Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across
the incline of a hill. If this happens, you have to decide
whether to try to drive across the incline. Here are some
things
to
consider:
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A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be
too steep to drive across. When you go straight up or
down a hill,
the
length
of
the wheel base (the
distance from the front wheels to the rear wheels)
reduces
the
likelihood the vehicle will tumble end
over end. But when you drive across an incline, the
much more narrow track width (the distance between
the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving across an
incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels.
This could cause a downhill slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when
you
drive
across a hill. Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet
grass can cause your tires to slip sideways, downhill.
If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it (a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.
Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of the
incline even worse. If you drive across a rock with
the uphill wheels, or if the downhill wheels drop into
a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.
For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully
whether to try to drive across an incline. Just because
the trail goes across the incline doesn’t mean
you
have
to drive it. The last vehicle to try it might
have
rolled over.
Driving across an incline that’s too steep
will
make your vehicle roll over.
You
could be
seriously injured
or
killed.
If
you
have any doubt
about the steepness
of
the incline, don’t drive
~
across it. Find another route instead.
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