OnCourse4wd: All Driving Updates
Articles and news relating to driving in developing countries.
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- 4x4 2008 Chimp Charge- Uganda
4x4 Chimp Charge- Uganda
Below is all information relating to the 4x4 Chimp Charge. All proceeds raised from the 4x4 fun day are in support of the CHIMPANZEE SANCTUARY & WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST.
Forms and news will be added /updated as and when details are confirmed. The event is sponsored and organised by City Tyres Uganda and the CSWCT with technical support from OnCourse. For further event planning, sponsorship, volunteering, enrolment, payments and administrative information, please contact City Tyres directly:
About CSWCT:
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary was established in October 1998 to care for chimps confiscated/rescued within Uganda. In addition to providing a safe home and ensuring the welfare of our wild cousins, the establishment's other goals is to care for the environment on Ngamba Island, to provide a high quality educational experience for visitors as well as benefiting the island local communities.
Chimpanzees taken from the wild endure incredible hardship and terror. Once in the safety of the Sanctuary, they need a great deal of care and attention - both physically and emotionally. The Sanctuary provides the chimpanzees with food, medical care, security, and, perhaps most importantly, the social companionship of other chimpanzees - the very things they lack as victims of the pet trade. Once more, the Sanctuary is committed to providing this care for the rest of their natural lives - up to 60 + years of age. Read More ...
Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:34:44 +0300 - Safety Belts, Life Hammers and ResQMe's
- By Mick Farmer.
- Published November 30, 2007.
- Rescue tools by nov8safety USA - "gift for life".
- Items are in stock (in Kampala).
- Life Hammer is 35,000/= (approx 21.00$). Inclusive of VAT.
- ResQMe is 20,000/= (approx 11.40$). Inclusive of VAT.
Convincing folk to wear seat belts has been a big issue for me over the last ten years of being a 4X4 driver trainer. Some people come up with the most ludicrous excuses not to wear them. I asked one expat, living here in Uganda, why he doesn't wear his seatbelt. And he replied, because he's a better driver than all the nationals!!
If we take into account that the emerging nations have about 80 percent of the global death tally from road traffic incidents his rationality seems a little shaky!
When I first came to Uganda driving was described as a series of near misses, or Muzungu kissing, as one national driver called it. Unfortunately it’s now progressed into the full on Glaswegian type.
Wrong information is given out by people who think they know what they are talking about. For instance, I heard from some drivers and aid workers that they were told not to wear their seat belts because they are working in a hostile environment. This wise piece of advice was given out by the so called security officer of the organisation! What nonsense. If we look at any hostile environment where aid workers are working we'll find that one of the largest cause of death and injury is from being involved in a collision, not being shot at. Or, even having to evacuate the vehicle under cross fire for that matter.
But one of the most common excuses I get for not wearing seat belts is that people are afraid of getting stuck in a crashed vehicle with seat belt jammed and, if we take it to worse case, can't open the doors with the vehicle on fire.
Enter the Life Hammer. A simple piece of equipment that can be placed centrally in the vehicle so that all occupants can reach it. It cuts belts and breaks windows. Be aware that it will only break toughened glass, i.e. the side windows of most vehicles. These have come under some criticism because the hammering part has to be done quite aggressively and may take repeated hits to break the glass.
A piece of equipment that I've found to be very effective is the ResQMe. Made by the same company as life hammer but, in my opinion, a lot more effective. It's got a sharp shielded blade which slices through belts easily and when you press it against the side glass, in the corner, the glass just shatters from the spring loaded Glaswegian being released. And then it resets itself; ready to be used again. And it's a key ring! And it works.
I recently and successfully tested one whilst on a first responder (First person on scene) course in the UK. And no, they didn't teach me how to steal someone’s jacket whilst they were trapped inside the vehicle.
For peace of mind well worth the investment. Just don't test it on your own vehicle!
Belt up. It makes sense.
Sat, 1 Dec 2007 17:22:37 +0300 - Choosing Between On-site or Facility Training?
November 30, 2007. There is a bit of debate about how to get the most effective driver training carried out, especially as most clients want to train to the situation and environment that their drivers and staff will be operating in.
When OnCourse started carrying out driver training for their workshop clients, we didn't have a specialist training area and we would go to the client. While this is quite effective, because we could deal with specific road conditions, there were a few issues that caused concern.
The main being safety. And still is as we still carry out training for clients in situ. What we find is that it is difficult to find safe training areas to effectively carry out the practical exercises.
