Before choosing to ride on moving equipment, which rule or consideration must you follow?

• A. Applicable Operating and Safety Rules.
• B. Weather conditions.
• C. Potential slack action.
• D. Car design and configuration that may make it unsuitable to ride.

Answer: (A)

The important idea here is that official operating and safety rules govern every decision to ride on moving equipment. These rules define who is authorized to ride, when it’s allowed, and exactly how to do it safely, including the steps you must take, the checks to perform, and the safety measures to follow. Because they establish the approved method and the boundaries for riding, they are the rule you must follow before deciding to ride.

Weather conditions, potential slack action, and car design can all affect safety and the level of risk, but they are factors that are addressed within those same rules. In other words, you use the operating and safety rules to determine whether riding is permitted and how to do it safely under the current conditions. If the rules permit it and all requirements are met, you may proceed; if not, you don’t ride.