The Brussels Post, 1973-11-21, Page 8!! ' 4s THE HURON EXPOSITOR, SEAPORTH ONT., NOV 22, 1973
ccidents can be a
Because of the increasing
popularity of snowmobiles, there
.has been a corresponding in-
114 crease in the number of accidents
involving these vehicles.
St, ,john Ambulance has
'1,Cempiled a list of the do's and
,,ditets to attempt to help reduce
tlile accident toll. Common sense
in their operation is at the root of
developing the skill and mastery
of driving them.
Many of -the do's are self
evident, while some of the don'ts
may at first not seem as obvious,
they are to be followed for safe,
carefree and enjoyable rides.
Here are the Do's:
Do get proper operating in-
structions for your particular
vehicle. The proper driving
positionis sitting down with both
feet inside the cab, but not locked
into the footrests.
When crossing a bumpy area,
Do place one knee on the seat for
better balance. This is also done
for side-hilling, when it's better
for. he driver to "lean into" a hill
from a semi-kneeling position.
Snowmobiling is a natural for
children and most love it. While
they are being taught to drive,
have the dealer lengthen the
throttle cable so that the throttle
• is only 25 per cent engaged, thus
coriiiiffing the speed they can
They should also be
warned against speed, careless-
, host and overconfidence. Be sure
ih4t you know the child's
.*Allhties in times of emergency
aialhat; he knows the rules and
teih*ues for safe driving.
',..'Do'inake sure that you or your
passengers do not wear long,
trailing scarves ,while driving.
Although colourful while trailing
in the wind, they can cause
strangulation• if caught in a tree
branch or fencing. If, such
happens, cut and remove the
scarf to enable br eathing.
Immediately apply oral resusci-
tation, provide warmth (blankets,
etc) and shelter from the
elements:
Low tree branches, shrubs and
fences can also cause eye injuries.,
St. John Ambulance suggest that
shatterproof snow glasses should ,
be worn for protection from such
injury.
Do use a tow-bar when pulling
a trailer, because rigid hitches
prevent tailgate collisions on
sudden stops, provide better
control on turns•and prevent risky
side-sway of the trailer.
Do check your headlights
before any night time excursions.
Sudden wintry reduced visibility
can block out the moon on which
you are depending as a source of
light. Lake and river crossings
should be avoided at night, as
well as any attempt at breaking
new trails. If you follow the
marked trails you will avoid the
barb-wire fences and guy wires
which cause many snomobile
accidents at night.
While driving the snowmobile
Do come to a complete stop
before crossing any street or
highway. Cross only, at a 90
degree angle to the roadway and
remember that traffic always has
the right of way.
Do have a driver's license in
Ontario if you plan to cross any
roadway or drive on one. Many
municipalities also have regulat-
ions about snowmobiles relating
to noise, time of operaL.Jn and
areas of use. A check should be
made at the municipal offices or
with local police before driving
your vehicle in a strange area.
Do dress warmly and safely.
The chill factor increases with the
speed of the snowmobile in very
cold weather, making frostbite a
very real possibility. Special
waterproof clothing, such as
jumpsuits has 'been designed for
snowmobiling. Since your feet
don't move very much but are
often surrounded by soft snow,
warm wat , erproof boots are a
must. Warm waterproof mitts are
also a necessity. Crash helmets
should be worn if you are
engaging in any contests. A
balaclava hood can be worn
beneath the helmet for warmth.
A trailer should be used to
carry snowshoes for , each perSon,
extra feel, emergency rations, a
First Aid Kit, flares, a knife and
wat erproof matches if you are on
a trip or safari. The trailer should
be used to carry all of the extras,
so that the snowmobile is
uncluttered.
In unknown areas Do travel
with extreme caution. Watch
ahead for barb-wire fences,
especially in areas of poor
visit ilkty. It is again suggested
that the snowmobiler follow
marked trails. Aside from the
visible paths of the snowmobile
runners, man y trails are
marked with the trailblazer
symbol, which is usually tacked to
trees, fenceposts or•on st icks dug
into the snow.
While on, a safari or an
overnight trip, Do leave the
campsite as clean, or even
cleaner, than when you arrived:
St. John Ambulance has also
compiled a list of Don'ts, • which
ar e necessary even if all of the
Do's have been observed,
Just as on the highway, Don't
tailgate. Maintain a safe distance
between .yo u and the vehicle
ahead to avoid injury to yourself,'
to others, and to your machine
and handle your snowmobile at a
sane "stoppable" speed.
Don't cut across another's right
of way. If in doubt about who is in
the right, throttle down or stop
altogether. VVatch out for the
other guy.
Knowing the ice conditions in a
lake, river or pOnd is a
must.DON'T attempt to cross
before checking the ice thickness.
Your life may depend ,on it.Not
doing so is the biggest known
cause of snowmobile fatalities.
Ask others before you make an
attempt, or better still, check it y
,ourself. •
One of the biggest DON'Ts:
Never use a railroad right of
way for snowmobile travel. You
can't hear trains approaching
from behind, and on a curve you
could run head on into a train.
When crossing railroad tracks,
the rules are similar to crossing a,
%highway. Shut off your machine
before making the crossing, so
that you can hear•,an approaching
train. Cross at a,90.,,degree angle.
DON'T Ji4p, , a snowbank
before first findyig out what may
be on the other side: You may be
jumping into the path of another
snowmobile, onto a group of
playing children, o1 into the
middle of a highway.
DON'T be a showoff.
Excessive speed threat
and can result in an, o
machine which carries
risk of personal injury,
legs and arms are very
reward of show-off dri
internal injuries are oft
of a machine roiling ont
an operator.
DON'T damage priv
erty. Although. sno
brings many new, win
doms, this is not one
(Continued on Page
EVERY DEALS A STEAL
DURING OUR
PRE-SEASON
.,,, --- '.--- ,.;1,- „,,, ,.,
Merry Christma '.t,'A,,
, and a Happy = eNsiiill,,,,
Y
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V
c,
Skiroule ear!,
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