What can happen when you think "it's not that deep"

[James Morse]

Three dead, 2 missing after SUV found submerged in Nelson County river | WRIC ABC 8News

Seriously, though, you'd think you'd have second thoughts about whether that looks like something you can drive through safely.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Nobody thinks anymore, it’s all, I have an SUV and I can go anywhere because the ad on TV said I can and showed it!!

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Dont drown....turn around.

I got a jeep and wouldnt try that (sorry, had to).

I had one slightly puckering experence crossing a flooded road once in my 96 F150.

I drove around the road closed sign (stupid idea #1), started on left side of the road, by the time i got to the middle, there was water coming in my doors, the exhaust was burbling, and the ass end was starting to go sideways, i was also over to the right of the road.

I made it....but i learned a lesson.

 

[Angie]

Nobody thinks anymore, it’s all, I have an SUV and I can go anywhere

All you need to do is watch how people drive in a snow storm ... going forward and fast isn't the problem.... stopping in snow and ice is the problem ....

 

[Shran]

I drove through a river in AZ that is normally dry (and actually part of a road) but it was a wet year so there was about 18" of water in it, and 100+ yards wide. We watched a couple other rigs drive across no problem so we went for it, made it just fine, it was pretty sketchy though. Could feel water pushing against the body and had to steer into it. I guess a couple people tried it in a different spot earlier that week and drowned - didn't know that till later.

There were two dipshit county highway dept workers sitting on one side drinking beer in a country truck - we asked them if it was cool to cross and they said yes but if you get stuck in the middle we'll call the sheriff and you'll get a ticket.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Nobody thinks anymore, it’s all, I have an SUV and I can go anywhere

All you need to do is watch how people drive in a snow storm ... going forward and fast isn't the problem.... stopping in snow and ice is the problem ....

I’ve had to repeat my one experience from my college days to a few people recently... I waited way too long to leave home and head for college because they were calling for snow, but when I left there wasn’t more than an inch or so. I wasn’t worried about that despite only having a 2wd Ranger. Well, by the time I hit the highway it was bad. Really bad. Chugged along in the slow lane behind a Mustang nearly 100 miles north to college and both of us did just fine although we probably never topped 30 mph. Took a few miles of watching 4x4s blow past us in the passing lane before it dawned on me what was happening and started paying attention. That moment where I started paying attention was when a lifted, bright yellow TJ Jeep on off road tires went blowing past us and a mile or so down the highway I spotted that yellow Jeep hopelessly stuck in the median. Virtually every 4x4 that blew past us ended up stuck on the shoulder or median and a few caused wrecks in the process. My lowly 2wd Ranger and the Mustang that happened to be in front of me just chugged on by…

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Dont drown....turn around.

I got a jeep* and wouldnt try that (sorry, had to).

I had one slightly puckering experence crossing a flooded road once in my 96 F150.

I drove around the road closed sign (stupid idea #1), started on left side of the road, by the time i got to the middle, there was water coming in my doors, the exhaust was burbling, and the ass end was starting to go sideways, i was also over to the right of the road.

I made it....but i learned a lesson.

*soccar mom jeep variant.

FIFY.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

*soccar mom jeep variant.

FIFY.

Its all good. Ive already been looking at things to jeep it up a bit.

Slowly...over time. Skidplates, rock sliders, 2.5in lift (damn independent suspension), tow hooks, BFG A/T's

The lift is a maybe, as are the sliders. I doubt id need either one for any wheeling id ever do with it.

Trust me i thought the same thing about being the soccor mom variant...but they actually do pretty decent from what my research as shown lol.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Its all good. Ive already been looking at things to jeep it up a bit.

Slowly...over time. Skidplates, rock sliders, 2.5in lift (damn independent suspension), tow hooks, BFG A/T's

The lift is a maybe, as are the sliders. I doubt id need either one for any wheeling id ever do with it.

Trust me i thought the same thing about being the soccor mom variant...but they actually do pretty decent from what my research as shown lol.

The trims with the "Trail Rated" badges everyone makes fun of are actually tested on the Rubicon trail.

