zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
Don't Stop Paying Attention Just Because You're Waiting in Line
Don't Stop Paying Attention Just Because You're Waiting in Line-May 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:13:00

Sometimes it’s important to remember that even at a modest pace, in a capable vehicle, off-roading can be every bit as dangerous as it looks. This Lexus GX losing power and hurtling backwards down one of Moab’s best-known wheeling spots is an example of just that.

This clip has been floating through off-road circles online recently. It seems like this Lexus GX climbing its way up Hell’s Gate–a particularly taxing section of the famous Moab truck trail Hell’s Revenge, where vehicles are forced to straddle a deep v-gulley–simply lost power, cutting the driver’s power brakes and power steering.

What you’re seeing in the video looks like a complete disaster, but it’s actually a pretty impressive execution of instinct on the driver’s part. They managed to keep the wheel fairly straight during an uncontrolled descent, which probably prevented the runaway Lexus from tipping over and barrel-rolling.

While it sucks that this situation had to claim two trucks, and I’m sure the experience was pretty rattling for all involved, if that other SUV hadn’t been sitting at the bottom waiting its turn, the loose truck might have gone further and ended up who knows where.

Hell’s Revenge is a long and twisty route that makes you sneak by quite a few scary drops. There’s plenty of traction and a lot of vehicles can get through, but, you need a fair bit of fortitude to drive the route. If you’ve never been there, check out the photos from or .

Reports indicate that both the people in the crashing rig and the Lexus that got crashed into were OK, which makes a strong case for using a fairly modern rig for off-road adventures, since an older SUV might have just crumbled. Then again, manual brakes don’t drop out when an engine fails.

But the real takeaway is that you just need to keep your head on a swivel when you’re wheeling, even if you’re at the bottom of an obstacle waiting for your turn. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that advice can be applied to your daily routine–get your head out of your phone while you’re waiting in line, it might save your life. Luckily, everyone in this clip got to go home, even if their trucks couldn’t take them.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I love tiny, of . I have a that is roughly half the size of a normal cat, and she’s perfect. I own a 2013 , which is like the miniature version of a normal-sized vehicle (at least here in Texas) — but beyond that, I also own a Hot...
May 12, 2025
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
closed its São Bernardo Plant in November 2023, marking the end of its first overseas production facility. The closure caps off a period of continuous car production in São Paolo, , lasting over 60 years. The plant was home to a Komatsu 700-ton press that predates itself. And now...
May 12, 2025
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I have two automotive loves: The first is the Miata, the second is off-road racing. For a while I raced air-cooled Volkswagens in the deserts of California and Nevada and I was lucky enough to co-drive in a class 11 stock bug in the Baja 1000 a few years...
May 12, 2025
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
MotorWeek’s is some of the on the internet. The long-running automotive news magazine has a treasure trove of tests after being on the air for over 40 years. Where else can you find detailed instrumented testing of long-forgotten cars like the or a ? MotorWeek’s recent Retro Review upload is...
May 12, 2025
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
At long last, we are about to get behind the wheel of for the first time. Sure, , and sure, , and sure , but hey — what can you do? Anyway, before we get behind the wheel of this three-row electric beast, we want to know what you...
May 12, 2025
Subaru Had It Right All Along
Subaru Had It Right All Along
When first came to the United States, it sold small funky cars that were decidedly un-American. As the company grew its own identity and became more established in the U.S., it became the first automaker to offer an all-wheel-drive passenger car in 1975. Subaru was also an early-adopter of...
May 12, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved