1. Following Distances
All participants must at all times maintain a safe following distance. It does get a little claustrophobic when the vehicle behind is driving on your rear bumper. There is no prescribed distance but it needs to be varied according to the terrain. Always allow the driver in front of you enough space to maneuver and/or get into position to attempt an obstacle and to back up, should he not make it. This should not be limited to serious obstacles but also any uphill where there is a chance that the vehicle in front can stall or has to back up for whatever reason. This is not freeway driving and 2 seconds is not enough. :p
2. Clutch!
Some drivers simply pushes in the clutch and free wheel down steep inclines, sometimes even in reverse!!. This is extremely dangerous, especially on loose surfaces, as once the vehicle is out of control (free wheeling too fast) it is near to impossible to regain control and it can have serious or even fatal consequences. A free wheeling vehicle on a steep decline can double its speed every 5 meters. Go do the math! ALWAYS keep the vehicle in gear and go down hill against compression. That way you always have some measure of control over the vehicle as the engine is braking the vehicle. Keep your foot on the brake to regulate the speed and if needs be even stall the vehicle to get it to stop on very a steep descend. When starting up the vehicle NEVER push in the clutch but let the vehicle run with the starter motor until the engine fires. I always put my left leg under the seat when I go down hill to prevent me from accidently using the clutch. (Thats why I have that funny expression on my face when I drive) :D
3. Parking.
When there is an obstacle in the trail and everybody wants to stop and watch the rest of the group coming through, the lead vehicle on the trail must always drive down the trail far enough to allow all the vehicles behind to have parking and leave enough space for the last vehicle to negotiate the obstacle safely and to park on a flat area, not hanging on some ledge by the skin of his teeth.
4. Spectators/Photographers
Spectators must always watch from a safe distance. Photographers must use the zoom facility on their cameras to get up close. It is pretty exciting to lean in under the front wheel and take pictures of oil leaks under a vehicle hanging in the air, but the driver has no idea where the photographer is and it could potentialy have some serious consequences. It does happen that a vehicle negotiating an obstacle does not always go exactly where the driver intends for it to go. Now couple that with a photographer/spectator inspecting the suspension upgrades on the vehicle and you can see where I am going with this....... :?
5. Spotting.
Please assist fellow drivers in tight spots by spotting and guiding them through so they do not damage their vehicles. Also spot when drivers are backing up to get in position for an obstacle. This will prevent the driver from driving into unseen holes/cliffs/rocks/tortoises or other road hazards.
6. Environment
If there are any special rules it would be great if the trail owner can explain them to all drivers. All drivers MUST stick to the rules of the trail, we want to be able to come back and do the trail again at a later stage. I am proud to say that on this trip everybody stayed on the track and nobody damaged any fauna and flora. Give yourselves a great big pat on the back for that. That will show old Kortbroek we are not a bunch of hooligans hell-bent on destroying nature and the environment just for our own pleasure.
7. Pre-Trail Vehicle Inspection
This should be done in any case, but it is worth noting here. Also be sure all the goodies in the back is strapped down securely, as a flying Engel or hi-lift jack can be pretty lethal.
8. Have Patience/Calm Down
When attempting an obstacle and things are not working out exactly the way you plan, stay calm. Once you get worked up, you transfer that stress to your vehicle. It is amazing how quickly that stress changes to aggression and that is when you drive your vehicle in a way that is not safe for yourself, your vehicle or the spectators. If after 2 or maximum 3 attempts you still dont make an obstacle, sit back and let the next guy go. Catch a breather, have a SZ, and see what lines the next guy takes. This teaches you to "read" the obstacle and to take the route of least resistance.
9. Vehicle Recovery
There are many recovery rules to observe and I am not going to go into all of them here, but at least one person on the trail should know them and that person should take charge of all recoveries. Also people should use common sense and spectators not directly involved in the recovery effort should stand well clear.
a.All spectators must stand back at least 1.5 times the length of a kinetic strap/rope or winch cable.
b.Always use rated recovery points on a vehicle. NOT towballs/bullbars/rear view mirrors/skaaptralies.
c.Never straddle a tow rope/snatch strap that is attached to 2 vehicles.
Too many more to list here.
Recovery equipment. Every vehicle should be equiped with its own recovery equipment. Especially snatch straps/ropes. These items have a limited life span and it is not fair to use somebody else's equipment. Therefore, should a driver not have his own equipment, and another he uses somebody else's equipment the donor should be re-imbursed for the use of his equipment.
10 Drinking on the Trail
Personally I think drinking alcohol should be banned while driving a trail, but that is my personal preference. It has been proven too many times that drinking and sound judgement cannot exist at the same time. Drink soft drinks and water while driving, and once the trail is over, the braai-fires are burning and the cars are parked, break out the hard tack/beers/tafels/mampoer/brannas or whatever. Remember that impaired judgement due to alcohol intake does not only affect the driver, it definitely also affects the passengers, and could potentially affect fellow drivers, with serious consequences. Discression should be used if any driver simply cannot resist the temptation to have a beer, but the trail leader should have the right to intervene when any driver becomes a danger to himself and/or others.
11 Driving Skills/Pressure.
Don’t feel pressured into doing anything you do not feel comfortable doing. Sure people will give you lots of lip about it, but if you feel you are not going to make an obstacle for what ever reason, it is YOUR decision as driver in charge of the vehicle whether you are going to try it or not. Remember you have your own life and the lives your passengers and even spectators in your hands. Personally I would rather take the “lip” afterwards at the braai fire while I can still breathe that not hear what they say about me in my obituary. Rather be safe than sorry……
12 Playtime/Crowd control
When participants are playing at an obstacle, the driver MUST at all times ensure that all the spectators are aware of his intended actions. If this is not possible, he should let the Group Leader/Safety Officer know of his intentions to enable him to do proper crowd control. The Group Leader/Safety Officer cannot be held responsible if he was not informed. No obstacle in such a case shall be attempted unless the Group Leader/Safety Officer gave the all clear to the driver, either by means of radio communication or agreed hand signal. Children must always be under adult supervision, and at a safe distance.
13 Vehicle tampering / practical jokes
It is very funny to unlock a vehicle's front hub without the driver knowing about it and to see him struggle to get up a hill. It is even more dangerous than funny. This practice will not be tollerated on Hilux4x4 outings. This could lead to vehicle damage, and even to injury or death,if the vehicle loses traction and goes over a cliff. Want to know more? Read here: viewtopic.php?f=63&t=22516" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
14 Passengers/Seatbelts
No passengers on the back of any bakkie while negotiating an obstacle, whether the bakkie has a canopy or not. One seatbelt, one passenger. Drivers and passengers are to wear seat belts at all times, except when doing water crossings. Driving thru a puddle is not a water crossing.
I think we should make these points part of a standard pre-trail drivers briefing so that all drivers are reminded and that newbies are informed. Does anybody else have any points that we can add to this
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