Three Dead In Crash while off-roading at Rowher Flats

I checked it out... how do you make a distress call? Seems like a tracker only. I was confused because it says it has 3,000 saves to date but listed no distress call feature? All people who were late back and had people tracking them?

The one I linked is only a emergency beacon and has no subscription fees. It runs off COSPAS-SARSAT an international, humanitarian search and rescue system that uses satellites to detect and locate emergency beacons carried by ships, aircraft, or individuals. The system consists of a network of low and high orbit satellites, ground stations, mission control centers, and rescue coordination centers. Been around since 1979.

 

Why we're they back there if not off-roading? I used to live right there, unless they have bikes in the back then they were likely off-roading. Also I don't think it's a jeep, looks like a Chevy 01 silverado. Not the first case of people dying in Texas canyon either, sad story.

 

Makes me reconsider some of the cornering I do at the local fire-road.

 

We have a Gen3 in the race truck. It has an SOS button.

From the Spot Tracker website:

S.O.S.: With the push of a button, GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center provides your GPS coordinates and information to local response teams - for example contacting 9-1-1 responders in North America and 1-1-2 responders in Europe The S.O.S. button is for emergencies only.


HOW IT WORKS:
Once activated, SPOT will acquire its exact coordinates from the GPS network, and send that location along with a distress message to the GEOS International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until cancelled or until the batteries are depleted. The Emergency Response Center notifies the appropriate emergency responders based on your GPS location and personal information – which may include local police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard, our country’s embassy or consulate, or other emergency search and rescue teams – as well as notifying your emergency contacts about the receipt of a distress signal.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Even if SPOT cannot acquire its location from the GPS network it will still attempt to send a distress signal – without exact location – to GEOS, which will still notify your contacts of the signal and continue to monitor the network for further messages.

 

Back to the crash, my personal take is that folks should just not wheel alone. Seems that when it's just one truck on a run, when shit goes sideways, someone really pays the price. For all anyone knows, if other trucks were with them, a more rapid medical response could have saved a life assuming that all three didn't die on impact all at once. Will be interesting to see what the investigation reveals.

 

These are the type of general statements that the uninformed people make and is exactly why you should be very careful who you listen too.

It's unfortunate what happened to those people, but is highly likely the result of not paying attention or driving recklessly which is what you and your buddies were doing. That my friend can happen on any surface.

Drive like a fool, and you'll get into trouble. Drive with some sense, and you can have a really good time both on road and off.

 

I agree 100%. I've wheeled all over the world but never go alone. There is always another capable vehicle with me when I go or I just don't go.

 

Those old M-151's had many good points but stability in a turn wasn't one of them.
Got a little better with the A2's, but nothing is idiot proof.

We had about a dozen photographs of jeep accidents with dead grunts in our motor pool driver training room.

 

I've had to split up on quads to go back to camp because one broke a few times, tip toed the whole way. Single vehicle off roading is not something I practice either.

 

Agree 100%
Ignorance is bliss. Driving on a fire road at speed is not off roading.

 

yes it is

 

Its called a fire "ROAD" so no its not.
If I can do it in a Honda civic it is not off roading in my book. But if that's what you call off roading enjoy!!!

 

Cool - thanks! I just took another look and found it.

Going to stick with Cospas Sarsat based system.

SPOT has their own satellites that do not cover the world, only 3,000 saves, and charges a subscription fee year.

Cospas/Sarsat is internationally funded/run with government satellites covering the world, has over 35,000 saves since the 70's, and is free with no subscription.

Each looks like a good system, cospas just looks better for me.

 

XXXX is on the right track. I wouldn't trust my life to a private company that is notorious for terrible service. Check out this link or just google spot vs plb. PLB FTW
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/personal-locator-beacons.html

 

Because all fire roads are the same, and a honda civic can go through all of them.

 

You guys don't get it. If you call driving fast on a fire ROAD off roading enjoy.. I am sure you may find a rut or two on your off roading. Fire road trip. Be safe not to get stuck.
I prefer something a bit more challenging.

 

So you look down on all the desert and dune guys too then, because its just going fast. Cool.

 

I don't look down on them at all. It's just not my deal. Again if you like driving on terrain that a mini van can do have at it. I just prefer something challenging.

 

Mojave Road isnt offroading, because its a road.