VIDEO LAND ROVERS IN EXTREME MUDDY TRACKS

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Originally Posted by mox

Owners of 4WD's who deliberately drive on muddy roads or tracks to test the capability of their vehicles and driving and recovery skills in such conditions should first consider what the road is normally used for by locals and others frequenting the area. Regular users and those who sympathise with them normally try to avoid driving on wet roads if it will obviously do significant damage and the trip is not an important priority. It can be very annoying to those trying to avoid damaging the road when "urban cowboys" trying out their 4wd's effectively deliberately plough them up.


These types would most likely not be obliged to use the road again in the condition they left it. Including when it had dried to various extents leaving very deep and hard ruts that are very rough and often difficult to drive through. I got stuck once in near dry ruts on a back road near home when most of vehicle weight was on diffs scraping the ground. Also, is a lot of not easy work grading the road. Often take several runs to properly fill in and smooth out the ruts. A bloke I know told me about an incident in Queensland. A group of "urban cowboys" that had just made an awful mess driving up and down a section of muddy rural road was confronted by a representative of the local Shire backed by police who presented them with a large bill to cover the cost of grading etc to repair damage they had done.


I have heard of cases where 4WDers have become bogged doing stupid things that have unnecessarily damaged the road and locals, including rangers in forests passing by have left them there, despite being fully equipped to pull them out. However, the same people would almost always help those who got stuck while trying not to. With this approach, would sometimes cost idiots a lot of time and money arranging to get out if no mates nearby.


When there is a wet boggy patch on an otherwise easily passable road, sometimes a detour can be made around it to avoid making the bog worse and maybe leaving less mud to clean off vehicle. Responsible road users who have good reason to go through usually try to minimise the destructive effect.


Those who want to test 4wd's in the mud should try to find places where damage done is least likely to upset anyone. eg a track which was formerly a road and has been replaced by a new much better road nearby serving the same purpose better.


Note I am a farmer who drives a Defender. Find its capabilities handy despite largely deliberately trying to avoid mudholes with it.

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A bill for repairing a muddy hole? Like to see someone try and enforce payment of that.

Nice work lads looks like you had some fun. Great to see crew using there 4x4 for something other than a shopping trolley.
Dan

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Originally Posted by Pilbara130

Nice work lads looks like you had some fun. Great to see crew using there 4x4 for something other than a shopping trolley.
Dan

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Just because it's a four wheel drive does not mean you have to drive through window high mud. I'd rather let my Rover proove itself without damaging it intentionally. But each to their own I guess.
Regards
Robbo

Re the above comment on my earlier post by "Stealth": If there a was sign clearly indicating the road was closed , which is not unusual for unsealed roads in wet conditions. I presume a claim by the organisation responsible for maintaining the road against someone proven to have damaged it without good reason would be upheld by a court.

Note the important message I am trying to promote is that responsible drivers of 4WD's should try to minimise damage to roads and tracks that others have to use. Sometimes the action by a thoughtless few gives all 4WDers a bad name and may result in roads and tracks being prematurely closed to lots of users to stop these idiots from wrecking them. Those wanting patches to test capabilities of their vehicles and themselves in muddy conditions should select ones off tracks others may need to use.

I'd like to know the facts about the example given by 'a bloke I know'. Attributing blame in such circumstances and then proving that in court with multiple offenders would be impossible. Unless your diligent Shire representative was on site since the last time the road was graded how could anyone say when a mud hole was created. "Not me your worship. It was muddy when I got there".

By the way I prefer to avoid muddy holes. Can't be bothered washing the mud off. (Not that my Defender ever gets washed anyway)

The points some have made about functional or "working" trails (as opposed to recreational trails) needs strong clear recognition and acceptance by the recreational 4x4 community.

These trails need to be treated with respect, and with respect for those who use them by necessity for their daily living or work/livelihood.

This is quite apart from, and likely secondary to, the respect we owe to the environment anyway - in general terms.

Here in Malaysia many of the jungle trails used recreationally by city people are also the "working" trails for loggers, or used by the orang asli (jungle dwelling aborigines) in their everyday subsistence living.

It is a sad fact that some OA trails have been blocked off and bridges on access routes destroyed by the OA simply to keep recreational users out - because of damage done by the irresponsible. Some may be open but are signposted with wording roughly translated "... You traverse our land, then respect the land".

It's also clear why loggers have little love for recreational trail users either. These people get paid by the tonne for the logs they haul. They drive ancient heavy vehicles that are poorly maintained ("lori hantu") loaded to the hilt up and down steep muddy trails. The right protocol and mindset to employ, simply for preservation of your own life and limb, is to get out of their way FAST. Sadly some recreational users fail to possess a shred of self preservation instinct.

video looks like it was taken in europe. my guess is that if you waited for the tracks to dry out you wouldn't ever actually get out.

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Originally Posted by BigBlackDog

Nice vid, those jungles look pretty sweet. It would be interesting to see the same obstacles driven with some flatter tyres, some of those sections didn't look to be as bad as the cars made it look, that could also be the camera, never looks as hard on screen!

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Hi thanks for the comment I appreciate. Really it was the camera because the tracks were difficult we had to use the winch a lot.

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Originally Posted by jasonedu

video looks like it was taken in europe. my guess is that if you waited for the tracks to dry out you wouldn't ever actually get out.

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Yes it was filmed in SPAIN :):)