Sno-Excuse: Jeep Driver Slides Down Icy Hill, Nearly Misses People & Hits Other Cars
Jeeps are capable of doing some amazing things. However, driving down an icy hill on mud tires is not one of them.
Four-wheel drive will help you go, but it will not help you stop. Especially on an icy hill. Apparently, the driver of the Jeep TJ in this video has never heard that before. A low range transfer case, air lockers and a winch don’t do a damn thing when all four wheels are on solid ice and you are heading downhill. Maybe a set of chains or studded tires would be of some value but this Jeep doesn’t have them. What this Jeep does have is an idiot behind the wheel. Thankfully no one seemed to be injured so now we can sit back and laugh and unpack all the things this driver did wrong.
The video was posted on the Instagram page of chrisbrinleejr. It is set to the very appropriate “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus. A wrecking ball is exactly what this Jeep is acting like on this icy hill. But the truly amazing thing about it all is how many mistakes this Jeep driver makes. What in the world was this person thinking?
It makes all Jeep drivers look bad when someone acts this foolish. The funny thing is there was a set of skis on the roof. The driver would have been much wiser to take them off the roof and ski down the hill. Just like many people were already doing. Let’s examine the madness.
Best Case Scenario
Let’s start with the obvious. Where exactly did this Jeep driver think they were going to go? In the best case scenario they would have made it to the bottom of the icy hill. Then what?
You can clearly see there is nothing but a massive pileup of stuck vehicles down there. So, best case the Jeep makes it down unscathed and then sits in traffic for hours. Was that the plan? Was getting to that traffic jam so important that it was worth risking hitting other vehicles and people?
Admit Defeat
Sometimes Mother Nature is too much even for a Jeep. Cut your losses and live to fight another day is the best strategy in those cases. But not for this TJ driver. The clip starts by showing the Jeep sliding forwards into a snowbank. Right there should have been the end of it. That slide combined with the slew of vehicles already stuck and the fact the people were skiing and snowboarding down the hill should have indicated conditions were not safe.
But no, the driver continues, and continues, and continues. The sequence goes something like this. Slide into snowbank. Back into snowbank. Slide again into snowbank. Spin backwards and slide backwards into snowbank. Slide out of control for ten yards until the Jeep hits a stuck Tesla. Slide backwards into snowbank. Spin 360 degrees and then hit the Tesla again. Apply power and spin backwards again.
Common Sense
This Jeep was clearly not equipped for ice and snow based off the large mud tires it is wearing. But even more than that, the driver was not equipped. Many of you know that anytime you take your Jeep off-road you need to be mentally prepared as well.
Having the right equipment is important. But knowing what you are doing with that equipment and its limitations is just as important. This driver put the Jeep in drive but left their brain in neutral. Chances are good this Jeep is still sliding down that icy hill.
Photos: Instagram/chrisbrinleejr