Ford Middle East shares tips to prevent getting stuck off road
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Essential Desert Driving Tips from Ford
Driving in the desert is an enjoyable experience, but as with all activities, there is a learning curve that all new drivers must navigate. This curve will see you get stuck on numerous occasions while you learn the best way out.
Ford's Desert Driving Tips Series
In the fifth installment of Ford’s Desert Driving Tips series, the experts share their knowledge and insist that adopting a ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach to driving is the best way to avoid getting into a sticky situation.
Key Insights from Experts
“The best way to avoid getting stuck is to be aware of what’s going on and constantly thinking ahead,” said Mike Chavez, series co-host and Ford Middle East Product Development Lead Technologist. “The main thing is to not fight gravity. There is no point in fighting it. Fighting the desert is like fighting in water. So, go with the flow.”
Avoiding Common Mistakes
A common mistake many new drivers make is to continue forcing their vehicle to fight gravity while pressing the accelerator deeper and deeper, essentially digging their car to a point of no return. When drivers feel their vehicle is struggling through a certain path, they should try a different line, perhaps where the sand is firmer, and turn down from a large dune to avoid getting stuck.
Techniques for Overcoming Dunes
If your vehicle is struggling to move forward up a dune, applying more power is rarely the right approach. Your tires may overcome the available grip, spin, and quickly dig your vehicle deeper into the sand.
Keep it up, and you’ll find yourself with a vehicle buried belly-deep on a dune and in need of assistance.
If you don’t have enough forward momentum to make it over a dune, then get the nose of the vehicle turned downhill. If that’s not an option, get off the power, stop, ensure the way is clear behind, and reverse straight back down the dune. This way, you can either take a second attempt or find another, easier route around it.
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