Buying crossovers or SUVs, their owners presumptuously believe that they are protected from all possible adversities on the roads and beyond. But this opinion is wrong. Any car can behave unpredictably outside the asphalt, in the most harmless situations. To cope with the problems that arise, you need experience and knowledge of the rules of off-road driving.
What you need to know before leaving.
The first thing the owner of a crossover should remember is the amount of ground clearance, called ground clearance. For some models, it is only a few millimeters higher than the clearance of conventional cars. And some manufacturers do not advertise these data at all. But the ground clearance is easily calculated using test drives, and then the results are presented on websites and forums. You need to ask about the value of the clearance of the car, which is planned to go off-road.
Now we need to separate the flies from the cutlets. This means that the crossover is “softer” than an SUV, the jeep goes through bumps at speed, the SUV with its thin levers cannot stand the roughness of off-road. Plus, there are vulnerabilities under the bottom, and factory metal engine protection is not installed on all models. Low bumpers, protruding gas tanks, protruding elements exhaust system, vulnerable rear gear- all this after driving off-road can turn into the need for expensive repairs.
The savior in off-road situations is the expeditionary manner, which involves reaching the destination without damaging the car, its contents, and, of course, passengers. This needs to be clearly understood.
It is also necessary to take into account not only the clearance and the system all-wheel drive, but also . Crossover patency also depends on this. Often, the tires intended for it are practically no different from the tires offered for cars. Even in light off-road conditions, they can instantly become clogged with mud, and the car will sit down.
Rely on electronics.
As a rule, the electronics itself decides when, at the beginning of slipping, connect the drive to the second axle, and when to turn it off. But now SUVs are being produced, on which connection is also possible manually, by forced blocking of the center clutch. Press the button and turn the handles on the center console before enter a difficult off-road area. And turn it off when leaving it. On some models, the clutch tends to overheat quickly, and the system will turn it off, turning the car into a monodrive. What if it happens at the most unexpected moment? Therefore, you need to find out how much the clutch installed in the car can withstand without overheating.
While descending a slippery slope better to rely on electronics. Many crossovers have special system. She will help in dangerous situations. Supported by safe speed brakes can lose control due to wheel lock.
Electronics will help out and uphill. There is a special system for this, it does not allow the crossover to roll back on the way uphill. And models with manual transmission can start moving without slipping, smoothly, without burning. Crossovers with automatic transmission also move uphill without problems.
Some manufacturers have taken care of systems whose task is to adjust the maneuvers of the machine on different types off-road. This is also electronics, but all models have their own capabilities. Someone was “given” the opportunity to change the sensitivity of the gas pedal depending on the selected driving mode (on asphalt, sand, mud and ruts, or grass, snow, gravel), and someone did not even get differential lock and increase air suspension clearance.
Rules for driving on dirt, sand and water.
Typically, car owners are faced with muddy country road. If there is a track, there is a chance to sit on the bottom. Here you need to remember about the clearance. After all, it is not necessarily higher than that of a car that passed along this track earlier. In the absence of a track, the car can be thrown into a tree or onto an even deeper roadside. It's best to choose an overhead drive so that one of the chutes runs between the wheels. If the car rolls into a rut - the main thing is not to rush. The sound of a scraping bottom is a signal to move in reverse. But without turning around! Because a car suspended diagonally is the most difficult combination when the electronics slow down the slipping wheels. Locking cross-axle differentials can only be an imitation, and this is unlikely to help.
It is necessary to move in reverse along the track, using the method of simultaneously adding gas with turning the wheels. The car should be thrown out of the rut, but even after that you should not rush. You need to move slowly, avoid slipping. It is possible that acceleration will be needed to free rear wheels but do it very carefully.
To move uphill, it is tedious to balance the grip of the wheels and inertia. Even if it’s dry under them, you still shouldn’t rush - you don’t know what awaits next. Loose, slippery off-road climbs are overcome with a slight acceleration.
In order not to slip on the descent, you should turn on the descent assistance system. If there is no such system, then it is better to give gas: the car will be controllable if the speed of rotation of the wheels is compared with the speed at which the car is moving. After regaining control of the car, you can slow down again.
