23 July 2014 | Mike Johnston, Eastern Sierra 4WD Club | Feature Stories

Spotting 101: Good spotting makes a difference

A friend sent me a quick note asking if there are universal hand signals for the spotters. Every spotter may have a slight variation, but below is a sample of the most commonly used signals.

I personally prefer to use a thumb or finger to point right and left, this avoids possible confusion when the entire hand is waving right and left. I also prefer only one signal at a time, and not “Continue straight, slowly.” I guess I am not good at multi-tasking.

Editor’s Note: The most critical (and perhaps the most difficult) rule to follow is only having one spotter. And remember that some of us can’t see over the hood when it’s up in the air, so verbal cues are good too.

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