Leaving a fellow wheeler to die on the trail

toyota-erik · 08-28-2008, 05:19 AM

OK, that might be a little mello-dramatic

I just got back from a month long, cross country, 4wheelin trip and I have to tell you guys about something that happened to me on Immogene pass in CO.

My 75 year old father and I left Ourray CO one morning on a trail ride to Telluride on Black Bear then back to Ourray on Immogene. These are all 4x4 only trails.
Im always looking for a challenge, so when I saw part of the trail washed out due to recent heavy rains, I thought it would be fun to drop into it and climb back out. Well, it turns out it was deeper and softer than it looked. So there I sit with both drivers side tires off the ground and both passenger side dug down in soft sand, 500 feet down from the top of Immogene(12,600ft) and not a tree in sight.
No problem because I noticed a lifted Jeep with 33s that had stayed about a mile behind me all day and figured he would be along shortly and use him for a winch anchor. Sure enough he shows up a few min later. He stops, gets out of his jeep and looks things over. I ask him if I could hook on to his jeep and he said NO.
He started rattling off excusses why that was a bad idea like his jeep was too light and that it would damage his jeep.

So, before I tell you the rest of the story, I would like to know how some of you would have handled this.
Has something like this ever happened to anyone else?

***waskillywabbit*** · 08-28-2008, 05:42 AM

Sorry if I am not sympathetic but you were wheeling alone without the proper equipment

and compounded the problem by making stupid decisions

and you want to talk smack about the JEEP guy?

ADH8796 · 08-28-2008, 05:42 AM

That's crazy man most people who wheel are always willing to help out a fellow wheeler even if you don't ride the same rig (jeep, Toyota, Chevy). I would have asked for a ride back so I could get someone else to help me out.

saitotiktmdog · 08-28-2008, 05:43 AM

No but that guy is a loser. How did you get out of that mess.

Team420 · 08-28-2008, 05:46 AM

haha...same type thing happened to me... and of course, it was a jeep that said no...for the exact same reasons. So there I was, with a shovel, and warm 6 pack.... took about 3+ hours to finally dig out.... when I did return to the trail...I got about half a mile down....and there was the same jeep, stuck in a dinky little mud hole. I walked up, and asked if he needed a hand...and he replied yes... then I asked him how stupid he felt, got in my truck and drove away...lol, I did go back for him about an hour later, as he had no shovel, winch, or warm beer, and I felt bad.
I imagine karma worked out that time, and I also imagine from that point on, he would never deny helping someone out on the trail.

*I should add however.... I was not in the wilderness....I was about an hour or so walk from my house, and even closer to town*

ADH8796 · 08-28-2008, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waskillywabbit

Sorry if I am not sympathetic but you were wheeling alone without the proper equipment

and compounding the problem by making stupid decisions

and you want to talk smack about the JEEP guy?

True he was wheeling alone (bad idea). And making things more difficult by wandering into a pit (worse idea). But I don't think he's just trying to talk smack about a jeep guy I think he's just stating that he needed help and this guy actually refused to help him even though there was no other way for him to get out I think that's pretty crappy no matter how bad of an idea it was for him to do what he did.

bigt · 08-28-2008, 05:55 AM

you can always find someone to travel crss country and wheel with you for long periods.. or a group in very town..

jeeps guys are just pricks

ADH8796 · 08-28-2008, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigt

you can always find someone to travel crss country and wheel with you for long periods.. or a group in very town..

jeeps guys are just pricks

Come on now granted the dude drove a jeep but I've wheeled with tones of jeep dudes that would do anything and everything they could to help you out when your in a pinch

dirtoyboy · 08-28-2008, 05:58 AM

it dont matter if he drove a moon buggy or a clown car (jeep hehe) ...he should have stopped to help!

There are just some unwritten guidelines that ALL wheelers should follow...including helping others in need

zlathim · 08-28-2008, 05:58 AM

I'm torn on this one. I don't know you, and neither did the Jeep guy. I am not usually willing to sacrifice my hard earned vehicle to help someone who either can't be helped or is just plain stupid (ever try explaining to someone that they are doing it wrong or dangerously only to hear "I do it this way all the time") Sometimes Darwin takes a while to catch up, but I don't want to be there when he does. I'm not saying that you are anything like this, but I would have to make that decision face to face with you. If I thought you had been drinking I probably would not want to try to get you out either. Again, I'm not saying you were.

You eluded to another aspect of the story. I said I was torn because I would certainly try to help out if someone was in a dire emergency or in danger of dying. Something about your thread title made that one pop into my head.