Before entering dry sand reduce tire pressure by half. The movement starts smoothly, the steering wheel is kept straight. To slip or slow down will mean burying the car.
As regards water objects, it is considered that crossovers are not intended for this at all. And only a few of them can “swim” in a reservoir with a depth of 50 cm, but even they can be dangerous because of a hole, a stone or a piece of protruding reinforcement. Before entering such a river or stream, you need to measure them with a stick. And for this you must have rubber boots with you. Passage through the water body must pass on low gear. There should be a wave ahead, which will help to avoid water hammer and not flood the engine.
Most novice drivers, having just passed their license, do not drive on their own, because they are afraid to drive it without an assistant. Because at the driving school they always had an instructor who told them where to look and what to do in a given situation. And when you drive yourself, try to keep track of everything: cars, left, right, front, rear; signs, traffic lights and markings; pedestrians crossing the road in the wrong and prescribed places; holes and potholes on the asphalt and so on. And it is not surprising that fear can seize you, because you got the rights, but you don’t know how to drive a car on your own.
To learn how to drive a car, Our site wrote this article. Let's start with two main rules that beginners must follow.
Never sit next to your wife, comrade, or someone else who drives well, but does not know how to teach.
Study outside the city or, if you have a small town, then in it. Because you can drive on the streets of megacities and large cities only after you learn how to do everything automatically.
How to learn to drive around the city by car: Instructions
- The first misconception is that you think you are on your own, and the rest of the drivers are also on their own. Such drivers cannot understand that they are part of traffic. And on the road you need to behave taking into account other participants in the traffic flow. This is typical for novice motorists who are just learning to feel the car and do not pay attention to others. This behavior leads to incorrect movement geometry, non-compliance with speed, undercuts. In a city in a dense traffic flow, you need to think about all road users who are on the road.
- Also, mindfulness is very important. Not a single detail should escape you. You have to process a lot of information at the same time. Predict the actions of other road users, understand signs, watch traffic lights. This will teach you how to model behavioral situations so that sudden maneuvers do not come as a surprise to you. Drive carefully near cars that change lanes randomly, go to high speed or make drastic maneuvers. Such a car can brake sharply at any second. And even if it happened a couple of cars before you, you will have to do the whole row emergency braking. To such vehicles include and fixed-route taxi, which can stop abruptly in the wrong places.
- One of important points safe and correct driving is the absence of fear. Fear interferes with decision making and paralyzes action. There is no time to be afraid behind the wheel, you need to follow everything that happens. If you are afraid to drive in the city, then it is worth dashing off the confidence in an empty night city or even beyond its borders. But self-preservation should be present in all drivers. It is this feeling that protects us from risky maneuvers, rash decisions and prevents emergency situations.
- On rear glass glue the sign "kettle", "U" or "70". There is nothing shameful in this, but the other participants will know that the driver is not a professional, they will be more patient and attentive.
- When you get on the road, immediately choose a truck or bus that has a speed that is acceptable for you, and follow it as it moves in the direction you need. At this time, analyze all his actions: turns, blinks, pauses, and so on. So you abstract from the pits, markings and signs. He will be your guide. In the meantime, you will bring your driving skills to automatism.
- When the "guide" comes off or turns off, immediately find another, third ... And if you stalled, confused, feel free to click on the "emergency gang" and do whatever you need. Naturally, it will be better if you do this by the sidewalk, but if you are standing in the middle of the road, it's okay. Calm down, catch your breath, start the car and start all over again.
- Ignore all the screams and signals of the other carriers, do not try to make room for them, because no one says that you are obliged to do this. A couple of these activities and you will already be driving like an automatic, and you can spend more time tracking signs, markings and everything else. Then you can already start driving without "guides".
- Even if the skills do not come quickly, there is no need to be upset, each person needs a different time to master this or that craft, art. And those people who give up and repeat that they are not allowed to drive are wrong, everyone can learn this, as well as how to draw, write, read and so on. Practice is important here.
- In addition, do not forget that even if it seems to you that you already drive excellently, unforeseen situations can happen: you can turn on the wrong gear, stall, and so on. Therefore, you should not expect progress from each trip, just focus and soon you will just enjoy the trip.