With no articulation the non Wrangler ones look kind of goofy doing it though.

Sliders are a very good step though if you do think you might go offroad. They are a very nice safety net if you get in over your head. Nobody wants a Grand Cherokee with the rockers pushed into the doors...

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2) Rock Rails Installation

I was really happy when I saw my wife's Bronco had rock rails standard. Not true frame mounted sliders like my Ranger but they will support the weight of the vehicle and are strong enough to leverage the vehicle around with a winch which is way more than I intend to do.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Good thing to know is where your air intake is...
My brother crossed a river and ingested water thru the air tube that was located just above the bumper.... Bent a couple con rods which I replaced. This was a Ford diesel from mid 80's iirc.

 

[JoshT]

This kind of story is always terrible. Especially when you think about the fact that the 11 yo probably has no clue what he was in for and just along for the ride. If the 17 year old was starting to drive he should know engough for warning bells to sound, but I can remember how much I didn;t know when driving at that age. The adult amongst them should have known better.

I'm going jump in as a Monday morning quarterback, armchair detective, keyboard warrior. The say two found on bank, one in vehicle, and two missing. Being in WV, I'm guessing that the three found probably drowned. The two missing possibly pulled the two on the bank from the SUV before going to get help. The two missing may very well be lost in the woods, dead to exposure. Being wet and cold temperatures, it would be very easy fro someone to succumb to hypothermia even if the temperature isn't dropping to freezing.

Hopefully I'm wrong and the two missing won't be missing for long. Maybe they'll be found alive and safe, with nothing criminal having taken place.

 

[Josh B]

I drove through a river in AZ that is normally dry (and actually part of a road) but it was a wet year so there was about 18" of water in it, and 100+ yards wide. We watched a couple other rigs drive across no problem so we went for it, made it just fine, it was pretty sketchy though. Could feel water pushing against the body and had to steer into it. I guess a couple people tried it in a different spot earlier that week and drowned - didn't know that till later.

There were two dipshit county highway dept workers sitting on one side drinking beer in a country truck - we asked them if it was cool to cross and they said yes but if you get stuck in the middle we'll call the sheriff and you'll get a ticket.

I don't know how familiar you got with Arizona weather but a dry stream bed there that looks like it hasn't seen a drop of water since dinasaurs roamed the earth can turn in to a raging torrent in a matter of minutes, here's one very small example

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The trims with the "Trail Rated" badges everyone makes fun of are actually tested on the Rubicon trail.

With no articulation the non Wrangler ones look kind of goofy doing it though.

Sliders are a very good step though if you do think you might go offroad. They are a very nice safety net if you get in over your head. Nobody wants a Grand Cherokee with the rockers pushed into the doors...

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2) Rock Rails Installation

I was really happy when I saw my wife's Bronco had rock rails standard. Not true frame mounted sliders like my Ranger but they will support the weight of the vehicle and are strong enough to leverage the vehicle around with a winch which is way more than I intend to do.

Ive read and some claim a GC with QTII or QDII (mines QTII) will follow a stock normal (as in not rubicon) wrangler pretty much anywhere except rocks.

I dont know if i buy that.

 

[sgtsandman]

Ronny Dahl did a speech on this in a video not long ago about proper preparation, scouting, and precautions.

Like mentioned above, people think just because they have a 4X4 of some kind, they are invincible.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Ronny Dahl did a speech on this in a video not long ago about proper preparation, scouting, and precautions.

Like mentioned above, people think just because they have a 4X4 of some kind, they are invincible.

Like said earlier its always 4wds you see in the ditch first when the roads get shitty.

It always amazes me though rather alot of people even know how to use it. Ive seen numerous 4wd slid in the median in a few inches of snow, no damage, and they just sit there. Literally snow i could get my 2wd ranger out of.

Storm over xmas i seen a newer silverado (with 4x4 stickers) in the median...3 inches of snow max (the road was ice) and hes just sitting there like "wtf do i do now?"

But they sit and wait for a ticket and/or wrecker. Anyone else notice this?