The Percentages %%
90% DRIVER – 10% MACHINE
Never have these words been more true than today!
Getting offroad is easier now than ever. No longer do you need to sink years of effort into modifying your rig; several SxS manufacturers will happily sell you a brand-new stock SxS that is more off-road capable than you’ll likely ever need.
Basically….. anyone can go offroad right from a dealers parking lot and be able to handle extreme trails right from the start. These vehicles are more equipped than my Yota was even after spending two years and a crap load of money building it specifically to handle anything our Colorado moutains had to offer.
With that being said….. manufacturers have made it possible for anyone to get out on the trail….thats the 10% part.
The 90% part you can’t really buy! And that in my opinion is the problem. I mean ………. let’s look at all the times you’ve seen someone broke down on the trail…..
I bet if you really think about what you’ve saw….. most of… if not all were issues caused by driver error. I know a flat tire can happen at anytime and is a regular and expected trail hazard for all of us… But ….. in my opinion this is truly driver error because most of the time it’s preventable.
Picking lines to navigate through sharp rocks and or pokey objects is a prerequisite to being a good driver…. thinking about saving tires is a congeous choice…. especially if your not carrying a spare or a tire repair kit??? Or in my case… my apsolute laziness! Who really wants to fix a flat on the trail??? Id rather be riding and having a good time as I suspect the rest of you would want to do….but that dosent stop most of us from preparing for the eventuality that its going to happen.
Being stuck….. most of the time if I get stuck (mud,snow, high centered on object….etc) it was a choice I made as a driver to take that line or to hit that mud hole or to navigate that snow drift! And yes…as a driver my decision to do so is based on experience, and having the right gear to get out of a situation and knowing how to use that gear.
These are all the 90% driver things! The machines are more than capable even lightly modified…its the driving part people don’t get! And it’s there attitude about the driving part that will continue to get them,and there machines into trouble.
Going Prepared isn’t just stuff you buy to help you in a situation! It’s also a mindset! You’ve got a winch that came with your machine…. does you no good if you don’t know how to use it! Getting a flat on the trail is about 98% of the time not a big deal ( if you have a spare or tire repair kit/including compressor and tools)
to change or repair tire….
See what I’m saying??????
90% driver/10% machine!
When I was a young know it all….
I was involved with an offroad club.. There were very few of us young guys….(mostly because most could not afford or have the skill or knowledge to get into offroading)
Predominantly ruled by older dudes in Jeeps…. very rarely did these guys break down on the trail, very rarely did these guys get stuck…
I was absolutely intrigued by watching, listening and executing there instructions on how to get out of, repair and get home from a trail ride. I owe everything I know about offroading to my grandfather and these old dude’s….
Some of these lessons served me well in my everyday life even up to today thanks to a bunch of old dudes.
Happy Trails …..
Go Prepared …….