Spotting (off-road)

In Off-roading a Spotter is the second set of eyes to help a driver navigate difficult obstacles. Spotters are usually in front of the vehicle and use voice commands along with hand signals to indicate which way to turn the wheels and whether to go forward or backward. When the driver cannot see what is directly in front of his or her wheels, it can make the difference between getting through or damaging the vehicle.
Basic commands/signals.
If spectators are giving the driver signals or shouting commands or advice, the spotter should step in and take control of the situation. Otherwise the driver will not know who's advice to follow. Other signals may be used as well as long as they are agreed to by both the driver and spotter.
Advanced spotting.
If a vehicle gets into a situation where one or more wheels are "hanging air" (off the ground and have no traction), the spotter may try to re-balance the vehicle. The most dangerous way is to hang on the side of the vehicle using the spotter's weight to bring it back down. Here the spotter is acting as a 'Rock surfer'. A much safer method is to use straps or ropes to bring the wheel or wheels down to earth again.
The spotter may be the agreed-on person to handle the winch line. Here again, clear signals between the spotter and driver need to be maintained in order to keep everyone safe.