With the newer mountain sleds going higher and further wouldn't it be a good idea for the new 14k sleds to come with the equipment needed for mountain riding? How much would it cost the mfg to include a becon probe and shovel with your mountain sled? Maybe even a snowcheck incentive? I've seen too many people on the hills with nice sleds but none of the essentials they need for mountain riding! I know most people already have what they need and I even leave a spare becon in my pickup, so even if you didn't need it with you're new sled purchase you could always sell it. Sorry for going on a rant, but I want to never face the day someone dies on the hill because they wouldn't spend $200 for the proper equipment... now just the figuring out how to make everyone take an avy course...
Avy equipment with sled purchase.
- Thread starter justjohnthomas
- Start date
I think the sole reason behind why you don’t see manufacturers providing safety equipment is they don’t want to open themselves up to the liability in the case of injury or death. I can just hear the lawyer now. Your honor, "My client's dead son was told when he purchased his new sled that it had all the proper safety gear on board and yet he still perished in this unfortunate accident So therefore the gear which the manufacturers provided was not adequate to protect against this type of common accident in the sport of snowmobiling and thus should be held liable for the suffering it has caused my client in the lost of their loved one. I am not a lawyer so i could be wrong on this mind you.
<O
</OI remember seeing a documentary on TV about frivolous law suits. one case invovled someone suing Huffy bicycles because they were seriously hurt when they got hit by a car while riding at night. The claim the lawyer was making was that by the manufacturer putting reflectors on the bicycle his client was given the false sense of security that it was safe to ride at night with no other safety items on the bike. As crazy as it sounds but it still happens all the time.
<O</OSo by manufacturers not supplying that sort of safety equipment they limit their exposure to that type of liability and puts all the responsibility on the person buying and using the sled which is where it should be in the first place anyway.<O</O
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I certainly would agree that a person should have to take a rider safety course and avalanche training before purchasing one of these powerful mountain machines, similar to a hunter safe course even if you have been riding for years. I however think that will even be a tough sell because in some way shape of form it would be infringing on someone’s freedom somewhere. i am sure<O</O
<O
</OI remember seeing a documentary on TV about frivolous law suits. one case invovled someone suing Huffy bicycles because they were seriously hurt when they got hit by a car while riding at night. The claim the lawyer was making was that by the manufacturer putting reflectors on the bicycle his client was given the false sense of security that it was safe to ride at night with no other safety items on the bike. As crazy as it sounds but it still happens all the time.<O
</OSo by manufacturers not supplying that sort of safety equipment they limit their exposure to that type of liability and puts all the responsibility on the person buying and using the sled which is where it should be in the first place anyway.<O</O<O
</OI certainly would agree that a person should have to take a rider safety course and avalanche training before purchasing one of these powerful mountain machines, similar to a hunter safe course even if you have been riding for years. I however think that will even be a tough sell because in some way shape of form it would be infringing on someone’s freedom somewhere. i am sure<O
</O
E
EagleRiverDee
Well-known member
I would like to see it as well, and think an appropriately worded disclosure statement about avy risk would cover the dealerships for liability. Personally I think dealerships rarely do this because of money- it would eat into their profit margin. I'm not a fan of gov't regulation so don't want to see it have to become law for safety gear to be included, but would rather see dealerships voluntarily do it. That said, it still comes down to individual responsibility. If someone can afford to plop down $10K+ on a new sled, they can plop down money for a pack, shovel, probe and beacon. But if it came with the sled, then more people might do it, as if they are financing the sled they can spread the pain of the cost of the gear as well as the sled. It would probably make avy packs more accessible as well.
One thing I'd also love to see is a free avy course with every sled sold.
One thing I'd also love to see is a free avy course with every sled sold.
Having the gear is one thing.....having the training is something else.
Imagine the great PR BRP would receive if it donated some of its revenue to avy training.....it would speak volumes to the industry and the public. It might even sell them a few more sleds.
Imagine the great PR BRP would receive if it donated some of its revenue to avy training.....it would speak volumes to the industry and the public. It might even sell them a few more sleds.
they have.. with there brp avy seminars.. which is a great start..
id imagine your thinking along the lines of a full ast1...
I did not know they did that....good for them. Any training is better than none.
W
window2time
Member
Ryanlilly, thanks for passing that along. According to their site, their package includes an avy bag! This seems like a great snowcheck package to me! I didn't think they had enough margin in the sleds to cover that much free gear?
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=317667104949852&set=a.215100375206526.52838.183978061652091&type=1&theater
your mountain safety is your responsibily, not the manufacturers. Personally the cost of sleds is going up to much. lets keep the cost of sleds down and be responsible for our own safety equipment.
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window2time
Member
I also just saw that I-90 has a pic on their website of an all black XM. I think pics (and rumors) of an all black XM are beginning to surface more and more but it is interesting to see it on the dealer website. I sure hope we can snow check one in all black.
brp sent mike duffy around the country giving avalanche classes this fall\ early winter. it was a great class held at the local skidoo shop and brp paid for it all.
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EagleRiverDee
Well-known member
Every Arctic Cat mountain sled snow checked in 2010 came with a Float 30 bag, shovel and probe.....................................it wasn't a very popular option............................. and it was free...................
Well dang. You can lead a horse to water, I guess....
Personally if someone wanted to give me an ABS bag free I'd be pretty happy. I'm looking at spring checking a Summit X and they're probably going to charge me $500 over MSRP and there won't be any incentives.
I like what BRP has done with Duffy, but not sure I agree it is the Mfgs. responsibility. It will only add to the cost of a new sled and no matter what they include someone will not like it and complain. As Dam Dave said it was not very popular with Cat. I also see the lawyers getting involved.
An example of that is my Ins. Co. will not let me rent beacons as they feel people who have not had training will think just because they rent a beacon they will be safe from an avy. Sad but true. I understand their thought process, just unfortunate that we live in such a litigous society today. Lots of people show up here with no idea what they are doing and no regard to avy training. I am trying to find a different carrier who will let me rent a pack with everything needed when someone rents a sled but so far no one wants anything to do with that scenario. Also when I ask renters what they think about having a pack to rent also most just shrug and have no interest in spending anymore on something like that.
Individual training is the key.
An example of that is my Ins. Co. will not let me rent beacons as they feel people who have not had training will think just because they rent a beacon they will be safe from an avy. Sad but true. I understand their thought process, just unfortunate that we live in such a litigous society today. Lots of people show up here with no idea what they are doing and no regard to avy training. I am trying to find a different carrier who will let me rent a pack with everything needed when someone rents a sled but so far no one wants anything to do with that scenario. Also when I ask renters what they think about having a pack to rent also most just shrug and have no interest in spending anymore on something like that.
Individual training is the key.
K
kbl6z
Well-known member
I think thats a great idea. Atleast they have the equipment to start out with.
It's kinda like when the Harley dealer says, if you buy it today I will throw in a matching helmet. At which point the customer says, I'm buying this bike cause it looks cool, you can give me a helmet , but I won't wear it. So many times I meet snowmobile riders that say, I don't carry a shovel or probe cause I can't stand wearing a backpack. When I say store it on your sled they say, I don't want to hack up my sled or drill holes in it. Kinda sad but untill they suffer a personal loss it just won't register.
Jeff
Jeff
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