The Victoria Napolitano Bookstore THE DRIVING COMPANY WORKBOOK | Page 18

MUD
Avoid deep mud when possible. Mud can be
bad news! If you must go through it, then get
out and check the depth and consistency. Thick,
sticky mud can be the worst. Deep mud can cre-
ate a suction effect. Tire chains can be effective
in mud if you must go through it. The clay type
of mud found in our training area at Hollister
Hills is not deep, but it is slick and dangerous.
Everything slides in the direction gravity takes
it, regardless of where the trail goes.
Returning to the paved road after driving in
mud, your tires may feel out of balance and the
steering may have a pronounced wobble. This is
caused by mud that has caked onto the wheels.
Mud on the tires can also reduce your traction
like you were still driving in the mud. Do not
drive too far before cleaning this mud out with a
hose or pressure washer.
ROCKS
When traveling a very
rocky trail, use 1st gear
low-range to better con-
trol your speed. Pick a
line that will keep your
axles flexing as little as
possible and do as little
steering as possible. Your
goal is to keep equal
torque to all the wheels as
much as possible, which
can be accomplished by
left-foot braking and by
doing as little steering as
possible. With manual
transmissions, pick a gear
that allows for a smooth
speed and let the vehicle
do the work. Throttle
control is key.
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