New rules and why we are applying them. I'm sure many of you will have questions as to why the new changes and membership requirements for the SouthernSxSRiders. I will try to address some here. With the growth of this group, and potential future growth. The staff decided that it would be irresponsible on our part to not place some basic rules and address some liability concerns. These are being implemented to protect the staff from liability from planned rides and to insure the best possible experience to our members, many who spend much financially to travel great distances to enjoy the trail riding and fellowship with other SidexSide Riders. We want to insure that what was started over a year ago with our first members, will continue to be enjoyed by our present and future members. Also, wherever we travel to ride our reputation will follow us. We want to make sure that whoever is hosting us on a planned event, will be anxious for us to return.
Below are the rules and recommendations we want all of our members to agree to before they join. If you cant live with them, please do not ask for an application for membership. Remember, that these rules and membership requirements only apply for the people who want to attend our staff planned events during the year.
It does not apply to any other events that people in the forum get organized between themselves. There is no membership requirement to enjoy our forum, and attend other rides organized by some of our members.
Off-Road Etiquette 101. Not preachy, not enforced, just a little common sense and courtesy:
1. Prepare
Please take the time to prepare. Make sure your machine is serviced and in good operating condition. Bring some emergency supplies like a tow strap, jumper cables, shovel, jack, spare tire, fuel filter, etc...-
Also, research your intended ride area. If you are not traveling with someone who is familiar with the trail, at least talk to other riders ahead of time, and research the trail’s rating and conditions. It's important to familiarize yourself with the riding area, especially if you are attempting a trail that is going to challenge your capabilities or the capabilities of your vehicle.
2. Be a Good Samaritan
If you come across someone who is in trouble, help. Signs of someone in need of assistance include: someone walking along a 4x4 trail, a vehicle parked, 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 cool to just say “Howdy, how y’all doing today?” If you see a parked vehicle and no occupants, someone is on foot nearby, either intentionally or unintentionally, so be alert. Offer to call someone for them. If the vehicle requires towing, do so only if you are willing, able, and the vehicle is capable of being towed.
3. Dusting
If you drive by someone on a dry dirt road at 10 mph or more, you are DUSTING them. Most UTV's 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.
4. 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 of at least thirty feet between vehicles. 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. A lot 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: multiple vehicles can get stuck simultaneously in the same mud hole. I am sure the guy in the last UTV wished he had watched the other guys go all the way through first.
5. Passing on the Trail
Passing involves getting by each other, either in nose-to-nose situations or when one driver wants to proceed more quickly than another. As with dusting and tailgating, above, passing on the trail requires a sense of safety. If someone obviously wants to go faster than you do, 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. When you come nose to nose with someone on a one-track trail, whoever has a wide spot behind them backs up. But, safety dictates that if you are on a hill, the vehicle driving uphill 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.
Trash“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. 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. 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.
End of sermon.
Guests Friends and guests will not be allowed on group rides that are planned and organized by the staff of the SouthernSxSRiders, and announced in the Members/Upcoming rides forum. These rides will be reserved for members and their families only.
Cost of membership and BenefitsYou will be required to fill out a membership application with liability disclaimer, and pay a one time $20.00 fee for a lifetime membership in the SouthernSxSRiders. Upon receipt of membership application, you will be activated with a colored user ID and a SSXSRiderMember designation under your name on the forum boards. You will receive access to a members only forum on the board that also will have all the info for members only rides in it. You will receive a SouthernSxSRiders members only T-Shirt. Please indicate in note attached to application what size and color choices of T-Shirt you want. List 3 color choices please. The first applications received will have the best chance of receiving their #1 color choice. Please check our "Members T-Shirt" thread to see available colors.
Please click the PDF link below to download and print out your membership Application.
http://www.ky-escaper.com/ssxs/ssxsr-app.pdfAfter completing the application, mail it along with check or money order for $20.00 to:
Ronnie Bryant
9405 Dawson Hill Rd
Louisville KY 40299
You can also email Big-R here:
ronniebryant@insightbb.com Tell him what color shirt and size you want. He will send you an invoice from Paypal. You will still need to mail the application. Your membership will not be activated until your application is received.
Upon receipt of the application, your membership will be activated