- And the last tip. The first time you can leave on Sunday morning, that's when there are fewer cars on the roads, both suburban and urban. But keep making it harder, because if you only drive when there are no cars, you will never learn how to drive when there is a lot of traffic.
Video lessons
In the summer, each of us at least once leaves the city for nature, a village or a dacha. The path to this place does not always run along a flat asphalt road, but most often off-road, where drivers have to show all their dexterity, dexterity and professionalism. If you are not an SUV driver, but have only an ordinary passenger car, then you will be useful, and probably interested in the recommendations for driving a car on bad road and off-road. If you decide to go to the country, then, of course, you will not be alone in the car, and at the same time load a considerable amount of things. The weight of the car will not be small. If you see a difficult section of the road and have doubts about overcoming it, unload the car, drop off all passengers. Thus, the thrust of the motor will increase, but even if you get stuck, there will be someone to pull or push you.
Another golden rule- if you see a difficult section of the road, stop, get out of the car and carefully examine the road: evaluate the depth of the puddles, the stability of the soil. At such times, it is better to carry rubber boots with you. Next, consider a few practical advice in overcoming some difficult road sections.
Overcoming the ford
If a ford blocks your way, then you need to get out of the car and inspect the entire section of the road: descend into and out of the ford, measure the depth (rubber boots will be needed here), determine the hardness of the surface. If you decide that your car can handle this section of the road, start crossing. You need to move in 1st gear, maximum in 2nd. Try to drive slowly so that there is less splash and you do not flood the engine. If you try to drive fast, the wave raised during the movement can get through air filter, and then a water hammer will occur, due to which the engine will completely fail.
Driving over bumps and bumpy roads
On dirt roads ruts are often formed, the depth of which can reach 20 centimeters or more. If a car gets into such a depth, then it will lie on the bottom. Therefore, if you find yourself on such a section of the road, try to move a little to the side so that the track is under the car. You need to move in first gear, slowly so that the car does not hit the bumper with a bumper, and it is not thrown into a rut.
Driving on a side slope
The side slope of the road is also passed at the first speed, tight, to prevent slipping. If in the previous cases we avoided getting into a rut, then with such an obstacle on the road, we need to run one of the sides of the car into a rut so as not to move to the side and fall into a ditch. The track will become a side lock that will prevent the car from going to the side, especially if the road is slippery at the time of your movement. After passing a side slope, stop and carefully inspect the road ahead.
Overcoming the slope
Remember, do not start moving if you have not carefully examined the path. The slope must be overcome, having previously dispersed. Try to overcome it not in a straight line, but slightly diagonally, as the car can bounce at the very top, and moving diagonally will soften the transition from uphill to downhill. If you carefully read these recommendations, you can safely plan a country trip and be sure of safety.
From which lane can you enter Roundabout Circulation? Which turn signal should be turned on? What lanes can you drive in a circle? And from which lane can you leave the circle?
Many readers, who drive around in circles every day, are now thinking, and many, who are the majority, have already answered incorrectly. And I bet that among this majority there are people with 20 and 30 years of driving experience.
Instructors and teachers of driving schools, traffic police officers and, perhaps, a few more auto lawyers, as well as rare literate drivers, may not read this article, because, as you already understood, it is not addressed to you, but to the rest of 95% of motorists.
These same 95% either do not know the traffic rules regarding the passage of roundabouts, or they interpret them incorrectly. But this is not surprising! There is neither a separate chapter nor a separate paragraph in the traffic rules explaining to drivers correct movement round. With the exception of paragraph 13.9, but it tells about the entrance to the circle when it is the main road and when it is not the main one.
Everything is simple, you just need to follow the signs. If the sign 4.3 “Roundabout” is placed before entering the circle, in combination with the sign 2.4 “Give way” or 2.5 “Movement without stopping is prohibited”, then the circle is the main road for you. If there is just one sign “Roundabout”, then you have an advantage when entering the circle, because you are an obstacle on the right for those who are already driving in a circle.
Once again. In the absence of default priority signs, those who enter the intersection have priority.
But this is not the only difficulty.
From which lane can I enter the roundabout?
