Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 09:06
The Td5 I owned was an absolute bitch in sand, even with the tyres deflated.
I tend to think this was due to the amount of play in the
suspension, it would very quickly dig in and drop you onto the diffs toot sweet.
Perhaps it's time for the powers to be to start demanding that a FWD operator undergo a course in off road vehicle operation, before you are permitted to enter their territory, eg. National Parks, Forests, Coastal
Reserves.
Personally I have no problems with attending a FWD driving course, I consider myself competent in their operation, but it doesn't hurt to enhance ones skills and we're never to old to learn.
The organisation that provides electricity in Western N.S.W. will not allow their staff to operate their FWD service vehicles until they have completed a course of instruction that takes in both theory and practice. The defence forces have a similar practice, and I think, Telstra.
A fellow who I travel with sometimes, and who owns an off-road set up (good one too) was a bit miffed at having to comply with his employees demands and do a course with a certified trainer, but when he did came back, said that it was worth every dollar spent. I'm not familiar with what happens in the other states, but it's quite possible a similar requirement exists.
So if industry demands that their staff must be capable of operating their equipment, in this case FWD vehicles, why aren't casual driver's such as enthusiasts? All you have to prove in N.S.W. when you go for a driver's licence is that you can pass a knowledge
test & operate the vehicle you are being tested in, it could be a Ford Festiva or a Hyundi. There's a great deal of difference, and it's not my wish to point out the obvious.
I know that this is a sore point as we are over regulated as it is, but incidents such as this are not isolated. But as Blaze of
Berri points out there are a number of instances known to him where simple basic procedures were not followed. So there must be lots and lots more we don't hear about.
Well done too, by the way!
Every traveller has horror stories of getting people going again. One I remember was after a rainstorm in the Scotia Country south of here, myself and another fellow, very late at night came upon a Nissan Patrol with a woman and a heap of cold kids, bogged. We checked the vehicle and found that the front wheels hadn't been activated, drove it out easy peasy. We caught up to the driver, very wet and dishevelled kms. down the road. New vehicle, no idea how to operate it.
Anyway folks, this is just an idea. Learning the hard way is counter productive.
Dick
AnswerID:
354262
Follow Up By: Willem - Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 13:14
Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 13:14
Dick
Hmmm...... next you will need a science degree to climb a ladder to change a lightbulb in your house. :-)
Yeah, train the 4wd-er, the caravan tower, the camper trailer tower, the tractor driver. It will employ more people...which is good. Then as the vehicle's specs change one can do a refresher course from time to time.
All this training stuff stems from over zealous OHS rules where commonsensse has flown out the window
God hasn't stopped making stupid people and there is no guarantee that people will not do stupid things even after training.
Cheers
FollowupID:
622461
Follow Up By: Member - Axle - Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 15:27
Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 15:27
Dick , I agree!, landrovers are a pain in sand with standard rim and tyre, especially on a incline they just wan't to dig down no matter what. on flat areas not to bad i found it better to go slow in a low gear with c/difflock in. In mud ,.now thats a different story.
Cheers Axle.
FollowupID:
622492
Follow Up By: Member - Richard H (NSW) - Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 15:46
Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 15:46
Will,
No BSc Degree here, just a mere BA. However, all of my ladders are degree certified.
What I am alluding to here is the fact that as off road driving becomes more popular we will see or hear about more and more people getting themselves into strife.
It costs government a lot of money now to deploy police and other agencies to look for, recover, and medically repair people, each year, who stuff up. As governments are dollar driven the costs will increase, ultimately, access to the
places we take for granted, will be restricted and eventually denied.
God will never stop making stupid people, however my friend, a stupid person can be taught not to be stupid. Training improves ones knowledge, skills and attitudes, and if done correctly we would see people such as the driver mentioned in this thread, become rare.
I know the O.H. & S. Nazi's are out there and it's becoming ridiculous, but it has it's points. For example I can go and buy a FWD with a winch,go bush and engage the winch, use it incorrectly, injure or kill myself or some other person, then the dollars start to add up. And that's what drives the country dollars!. Whereas, if I was compelled to attend a course of instruction on how to use a winch, and be certified to drive it the same as industry is, it may not have happened.
It's unfortunate, but a minority stuff things up for the majority.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Willem - Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 17:52
Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 17:52
Dick
Not sure who 'Wil'l is
I can see you are a man of letters as your posts and replies are of great length and impart valuable information to everyone who cares to read.
I am surprised however, that a person of your learning, should also use the old cliché that the minority stuff things up for the majority. In my view that is a cop-out where people are stating that whatever the cause it is always someone elses fault.
In this day and age of overprotectionism and "Its not my fault please don't sue me" syndrome the populace who ascribe to these notions deserve a hard kick up the bum to bring them back to their senses.
Cheers
FollowupID:
622534
Follow Up By: Member - Wayne David (NSW) - Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 18:15
Monday, Mar 16, 2009 at 18:15
Richard H (NSW)
Allow me to tip me hat to you Sir for your efforts in helping that family. That could have a really bad ending, and to think that the soltion was as simple as engaging hubs. See ignorance. If you don't know then you don't know.
Something like a training course, a mate running through the fundamentals or what ever could so easily have made the difference.
I know there's those that knock training courses but as one who's mere presence on the planet proves that "God hasn't stopped making stupid people" I can will state that not knowing is one thing but failure to learn.......now that's really stupid.
The trouble is that many of these people are new to off road driving and genuinely don't know any better. Perhaps they feel the 4x4 will do it all for them. Usually the vehicle will but there are times as per your story and that of Blaze where it can all go pear shaped quickly.
It's all about knowledge and experience. Some of us need to training courses to obtain it.
FollowupID:
622543