Drivers Brief

Aug 11

As a Trail Leader, it is important to hold a brief Drivers Meeting before heading out on the trail. This meeting serves as an opportunity to verify attendance, collect signed waivers, and to make introductions of your team.

Here is an example of the template that I use when I am leading a trail run. Note that depending on the size and experience level of the group, I purposely may or may not include all of these talking points – but they are part of my clipboard notes so I don’t omit them accidentally.

Beginners runs or runs with new members require more content than a smaller gathering of club “regulars”, so not all Drivers Meetings will be the same.

Our club prefers the use of printed and signed waivers, rather than digital uploads, for two reasons. Contact info needs to be current for all passengers as well as drivers. Digital files may not be immediately accessible to Trail Leaders, but paper copies are right there when you need them, and it is easy to add comments, incident reports, or any notes.

Welcome and Introductions

Leader (me). Identify my jeep and whip flag.
Tail? Also identify vehicle and flag.
Mid? Also identify vehicle and flag.
All the drivers are asked to introduce themselves.
Who is first time out with our club?
Any newbies or beginners? Who is first time offroad? (Be congratulatory and encouraging)
Do we have any children? Please watch your profanity over the radio!
Do we have any medical professionals or first responders?
Do we have any mechanics or experienced recovery people?
Do we have any armed personnel? Weapons are okay*, but please keep them safely holstered and no target shooting. *Obey any local gun restrictions.
Our posted ending time for this run is only an estimate. If you have something scheduled for later today, based on that uncertainty, then you should not participate on this run. It is always possible that the run could take longer on account of trail conditions or vehicle breakdowns. There is no leaving early because “you have someplace to be”. We all stick together as a group, from start to finish.
Comms. We will be on GMRS Channel XX. Does everyone have a working radio? If you do not have a GMRS radio, loaners are available.

Safety

Spare tire and lug nut key is required to go off-road. No exceptions.
Is everyone on heavy duty All Terrain or Mud Terrain tires? Does every vehicle have bona fide recovery points, not just those screw-in eye hooks or tie-down points?
If you are having any current mechanical issues with your vehicle, please do not go.
All drivers will obey all relevant laws and regulations. Licensed and insured drivers only; this is not the time to teach your children or pets how to drive.
No alcoholic beverages, no drugs, no weed. Observe all safety barriers and wilderness zones. Respect private property and tribal signs. Stay on the designated trail or road.
What to wear or not to wear out in the desert (or terrain). Closed toe shoes or boots. Long pants to protect legs. Sun protection. Stay hydrated!
Did everyone, including all passengers, sign the waivers and include emergency contact or critical medic alerts.
Who brought first aid kits?
Who has recovery gear?
Does everyone have lots of water and some snacks?
We will be assigning all of the vehicles a position number, so we can identify where you are in the convoy. Think of those as your radio call signs; you don’t need to i.d. your position for general conversation, but if you need assistance or are discussing an obstacle – then it is useful for us all to know your location in the group. If we all need to clump up to park, try to pull out in correct order.

General driving tips

Always keep the car behind you in sight. If you lose sight of the vehicle ahead of you, use your radio and indicate your position number.
We want to stay together from beginning to end. We may spread out a bit, especially if it gets dusty, but we don’t want to get too separated.
If it gets dusty, turn on your headlights. Note that your headlights are not on during daylight in the AUTO position; you have to manually switch them to ON. If visibility really becomes difficult, activate your emergency blinkers – they make your car easier to see.
At forks in the road, and at turns – wait for the jeep behind you to catch up so they know what direction to take.
Our average speed will be 1 to 25mph. Drive at a speed which is comfortable for you. It is normal to inch your way through obstacles, and then to sprint when the road is level. On clear sections, though, please try to maintain the pace. Pay attention to the vehicle in front of you and behind you. Use your radio to inform the Trail Leader if we are becoming separated; we will stop and let everyone catch up.
Never leave the group! If you do have to exit your vehicle, let us know.
We will recommend when to use 4wd-Hi and 4wd-Low. If you need to stop in order to shift in or out of 4wd-Low, just let us know. If you need any help airing down or airing up, someone will assist you.
Steep inclines and descents. Wait for the vehicle in front of you to reach the top or bottom of the hill. Don’t tailgate them or block the downward path just in case they roll back down.
When you reach the top of a hill, wait for the jeep behind you to make it up before pulling too forward, so they can see what path to take at the summit. If you encountered a slippery spot or an obstacle coming up, use your radio to alert others.
When we do stop momentarily for the group to catch up, please remain in your vehicle. These are not intended as breaks, and the group may need to roll forward a bit to allow more vehicles to fit. If you exited your car, then the rest of us cannot pull forward another 50 or 100 feet to make room for everyone else.
We will make rest stops as needed. But if you do need to stop for whatever reason, be it a “bio break” or to adjust some loose cargo – that’s why we have radios. Quick stops for a scenic picture are fine; just stop, snap, and go. This run isn’t a race to the finish; we are all out here to enjoy the natural beauty.
When you encounter large rocks, go around them if you can or put your tire directly on it to drive up and over. Do not straddle the rock, or it may hit your differentials. Up and over is the best. Watch the jeep in front of you and follow their line.
V-notches and ruts. Stay on the elevated peaks wherever possible. Straddle the channel, but do not straddle the raised mounds. Often, one tire up on the bank of the road and the other tire up on the raised mound.
Don’t be embarrassed to ask for a spotter if you are uncomfortable dealing with an obstacle. Announce your position so that someone close by can get out and coach you through it.
From time to time, I may be giving some trivia and factoids about the area along the way. Please feel free to chime in with information or to ask questions. And don’t believe everything that I say!
Be comfortable talking on the radio with the group because communication is very important. But do not hog the airwaves with long stories; allow the Leaders and Gunners to interrupt with trail instructions. Be mindful of dirty jokes and profanity; even if there are no children in our group, there may be children within broadcast range of nearby groups.
When you use your radio, wait a moment after pressing the push to talk button, so the beginning of your message is not clipped. Do not use voice activated transmit; it may trip your radio unintentionally, or maybe not trip at all when you speak.
To my Tail Gunner and Mid Gunners… keep me informed of all issues. Let me know when you complete the turns. Repeat and echo all of the trail instructions, so that the cars in the back all receive the messages in case we get spread out. Ask me to slow down if our group gets spread out.
If we need to break formation squeezing into a parking area -- the Tail should use the radio and direct the exodus, calling out jeep numbers so we can maintain our slot positions.
Pack out all trash and everything that we pack in. Feel free to pick up any litter, especially mylar balloons. You can leave or bury human waste, but bag and pack out any toiletries and wipes.
However, leave antique artifacts in place. Old rusted cans, glass bottles, metal tooling, and stuff from at least 50 years ago. Those are considered historical artifacts and are protected under Federal law.