Paragraph 8.5 of the SDA states that before turning right, left or making a U-turn, the driver must take the appropriate extreme position on the carriageway intended for movement in this direction, except when a turn is made at the entrance to an intersection where a roundabout is organized.
And this means that we can enter the circle from any lane of the carriageway. However, it should be understood that if we enter a roundabout from the right lane, then we must first take the right lane on the circle, and if from the left lane, then, accordingly, we must take the inner left lane. From the middle lane, respectively, only the middle lane is waiting for us.
Total:
- You can enter the circle from any lane.
- You need to enter the circle in the same lane in which you were before. That is, from the left lane of the street you cannot enter the right lane of the circle.
Let's move on to the next question: which turn signal to turn on when entering a roundabout?
When I pass the cars moving on the circle, which is the main one, I feel like a black sheep, because I am the only one with the right turn signal on, while the rest are for some reason with the left turn signal.
Lord! Why the left turn signal? The circle is also an intersection, if you want to turn left at the intersection, you turn on the left turn signal, if you want to turn right, then the right one. If you change lanes to the right, you turn on the right turn signal, if you turn left, then, respectively, the left one. Right? What's worse than a circle?
When entering a circle, you always drive to the right, and therefore, the turn signal must be turned on the right. And to make it easier, you just need to remember where you turn the steering wheel, turn on this turn signal. When entering a circle, you always turn the steering wheel to the right, which means that you need a right turn signal, just do not forget about turning it on in advance. I hope this is sorted out.
Go ahead. You can move in a circle in absolutely any lane you like, but circling in the right lane will not be safe at all. Since every second strives to leave the circle from the inner left or middle lane. At the same time, absolutely not paying attention to you, confidently believing that since you are moving in the extreme right lane, it means that you will now move out of the circle. And if it so happened that you prevented him and continued to move in a circle, then he best case slams on the brakes and begins to horn you menacingly with a disgruntled face, shouting something at you, like you are a teapot. And you really interfered with him, but how else? You were to his right, that is, you were a hindrance to his right.
And here we smoothly move on to the last and most important question: from which lane can you leave the circle?
Again we turn to paragraph 8.5 of the SDA and remember that before turning right, left or turning around, the driver must take the appropriate extreme position on the roadway in advance - this rule also applies to roundabouts. That is, we can leave the circle only from the extreme right lane! The only exception is if the area has markings that dictate different rules. That is, if arrows are drawn on the asphalt to the right from two rows, and at the top there are also traffic signs along the lanes, then we follow them. If there are no markings and signs, then only from the right row and nothing else.
How about in life? Every day, when driving on the extreme right lane of the circle, I hit the brakes and give a long signal to the first person I meet who has expressed a desire to leave the circle from the inner lane. You heard right - to the first person you meet, because absolutely everyone, without exception, leaves the roundabout from the inner left or middle lane, unless, of course, before the exit he moved along the same lane. People do not even think that they are wrong, that they violate the Rules of the road and in the event of an accident they will be found guilty. Not only do they leave the circle in violation of the law, they also do not let the "hindrance to the right" pass, which is also a gross violation of the Rules.
Thus, when driving in a circle in the extreme left or middle lane, before you leave the circle, you need to change lanes to the extreme right lane on the circle itself, and only then you can safely exit the roundabout. But with such a rebuilding, of course, you must let everyone on the right pass, and this is not so easy to do in conditions of heavy traffic. Therefore, I recommend trying to enter the roundabout already from the extreme right lane, and then you won’t have to let anyone through on the circle itself.
What is the result?
When entering a roundabout from the rightmost lane, with a “Give Way” sign, you are required to let pass only those who are moving in the rightmost lane of the circle. Having missed them, you can enter the extreme right lane of the circle and continue moving along your lane without waiting for the free inner left lane of the circle. But be prepared for the fact that those who move in the left lane will most likely move out of the circle with the conviction that you are obliged to let them through. Not only because you are on the extreme right lane of the circle, but also because you have allegedly not entered the circle at all.
At the same time, I in no way "bless" you to create emergencies. If someone rebuilds in your line and does it with reinforced concrete confidence in their own rightness, there is no need to go for a ram. Because the traffic police finds you innocent, it will not get any easier, but the car will have to be repaired.
