Why off-roading without doors and a hardtop is not a good idea

[JPHikr]

I got a call this morning from our daughter.
Yesterday her friend was offroading in their Wrangler with no top and doors.
I only have limited details as she was not there but was told of the accident by otheres who were there.
They rolled over and crushed his arm, he was choppered out and got to the trama center where they had to amputate his arm.
The natural reaction is to grab the rollbar as you go over but that it
s the worst thing you can do as your ar will get flung out and our arm will get crushed,
This is why I only offfroad with a hardtop and the windows rolled up.
If the would of had doors and a hard top the chances are that his arm would not of got crushed by the rollbar.
At 68 I donot go out trying to do stupid stuff in our jeep.
I offroad with a hardtop and the windows rolled up, with the AC blasting .
Just because you could drive up that obstacle, do not mean you should.
I had a off the cliff accident years ago that is told about in Jim Ristows book OFF-ROAD EMERGENCY REPAIR AND SURVIVAl.
Yes I am Fred and the Willys Wagon was mine and we were lucky to not have been both killed.

 

[AdventurePig]

Very sorry to hear about that. Prayers for her friend’s recovery/rehab.

 

[Wildman]

I got a call this morning from our daughter.
Yesterday her freind was offroading in their Wrangler with no top and doors.
I only have limited details as she was not there but was told of the accident by otheres who were there.
They rolled over and crushed his arm, he was choppered out and got to the trama center where they had to amputate his arm.
The natural reaction is to grab the rollbar as you go over but that it
s the worst thing you can do as your ar will get flung out and our arm will get crushed,
This is why I only offfroad with a hardtop and the windows rolled up.
If the would of had doors and a hard top the chances are that his arm would not of got crushed by the rollbar.
At 68 I donot go out trying to do stupid stuff in our jeep.
I offroad with a hardtop and the windows rolled up, with the AC blasting .
Just because you could drive up that obstacle, do not mean you should.
I had a off the cliff accident years ago that is told about in Jim Ristows book OFF-ROAD EMERGENCY REPAIR AND SURVIVAl.
Yes I am Fred and the Willys Wagon was mine and we were lucky to not have been both killed.

Sorry about what happened but I would totally disagree with you on this...

From day one of teaching my daughter to off-road I taught her NEVER to grab the rollcage/rollbar and only to grab the handles on the cage. And having that heavy hard top on your vehicle makes it even more top heavy when you don't want it to be. There are risks involved with everything you do in life so you have to decide when or where you want to take additional risks.. And off-roading if you're going to do harder trails only add to those risks. But to claim that you should only drive with full hard door & a hard top IMO is very misleading.

 

[Apparition]

Can I get the Cliff’s notes on the Willy’s Wagon incident?

 

[JPHikr]

We drove off the fire road on Saddelback Mountian in a pouring rain storm in January 1982
I should have stopped but it was sunday night and dark we needed to get back to Costa Mesa for work on Monday.
Miss calculated the edge of the road and the front left tire went over the edge.
Jim jumped out and landed about 30 feet down.
I turn the Willys down the cliff so it would not roll over and rode it down.
That was the Big Wave surfer in me just went for it, took the drop just like riding Waimea on a big day you just got to charge it.
They say your life flashes before you eyes. But all I thought about was Major Kong riding the Nuke in Dr Stranglove.
I remember the headlight beams hitting the ground and the roof blew off. I was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown out.
Jim thought I was dead.
I was knocked out but came to and crawled up the side of the cliff Jim had a broken arm. Just as I got to him lights were shinning in the road.
Picked up a softball sized rock and throw it up at the road.
It hit the truck in the hood, they stppoed as I scrambled over the top and said my friend is down there.
I woke up in the hospital the next day had a concusion and broken nose from hitting the streering wheel wih my face.
Later the rangers said that we we the frist ones that live after going off at that spot.
A few month later I went back and climbed down the only thing left of my Willys was the frame and the cowl.
The rest had come apart in the end over end trumble.
This was not the first time God saved my life and there were a few more times that he saved me from dying later in life.

 

[GregBelleville]

We drove off the fire road on Saddelback Mountian in a pouring rain storm in January 1982
I should have stopped but it was sunday night and dark we needed to get back to Costa Mesa for work on Monday.
Miss calculated the edge of the road and the front left tire went over the edge.
Jim jumped out and landed about 30 feet down.
I turn the Willys down the cliff so it would not roll over and rode it down.
That was the Big Wave surfer in me just went for it, took the drop just like riding Waimea on a big day you just got to charge it.
They say your life flashes before you eyes. But all I thought about was Major Kong riding the Nuke in Dr Stranglove.
I remember the headlight beams hitting the ground and the roof blew off. I was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown out.
Jim thought I was dead.
I was knocked out but came to and crawled up the side of the cliff Jim had a broken arm. Just as I got to him lights were shinning in the road.
Picked up a softball sized rock and throw it up at the road.
It hit the truck in the hood, they stppoed as I scrambled over the top and said my friend is down there.
I woke up in the hospital the next day had a concusion and broken nose from hitting the streering wheel wih my face.
Later the rangers said that we we the frist ones that live after going off at that spot.
A few month later I went back and climbed down the only thing left of my Willys was the frame and the cowl.
The rest had come apart in the end over end trumble.
This was not the first time God saved my life and there were a few more times that he saved me from dying later in life.

That is amazing that you both survived. I've driven the main divide trail once and it was a very easy fire road, but I can see how it would get sketchy in heavy rain. is that where you went off?

 

[JPHikr]

 

[JPHikr]

 

[JPHikr]

 

[JPHikr]

 

[JPHikr]

 

[JPHikr]

 

[JPHikr]

 

[JPHikr]

 

[JPHikr]

 

[JPHikr]

Jim account from the book.

Yes up by the radio towers. here is the 180 turn that we went off of.

We broke all the rules but that what you do when you are young.

 

[JPHikr]

 

[bucky]

The forces can be so great that there is no way to control your arms or legs. Many in the sand dune world use wrist straps to keep their arms from going outside of the vehicle during a roll.

 

[DavidBT]

Hell of a read and you both survived. One really doesn't know how they will perform or react until they are in the moment.

 

[GregBelleville]

Hell of a read and you both survived. One really doesn't know how they will perform or react until they are in the moment.

Yeah I know I SHOULD keep my arms inside, but in a panic situation I can't say for sure I would.