An eventful day indeed.

[Mc4by]

After weeks of collecting bits and pieces for the 'new to me' GU, I hit the trail to the beach for my first 4wd action.
At the end of the bitumen I took the time to lower the air pressure in the tyres. A few minutes of travel on a sandy but solid path I found myself at the top of the beach entry hill. At the bottom of the hill was a 4wd pointing straight up. Dilemma: what is the correct etiquette? Who goes first, the guy coming up or the guy going down?
I waited a few minutes and he didn't move, so I started down. At the bottom I turned quickly to the left to give him plenty of room. As I drove away I looked back and thought he looked quite deep in the sand so I stopped.
I asked him if he was o.k. and he got out of his car and walked towards me explaining in broken English that he was stuck. A young back backer with a cute Aussie girlfriend came down to see the beach and ended up bogged.
So I drove around behind him and 10 minutes later I had snatched him out.
Not a bad day. My first 4WD session and my first recovery, all within the first minute. :jawdrop:
It was the information I got from here that meant I had the equipment and a fair idea of how to recover someone that saved the day. The place was deserted and they could have been waiting quite a while.
I am thinking of getting a sticker made up for my rear window.... Mitsubishi Recovery Vehicle.

I would like to know about the etiquette of passing or using a hill if anyone can help.

[MB]

Job well done Mc4by mate. Over East in the high country steep bush tracks it is the vehicle descending that has right of way. In fact if they were to try and apply the brakes to stop 9/10 times would lock up the wheels and come flying down at the ascending vehicle. Cheers

[AB]

Yep descending vehicle always has right of way unless obvious for the descending vehicle to veer off if available pending where you met on the hill of course.

[mudski]

Could have atleast got a pic of the cute aussie girlfriend. Haha! As for etiquette, I always let people come up first before I go down a hill. Not usre if there is actually an "unwritten law though". Really depends on the situation I suppose, where you are, on the hill or not, room to move over or not....

[Maxhead]

I'm not sure here, it could work or go against you either way depending on the track. Going uphill means you need momentum to get up too so not sure.

[BigRAWesty]

Sounds like a fun day Mc..
And glad the forum could be such assistance..
As the others have said always accending vehicles have right of way..
Do you have a sand flag?
Although not a must they are brilliant for being visual over crests before it's to late..
Good investment imo..

[Maxhead]

from 4x4 explore
70243

[Plasnart]

Well done Mc4by! But if it was me, I'd be holding off on the sticker. One drink doesn't make a party and the day may come where you're really glad to see a Paj come along! It's called karma mate!

Haha I should know!! Mix inexperience, police and their rescue of said inexperienced driver for my learning experience. :) Just lucky the cops were in a Patrol!! haha!

[mudski]

from 4x4 explore
70243

The last comment made me laugh.
On a high country trip earlier this year we came up behind a group of wheelers that were going, well, extremely slow to say the least, we where channel surfing on the UHF to ask them if we could pass. When we found the channel they were chatting about us and the front driver said in some like words of, stuff them, they can wait behind us.

[Maxhead]

The last comment made me laugh.
On a high country trip earlier this year we came up behind a group of wheelers that were going, well, extremely slow to say the least, we where channel surfing on the UHF to ask them if we could pass. When we found the channel they were chatting about us and the front driver said in some like words of, stuff them, they can wait behind us.
///
Haha, Jeep drivers??? LOL

[AB]

The last comment made me laugh. On a high country trip earlier this year we came up behind a group of wheelers that were going, well, extremely slow to say the least, we where channel surfing on the UHF to ask them if we could pass. When we found the channel they were chatting about us and the front driver said in some like words of, stuff them, they can wait behind us. Yeah you always let faster cars past that's a given.

Surprised about what they said with descending though, spent my entire life up in the high country with the olds and it was always the other way around and everyone knows that. Try backing up a high country hill heading into a valley, generally not happening!

Obviously situation dependant but it's always been that rule down here.

[Avo]

good to see you were prepared mate and able to offer assistance,that is what is so good about being out and about in a 4wd...no matter ya drive someone will always lend a hand and stop and have a chat,.,,

[mudski]

///
Haha, Jeep drivers??? LOL
I think there was a Heep in that group.

Yeah you always let faster cars past that's a given.

Surprised about what they said with descending though, spent my entire life up in the high country with the olds and it was always the other way around and everyone knows that. Try backing up a high country hill heading into a valley, generally not happening!

Obviously situation dependant but it's always been that rule down here.

Yeah it really depends on where you are hey. Regardless of the right of way, who ever has the easiest option to move out of the way would be smarter.

[Clunk]

Yeah you always let faster cars past that's a given.

Surprised about what they said with descending though, spent my entire life up in the high country with the olds and it was always the other way around and everyone knows that. Try backing up a high country hill heading into a valley, generally not happening!

Obviously situation dependant but it's always been that rule down here.
village where we lived was accessed by a bloody 2 mile up hill single track lane with a few passing points, but it did all depend on who was nearest a passing point, not very nice reversing downhill going round a tight blind bend

[Avo]

village where we live was accessed by a bloody 2 mile up hill single track lane with a few passing points, but it did all depend on who was nearest a passing point, not very nice reversing downhill going round a tight blind bend

like to see ya reverse u[p a hill down here...i reckon on sand it's possible down hill....near on farken imppossible up hill...

hey and mate if you ever come down south and want to play in tyhe sand..if i have the time would love to tag along and have some fun..

[Clunk]

like to see ya reverse u[p a hill down here...i reckon on sand it's possible down hill....near on farken imppossible up hill...

hey and mate if you ever come down south and want to play in tyhe sand..if i have the time would love to tag along and have some fun..

Yeah but that's a sand track

[Mc4by]

bigguwesty, No I don't have a flag but will add it to my growing list of things still to get. Sounds like a good idea.

[Mc4by]

Sage advice indeed Plasnart....I have put the sticker on hold. :)