ftn96
1/2 ton status
I'm "sure" all you guys (oh! and gals too) know all about this "so-called" proper spotter hand signal stuff right?
I was just reading over some spotter guide stuff from off-road.com's Jeep site. While not having been into wheeling all that long I was very disappointed in what I perceived to be the common hand signals for spotters to communicat back to the driver.
Don't get me wrong. I know that communication is the number one factor in just about any situation, yet it always seems to be the number one F up in just about every fowl up. I know that some peeps from places say like Canada, way up there by tRustyk5 probably have a few different ways or sayings or words for the same things we use way down "yonder" here in the southeast. Which leads me to my opinion. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
Having been in aviation ground handling while in the Navy and watching the "wingwalkers" out the windows of commercial airliners on the way to Disney land, I have noticed that they all seem to use almost all the same hand signals for directing the planes around the taxiways.
Seems to me like we as "sophisticated" serious off-road enthusiasts should try to adopt something more along those lines.
I mean this thumb up in the air, back on forth to indicate speed and direction stuff seems to leave too many opportunities for Murphy's sister (ASSumption) to step in and fowl things up.
Ideas for you all to ponder and toy with:
1) Both hands straight up in the air in the "fist" should be brakes on.
2) Same as above but opening the hands with fingers spread out would be brakes off.
3) Forward motion would be arms out to the side parallel to the ground bending at the elbows like your fanning your face in the summer. This works great even you the spotter are having to stand off center or even next to the vehicle. If both arms are waving/fanning the face then the driver is to coninue forward/reverse manner in a "straight" line.
4) Turning would be the same as with the hand on the side of the intended direction pointing in that direction while the other arm is still fanning the face. Visa versa for the opposite direction.
5) Slight turning adjustments can be made with the forward motion signalling and tilting your head in the direction to steer to. Generally, this would be used to turn the wheel and quick jerk one direction or the other and then immediatly back to center.
6)Inching forward, would be hands up like waving for forward motion, but not moving (holding a 90 bend at the elbow) and using the fingers in a pinching motion or for more visability, using only the hands to motion while still maintaining arms at 90 degree (motionless).
These are the primary directional hand signals used in aviation at least as far as the military is concerned. There are a vast number of other signals but until you guys can come up with ailerons, flaps, dual engines and such...I'd say the above mentioned should be enough to establish some sorta established norm that would be nastional recognized. We used these very same signals religiously with no way to communicate by sound. When an F-14 Tomcat is running both engines at miltary idle, anything less than double hearing protection can be extremely damaging. Never the less, there was no vocal communication going on. This proved to be VERY effective, even when the most ignorant and stupidest of individuals was doing the directing/spotting.
Never the less. Some of you, I'm sure have sure fire methods of communication that may work great for you all. Thats great. Keep it up. Refresh your memory every once in a while. And just like the other article said just make sure you the driver, knows exactly what the hell the spotter is telling you to do and make sure you can trust them. And you the spotter: make sure you know what the driver is comfortable with. If there is something you are not sure about. STOP. Tell the driver to come have a look and advise you on what he would prefer to do. After all it is his vehicle and he is the soley responsible for it and its actions.
But please guys...... use something a little more visual than just the hands and fingers when at all possible. Its sorta hard to see those little pointers with a little distance, rain, fog, lack of light, mud on the windshield, etc etc etc.
Hope someone got something outta this. If you have something additional to add or dis-agree with please do so below. Thats what this place is for. Helping a brotha out.
L8R SK8R's
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
I was just reading over some spotter guide stuff from off-road.com's Jeep site. While not having been into wheeling all that long I was very disappointed in what I perceived to be the common hand signals for spotters to communicat back to the driver.
Don't get me wrong. I know that communication is the number one factor in just about any situation, yet it always seems to be the number one F up in just about every fowl up. I know that some peeps from places say like Canada, way up there by tRustyk5 probably have a few different ways or sayings or words for the same things we use way down "yonder" here in the southeast. Which leads me to my opinion. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
Having been in aviation ground handling while in the Navy and watching the "wingwalkers" out the windows of commercial airliners on the way to Disney land, I have noticed that they all seem to use almost all the same hand signals for directing the planes around the taxiways.
Seems to me like we as "sophisticated" serious off-road enthusiasts should try to adopt something more along those lines.
I mean this thumb up in the air, back on forth to indicate speed and direction stuff seems to leave too many opportunities for Murphy's sister (ASSumption) to step in and fowl things up.
Ideas for you all to ponder and toy with:
1) Both hands straight up in the air in the "fist" should be brakes on.
2) Same as above but opening the hands with fingers spread out would be brakes off.
3) Forward motion would be arms out to the side parallel to the ground bending at the elbows like your fanning your face in the summer. This works great even you the spotter are having to stand off center or even next to the vehicle. If both arms are waving/fanning the face then the driver is to coninue forward/reverse manner in a "straight" line.
4) Turning would be the same as with the hand on the side of the intended direction pointing in that direction while the other arm is still fanning the face. Visa versa for the opposite direction.
5) Slight turning adjustments can be made with the forward motion signalling and tilting your head in the direction to steer to. Generally, this would be used to turn the wheel and quick jerk one direction or the other and then immediatly back to center.
6)Inching forward, would be hands up like waving for forward motion, but not moving (holding a 90 bend at the elbow) and using the fingers in a pinching motion or for more visability, using only the hands to motion while still maintaining arms at 90 degree (motionless).
These are the primary directional hand signals used in aviation at least as far as the military is concerned. There are a vast number of other signals but until you guys can come up with ailerons, flaps, dual engines and such...I'd say the above mentioned should be enough to establish some sorta established norm that would be nastional recognized. We used these very same signals religiously with no way to communicate by sound. When an F-14 Tomcat is running both engines at miltary idle, anything less than double hearing protection can be extremely damaging. Never the less, there was no vocal communication going on. This proved to be VERY effective, even when the most ignorant and stupidest of individuals was doing the directing/spotting.
Never the less. Some of you, I'm sure have sure fire methods of communication that may work great for you all. Thats great. Keep it up. Refresh your memory every once in a while. And just like the other article said just make sure you the driver, knows exactly what the hell the spotter is telling you to do and make sure you can trust them. And you the spotter: make sure you know what the driver is comfortable with. If there is something you are not sure about. STOP. Tell the driver to come have a look and advise you on what he would prefer to do. After all it is his vehicle and he is the soley responsible for it and its actions.
But please guys...... use something a little more visual than just the hands and fingers when at all possible. Its sorta hard to see those little pointers with a little distance, rain, fog, lack of light, mud on the windshield, etc etc etc.
Hope someone got something outta this. If you have something additional to add or dis-agree with please do so below. Thats what this place is for. Helping a brotha out.
L8R SK8R's
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
