BajaNomad - Dumb and Dumber Again

Dumb and Dumber Again

MrBillM - 9-19-2010 at 10:25 AM

Driving South from San Felipe over the bridge across the big arroyo at the municipal free beach, we look over the side and there's a new or fairly new Ford SuperCrew filled with people and buried to the body in the mud. Two guys standing there looking puzzled and a LONG way from any solid ground. No chance of digging out of that one. Not sure whether it was a mex or U.S. plated Vehicle. I think the plate was down in the mud somewhere.

At least they were close to town and a tow-truck.

I started to turn around and the wife said "what are you doing" ? I said I was going back to take a picture and then yell "Stupid" before I drove off. She cancelled that.

I've gotten stuck before, but NEVER on ground that was "CLEARLY" not passable.

What is it with some people ?

El Comadante Loco - 9-19-2010 at 12:44 PM

I got my F250 4wd, crew cab stuck in the sand all the way to the chassis. Had to have a neighbor winch me out with his big Dodge. I guess I was dumber than drummer for trying to help another person who was stuck.. It is good to know that are a few us dumber than dummer around at least to try and help..
Sure would not want you around in a time of need. You are a credit to the Baja spirit. It seems as if you got some kind of twisted voyeur enjoyment watching someone in a difficult situation..

Dumb and Dumber - No Comment

MrBillM - 9-19-2010 at 05:44 PM

What can I say ? IF you stick a vehicle to the chassis trying to pull somebody out, you didn't know when to quit. As a friend said once during a "Sticking" event, once the wheels start spinning and you start heading DOWN, STOP. You're not going anywhere. Time to dig ". Start digging when you're "barely" in and it's a lot easier.

Over the last 30 years in Baja, I've pulled (and DUG) quite a few other vehicles out of the Scheisse and I've never stuck MY vehicle ONCE doing it. There are quite a few I've refused simply because I KNEW something was likely to go wrong. Maybe that's the difference.

In any case, I was referring to those who get stuck in OBVIOUSLY Dumb situations. THAT is the BIG difference.

Not having seen Dummy's effort ayer, I can still say it wasn't the Dumbest I've seen. That would probably be the THREE vehicles I saw at Percebu follow one after the other into the Lagoon at low tide and bury one right behind the other in the SOFT WET mud.

As I told my wife, number one was not necessarily DUMB. Number two was and three was STUPID.

Used to be a guy living here (the guy with the crashed plane-Dead Now) that made his Xtra cash pulling out dummies with his Ford Bronco (and it's WINCH) during Easter break before the tide claimed them. He' watch for those and drive out, say "Six-Hundred Bucks" and drive off if they said NO. Some who said no changed it to yes when they were still there and the water getting closer.

I've never done that. Thought about it, though.

KASHEYDOG - 9-19-2010 at 06:03 PM

Well said ( written ), MrBillm :yes:

Quote:

Originally posted by MrBillM
Not having seen Dummy's effort ayer, I can still say it wasn't the Dumbest I've seen. That would probably be the THREE vehicles I saw at Percebu follow one after the other into the Lagoon at low tide and bury one right behind the other in the SOFT WET mud.

As I told my wife, number one was not necessarily DUMB. Number two was and three was STUPID.

Actually, you errored in your story above. That WAS the story of Dumb, Dummer and Dumbest. I know cause I've actually met all three at one time or another... :bounce:

...and they always have one thing in common. they are always at a loss for a good reason as to why they're in the fix they're in... :?:

That's when the DUUH factor kicks in... :tumble:

[Edited on 9-20-10 by KASHEYDOG]

vgabndo - 9-19-2010 at 08:41 PM

Ok, I think I get it. Today you saw someone in an unfortunate situation which most of us would agree was caused by clearly bad judgement. The person with you had the decency to prevent you from returning as if to help but really only to hurl insults and the unfortunate people who were suffering the result of their foolishness. The entire scene of people experiencing misfortune at their own hands seems to have brought you a good deal of personal joy. Here was the perfect opportunity to share your well documented negativity.

Wow, did I really need to know that there are humans walking the earth who react like you? Does any of us?

How low can you go? I guess we'll find out just before you are banned.

::Laguna Percebu Recovery::

Ken Cooke - 9-19-2010 at 08:57 PM

Drinking, Driving and Jeeping don't mix :yes:

Steve Schott at the controls - David K supervising :yes:

Steve Schott rescues helpless XJ Cherokee with 8,000 lb. Warn Winch! :bounce:

Moral of the story, mud flats minus 46" mud tires & horsepower are a recipe for vehicular loss :!:

Woooosh - 9-19-2010 at 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vgabndo
Ok, I think I get it. Today you saw someone in an unfortunate situation which most of us would agree was caused by clearly bad judgement. The person with you had the decency to prevent you from returning as if to help but really only to hurl insults and the unfortunate people who were suffering the result of their foolishness. The entire scene of people experiencing misfortune at their own hands seems to have brought you a good deal of personal joy. Here was the perfect opportunity to share your well documented negativity.

