Trail Etiquette

[Geno Bam Beano]

Downhill vehicles have the right of way.
As do horses if you encounter them.
Just common sense and courtesy go a long way.

WOW! I heard just the opposite, up hill has the right of way,

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[Gassyjack]

you are correct, I had it backwards!

 

[broncobase1]

In the situation you described you did the right thing, keep distance and enjoy the ride. What's the hurry? If they are going very slowly approach and most likely they will allow you to pass when the situation allows. Courtesy goes a long ways, but that may be a big ask on this forum . Same applies on the road. Traffic works better for everyone if you allow people in traffic instead of having to be the first one to the next stoplight!

 

[DefNotBuddyLee]

Right of way is established by both parties stopping then building a cairn of no less than 5 rocks tall. Both parties then take 12 paces away, and throw rocks until the cairn falls. Whoever knocks over the largest amount of the cairn rocks chooses who passes first, and has the option to tell the losing party that they must turn around.
My buddy unlocked a cheat code when he started just throwing larger rocks at the other person. Once they fell we drove around them.
Also, it has been established that rental side by side vehicles (Can Am, Polaris, etc) are able to ignore all rules and have the same right of way as pedestrians.

 

[SeptuagenarianSasquatch]

careful…. They are coming to a trail near you. Who Da Thunk?

https://priusoffroad.com/

Sometimes you just know you're the person to yield the right-of-way:

 

[UNBROKN]

We went on a trail ride up Imogene pass in CO many years ago. Passing was interesting when you had a cliff on one side and a wall on the other. We passed with the driver close to the wall or the cliff. In other words, the driver could see to get extremely close to the wall and closer to the edge of the cliff which made passing easier and safer.

 

[Pops]

I have a serious () question about chase lights and etiquette.

The last time I was in a situation that needed anything like them was years ago in Glamis CA on a Thanksgiving night with windy rain (wet sand crammed into every crevice of the rally Volvo I had). You can imagine the crowds and mayhem and fun.

The rear lighting communication rules were:
- Flashing if you were pulled over and not moving (go ahead and come around me)
- Steady if you were moving (I'm moving and you can follow me, but be careful because it may be crowded ahead in the muck)

I see chase lights for sale with a flashing option and am wondering if the above two rules still apply.

thanks much!

 

[SeptuagenarianSasquatch]

@Pops That's probably up to the group organizer/leader. I was on one run, professionally organized, and they insisted on a flashing amber. I bought a cheapie on Amazon and hooked it up to the 6V outlet in the rear, and zip-tied it to my roof rack. Later--I'm mean--I returned it to Amazon in the original package.

Now I have an amber rock light from Heretic Lights (Utah) permanently mounted to my TRMX rear strut. It's wired 1) to my reverse lights and 2) to my #5 AUX switch for steady "on" when I'm on a trail. If they want flashing, well, it's quite visible. Turned out to be very necessary on some very dusty roads.

The Heretic LED rock light--mounted up high!

 

[timhood]

@Pops I bought a cheapie on Amazon and hooked it up to the 6V outlet in the rear, and zip-tied it to my roof rack.

I sure hope you meant 12v and didn't convert your Bronco's electrical to the old 6v standard. Your ID is "Septuagenarian," so it's possible you have a fondness for the simple way things used to be when you were a kid.

 

[SeptuagenarianSasquatch]

I sure hope you meant 12v and didn't convert your Bronco's electrical to the old 6v standard. Your ID is "Septuagenarian," so it's possible you have a fondness for the simple way things used to be when you were a kid.

Oops!
Now get off of my lawn!

 

[Wilbur's son]

Rule #1: Don't widen the trails!

Sadly, this rule gets broken all the time. Taking a different route to avoid a mudhole or obstacle creates a new social trail that everyone then takes. Ugh.

 

[popo_patty]

Wouldn't it be nice if on-road drivers worried about etiquette too? I drive about 20K road miles a year, mostly freeway.....the cr@p I see on a daily basis is unbelievable. It's a miracle the carnage isn't way worse. And the absolute STUPIDEST things always come from some moron driving a Prius.... Thank God there are no Prius(s, es, ses? whatever..) on the trails.

We have hybrid land cruisers now. Basically the same thing

 

[bastardsonofelvis]

Sometimes you just know you're the person to yield the right-of-way:

Vehicles with crew served weapons always have the right of way.

 

[23OBX2.7]

IMO from dirt biking experience observing quads and 4 X 4s if there is so much traffic that need to contemplate etiquette it's best to find another track or go midweek, or switch to dirt bike in which case there is only one rule; don't follow to close so don't eat dirt and don't buch up at the bottom of a hill because you have zero momentum which that make climbing way easier.

Plus you get to see 10X more scenery what's 5 mph track in 4X4 is 20+ mph on a bike.

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