When 4wheeling on a 2 way traffic trail who yields, the person going down hill or the person going up hill and why? When I first started driving I was told that the person going down hill yields to people coming up because it's harder for people coming up to get going again if they are hauling a trailer or they lose their momentum??? Thanks!

 

Person going uphill should yield

 

The OP is correct. The uphill vehicle has the right of way. The downhill vehicle should yield or get out of the way if necessary. It was explained in a course I took it had to do with who had a better line of vision as well as being safer to back up the hill than down.

 

I think it also depends on the situation. If your going up hill and see someone coming down, yet you have a safe spot to pull off and they dont, then you should pull off. Vise versa also. Also if the other party has a trailer I would let them have the right away, or if they are in the larger vehicle.

 

Ok so I just got back from moab, I was coming down from Top of the World and a guy was coming up. Both of us had enough room to move over, I move over to let him pass and he stops at my window and says that "the first rule of offroading is that downhill traffic has the right of way"???? Just curious......

 

People have posted both ways. In a textbook or standard scenario, which would it be?

 

From Tread Lightly.....

"Yield the right of way to those passing you traveling uphill. Yield to mountain bikers, hikers and horses."

 

Thanks, that's what I thought. Problem solved.

 

It comes from the old days ... its easier to back a horse uphill than downhill, so give right-of-way to the horse traveling uphill.

 

That's what I have always understood. Now if everyone else does this is another story!