Title – End of the Road
Date – August 1996
Location - Augrabis Falls National Park - South Africa
Roads differ in standard all over the world, in some places where you least expect it perfect roads appear, in some places the dirt tracks are quite reasonable and others are simply not worth driving on. Here in Africa, a common sight is for the road to end and a river to appear; this scene is duplicated throughout the world.
Driving in these conditions can be very exciting, certainly different if you are coming from the UK where these river fords are very uncommon. But learning how to drive on dirt roads, snow and ice, beaches, cross country or across rivers fords is not something they teach you when you get your drivers license. So how do you drive in these conditions?
The simple solution is for you not to drive. Take a guide or get a local driver.
Beyond The Blue is not a driving school, we don’t cover aspects of driving conditions on our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop, but we do discuss dynamic risk assessments and how to reduce risks. So when you are faced with difficult driving conditions check with locals on how to manage the conditions and then drive more cautiously then they advise. Before crossing a river ford remember to stop and check the river’s depth and flow speed, if you are in any doubt of the safety of crossing then don’t and wait for a local to turn up and advise you further or turn around and seek advice from the nearest habitation. If neither of these is an option as you are in a remote location, then there is even more reason not to cross, as help may not follow for a long time if you get it wrong.
Please visit our website at http://www.safegapyear.com/
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Date – August 1996
Location - Augrabis Falls National Park - South Africa
Roads differ in standard all over the world, in some places where you least expect it perfect roads appear, in some places the dirt tracks are quite reasonable and others are simply not worth driving on. Here in Africa, a common sight is for the road to end and a river to appear; this scene is duplicated throughout the world.
Driving in these conditions can be very exciting, certainly different if you are coming from the UK where these river fords are very uncommon. But learning how to drive on dirt roads, snow and ice, beaches, cross country or across rivers fords is not something they teach you when you get your drivers license. So how do you drive in these conditions?
The simple solution is for you not to drive. Take a guide or get a local driver.
Beyond The Blue is not a driving school, we don’t cover aspects of driving conditions on our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop, but we do discuss dynamic risk assessments and how to reduce risks. So when you are faced with difficult driving conditions check with locals on how to manage the conditions and then drive more cautiously then they advise. Before crossing a river ford remember to stop and check the river’s depth and flow speed, if you are in any doubt of the safety of crossing then don’t and wait for a local to turn up and advise you further or turn around and seek advice from the nearest habitation. If neither of these is an option as you are in a remote location, then there is even more reason not to cross, as help may not follow for a long time if you get it wrong.
Please visit our website at http://www.safegapyear.com/
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
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