Let's hear the rest of the story, Paul Harvey.

Team420 · 08-28-2008, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigt

jeeps guys are just pricks

NA...a bunch of my friends drive jeeps....its not that they are pricks...they just get jealous cuz they are always fixin their garbage, while im out wheelin. Plus... they all owe me favors now, cuz I have had to get up at 3am to pull these clowns out.

***waskillywabbit*** · 08-28-2008, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADH8796

True he was wheeling alone (bad idea). And making things more difficult by wandering into a pit (worse idea). But I don't think he's just trying to talk smack about a jeep guy I think he's just stating that he needed help and this guy actually refused to help him even though there was no other way for him to get out I think that's pretty crappy no matter how bad of an idea it was for him to do what he did.

Let me illustrate my point(s) with a simple parable.

A man is flying in a hot air balloon and realizes he is lost. He reduces height and spots a man down below. He lowers the balloon further and shouts, “Excuse me. Can you help me? I promised my client that I would meet him half an hour ago, but I don’t know where I am.”

The man below says, “Yes. You are in a hot air balloon, hovering approximately 30 feet above this field. You are between 40 and 42 degrees N. latitude, and between 58 and 60 degrees W. longitude.”

“You must be an engineer,” says the balloonist.

“I am,” replies the man. “How did you know?”

“Well,” says the balloonist,”everything you have told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost.”

The man below says, “You must be a manager.”

“I am,” replies the balloonist, “but how did you know?”

“Well,” says the man below, “you don’t know where you are, or where you are going. You have made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now it is somehow my fault.”

The old saying holds true, "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."

Yes, if it had been me I would have helped him, but I don't drive a JEEP.

For the record thus far, the JEEP guy said "NO" to using his vehicle as a recovery point, not to helping period.

toyota-erik · 08-28-2008, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waskillywabbit

Sorry if I am not sympathetic but you were wheeling alone without the proper equipment

and compounded the problem by making stupid decisions

and you want to talk smack about the JEEP guy?

Funny, I never thought of it as wheelin alone. those of you that are familiar with this trail system know what Im talkin about. I was no more alone than some of the 2 lane blacktop roads where I live. And all my wheelin buddies were 1300 miles away.
I did have the right equipment to get myself out. It just meant the difference between a 30 second recovery and a hour or more, remember, I was at 12,600 feet.
Therefore, I dont consider it a "stupid" decision.
I havent talked smack about the jeep guy yet.

BigBluePile · 08-28-2008, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADH8796

True he was wheeling alone (bad idea). And making things more difficult by wandering into a pit (worse idea). But I don't think he's just trying to talk smack about a jeep guy I think he's just stating that he needed help and this guy actually refused to help him even though there was no other way for him to get out I think that's pretty crappy no matter how bad of an idea it was for him to do what he did.

I agree as well, it's not like the title of the thread was derogatory towards a jeep guy. It could have been a zuki guy that was following him. Anyways, my buddy used his jeep on 37's to pull out a suburban that was frame stuck with no problems...of course I was tied off to his jeep as a anchor while he was winching the 'burb out, but that's besides the point!!! We still stopped and helped!! Also, if you're going to do a month long wheelin' trip, which I've done with my father, you should take extra precautions, but that's the adventure right??

***waskillywabbit*** · 08-28-2008, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toyota-erik

Funny, I never thought of it as wheelin alone. those of you that are familiar with this trail system know what Im talkin about. I was no more alone than some of the 2 lane blacktop roads where I live. And all my wheelin buddies were 1300 miles away.
I did have the right equipment to get myself out. It just meant the difference between a 30 second recovery and a hour or more, remember, I was at 12,600 feet.
Therefore, I dont consider it a "stupid" decision.
I havent talked smack about the jeep guy yet.

So quit being a llama and finish the damn story.

And who was stuck again?

thook · 08-28-2008, 08:28 AM

Were it me and I knew it would damage my jeep (or vehicle that could possibly suffer damage) I would have said no to being an anchor point, but would have helped in whatever other way possible. So, we all do stupid things sometimes. Doesn't constitute leaving someone stranded.....if that's the case.

