JPFreek - Index

JPFreek - magazine - Index

I was driving my Jeep through a tight, rocky canyon, with
boulders the size of Buicks. I was attempting to climb over a
particularly narrow crest with a huge boulder on my left, a threefoot
deep hole on my right, and only four inches of axle width to
spare. To drop into that hole would mean, at the very least,
high-centered on the frame, or at the worst, rolled over in the
bottom of a narrow, rocky gorge at risk of damage and injury
and making for a difficult recovery.
There was a significant step down in front of the left tire, which
made the Jeep “teeter” back and forth as I negotiated over the
crest. After realigning several times to squeeze through, I wasn’t
one hundred percent sure where my right tire was.
Even a novice could tell me if my wheel was heading for the
hole on my right, or if it would just skim along the edge, but no
one spoke up. With your Jeep teetering back and forth, it isn’t
exactly safe to hop out to see where your tires are. What’s
needed at moments like this is a little help from outside. What
you need is a spotter.
nication is
et the most
t and overlooked
t in recovery
otting situations.
This has happened more than a few times out on the trail,
where I wanted spotting, but no one stepped up. I have also
witnessed the opposite situation: Tag along on any club run or
four-wheeling event and you will find hoards of willing opiniongivers
hanging out at every obstacle. So many people are
shouting out conflicting opinions that the driver still doesn’t
know how to proceed.
This got me thinking about the group dynamics of 4-wheeling,
and especially about spotting and recovery.
I say that any opinion may bring something of value to the
discussion, especially where safety in involved. To prevent a
situation from degrading into a free-for-all, there are some tried
and true rules to follow.
Whether simply spotting a novice driver in a stock Jeep over his
first bump, or recovering an upside-down rock crawler from the
bottom of a steep, narrow ravine, follow the same guidelines to
ensure as safe a progression as possible.
1 . Safety always comes first.
Keep the situation in the proper perspective
throughout the event: machines are replaceable, lives
are not. Unless there is imminent danger to someone’s personal
safety, it is best to resist the temptation to spring into action.
Take a few moments to thoroughly analyze the situation from
several different perspectives and compose a mental list of
possible courses of action.
2 . Establish the leader for
the situation.
This is a critical and frequently bypassed step
among recreational 4-wheelers who find themselves in
situations requiring assistance. The worst situation is when
everyone is yelling out orders at the same time. Even if they are
not conflicting, it is still distracting and counter-productive.
Conversely, a situation where no one speaks up is also confusing
and counter-productive.
Establish ONE person to lead everyone throughout the
situation. All ideas, opinions and actions are discussed with this
person prior to action.
Generally, the run leader, the driver of the vehicle or the person
with the recovery equipment is running the show in a spotting
or recovery situation. This should not be assumed in every
situation. Ultimately, the driver of the vehicle is responsible for
his own rig, therefore he is responsible for selecting the person
to help him. He should approve any decisions or course of
action with regard to his rig. What matters most is that the
driver can communicate well with the designated leader, and
has an acceptable level of trust for his or her judgment and
direction.
Many times, on group runs, a spotter will already be in place to
help each member of the group through. As the driver, you
choose whether to accept this person’s spotting, or designate a
spotter of your own. Who is selected as the spotter is not a
judgment of 4-wheeling skills, but of a person’s communication
skills with the particular driver. No one should be offended by
being offered spotting, or by the selection of a different spotter.
Recovery situations can be even more intense and dangerous.
This is where it is vital that the driver of the vehicle specify who
is coordinating the recovery. The designated coordinator directs
all actions, and all opinions and ideas are discussed with him
before any action takes place. Obviously, when other vehicles
are employed to recover a vehicle, the drivers of the assisting
vehicles cooperate by consent with the disabled vehicle’s driver.
As a general reminder, keep all unnecessary personnel well
back from a disabled vehicle, and no one should be on the
downhill side at any distance. A good rule of thumb if a winch is
involved is that everyone stays beyond a radius longer than the
length of the winch cable from both ends of the cable, in case it
breaks at the hook or the drum.