Wow, did I really need to know that there are humans walking the earth who react like you? Does any of us?

How low can you go? I guess we'll find out just before you are banned.

Of course the Germans have a word for this... Schadenfreude.

"is pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude

vgabndo - 9-20-2010 at 12:26 AM

We ain't doin' so bad. That fancy word in English is just Malicious and Joy hooked together. Gloating Delight is another way of expressing these troubling thought processes. :no:

Maybe I got the wrong impression from the original post. :lol:

mtgoat666 - 9-20-2010 at 06:13 AM

Quote:

vaganondo:
have you never read mrbile's miserable screeds? that's mrbile. what he wrote was par for his course. doubtful he will be banned, but certain he will burn in hell, if such a place exists.

BajaGringo - 9-20-2010 at 08:44 AM

We get a regular parade of folks wanting to park right up next to the beach here who quickly find their little two wheel drive vehicles are no match for the deep, soft sand. I've got the whole routine down where I usually have them back on the dirt road in less than a minute. If they have buried themselves down to the axles/chassis I just throw a couple of shovels in the back of the truck.

The other day a guy came by and dropped off 3 large, live lobsters as a thank you for helping them out a few weeks back.

Sometimes good karma comes back...

wessongroup - 9-20-2010 at 09:14 AM

misfortune, was in my mind something along these lines...

"the loss of their home in the flood was the first of several misfortunes"

Driving a 4 x 4 up to the chassis is not misfortune, rather a learning experience, one would hope...

I don't laugh, nor taunt... as most times I'm stupefied ... just amazed that some folks really don't know that kind of stuff... ya know, like don't try and drive across a swollen river, mud flats, get off the trail and/or road and break trail... and find them selves and their vehicle in these very difficult situations ..

Ya know, like skiing down Mt Everest... and finding it hard... and dangerous

And I have helped people out... but, usually on my way back.. if they are still there...

Had a friend who stuck his Jeep, had to get down off the road in El Salvador due to a landslide, had to make down to the ocean, tried to get across a steam that feed into the ocean.. it was the only way... not a good idea, but there was really nothing else to do.... got stuck past the hubs .. then the tide came in... completely under water... spent two weeks on the beach.. he took the entire engine apart on the beach along with the fuel lines and the rest and got it back running ... after getting towed out by some locals who had some horses..

Sold it in Costa Rica 1970 .. no disclosure... and it was running fine at the time... flew back...

Salsa - 9-20-2010 at 09:15 AM

Have you noticed it is the 4-wheelers that get stuck and NOT the 2-wheelers!!!

Don

bajaguy - 9-20-2010 at 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wessongroup

Driving a 4 x 4 up to the chassis is not misfortune, rather a learning experience, one would hope......

And hopefully, they only have to learn it once!!!!!!

BajaGringo - 9-20-2010 at 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Salsa
Have you noticed it is the 4-wheelers that get stuck and NOT the 2-wheelers!!!

Don

Most of the folks I pull out are 2 wheel drives. If I see a 4x4 stuck it is usually because they never tried to air down. I suppose that in some places one could argue that more 4x4's get stuck because the 2WD's don't even bother trying to get in some places.

If you haven't got stuck at least once in your life time you probably haven't lived much. Hopefully, like Mr. Bill noted you are smart enough to stop before you get down to the axles/chassis and learn from the experience so it never happens again.

Common sense goes a long way down here...

Sticking 2 v 4

MrBillM - 9-20-2010 at 09:43 AM

Funny you should mention Schadenfreude.

I LOVE THAT WORD.

So much so, that years ago, I had some Bumper-Stickers made up that said "Schadenfreude Practiced Here". Should have ordered a larger supply. Ended up using and handing out all of them. They were popular.

As far as 4wd vs 2wd, I once knew a guy who had lived in Baja for around 20 years at that time and he said he'd driven all over in a 2wd and never got stuck. Once he bought a 4wd, he got stuck again and again. I remember, as he described, stopping and walking an area before attempting it in my 2wd. In the 4, you just figure you'll make it.

As far as the Dumb and Dumbest, I had forgotten the Jeep at Percebu during the 4th of July a few years back who arrived later than his buddies to find them across the beach with the tide flooding. A channel about 30 feet wide and 4 feet deep separated them. No problem. he backed as far as he could, wound up the engine, popped the clutch and ZOOMED forward.

