ROHVA RBDC Graduating Class
BLM Chappie-Shasta OHV Area
QWR wants to congratulate the seven Forest Service and
BLM recreation leads and field staff who completed the Recreational Off-Highway
Vehicle Association (ROHVA) ROV Basic DriverCourse (RBDC) taught at the
Chappie-Shasta OHV Area near Redding, California on October 3, 2017.
Since Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs) or
Side-by-Sides (SxSs) are becoming increasingly popular and are the fastest
growing segment of the powersports market and are seeing increased use by land
agencies for recreation and resource management, QWR offered the RBDC course at
the 2017 Interagency Ranger Ride and OHV workshop for agency staff who needed
to get certified before operating a government SxS.
Student Path Selection and Stopping
The student’s pre-class off-road experiences included
those with no OHV background to those agency staff that had driven 4WD trucks, motorcycles,
ATVs, crew buggies, or fire engines in the backcountry.
Practice Turning
A lot of focus is placed on the proper use of personal
protective gear or personal protective equipment (PPE) when sitting in or
operating the SxS. Just as it is
important for certified chainsaw operators (both agency staff and trail volunteers)
to use PPE, it is also critically important for SxS operators and passengers to
wear an approved helmet, eye protection, gloves, boots, and long pants.
Precision Stop on 4 x 6
After becoming familiar with the operation of their
vehicle and performing an inspection of various vehicle parts and controls including,
but not limited to, the chassis, frame, wheels/tires, fenders, passenger
seating and handholds, and the Rollover Protection Structure, they learned
about proper hand positioning for steering, using both feet to control the gas
and brake pedals, and many other aspects of safe vehicle operation.
The next five exercises are progressive in nature as they
build the important skillsets needed for safe operation of the vehicle.
Precision Stop on 4 x 6
Those exercises include starting out, stopping, driving a
good path, experiencing low speed steering limits, backing-up/turning, driving
a serpentine course both forward and in reverse, and practicing a quick stop
and doing an evasive maneuver.
Don Amador, President of Quiet Warrior Racing/Consulting,
states, “I am passionate about helping train both public and private sector SxS
users about how to operate their vehicles in a safe and environmentally sound
manner.”
Don Ready for RBDC Class
“I was proud to see the RBDC graduates use the skills
they learned at class during the group trail ride the next day. Several students told me the safe use of a
SxS requires a healthy dose of common sense when out on the trail and to not be
afraid to stop before attempting a challenging route segment that is beyond their
comfort zone or ability,” Amador concludes.
LINK TO ROHVA (Go ahead and take the free online ROHVA
E-Course)
*If you are interested in having Don teach a ROHVA ROV Basic
DriverCourse, contact him at: damador@quietwarriorracing.com
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