Up the muddy hill in a oner
Discussion
My apologies if you expected something sordid, but not this time. So zip up and read on.
On the final day of a recent festival I was loading up the car ready for a swift exit later. The field being used as a car park is best described as bowl shaped, so whichever direction you took you were either ascending or descending a fairly steep slope. It had been a lovely green when we arrived two days previously, but heavy rain, interspersed with showers and occasional drizzle, plus those who'd already left because they were soft, had turned into a large mud bowl. Cars were still trying to leave. The way the parked cars were arranged meant there were six lanes, all leading to a hardcore track at the top of the hill, the other sides being fenced off. I watched as cars repeatedly tried, and failed to get up the hill. Two basic methods were being employed; the high gear low revs approach, with no-one getting more than half way up before losing traction. The second method, which was slightly more successful, was the balls out go for it method. They'd reverse up the opposite slope, then go all out hoping momentum would overcome gravity and mud. It didn't.
When my lane became free, using the knowledge I'd gained watching others fail, I got into my car and made it to the top on my first attempt.
My question to you venerated driving Gods is; how? What ingenious method, based wholly on the information I have relayed to you, did I use to succeed where all others failed?
First correct answer wins the title of second best driver on the whole internet for as long as they wish to use it.
For the record, I was driving a standard front engined, front wheel drive, turbo diesel saloon. I used no outside forces, mechanical or manual. Plan B was to get the wife to push, which would have been as futile as it would have been funny.
On the final day of a recent festival I was loading up the car ready for a swift exit later. The field being used as a car park is best described as bowl shaped, so whichever direction you took you were either ascending or descending a fairly steep slope. It had been a lovely green when we arrived two days previously, but heavy rain, interspersed with showers and occasional drizzle, plus those who'd already left because they were soft, had turned into a large mud bowl. Cars were still trying to leave. The way the parked cars were arranged meant there were six lanes, all leading to a hardcore track at the top of the hill, the other sides being fenced off. I watched as cars repeatedly tried, and failed to get up the hill. Two basic methods were being employed; the high gear low revs approach, with no-one getting more than half way up before losing traction. The second method, which was slightly more successful, was the balls out go for it method. They'd reverse up the opposite slope, then go all out hoping momentum would overcome gravity and mud. It didn't.
When my lane became free, using the knowledge I'd gained watching others fail, I got into my car and made it to the top on my first attempt.
My question to you venerated driving Gods is; how? What ingenious method, based wholly on the information I have relayed to you, did I use to succeed where all others failed?
First correct answer wins the title of second best driver on the whole internet for as long as they wish to use it.
For the record, I was driving a standard front engined, front wheel drive, turbo diesel saloon. I used no outside forces, mechanical or manual. Plan B was to get the wife to push, which would have been as futile as it would have been funny.
Edited by johnny fotze on Tuesday 9th September 19:54
slipstream 1985 said:
or you went up backwards putting more weight on the driven wheeels
Is the correct answer.Considering at least half of those that attempted the climb had reversed up the opposite, equally inclined slope without much trouble in order to get a better run at it, I couldn't believe no-one else (that I saw) had thought of it. Problem was I got to the top then had to re park because I'd left the wife behind. Fortunately there was a space two cars from top.
Anyone that has ever visited the GDSF as a camper (wahay!) will be familiar with this situation.
Most try, fail and get recovered by a tractor.
Me, in my trusty V40, foot to the floor, steer and find some traction
It does work, if you have more than 3mm of tread on the tyres (and 4 large chaps + camping gear in the car).Slidingpillar said:
A 'make hay when the sun shines' attitude. In other words, reading the surface accurately and being fast where there is grip, and shedding speed where the wheels would spin.
I used to have a job that required me to get to hill tops on grassy tracks with a quite unsuitable estate car.
Were you an uphill gardener?I used to have a job that required me to get to hill tops on grassy tracks with a quite unsuitable estate car.
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