08-28-2008, 05:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
toyota-erik Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: M/V Midland & Biwabik MN Posts: 165	Leaving a fellow wheeler to die on the trail OK, that might be a little mello-dramatic I just got back from a month long, cross country, 4wheelin trip and I have to tell you guys about something that happened to me on Immogene pass in CO. My 75 year old father and I left Ourray CO one morning on a trail ride to Telluride on Black Bear then back to Ourray on Immogene. These are all 4x4 only trails. Im always looking for a challenge, so when I saw part of the trail washed out due to recent heavy rains, I thought it would be fun to drop into it and climb back out. Well, it turns out it was deeper and softer than it looked. So there I sit with both drivers side tires off the ground and both passenger side dug down in soft sand, 500 feet down from the top of Immogene(12,600ft) and not a tree in sight. No problem because I noticed a lifted Jeep with 33s that had stayed about a mile behind me all day and figured he would be along shortly and use him for a winch anchor. Sure enough he shows up a few min later. He stops, gets out of his jeep and looks things over. I ask him if I could hook on to his jeep and he said NO. He started rattling off excusses why that was a bad idea like his jeep was too light and that it would damage his jeep. So, before I tell you the rest of the story, I would like to know how some of you would have handled this. Has something like this ever happened to anyone else? __________________ 81 Toyota P/U, 22R with GotPropane kit, wheelbase stretched 5", bobbed box, narrowed tube frame from cab back, full exo, tube doors, Warn 9000i, 36" IROKs,TR bead locks, 4 link front, 3 link rear, Fox 2.0 16" all around. Rear axle is shaved, trussed, V6 3rd, CroMo axles, 4.88, full spool, and disc brakes. Front axle is trussed, HP 3rd, 4.88, 30spline Longfields, and a lunchbox locker. Full hydro Howe desert series race pump(reworked by PSC), CroMo steering arms, 4.7:1 t-case

08-28-2008, 05:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
*waskillywabbit* Sponsoring Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Tuscaloosa, AL Posts: 11,507	Sorry if I am not sympathetic but you were wheeling alone without the proper equipment and compounded the problem by making stupid decisions and you want to talk smack about the JEEP guy? __________________ WabFab Off-Road, LLC www.myspace.com/wabfab 6th Annual South East 4Runner Jamboree, May 22-25, 2009 WabFab Off-Road Salvation Army Online Kettle Last edited by waskillywabbit : 08-28-2008 at 05:45 AM.

08-28-2008, 05:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
ADH8796 Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fayetteville, AR Posts: 968	That's crazy man most people who wheel are always willing to help out a fellow wheeler even if you don't ride the same rig (jeep, Toyota, Chevy). I would have asked for a ride back so I could get someone else to help me out. __________________ Black '99 4Runner Highlander Edition SOLD '98 4Runner Limited Edition

08-28-2008, 05:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
saitotiktmdog Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 449	No but that guy is a loser. How did you get out of that mess. __________________ 1994 toyota 4x4. 22re turbo (sds em4, intercooler, steedspeed manifold, garrett t3) 4 inch procomp stage two lift. ARB bull bar and warn winch, Quick lock rear, tru trac front 31x10.50 firestone destination MT, 5.29 gears Planned mods. , T-case gears, ditch ifs Beware the groove

08-28-2008, 05:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
bigt Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: chippawa niagara falls ontario Posts: 1,985	you can always find someone to travel crss country and wheel with you for long periods.. or a group in very town.. jeeps guys are just pricks __________________ 1991 HILUX SURF SSR-X 2-lte turbo diesel with upgraded head tons of cool options you dont get in north America RIGHT HAND DRIVE,auto,push button 4wd,turbo timer,31.1-.50.15 bfgs,factory fender flares,window flares. CAR DOLLY sirius TUNED TO HOWARD 100 trail ifs rig goldie fate unknown blue 93 srf 4runner NEW TRAIL RIG IN POGRESS ifs welded rear few mods for now rebuilding fj 60 series front axle for future s.a.s

08-28-2008, 05:58 AM	#10 (permalink)
zlathim Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,013	I'm torn on this one. I don't know you, and neither did the Jeep guy. I am not usually willing to sacrifice my hard earned vehicle to help someone who either can't be helped or is just plain stupid (ever try explaining to someone that they are doing it wrong or dangerously only to hear "I do it this way all the time") Sometimes Darwin takes a while to catch up, but I don't want to be there when he does. I'm not saying that you are anything like this, but I would have to make that decision face to face with you. If I thought you had been drinking I probably would not want to try to get you out either. Again, I'm not saying you were. You eluded to another aspect of the story. I said I was torn because I would certainly try to help out if someone was in a dire emergency or in danger of dying. Something about your thread title made that one pop into my head. Let's hear the rest of the story, Paul Harvey. __________________ Do you think Einstein walked around thinking everyone was a bunch of dipsticks? Idiocracy (edited for family friendly viewing) Last edited by zlathim : 08-28-2008 at 06:00 AM.