HANDS ON FOUR WHEEL DRIVE
SAFETY CLINIC

The CAPITAL CITY MOUNTAIN GOAT 4 WHEEL DRIVE CLUB schedules three weekend Safety Clinics a year.  The two one day Clinics are held on:

LOCATION: PRAIRIE CITY SVRA, located 20 miles east of Sacramento.  Exit Prairie City Road from Highway 50 and follow the Prairie City SVRA signs.  The Classroom instruction for the Clinic is presented in SVRA main office. Please ask at the gate.

INSTRUCTION PHASE:  Starts with a 90 minute classroom slide presentation and discussion.  Some of the sections covered are: 

• Impaired visibility from inside the vehicle,  why do you drive over rocks rather than around them
• Advantages of lowering tire pressure
• Proper handling rules going up and down steep hills, water crossings, crossings logs and large ruts in the road
• Proper towing techniques and equipment
• How to help direct vehicles through rough spots
• Many more. 

The most important lesson to learn is "the buddy system".

During a break in the class, a proper winch demonstration is presented with all of the proper equipment.  Following the demonstration is a lively question and answer session.

HANDS ON PHASE: The vehicles convoyed to the Prairie City SVRA's 4x4 area and lined up.  All vehicles are safety checked using the standard California 4 Wheeled Drive Clubs standard safety checklist.  After the check the participants are given the checklist for further use and reference.

   Following the safety check, all participants air their tires down to about 15 psi.  There is no problem with airing up their tires as we have an air compressor to air the tires back up again, while you enjoy lunch.

   The Block Course: The first course is quite simple.  You drive your left front wheel over wooden blocks so that you will know where the centerline of your wheel is from inside your vehicle.  This helps in directing your vehicle over rocks.

   The Back-Up Course:  A back-up course is set up using the red highway pylons.  The participants have to back their vehicle through the course using your mirrors.  There are also instructors that guide you through the course.

    The Stop and Start Course:  The participant drives their vehicle up a hill towards an instructor who is situated near the top.  At the instructor, the driver stops the vehicle, shuts off the motor and puts on the brake.  After relaxing for a time, the driver starts the motor, puts the vehicle in gear, takes the brake off and continues up the hill.

   The Reverse Course:  At the reverse course, the participants drives their vehicle to the top of the hill and than backs down the hill only using their mirrors.  It is done very slowly so that the drive maintains control of the vehicle at all times.

   The Stair Steps:  The stair steps is a manufactured course to teach driver how to drive over rocks to get where you are going.  In not driving over the rocks the vehicle will get hung up on other rocks.  This course like all of the courses is driven in 4 wheel drive low and low engine speed.  There are two or three instructors on the course to direct the driver up the steps.  If there are any problems, they will work with the driver to get them started again.  If a driver gets frustrated they will just stop the ride and talk to the driver until all is well.  At times they will walk up the course and talk to them all the way.

   The Frame Twister:  The frame twister is made up of two parts.  The first part is a log run and than the twister.  The log run teaches the participant to drive over the logs at a 45 degree angle so that not all wheels are on logs at the same time.  The twister is a set of railroad ties and rocks that again teach you that to get through you have to drive over rocks to get to your destination.  This is the last of the driven courses.

   Vehicle Clearance:  Some of the new SUV's do not have all of the clearances to go through the last two courses.  Each vehicle is looked over carefully to see if it can make it.  Also if the driver does not want to take their vehicle through the last two courses, they do not have to.  Most of the time a club member has a vehicle available that the driver can take through the course.  Running boards are big clearance problems.

   Instructors:  When the drivers go through all of the courses they are guided by trained instructors who have completed an in-field instructor course certified by Association personnel.  Participants are encouraged to ask all of the questions that come up.

   Course Completion:  Upon completing, the participants fill out evaluation sheets on the course, the classroom instruction and the instructors.  The Goats review these evaluations very seriously to improve their clinics.  After hot dogs, sodas, and chips, and airing up their tires the drivers are on the way home.  There is no problem with having two drivers using one vehicle.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COURSE:

1. The idea is to teach beginners the basics of four-wheel driving and give them confidence in themselves as drivers and confidence in their vehicles.
2. Most people who take the course have less than 6 months experience or less behind the wheel.
3. It is a refresher to drivers who have been away from 4-wheeling.
4. The course better prepares you for off-roading.
5. 85 percent of new SUV (Sort Utility Vehicle) owners have not had their vehicle in 4-wheel drive.
6. Teaches you safe ways to operate vehicles.

WE ALL HAVE FUN, BOTH THE INSTRUCTORS AND THE DRIVERS

After the Safety Clinic has been completed, the participants can play at the SVRA

For More Information and Registration Contact: Carol Moreland @ 455-9930  

2009 Dates: Sat 18 , June (TBD), September (TBD)

(Click here for an application)

(Click to learn more about Prairie City SVRA)

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