But if you stop violating yourself, and also tell a couple of your friends about how to properly drive in a circle, then it will be much more useful in all respects.
Not everything off-road depends on the car. An inept driver can easily get into trouble even on a prepared SUV and in relatively simple areas. Therefore, at least basic knowledge should have every motorist. Let's make a reservation right away that for experienced jeepers, the advice will seem elementary. But those who drive off the road once a month often have little idea how to properly overcome natural obstacles.
Soberly assess the situation
Oddly enough, some car owners have no idea where the limit of their car's capabilities lies. If the car has a low clearance, huge overhangs and a drive on one axle, the path is ordered for more or less serious off-road. It is obvious. Sometimes, however, real ground clearance does not match the declared or does not appear at all in technical specifications. So that an off-road outing does not come as a surprise, you need to check where the lowest point of the car is. It is not always determined by the bumper.
We must not forget about weak spots. Say, not every crossover is well protected engine compartment. Yes, even with steel bottom protection, it is easy to damage something on difficult areas. For example, exhaust system parts.
In general, before going off-road, you need to clearly understand what the car is capable of. Let's say if it's possible forced blocking center differential, should not be ignored.
Ride on the principle of "three wheels"
Smooth primer is a rarity. Usually such roads are "dotted" with solid potholes and pits. Even if your car has huge ground clearance, this is not a reason to thoughtlessly put pressure on the gas. Causing buildup, there is a chance to hook the bottom. Deep ditches and ledges must be crossed diagonally according to the “three wheels” principle. That is, along such a trajectory so that two wheels do not hang in the air at once. This is true for ordinary off-road vehicles that do not have a hard locking cross-axle differentials.
Off-road obstacles often come across stones various forms and sizes. If you do not pay attention to them, then even a harmless cobblestone can cause trouble. Watch out for its sharp edges! And if the stone is large and smooth, then you should move straight and in such a way that the wheel runs into it entirely. Otherwise, there is a high risk of damaging the tire.Climbing up and down without sudden movements
Dry and, especially, slippery ascents and descents are fraught with danger. Even those that at first glance seem simple. You need to storm the hills carefully, in low gear and on even gas, in order to prevent slipping. At steep descents sudden movements are also fraught. Some SUVs are equipped electronic assistant, which slows down the wheels when driving downhill. The rest need to work very carefully with the brakes and, preferably, brake with the engine. When the car starts to slide, you instinctively want to push the brake pedal harder. You can not do this in any case, so as not to completely lose control of the machine. The main thing in such a situation is to do exactly the opposite. By stepping on the gas, you can return the clutch to the coating.
Don't be afraid of dirt and ruts
Mud porridge can be overcome either at speed, or slowly retracted. The first option is suitable if the area is small. The second method is best used on a long difficult journey and preferably on machines with a high-torque motor that has solid torque at low revs.
If possible, it is better to move over the track, that is, passing a ditch between the wheels. But there are situations, for example, in the forest, when this is impossible. There is nothing criminal in driving along the track either. The main thing is to assess its depth so as not to suddenly sit on the “belly”. Ride smoothly, optimally in second gear with constant torque. You should not try desperately to steer out of the apparent trap, but it is better to put the wheels evenly and gradually crawl forward. Then the track will turn from an enemy into a guiding assistant. By the way, on machines with automatic transmission it will not be superfluous to go to manual mode, so the box does not include overdrive and thus did not deprive such a necessary reserve of thrust.And in any case, you can not stop, no matter how much you want to slow down. The key to successfully overcoming a difficult muddy area lies in a calm and smooth ride and smooth taxiing. Active work hands and feet, it may look impressive, but in fact it most often harms off-road.
Don't dig yourself a hole
In summer, many tend to come to the water right on the sandy beaches with tents and other weekend belongings. But riding on sand is very tricky. The same applies to snowdrifts. First, you should lower the pressure in the tires in advance to about 0.5-1 atmosphere. This increases the area of contact of the wheel with the surface, which means that the car will not fall through so easily. Secondly, it is necessary to avoid any significant slippage. By sharply braking and accelerating in the sand or snow, you are digging a hole for yourself, into which the car will quickly dig in.
