taking a breather after getting stuck off-road . It is excellent advice . If Brewing a Cup of Tea – or just stopping and having lunch – gets a stuck off-roader to slow down and carefully consider their situation and options prior to reacting to a difficult recovery situation , I ’ m all for it .
However , in my opinion there ’ s more to it that simply Brewing a Cup of Tea . A LOT MORE . This is especially true when the stuck situation is intense or complicated , like the van tip over in the accompanying photos . Even a less intense stuck situation can be cause an inexperienced off-roader high anxiety when traveling alone in the remote backcountry . In both situations , adrenaline and anxiousness kicks in requiring MORE than a simple pause initiated by Brewing a Cup of Tea . With adrenaline
flowing , hands shaking , and knees knocking these off-roaders need a written step-by-step procedure to help them maturely assess their stuck situation and focus on developing a logical and safe recovery plan .
It is my opinion that a complete written step-by-step recovery procedure needs to be in the glove box of every off-roader and overlander . Someone that ’ s stuck in the remote backcountry shouldn ’ t have to remember all the important recovery steps and considerations they need to make , in logical order , when the crap hits the fan . In an extreme recovery situation , even a seasoned offroader may need a checklist to help guide their recovery efforts . Certainly , they need to do more to assess their situation than simply Brewing a Cup of Tea . Enter Off- Road Safety Academy ’ s STOPA Stuck Assessment and Recovery Plan Checklist ™ .
Since I ’ ve NEVER been given , either orally or printed form , or found in literature a wellformulated methodology to follow when the crap hits the fan in the remote backcountry , I decided that off-roaders really need one . This is why I developed the STOPA Stuck Assessment and Recovery Plan Checklist ™ .
The acronym STOPA =
Stop , Think , Observe , Plan , & Act .
If you want a free STOPA Stuck Assessment and Recovery Plan Checklist ™ to place it in your glove compartment – email me at bob . wohlers @ discoveroffroading . I ’ ll send you a PDF to print . One day , I assure you , you will want and need it .
The STOPA Stuck Assessment and Recovery Plan Checklist ™ is one of the pillars of my third book : The Total Approach to Getting Unstuck Off Road – 4WD Self-Recovery and Vehicle-Assisted Recovery . You can purchase this book on Amazon by clicking HERE .
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