebie-jeebies from the person, wait for others, and don’t let your guard down. Offer to call someone for them. If the vehicle requires towing, do so only if you are willing, able, and the vehicle has proper recovery points.
AIR CONDITIONS
If you drive by someone on a dry dirt road at 10 mph or more, you are DUSTING them. Many 4x4s are open-air, so a big cloud of dust is not just inconvenient, but hazardous if the driver’s eyesight or breathing is momentarily impaired. Be considerate and mindful of what your actions cause.
TAILGATING
Always allow each vehicle to traverse the tougher obstacles one-at-a-time. Closely following another vehicle is dangerous in any situation. In off-pavement driving, braking distances and maneuvering is significantly affected. Keep distances that are appropriate for the situation. This allows vehicles room to brake and maneuver, as well as sufficient distance to read the terrain and pick a line. On steep four-wheeling hills, downhill vehicles could be struck by debris flung from spinning tires, or worse, a rolling vehicle. All of us have experienced failed climbs. You do not want to be tailgating someone up a hill when he fails his climb. Another good reason to wait for other vehicles to finish traversing an obstacle: I have seen multiple vehicles get stuck simultaneously in the same mud hole, with no way of getting out because of their impatience.
PASSING
Passing involves getting by each other, either in nose-to-nose situations or when one driver wants to proceed more quickly than another. If someone obviously wants to go faster than I do, I find a wide spot and pull over to let them by. Always look for a place wide enough so that neither vehicle will have to drive over vegetation or lean into each other. I have seen four-wheelers scrape each other’s roofs as they tried to get by each other in a V-ditch. Remember, four-wheeling is three-dimensional.
When you come nose to nose with someone on a one-track trail, whoever has a wide spot behind them backs up, except on hills, where the uphill driver has the right of way. This is because backing down uneven terrain poses the problem of poor visibility, with the driver potentially backing down a ledge off-camber and rolling.
TIRE SLIPPAGE
Usually, wheel spinning that lasts longer than a few seconds can mean two things. One, driver error: you may be going too fast or picking a bad line; or two, inferior equipment: you may need heavier-duty equipment than you currently possess in order to effectively traverse the particular terrain you are attempting. Either way, the results are obvious: flying rocks and dirt, trail rutting, or even an equipment failure. Let your common sense dictate your course of action instead of your ego. Try another line, a bypass, or turn around.
ROCK STACKING
Okay, time to touch on a very touchy subject: Rock Stacking. All of us stack a few rocks from time to time in order to get through a particularly nasty spot. If you have to do this repeatedly, you are on the wrong trail for your equipment. Not only are you disturbing the environment by taking rocks from one place and moving them to another, but also you are ruining the fun of the guy who comes up the trail in his more-modified-than-yours 4x4. There seems to be a general attitude among homosapiens: everyone with rigs less modified than yours is a wimp, and everyone with a rig more modified than yours is a lunatic. Give everyone respect for where they are in the four-wheeling world. Besides, if everyone had similarly-built Jeeps, then trails like the Rubicon, Poison Spider, and Broken Arrow would require stoplights to deal with all of the traffic.
TRASH
I have always espoused the Leave No Trace ethic: “Take only pictures, leave only footprints.” Catchy phrase, but it isn’t quite enough. With the increase in outdoor recreation, we have some catching up to do. I know I said I wasn’t going to get preachy, but this might cross the line. Read about the Tread Lightly principles. Not only should you not take anything from the environment, or leave anything that was not part of the environment, but leave the area better than you found it whenever possible. That means pick up trash, disassemble rock stacking, and clean up vehicle fluid spills, even if they are not yours! Your efforts don’t count if you leave the trash bag by the Forest Service sign, either. Carry it out with you, and dispose of it properly. If we want to continue to have trails for four-wheeling, we must take responsibility for them.
SPOTTING
Here is the best explanation for spotting etiquette that I can come up with:
If you want a spot, ASK FOR IT. Don’t expect people to do it for you, and don’t spot unless asked to. If someone does ask for a spot, they need to designate ONE PERSON as their spotter, and this person is the only one to communicate with the driver, except when the driver/vehicle is in danger of hurting themselves, or others.
RADIO USE:
Everyone should have a CB radio, or at least be between vehicles that due. Radios allow you to keep in contact with the rest of your group, and to communicate trail conditions, or vehicle issues. While we all like to chit chat and banter along, doing so on an open group channel is not appropriate. The group leaders need to designate one channel for group related communication(trail condition, vehicle conditions, headcounts), and if you and your buddy want to chatter back and forth, switch to an obscure channel to keep the main one less cluttered.