Polaris Sportsman 6x6 - Manual (Page 19)

16
SAFETY
Operator Safety
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Always have the vehicle inspected by an authorized Polaris dealer if
it’s been involved in an accident.
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Never operate on hills too steep for the vehicle or for your abilities.
Practice on smaller hills before attempting larger hills.
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Always follow proper procedures for climbing hills. Check the ter-
rain carefully before ascending a hill. Never climb hills with exces-
sively slippery or loose surfaces. Shift your weight forward. Never
open the throttle suddenly or make sudden gear changes. Never go
over the top of a hill at high speed.
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Always follow proper procedures for going downhill and for braking
on hills. Check the terrain carefully before you start down a hill.
Shift your weight backward. Never go down a hill at high speed.
Avoid going down a hill at an angle, which would cause the vehicle
to lean sharply to one side. Travel straight down the hill when pos-
sible.
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Always follow proper procedures for crossing the side of a hill.
Avoid hills with excessively slippery or loose surfaces. Shift your
weight to the uphill side of the vehicle. Never attempt to turn the
vehicle around on any hill until you’ve mastered (on level ground)
the turning technique outlined in this manual. Avoid crossing the
side of a steep hill when possible.
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Always use proper procedures if the vehicle stalls or rolls backwards
while climbing a hill. To avoid stalling, maintain a steady speed
when climbing a hill. Always dismount on the uphill side, or to ei-
ther side if the vehicle is pointed straight uphill. Turn the vehicle
around and remount following the procedure described in this manu-
al.
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Always check for obstacles before operating in a new area. Never
attempt to operate over large obstacles, such as rocks or fallen trees.
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Always be alert to the potential for skidding or sliding. On slippery
surfaces (like ice), travel slowly and use extra caution to reduce the
chance of skidding or sliding out of control.
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Avoid operating the vehicle through deep or fast-flowing water. If
it’s unavoidable, travel slowly, balance your weight carefully, avoid
sudden movements, and maintain a slow and steady forward motion.
Do not make sudden turns or stops, and do not make sudden throttle
changes.