Preparing for my recent driving trips to Kenya, I found that road security getting worse. Everyone I spoke to, has either suffered from an incident or knows personally, of someone who has. In Nairobi alone, there are on average 64 car-jackings per week - this equates to roughly one every three hours! There are many theories as to why the situation is so bad ... and deteriorating ... but as a visitor to the city, I am more interested in how to stay out of trouble. First Line of Defense The … [Read more...]
Mud Glorious Mud: The Basics of Driving Through Mud
Although soil conditions may change from heavy clay to the renowned "black cotton", dealing with mud is approached in much the same way. The only difference really is how your tyres will clog up. Driving through shallow mud (2" deep or less) The ideal situation is to have the full weight of the vehicle pushing your tyres through the mud and attempting to grip onto the firm ground underneath. To do this you have to have your tyres at the correct pressure. If the pressure is too low then you … [Read more...]
Be Prepared For Driving in Uganda
Driving in Uganda used to be described as a "series of near misses". Unfortunately, this trend has now altered and we are seeing more and more MVCs happening. Why is this? Once this question has been answered then therein lies a solution. … [Read more...]
How To Prevent A 4wd Rollover On Unsealed Roads
Having rolled a vehicle back in my early days working upcountry in Uganda, I learnt the hard way about the dangers of unsealed roads. Since then, I've treated this very dangerous road surface with the utmost respect. … [Read more...]
Seatbelts and Crash Helmets – Attitude vs Behavior
Sometime back, I had the privilege to give a talk on defensive driving, at an event organised by the Uganda Red Cross. The event was to: Promote the use of seatbelts and crash helmets and; To give an award to the best driver of the year. I was encouraged by the turn out and by organisations such as the Uganda Police and UTODA having a major role to play in the event. … [Read more...]