Did I do the right thing? What would of you done?

[mudski]

I did shake my head when I did my first assessment of where the vehicle was, as it just shouldn't of been there and his mate was in the back ground saying "I told you not to go that way".

At the time I was annoyed at the no real rear recovery point.

The drivers mate who was doing all the grunt work for us was pretty cool. He said to his misses, who he left at home with their young child that he was going out with his mate 4WDing and would " only be two hours" cracked me up. I bet he was in the shit when he finally got home.

No I wasn't angry at all with them. After all they were out for the same reason I was just for fun. But hopefully they have learned something from this and will be better prepared. I have at learnt something just from talking about it.

Yeah hopefully. But some don't learn unfortunately.
I used to do a lot of trail bike riding. I carried, a puncture kit and tube with tyre levers, a tool kit with assorted nuts and bolts, two chain links, a few other assorted spares and a first aid kit on me. I was surprised and still are when talking to riders, that they don't carry anything of the sort and don't even know how to repair a puncture. And they laugh about it.

As for if you should have helped, well, its good Karma my friend, never leave a man behind, and some one else may have come along and snatched off the tow ball etc.

Yeah good point. Last thing you want is to hear of an injury or worse from something that you decided not to participate in...

[threedogs]

Up Cape York in 1983 we took a left track to see where it lead to, walking towards us was a guy fully kitted out in Moto cross gear.
"SUP" I said ,,,he said "flat", my reply was where? as there was no bike to be seen, "back up the track a ways".
We drove a good 10 kays in 35 degree heat and finally came across his bike lying on its side. We had the back wheel out and tube repaired and back in inflated in about 10 minutes. This guy had no tools or know how on anything to do with his bike. Only thing he had was a little water
Anyway happy ending but if we never took that left track things wouldve been different

[Throbbinhood]

Yeah, you did the right thing. I've recovered a few people with no equipment, but worse than that - no idea...

While back, recovered a hilux dual cab that went a bit quick around the corner and put himself over the edge. Car was being held by shrubs, but was giving way slowly.
They wanted a straight line pull to my winch - wasn't gonna happen. If his car let go, it would take me and my car with it. Refused to go with my idea of running a pulley to a tree on the high side, making it safer for me, my car, and them... OK, that's fine.. We won't do it my way - which means we won't do it.. I got in the car, and got ready to leave when they came begging me for help..

Clear heads mean safer recoveries - they were all too distraught with potentially losing their car to make clear decisions, and speed was more important than safety to them. All in all, went with my idea, and car was recovered safely and with no extra damage. Win-win.

[katwoman]

You did a good thing, Rodney. Sometimes it's not about right and wrong. Sometimes It's about living with the decision afterwards.
And it's nice to read a thread of different opinions without it turning to sh!t.

[04OFF]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Seems like I might have been too anal about using the tow ball as a winching point. So this is good to know that it is a possible option. How would you connect to the tow ball?. I'm guessing a winch extension strap with one end placed over the ball and the other end connected to the winch?

First off , in the same situation, id do exactly what you suggested, and wrap your extension strap around the main support bar for the tow bar, on some vehicles this may not be possible or may risk the strap getting cut on the body work so is not a option.

Personally if i had to winch from a tow ball, I would use the extension strap like a slip knot, feed the strap through its own hole, and put the entire slip knot over the top and bottom of the ball, so it now tightens around the tongue, and the ball just stops the noose sliding off, the difference is that the load is now pulling on both the top and bottom (nut) of the tow ball, as well as a small amount of friction around the tongue, as appose to just all the force levering on the top section of the ball.

Plus off course doing it this way, the strap can't ever slip off, i reccon you would pretty much have to shear the top "and" bottom of the tow ball both at the same time to have the ball fail.

[pjhsv]

Once again I'm sorry for the long post. Basically did I do the right thing? what would of you done?. We were split 50/50 in our group if we should of helped these guys or not.

Personally, I think you did the right thing. You did exactly what I would have done.

It would be great if everyone who went out had the right equipment and knowledge to use it, combined with the right preparation. Fact is, that's not the case in many circumstances. I guess its no different to helping someone who has a broken down car because they didn't check the radiator water level before trying to drive from Melbourne to Sydney. Just because they didn't do the same preparation I would do, it doesn't mean I'm going to leave them on the side of the road.

I've been in a vehicle in the middle of the bush when we broke a trailing arm and were unable to get phone reception. 4 hours of walking in the rain later, and we came upon a homestead where a lovely couple gave us warmth, a telephone and drove us in to town to meet our friends. They could have just as easily said "Sorry, can't help".

Think of it as getting some good karma. For the people that were thinking of leaving them there, I suggest they take a look at the various 4x4 recovery & rescue groups on Facebook. Plenty of people willing to help strangers for no other reason than they can help someone who isn't able to help themselves (for whatever reason).

[blocko05]

it is always good to help someone out. hopefully they will know what gear to take with them next time.

[Kimbo63]

Always help if you can My job as a field service mechanic for Komatsu has taken me all over Western Australia's remote outback and I have always stopped and offered my help to people in need period!! The karma came back to me when after 19 hours in the ocean I got picked up by the sea rescue after been spotted by the Chanel 7 helicopter
Cheers Kimbo

[Maxhead]

I'm a prick so would have left them be and enjoy the day driving tracks...lol.Tossers like that won't learn if they have others do all the dirty work for them. I really don't understand how you can go 4WDriving and not be prepared to recover yourself.

You're a good bloke Rod, so if it feels good to you, you've done the right thing!

[the evil twin]

Before I say anything else I must say I would never EVER use a towball in a kinetic recovery.

Sooo...
Two methods for using a Tow Ball as an anchor point for a redirect or static pull
1. Banjo Plate, Key Plate, Anchor Plate or Recovery Plate- so named because they are a rectangular or oval plate with a keyhole shape cut out in the centre.
The hole of the plate is just large enough (52mm or 72mm) to slip over the Ball, spin 180 degrees and attack a shackle and the waist of the ball sits in the neck of the keyhole
2. Strap (pretty much as described by others). Folded eye strap is best.
With a 1/2 twist, roll the eye back on itself so you end up with a doubled eye that will slip over the tongue but some strap eyes may not be big enough.
Slip the 'double' eye along the tongue over both the ball and the nut and pull firm.
You should end up with a full turn around the tongue trapped behind the ball and nut, crossing at the top behind the ball and coming out in line with the pull.

There were shackle style products available that looked like a cross between a bow and a dee but, like recovery plates, they are no longer commercially available AFAIK

I need to reiterate that the above should only ever be considered when other options are exhausted AND there is a known and controlled static load involved