Another injury from an incorrectly used snatch strap

[Tote]

I don't know what the answer is to stop these incidents, maybe some better instructions on the straps or their packaging.

Flying tow strap hits teen in head after 4WD bogged in Castlereagh

Regards,
Tote

[87County]

Just saw it in the paper myself and thought .. oh no - not again....

We obviously hope he pulls through with a full recovery.

There are certain combinations of winch wire and/or snatch strap and shackles and/or towball which are just plain lethal. The hardware is available to anyone so I do not know how the injury rate can be reduced without massive coverage in the 4wd press.

I'm afraid that written instructions are not much assistance in a case where the gear is just broken out in the dark and used when deemed necessary.

This is one situation where only practical training (which will include graphic descriptions of potential injury) will have the required effect.

Some 4WD clubs attempt this but have club volunteer "trainers" that just do not have the appropriate skills unfortunately.

[disco gazza]

Thats why I heard an ambo with siren screaming went by my place around 2145 hrs last night.

I live down the road from where all these trails are.
Not surprised they went in there with all the rain that we've had over the last few months. Bog holes galore in there and very easy to get bogged.The water just sits there until it weather warms up or there is no rain for months.
The council has put up barriers to stop people getting into the areas,but people have just made other tracks to get in there.

Wonder if the cops will charge any of them for trespassing.

cheers

[Tote]

I'm doubtful that club members are usually the ones who get themselves into trouble, Certainly the club that I belong to is pretty strong on safe recoveries. I suspect that it is usually the people who get themselves an old 4wd and think that they are bulletproof that are the ones who take the risks and a large number of these people don't join clubs and benefit from any form of organised training.

Regards,
Tote

[87County]

I agree Tote, more 4wd-ers not in clubs than in them

[strangy]

I don't have an answer other than education.
Only a few weeks ago I pulled up someone close to the family about using the Snatch strap on a tow ball,
"Quote- yeah I know but I don't have time and can't be bothered to fit it properly"
I was ticked off as he had been correctly trained/educated, wasn't about to be overrun by hoards of carnivorous dinosaurs and had nothing better to do with his time than play in the scrub.

Education isn't enough for some and I suppose that's just the human condition.

[TerryO]

Seriously it is a not good enough if it's a case that many clubs don't do a proper job in instructing newbies on how to safely do a recovery.
I know that the Range Rover Club gives very good instruction on how to use snatch straps in a recovery situation and more importantly what not to do and what can go wrong if you use the wrong gear.

I also agree that proper written instructions should be supplied at the point of sale. This is not just good practise but potentially good commercial sense, a smart supplier could have a short instructive video playing in loop that shows what is the right way and the wrong way of doing a recovery and the potential outcomes if done wrong. For those potential purchasers that are inclined to take note and watch the video chances are they would purchase all of the correct gear which would make the supplier more money rather than just buying the cheapest recovery strap and a couple of cheap unrated shackles because they know no better.

There will always be those who say she will be right, I guess the trick is if your stuck don't let someone like that connect up your snatch strap.

[Tombie]

"She'll be right mate" - such a dangerous mindset.

And remember, "it is not recommended" to use the tow ball for recovery...
"It is not recommended" was recently debated by several people on here with regards to a manufacturer "not recommending" use of certain products on their vehicles.

People can be their own worst nightmare and these people are now living a very real nightmare either through lack of education (includes self education) on recovery, lack of patience or outright stupidity.

I hope the lad pulls through and they learn to be safer in everything they do moving forward.

[POD]

We obviously hope he pulls through with a full recovery.

Nice.

[POD]

Reading the article, it sounds unlikely to have been a towball as the object came through the back window and hit him in the back of the head, I'm the last one to assume any accuracy in media reporting but if that is true it's more likely a front recovery point failed on the stuck vehicle and the injured kid was doing the towing.