As the weather warms and Australians become eager to explore the great outdoors. 4WD drivers are being encouraged to carry two inexpensive items available at your local Bunnings that could be the difference between enjoying more time in the pub with family, or splurging “hundreds of dollars” on being rescued.
Earlier this month, a 4WD driver found himself bogged in soft sand along Guilderton Beach, just north of Perth, and had to call in Shaun Barrett from Westcoast 4×4 Recovery for assistance. Shaun told Yahoo News the driver could have saved himself “the pain and money” if he’d carried just two essential items.
“Carrying a tyre gauge and a shovel is the bare minimum,” he told Yahoo News. “You can get yourself out of a lot with these two simple, cheap items.”
Shaun explained that many drivers get overly zealous and think, just because they’re operating a 4WD, they’re safe from getting stuck in tricky terrain.
“A lot of people fall victim to thinking, ‘Oh, let’s just go drive on the beach. We’ve got a 4WD, it’ll be easy’ but there’s a bit more to it. Especially this time of year when the sand is very soft,” he said.
He explained that it’s best to lower tyre pressure when driving on soft sand. This increases the surface area of the tyre in contact with the sand, allowing it to ‘float’ rather than dig into the soft ground and get the vehicle stuck. Having the tyre gauge can aid drivers in this process, and a shovel can work wonders if a driver does find themselves stuck.
“A shovel from Bunnings these days is like $20, and a tyre gauge starts from $5. They’re pretty inexpensive,” Shaun said. “$25 versus a recovery cost, you’ve still got a few days at the pub [with the money saved]. You’re saving yourself hundreds.”
It’s becoming more ‘common’ for 4WD drivers to bog themselves. Source: DETSI & Facebook/Westcoast 4×4 Recovery
Beach bogging is a ‘common’ 4WD issue across Australia
Shaun said bogged incidents such as the one at Guilderton are “extremely common”, and he spends most of his working days at the beach due to drivers getting stuck in the sand.
Yahoo News has reported on a number of similar incidents across the country, with a pair of 4WD motorists facing fines of $3,226 each after getting bogged in the salt pan of the Bowling Green National Park in Queensland this month.
Another driver required a rather “smelly” rescue after his 4WD was bogged in an enormous pile of seaweed near Jurien Bay along WA’s Wheatbelt region.
Shaun has urged new 4WD drivers to consider enrolling in a course to learn some tips and tricks before they hit the beaches, saying they can learn valuable skills.
“It isn’t overly expensive these days, I think they’re about $250 to $300, and they’re held on a weekend. They can meet some people and get some experience,” he said.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
