It’s no secret that we at Dixie 4 Wheel Drive are avid off-roaders. We love nothing more than taking our rigs off-road, taking on the toughest most rugged terrains we can find.
During our adventures, we have seen people do some dumb things out on the trail. Some ignore their vehicles capabilities, others ignore their own driving capabilities and yet others completely ignore off-roading etiquette. We’ve also had to rescue quite a number of people who wouldn’t have gotten into trouble if they knew what they were doing in the first place.
For all these reasons, and plenty more, we decided to come up with off-roading education classes alongside our trail riding events. Our customers kept asking us for pointers and tips on best off-roading practices so we decided to start these classes. We also wanted to play our part in training and educating people to be more competent and proficient off-roaders.
Focusing On Customer Off – Road Education
Safety and education go hand in hand. In order for our customers to be safe on the trails, they have to have proper training on how to conduct themselves and their vehicles out there.
Off-road education increases your understanding of basic off-roading operations and safe riding techniques. Once you understand these safe driving techniques, you can avoid hazards, become a more careful and responsible off-roader, be more conscious of your environment as well as know and adhere to the requisite off-roading laws and regulations.
We encourage our customers to come out to enjoy the amazing trail rides that Southern Utah has to offer. By joining our trail riding events and tagging along with other experienced off-roaders, you can get to build both your expertise and confidence. Additionally, you’ll get to know how to handle your off-roading equipment and the capabilities of your off-roading machine all in the company of fellow passionate off-roaders and friends.
Other reasons why we’ve decided to emphasize off-roading education include:
1. Helping people learn the characteristics of their vehicles and how to operate them
As OHVs become popular, especially in Utah, trails keep getting more and more crowded. It’s imperative that people learn how to operate their vehicles safely, ethically and responsibly. This helps keep themselves, their passengers, their vehicles and bystanders safe.
During our classes, we encourage customers to learn how their vehicles work so that they can know how to improve their off-road performance and also be able to carry out simple repairs out on the trail. Getting a good idea of how your vehicle works also helps you decide which kinds of terrain it can handle and it goes a long way towards letting you know when it’s due for regular maintenance and repair. You get in tune with your vehicle, allowing you to know if anything’s off.
2. Helping others master driving over different types of terrain
Off-roading is a skill that requires practice. The more terrains you cover, the better you become at it. We, for instance, love going over to Sand Hollow State Park to assist our customers to practice on different kinds of terrain- mainly sand shredding and rock crawling. You require different driving skills to conquer different terrain. Your vehicle also needs different tires, mods and upgrades depending on the kind of terrain you’ll be putting it through regularly. After all, driving over a muddy swampy area isn’t the same as crawling over obstacles.
Mastering these terrains involves properly equipping your rig, mastering your vehicle’s approach and departure angles, knowing how fast or slow you should go and also adhering to safety rules and regulations.
3. Encouraging them to ride smart and reduce risks
Off-roading is thrilling. You get a rush every time you conquer a difficult obstacle or whenever you successfully navigate new terrain. However, it’s possible to go overboard in your zeal to become a badass off-roader. That’s when problems come in.
Part of our off-road education is letting customers understand that they have to be responsible drivers on the trails. You have to learn how to take care of yourself (dress appropriately, pack enough food and water, have protective gear on hand, get enough sleep and rest) and also know your endurance limit. Personal responsibility involves staying on established routes or familiar terrain, never heading off alone, knowing your driving capabilities and preparing for the unexpected (it’s vital to have a recovery or emergency pack handy). We also highlight the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
4. Teaching others about route signs & trail markers
Another way we promote trail safety is through educating people on route signs and trail markers. Just like road traffic signs, these pass important information to off-roaders and help them know the conditions on the trail as well as help them choose the right trails to suit their driving capabilities. Different signs and markers include caution signs, regulatory signs, route signs and arrows and trail markers that bear information on the trail you’re on.
5. Promoting the tread lightly philosophy
Finally, we are huge proponents of the tread lightly philosophy and we encourage our customers to follow the same. This way, we play a part in promoting safe off-roading and we also preserve the land we use for future generations. We especially emphasize taking care of the environment through sanitary waste disposal, collecting litter and leaving the trails better than we found them.
If you’re going to be an off-roader, you should take the time to learn everything you can in order to not only improve your skills but also enhance your safety on the trails. Sign up for our training class and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better off-road driver.
