Just spent 12 days on the island, great weather, great time, some great people but some real idiots in 4x4s. Pulled out 7 cars in the 12 days, first question was always the same "what's your tyre pressure?", answers were either, 25, 20 or "don't know". When I suggested they down pressure to 15 psi they looked at me as if I just landed in a spaceship from Mars. One guy wanted me to join my snatch strap to his with a bow shackle, he got the sh*ts when I told him that was a good way to kill his wife and two kids standing on the side of the track, another didn't have a compressor or even a tyre gauge. Came across a back packer in a Pajero bogged to the axles at the Champagne Pool track, he was digging out the tyres to put his floor mats underneath for traction (10 out of 10 for initiative). Conversation went like this:
Me: What's your tyre pressure?
Him: Half
Me: Half of what?
Him: 50
Me: You've got 25 psi? Put the down to 15 and you will drive out
Him: My mate told me you'll spin the tyre off the rim if you do that
Me: Your mate is wrong
At this point I convinced him to put his tyres down to 15 and use my Maxtrax. He got out.
Came across a scene of vehicular and emotional carnage. Scene like this, guy in a Jeep Patriot ( yes that's correct) bogged to the wheel arches. Went to help out with the Maxtrax but was told we weren't needed. Now it got interesting. Guy backs up with his Prado and a snatch strap but he got bogged too, guy then backs up in his Patrol and snatches the Prado, takes the snatch strap off, reverses around the Prado and proceeds to rip the rear bumper off the Prado and turn the side of his Patrol into copper art. The guy in the Patriot suddenly decided he needs our Maxtrax and shovel.
It took me three goes at trying to convince another guy that bad things can happen when you try and use a snatch strap off a tow ball.
There is a serious side to all this. People are going onto the island in badly prepared vehicles with little or no recovery equipment. Even worse people have equipment but don't know how to use it.
A couple of points worth noting. People still reach for the snatch strap first. I found That Maxtrax are better and safer (if a bit slower) for retrieving a single vehicle, not so good if the vehicle is towing. Snatch straps are still very good but are much better when used with an equaliser strap, unfortunately most people have never heard of them.
One final scene, driving off the island at Inskip Point there was a guy in a 100 series Landcruiser towing a dual axle Jayco Expander Outback heading to the barge, he made it about 20 metres onto the beach before he sank the wheels. Where is the advice from authorities that this is not a good idea?
