Trail etiquette

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R

reverie

Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Threads
11
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134
Location
Corsicana, TX
Today was the first time on a trail in the 80 since we purchased it about 3 months ago.

We drove Ophir pass from Ophir to Silverton.

Question:

When traveling opposite directions, who should stop and yield for whom on the trail?

While it seems sensible that the vehicle protected by the uphill side of the trail should yield, I don't know that is the case.

Some help?
 
If you have room to pull over, you pull over.


reverie said:
Question:
When traveling opposite directions, who should stop and yield for whom on the trail?
Click to expand...
 
I'm not sure, but I'm usually the first to pull over and let them pass. Unless they pull over first, then I give 'em a smile and a wave.
 
Thanks for the help.

I tend to pull over. Just wanted to know if there is a convention.
 
The only real rule I know of is those that are pointing uphill have the right of way but other than that it is usually pretty easy to see who can pull over safely and who cannot. HTH. :cheers:
 
Last edited:
Per the link:

"Yield the right of way to those passing you or traveling uphill."

It's safer to back uphill rather than downhill. Less chance of loosing control if you're going uphill rather than backing downhill.
 
Great post! Subscribed.
 
But you break birfs when backing uphill....

Brentbba said:
It's safer to back uphill rather than downhill. Less chance of loosing control if you're going uphill rather than backing downhill.
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If you break a birf backing up a hill, something was already broken in it.

Besides, birfs don't care which way they turn.

-Spike
 
Exactly. Don't worry about "Right of Way" on the trail. That's not etiquette. Just pull over when and where you can and give a nod or a wave when the other rig passes by. That's etiquette.
If there is a "Right of Way", I yield it to the less-able rig. They may have fewer options for pulling over....


Atoyot1031 said:
No question about it. This being said though, I'll give up my right of way if there is a place for me to get my junk out of the way!:D
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-Spike- said:
If you break a birf backing up a hill, something was already broken in it.

Besides, birfs don't care which way they turn.

-Spike
Click to expand...

I beg to differ. All drivetraiin on every vehicle is designed with the strength going forward... This is why most manufactures will put a lighter duty axle under the front than the back. I'm not saying that if you back up a hill, you'll break a birf, but they are less strong going backwards than forwards... The reason for this, in our case, is not the fact that a birf is designed to go one direction (in that aspect, you are correct), but because the weight of the vehicle cause more stress on the front end. That extra stress combined with a locker and turning the wheels = SNAP! Therefore, a birfield is weaker in reverse. Not because of the birf ifself, but of the other factors multiplying the strain on the axle.
 
You'd have to put a LOT of strain on the drivetrain in reverse to break something.

For example: I backed up a 35-40 degree slope, in mud, all lockers on, all four wheels spinning at full throttle for about 150-200 feet. No problems. I really had no other choice at the time though, as the mud was making me slide into a tree and I had to get some distance from it to make the corner I was trying to turn into. I still ended up tagging my rear quarter on that tree and still have the dent from it. I should have backed up farther, but was getting close to the vehicle behind me. Had I not backed up at all I would have drug the entire drivers side along the tree as a pivot point. This was not an acceptable option to me at the time.
 
I was running up Medano Pass at the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado this past weekend headed to the back country camping area. The trail is fairly narrow but has many wider spots for passing vehicles. I hadn't yet made it to camp so both my truck and M101 trailer were pretty loaded. I was starting up a 100 yard loose deep sandy part of the trail when 2 Jeep Wranglers came flying over the top of the hill. They had probably 6" lifts and 37" tires and were going way to fast, laughing their asses of bouncing 2 feet in the air. When they saw me they were still 150 feet away and right beside a nice wide spot to pull over. They didn't even slow down, they simply drove right off the trail catching air and drove through the undisturbed desert landscape. I was so pissed because they destroyed a bunch of nice landscape that was pretty untouched, clearly violated the many posted signs to not go off the trail for any reason, and they scared the s*** out of my wife and kids. I tried to get their license numbers to no avail. And I really wanted to go after them with my Glock! Sorry for the vent, but I had to sit there and cool off for about 10 minutes. Plus I had a really tough time getting rolling again up the hill with all the extra weigh in deep sand.
 
pint said:
I was running up Medano Pass at the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado this past weekend headed to the back country camping area. The trail is fairly narrow but has many wider spots for passing vehicles. I hadn't yet made it to camp so both my truck and M101 trailer were pretty loaded. I was starting up a 100 yard loose deep sandy part of the trail when 2 Jeep Wranglers came flying over the top of the hill. They had probably 6" lifts and 37" tires and were going way to fast, laughing their asses of bouncing 2 feet in the air. When they saw me they were still 150 feet away and right beside a nice wide spot to pull over. They didn't even slow down, they simply drove right off the trail catching air and drove through the undisturbed desert landscape. I was so pissed because they destroyed a bunch of nice landscape that was pretty untouched, clearly violated the many posted signs to not go off the trail for any reason, and they scared the s*** out of my wife and kids. I tried to get their license numbers to no avail. And I really wanted to go after them with my Glock! Sorry for the vent, but I had to sit there and cool off for about 10 minutes. Plus I had a really tough time getting rolling again up the hill with all the extra weigh in deep sand.
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All i can say is FARGEN ARSEHOLES!!!!
 
Doc said:
You'd have to put a LOT of strain on the drivetrain in reverse to break something.

For example: I backed up a 35-40 degree slope, in mud, all lockers on, all four wheels spinning at full throttle for about 150-200 feet. No problems. I really had no other choice at the time though, as the mud was making me slide into a tree and I had to get some distance from it to make the corner I was trying to turn into. I still ended up tagging my rear quarter on that tree and still have the dent from it. I should have backed up farther, but was getting close to the vehicle behind me. Had I not backed up at all I would have drug the entire drivers side along the tree as a pivot point. This was not an acceptable option to me at the time.
Click to expand...


In mud you don't have strain on the drivetrain. Try the same thing in a rock garden and turn!
 
CreeperSleeper said:
... extra stress combined with a locker and turning the wheels = SNAP! Therefore, a birfield is weaker in reverse. Not because of the birf ifself, but of the other factors multiplying the strain on the axle.
Click to expand...

We were talking about backing up a hill to allow someone to pass. Not backing up a 4 rated trail.

The front axle is plenty stout enough to handle backing up in reverse. The only thing designed to go forward is the gear set, and it can handle backing up a hill just fine. Some people act as if the front axle will explode if they do anything besides drive straight forward on pavement. It can take some abuse.

-Spike
 
I would be more Worried about Breaking a Front Hi Pinion in Reverse, than a Birf.. If a Birfs where stronger going one direction they would Be Driver or Passenger side Specific..

needless to say i would not worry about it, determine who has the easier ability to get out of the way, and who has more rigs in there group, and get out of the way accordingly..
 
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