Rainbow beach 4by graveyard

Well, Ian you were lucky to stumble on a good track and no soft sand, it is not always that good! The beach leg is all about timing, most times I've been there the tides were important to ensure that you didn't need to drive through water around the rocks on the beach which is what catches the novices.

Kind regards

There are a few reasons why this type of thing happens.

German, and indead most foreign tourist, tend to get their hands on an X Trail and alike thinking they are a 4WD. I hired one a couple of years back and knew I couldn't take it off road as there was a large sticker on the dash that told me so. The sticker probably wasn't in German. But I'd guess the hire company never told them either but it is some fine print in the hire contract....which gets the company out of their "duty of care" responsibility.

I'm sure we've all heard the story of the German numpty that attempted the CSR in a Brits Troopie that got him self well and trully stuck in Lake Disappointment with no food or water! All he had to do was engage the hub locks, but wasn't told how.

Seems hire these companies don't spend the time to ensure the hirer is competant to operate a 4WD. Having said that I am aware of a 4WD school that provides basic 4WD for 4wd hirers in Perth.

I've come across @#$%ers in Subarus that need towing because they have bottomed out on the entry track wheel rutts! I guess we will see more and more of these AWD soft roaders thinking they can tackle beaches, etc and coming to grief.

Councils, etc that allow vehicles on their beaches could regulate their use by way of a permit system. Only those that can demonstrate beach driving ability,training, a suitable vehicle and recovery equipment (if necessary) before being allowed to drive on it. Then we would keep day trippers with Klugers and X Trails off and tourists off that don't know what they are doing.

A similar system was suggested for the CSR a few years back because of the amount of rescues.

Mind you a lot of councils, etc have the attitude of "drive on at your own risk" and pay through the nose for recovery. They control behaviour in parks and playgrounds more than a potentially dangerous activity like driving on one of their beaches.

I remember fishing the Daly River, NT and getting a detailed brief about navigational hazards,etc on the river. Why isn't the same applicable of beach driving?

I know it seems a little drastic but how do you stop these people. But sometimes you have to protect them from themselves.

Wizard
Prado TD
Gold Coast