When you arrive at any obstacle, ask yourself this critical question: If I do this, is there a good chance I might damage myself, my car, or the environment?
If the answer is yes to any of the above, don’t do it. There’s no shame in taking the escape route, especially if you just forked out more than $50,000 on a new off-roader like a Toyota Land Cruiser. Yes, off-roading is easier in a much cheaper car because mechanical sympathy doesn’t apply. But you’re still left with the questions about whether you might harm yourself or the environment.
Now, self-preservation seems pretty obvious, but it’s not. There are loads of off-roaders out there who boast about not wearing a seatbelt. The only acceptable time not to wear a seatbelt is during a river crossing, and I’d argue that if there’s a possibility that you might wash away, you should not have been there in the first place.
Being kind to the environment also goes beyond respecting Mother Nature. If you’re on an obstacle, spinning your wheels for five minutes, you’re simply causing chaos for the next person in line. This brings us neatly to the next fundamental rule.