Hands on for Safety

The countdown hand signals are hand signals where riders indicate how many riders are in their group by holding up the corresponding number of fingers. Riders signal a countdown of the number of machines in their group until the “last in line” (closed fist) signal is given. Although the countdown method of hand signals has been used and even taught for years, VAST encourages all riders not to use them. The reason is twofold.

• The use of these signals requires everyone in the group to ride with one hand on their handlebars, lessening their ability to control their machines.
• These hand signals give riders a false sense of what is coming on the trail. No one knows how many machines are really coming up behind them. Riders will often hold up a fist to indicate they are the last rider in the group only to have another group right behind them.