Go Unstuck yourself
If you were to wonder out to the edge of Beaver county where I live, and were come up to the road near my house, you would find a polished and slick road, that slopes down toward my driveway and the deep ditches on each side.
On many days I’ll be sitting in my home when Ill hear a car spinning across that intersection, sometimes a scraping noise can be heard, or cursing from within the car, followed closely by a noticeable “Whummphh!” I’ll sit and chuckle as I hear spinning ties, more cursing and then a humbled knocking at my door.
Without cell coverage in the area, and light traffic, many drivers will come to my place looking on a way to get out of the ditch. For a few buck I’ll start up my 4x4 and go pull out who ever comes by.
Just yesterday I had a well dressed business man requesting help with his Beamer. So as I pull him out and we are standing on the road, he hands me $40 bucks as we watch another car go sliding down the hill and into the ditch where his car just sat.
“Wow” - says the man “with conditions like this, you must be busy day and night hauling cars!’
“Day! - Yes” I say
“Night ? - I’m too busy hauling water……”
Good Morning Toastmasters, My name is Blaine Zuk, and I’m going to share with you a few tips on how to ‘Unstuck’ yourself if you find yourself stuck in a ditch, or other similar situation.
I have three tips that are key to keeping you mobile.
Tip #1
Stay out of the ditch! - One of the keys to staying mobile is to ensure you do not hit the ditch in the first place. When you find yourself sliding towards a ditch, it is critical to keeping your steering operations. This means that you must keep your wheel rolling, and avoid locking up the wheels. Rather than applying the breaks allow your wheels to roll and help steer in the direction you want to go. With a front wheel drive, you can even accelerate into the direction you wish to go. A locked wheel will act like a ski, and simple slide straight forward, so remember to keep the wheels rolling.
Oh and while I’m taking about staying out of the ditch, it is important to remember to focus on where you want to be rather that what you are trying to avoid. Keep your eyes to where you want to be up on the road, and the rest of your system will kick in to guide you there. Focus on where you want to be!
Tip #2
Traction is your friend
Unless you can grip the ground, your car isn’t going anyway. That one reason why I always carry a good shovel and traction plates in my car. Snow jambbed up under the wheels will prevent you from getting solid pressure on the ground, so Its important to dig a ‘runway’ once you start moving. Steer the wheels left and right to clear snow, and move anything that might be holding the car up a bit.
The traction can also be achieved with gravel, kitty litter floor mats, sticks, and twigs, or anything else that will help move you along, my personal preference is the steel traction plates.
Rocking your car forward and back will also give you an opportunity to clear snow, or apply a traction method. It may be 1 inch forward, and then 2 back, but slowly you will get a solid grip and start moving. Its OK to help somebody if you see them ricking the car forward and back , by pushing on the vehicle as it goes. But if you see the car rocking side to side, the patrons most likely do not want your help……
And Tip #3 - The third item I carry is a good tow rope. Another car with solid traction will do more for you that rocking a car, or getting a bunch of kids to push. It does not even have to be a very heavy rope in most cases, 200l0b rating should be fine for most light pulls. What is important in knowing where you can hook on to both your own, and the tow vehicle. I have seem plastic body panels get broken, and suspension bent up by hooking on Th. The wrong spot. But having and knowing how to use a tow rope will get you out of many sticky situations.
Like the cars who often slide into my driveway, I use a tow rope to help pull them out.
Last week, I did not have my truck running, but even a little donkey, can pull enough to extract a vehicle. When the last car was stuck, I hitched my blind but strong miniature donkey Knickers up to do some pulling. He’s small, but tough as a tractor.
I got him all hitched up to the car and yelled “common Whisky - lets GO!” - but Knickers just stood still
Then I hollered “OK, Jake, your turn lets go, Come-ON!..” - The patron was looking at me like I was an idiot that didn’t know my animals name.
Then I shouted out “ Come now Knickers - you can do IT !…”
Sure enough slow and steady Knickers popped the car right out and back up on the road.
As the driver was paying me he asked if I had forgotten my donkeys name? “Oh That!’ - I said.. “ No, you see, Knickers is blind, and he thinks I have a whole team helping out.. - If thought he was alone, he would not even try…
Back to you Mr. Toastmaster.
Now go out and make it a great day,
Keep your eyes on the road,
and a grip on the ground.
Blaine
A wonderful parable. Thanks Dad!
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