Gorman Jeep roll 02/05

[XJfer4]

Were any of you guys with the Bonehead that rolled his Jeep down a hill in Gorman thiw weekend? I hope he wasn't hurt but it would be really hard to feel sorry for him with the way he was driving. We were there on motorcycles and witnessed him earlier in the day and decided we definately needed to stay away from his group. We were sitting at the bottom of the hill when the Jeeps came up and started to climb the hill. After a few clean runs for a few others this guy decided it was his turn to try in what seemed to be a 2wd. He didn't make it up the first time and backed down turning the wheel hard at the bottom. He didn't roll that time. He tried again and made it up about a hundred feet. He came down backward again only this time about 60 ft up he turned the wheel hard again and went sideways on the hill and started to roll. It gets worse...... The Idiot wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was thrown out. Somehow landing running down the hill after the first roll and didn't get smashed.

What I don't understand is;

1) Why was he trying big hills in a 2wd with street tires?
2) Why did nobody in his group of about ten vehicles stop him?
3) Why the heck was he not wearing a seatbelt?

Hopefully someone who was there can answer some of these questions.....

 

[Alaskaflyr]

It's people like this that give this sport/hobby whatever you want to call it a bad name. Hopefully he'll take up street racing next!

 

[Jump This]

He was there for entertainment value only.
We have had people like that on a run or two before...
only after the first bad move someone almost always lets them know
that if they don't think ahead they might land on thier head...
It sounds as though he got lucky....this time....
Damn...wish someone had an after shot pic to post!!
Rick

 

[nitrogt101]

I was there on saturday in my xj. I never really saw anymore cherokees there, a few grands and a group of tj's. As you enter the main entrance, after the curvy parts of the main road, was it a big hill off to the right? One of the first hills visible? I saw what could have been a cherokee climbing that with a pickup(maybe a toyota? it was far away) at about 11:30am, was that him?

 

[XJfer4]

This happened around 5pm. It was dark when the Ranger was over there still with the wreck. The vehicle that rolled was a Wrangler with a hardtop. Hard tops pop off when you roll by the way. The guys that were leading the group were all in XJ's. Some pretty nice ones. Lifted, lockers, racks, winches, all the right stuff.

There was a lady who got out of one of the XJ's and was taking pictures. Maybe she will read this and post one. But I gotta tell you it was just another smashed Wrangler. Typical damage, wheels bent, flat tires, broken windshield etc...

 

[XJfer4]

Oh yeah... It sounds like the hill you are talking about. Pretty much the first one to climb on your way in on the right.

 

[bbgluv]

My husband and I were in the group of jeeps that witnessed that guy roll. We were in a 4 x 4 training class with a total of 8 vehicles. While we were taking turns on this hill, the guy that rolled and his family and friends flew around us, showing off. They had no connection with the class at all. The guy that rolled did the exact opposite of what we were taught and practicing throughout the day. It is sad that there are people who go out and make our hobbies look dangerous and bad, but the majority of us that witnessed this guy rolling were in the class learning to offroad responsibly. This is just another example of how 1 or 2 people can ruin it for the bunch.

 

[XJfer4]

Unfortionately from everyone I spoke with on that day that was also on motorcycles, you were all together, even the guy who rolled, for the entire afternoon. I was only there half a day.....

I realize that the guy could have been following you guys around but that was not at all how it appeared. I agree that it is sad that a few people can ruin things for the rest of us. It is too bad that your "instructor" didn't jump in and put a stop to it. It was so clear to us that he was going to roll we made sure we were far enough away so when he did we wouldn't get hit. We even got dirty looks from some in the group of Jeeps for saying something about that. We were suprised that someone close to him did not recognize what he was doing.


If you look on the bright side..... You know EXACTLY why you don't try to turn around on the side of a hill !! Your instructor could not have come up with a better way to demonstrate this.

 

[Bent]

He came down backward again only this time about 60 ft up he turned the wheel

Sad indeed.

The DOs and don'ts of backing down a steep hill were some of the first lessons / exercises Ethan got when I was first teaching him to drive,:lecture: when he was 12.

With that said, I'm ready for the vidio!