Made it about 10 feet into the channel before submerging. Luckily, his buddies had winches and surprisingly, just before dark, the engine actually started again.

We should feel sorry for THOSE people ? No Chance.

Schadenfreude is STILL practiced in this household.

[Edited on 9-20-2010 by MrBillM]

Bajatripper - 9-22-2010 at 10:03 PM

I'd be afraid to mess with my Karma like that. You've got some big ones, Bill

MsTerieus - 9-22-2010 at 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaGringo
If you haven't got stuck at least once in your life time you probably haven't lived much.

Well, that makes me feel a LITTLE better. Because, on my VERY FIRST TRIP to Baja (since I was a little girl), I managed to get my 2-wheel rental car stuck in sand, at the spit in Punta Banda, fairly late at night (between 9:30 and 10:00). :no:

First, I tried moving the sand from the rear wheels with my hands, but that didn't work. Next, I tried flagging down one of the few cars that occasionally passed on the nearby road from which I had accidentally turned off (and into the sand). These cars were likely full of folks going home for the night. Fairly soon, some nice folks stopped, asked what was wrong, and said "we'll be right back," and they sped away, towards what I assume was their house.

I waited and waited for my saviors to return, but nobody seemed to be coming back. :?:

Meanwhile, fewer and fewer cars were appearing on the road. Finally, I saw one coming! :spingrin:

By now, in tears, I walked into the road road and waved my arms. The car slowed to barely a crawl, its inhabitants looked me and/or the situation over... Then ... they sped away! I recalled some previous threads here, regarding the dangers of stopping to help someone at night, and how many posters had said they would not do it. At that point, I got scared, figuring I'd be there the whole night, if I didn't get robbed, knifed, axed and/or raped first.

Finally, I saw a vehicle traveling towards me, coming from the residential area. It was a couple of the original folks who had stopped and said they would return! They had come back in a 4 x 4 that even had a tow bar, and they quickly pulled me out of the sand. I have seldom been so grateful in my life!!!! :yes:

[Edited on 9-23-2010 by MsTerieus]

wessongroup - 9-23-2010 at 06:04 AM

Cool ... real life experience .... looks like your doing just fine.... good for you

And how about that, you were out after dark, and you didn't die.. you got what it takes in my book....

Ya gotta let us know how you like your little place and all the rest... know its a bit soon, but.... some of us, well you know ... we are nosy

Wiley S

[Edited on 9-23-2010 by wessongroup]

[Edited on 9-23-2010 by wessongroup]

Brian L - 9-23-2010 at 08:52 AM

Why are you berating the OP? He could have been driving something that couldn't help the buried folks. We don't know...

Come on, they were stuck on the beach, they weren't victims of a hurricane.

Quote:

MsTerieus - 9-25-2010 at 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wessongroup
Cool ... real life experience .... looks like your doing just fine.... good for you

And how about that, you were out after dark, and you didn't die.. you got what it takes in my book....

Ya gotta let us know how you like your little place and all the rest... know its a bit soon, but.... some of us, well you know ... we are nosy

Wiley S

Thanks for your interest, Wiley! Yes, I survived (and I haven't even told you about my trip home, which involved crossing the border to the U.S. THREE times ...) I'll keep you posted ... :yes:

durrelllrobert - 9-26-2010 at 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MsTerieus

Thanks for your interest, Wiley! Yes, I survived (and I haven't even told you about my trip home, which involved crossing the border to the U.S. THREE times ...) I'll keep you posted ... :yes:

You were probably turned around the first time for having Punta Banda sand stuck in your wheel wells (which is illegal), but tell us about the other two. Inquiring minds want to know :?:

durrelllrobert - 9-26-2010 at 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaGringo

If you haven't got stuck at least once in your life time you probably haven't lived much.

is this directed at any female in particular :?:

. depends on what stuck means :lol:

MsTerieus - 9-26-2010 at 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by durrelllrobert
You were probably turned around the first time for having Punta Banda sand stuck in your wheel wells (which is illegal), but tell us about the other two. Inquiring minds want to know :?:

No -- sand was not the problem. I'll tell you about it some time when I see you ...

BajaBlanca - 9-28-2010 at 03:10 PM

well, our Mexican neighbors can get anyone out of sand in a heartbeat - they llok, assess the situation and presto. before you can blink, they have the people out !! I am constantly amazed at their knowledge.

MsTerieus - 9-28-2010 at 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
well, our Mexican neighbors can get anyone out of sand in a heartbeat - they llok, assess the situation and presto. before you can blink, they have the people out !! I am constantly amazed at their knowledge.

You have NICE (Mexican) neighbors! One of the drawbacks of Punta Banda (IMHO) is that practially every resident is a Gringo! (Not that many of them are not nice...)