At the start of every club ride we have a quick chat to cover the rules of the ride and to discuss safety. Ensuring you come back safely after every ride, whether with the club, your buddies or when riding by yourself is our number one priority. Each club ride will be different and details will be provided describing the speed, difficulty, length and duration of stops on the ride.
- Helmet – an approved helmet must be worn when riding your ATV. Look for the DOT, Snell or ECE certification on your helmet to know it has passed one of the protection standards
- Protective Equipment – eye protection, gloves, long pants and long sleeve shirt and good boots are strongly recommended whenever riding your ATV
- Loading and unloading is one of the highest risk activities associated with riding an ATV. Use ramps rated for your vehicle that are correct length to work with your truck or trailer. Always, always, always (that’s not a typo) secure your ramps to the vehicle, if your ramps slip out as you’re half way up into your truck it’s highly likely you’ll end up under your machine and it will win.
- Knowing how to safely ride your machine – the ATV club puts on rider education courses every year, make sure you take a safety course but also ask other club members if you’re not sure of something or if you need help with a section of trail on a ride.
- Ride within your abilities – we’re not trying to scare or hurt anyone so ride within your limits, that means if a ride is going too fast communicate that to other riders and if you don’t want to ride a particular obstacle or section of trail the group will help you or find another way around.
- Ride responsibly – Forest Service Roads (FSR) are an extension of the road network (that’s why you have to carry your driver’s license and other docs) so there is no drinking or drugs and riding.
- Fire smart – summers in the Okanagan often mean campfire bans and even recreation bans in extreme conditions so know the rules around fire usage and forest closures.
- Garbage goes with you, if you brought it in you take it out – PERIOD!