Originally Posted by
rmp
Every time this happens the people involved are described as morons or similar by others who are experienced offroaders and cannot imagine how anyone could not know how to drive safely on a beach, because it's so obviously just a case of lack of intelligence. Presumably, smart people could work out how to beach drive without being taught, or have worked it all out from a quick briefing and a read of a manual.
Don't confuse ignorance with stupidity.
It's easy to criticise a complete newbie when you've grown up in Australia, been driving here for years and know your way around 4WDs.
What's obvious to you is not obvious to, say, Europeans. It works both ways, I've seen Aussies try and drive on German autobahns, or handle Parisian traffic or parking. Hopeless until they learn how. In this case it seems the drivers were Aussies, but the same principle applies, beach driving is a skill that needs to be learned. Sometimes experts forget how far advanced they are.
Try learning any new physical skill with an element of danger and see how long it takes before you do something "stupid" out of ignorance. Having spent a lot of time teaching flying and driving, I suggest it won't be long.
The real solution here, as with almost any road safety issue, is better driver training. That'll drive up costs and reduce the number of people who self-drive, but rather that than more bodies strewn along a beach.