Sherbrooke, Québec - 1999-11-11
Bombardier Recreational Products has issued an important safety alert to Ski-Doo® snowmobile owners and all other snowmobilers. The Canadian manufacturer of Ski-Doo snowmobiles warns that preseason snowstorms like the one that blanketed much of central Ontario last week can be very dangerous for riders who are too anxious to be first on the snow. Getting started too early places the rider and innocent bystanders at extreme risk.
"As avid snowmobilers ourselves, we at Bombardier Recreational Products cannot wait for our first ride of the winter either," commented Benoit Lafortune, Vice-President, Communications and Sales - Canada and International for Bombardier Recreational Products, "but we also know that as safe as Ski-Doo snowmobiles are, it is not smart to ride before Old Man Winter has had a chance to lay out a deep white carpet for everyone's enjoyment and protection."
Early snow is a false friend: it does not mean that the snowmobiling season has begun. The ground is not frozen yet, and there is no ice on any lakes or rivers. Snowmobile trails are not open yet. Snowmobilers should verify with local clubs and authorities for conditions and ice thickness. For safety's sake, riders should exercise patience during the transition months from fall to winter, and wait until conditions are right for safe snowmobiling once winter has truly settled in.
A good signal that it is safe to ride is when local snowmobile clubs officially open their trails for the first time. Bombardier Recreational Products recommends that snowmobilers stick to the thousands of kilometres of groomed trails maintained by their provincial association each winter. Experience clearly demonstrates that snowmobile trails are the safest and most comfortable places to ride, whereas non-designated riding areas often results in tragedy.
Typical preseason, teaser snowfalls only aggravate this lethal off-trail situation. With no open snowmobile trails to ride, over-eager snowmobilers frequently hit the roads and fields, where that unsubstantial first snow creates a false sense of security for the unsuspecting or uninitiated. Obstacles are hidden. Fence wires are invisible. Ditches, curbs, culverts, unsafe ice and automobiles become hazards. Distracted by the exhilaration of that first ride, it's too easy to throw caution to the wind - at the very time when the safe and responsible action is not to ride at all.
"Bombardier Recreational Products has always put safety first and we know that anyone who tries to ride too early is taking unnecessary risks. There's an entire winter coming, with more than enough snowmobiling to satisfy even the most ardent enthusiast - so why not wait until it's safe to ride?" concluded Lafortune
Bombardier Recreational Products designs, develops, builds, distributes and markets Ski-Doo® and Lynx® snowmobiles, snowgrooming equipment and multi-purpose tracked vehicles, Sea-Doo® watercraft and sport boats, Bombardier all-terrain vehicles and Bombardier NVTM neighborhood vehicles. Snowmobiles, ATV, watercraft and some sport boats are powered by Rotax® engines that are designed and built by Bombardier-Rotax GmbH which also builds motors for motorcycles and scooters.
Bombardier Inc. is a Canadian corporation active in the fields of aerospace, rail transportation equipment, recreational products and financial services. It operates plants in 12 countries in North America, Europe and Asia, and more than 90% of its revenues are generated outside Canada. Bombardier's revenues for its fiscal year ended January 31, 1999 totalled $11.5 billion.
®, TM Trademarks of Bombardier Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.
Products are distributed by Bombardier Inc. in Canada and by Bombardier Motor Corporation of America in the USA.