The last thing we need is, when promoting road safety issues, is an innocent bystander to get injured. Controlling the public, especially as they have as much right to use the roads as we do, can be difficult if not impossible at times. Also, we have to take into consideration that general road safety issues are not addressed in rural communities throughout the developing world. For example, children are still not taught the basics in schools and therefore this is a main contributor for local populations to not have the same road sense, if you like. For instance; once we had to stop a self recovery training session because the onlookers refused (including the local big wigs) to move out of the danger zone.
Another problem we encounter with carrying out the training on site is distractions. Students may turn up late for class or be taken out of class to fulfil obligations for the client. Not only does this have an effect on the class as a whole but that person will be missing important issues.
On site training does not flow as well. You have to spend a chunk of time going through theory and then go out to the training site. Not only does this affect the effectiveness, it can also increase the amount of time that we have to spend carrying out the training, therefore a whole syllabus may not be covered and the clients costs goes up to cover the extra session(s).
Therefore, we made the decision (nearly 10 years ago now) to develop a training site to cater for the different off road driving environments commonly found in developing countries.
This has enabled us to develop our courses with a structure that enables us to back up the theoretical with appropriate practical exercises immediately. This gives a definite flow to the training that ensures effectiveness. It also, ensures that the training is carried out in the timeliest manner making it as cost effective as possible for the client. With safety being our first concern.
OnCourse have a privately owned and secure driver training facility that mirrors the driving conditions found in developing countries, as well as specialist training areas and equipment which enables us to safely carry out practical exercises that are not able to be carried out on site.
Of course developing this type of facility is forever ongoing. For instance we are in the process of putting in an off road skid correction facility and sprinkler system to cater for the dry season months.
We are on-course for being the most effective 4x4, off road training facility internationally.
Sat, 1 Dec 2007 17:18:39 +0300 - Target Fixation: Something Worth Looking At!
By Mick Farmer.
Recently, I had a training experience, where I ended up with a couple of damaged ribs and an arm twice it’s normal size. The objective of the training exercise was to learn to deal with looking at where you want to go in a high stress situation and not at the distraction.
Unfortunately, the student who was driving at the time, didn't handle stress very well and drove the vehicle off the track and hit me with it. I was being the distracter at the time! When questioned afterwards all he remember was that he locked on to me and that’s where the vehicle went and he couldn't do anything about it.
What he suffered from was "target fixation" which is a phenomenon that happens when the brain is focused so intently on an object that awareness towards any other objects or dangers is completely diminished. It is usually associated with stressful situations.
The term seems to have originated from World War II fighter pilots, who spoke of a tendency to want to fly into targets during a strafing run. It also has been known to cause skydiving deaths, in which the skydiver will focus on the target or the ground and forget to pull the cord to open the parachute!
From a driving perspective, many rear-enders are caused when the driver is surprised by the brake lights, from the forward vehicle, coming on "suddenly". Because the driver is focused intently on the brake lights, that’s where the vehicle goes. This has resulted in many a pile up when the error is repeated. In effect, what is happening is, the driver is not concentrating on the job at hand and gets caught by surprise which then leads to a high stress situation and bingo.
Another accident type in which target fixation contributes is head on collisions. I once worked with a logistics organisation. We had two trucks working in one particular area and these were the only vehicles within a 100 km radius. Oh no, I can hear you say!! Yes. They had a head on collision!! Because of the scarcity of vehicles neither one had expected another vehicle to be coming down the road. Both drivers got caught by surprise and looked at each other and locked on!
In essence then, your vehicle will have a tendency to go where you look. Your hands will follow your eyes. So, to avoid target fixation, we have to keep focusing, if you like, on a positive rather than a negative goal. To be able to do this successfully, we must not be caught by surprise which leads to a high stress situation. To do that successfully, we must be concentrating on the job at hand and not let ourselves become distracted. Expect the unexpected. Like a fast moving bus coming around a blind corner on our side of the road. Have a plan worked out if it happens. Work out "what if"scenarios. This way we can avoid the high stress driving situations and keep focused on looking at where we want to go.
Tue, 24 Apr 2007 17:47:24 +0300 - Tyres: More than Just Rubber
By Mick Farmer.
I was inspired to revisit this subject by a "late night" conversation with friends who had just fitted cross ply tyres to their vehicles without realizing it. Many 4x4 owners still go for this option either for tradition, cost or just blind faith in the information given by the tyre dealer. In reality they are a false economy and they are not as safe as radial tyres.
If we look at the history of tyres we find that all tyres were of cross ply manufacturing process until Michelin invented the radial tyre process in the early 1970s; and if you remember the advert campaigns, they were deemed, by an ex police chief with a funny voice, as a "Major contribution to road safety.". He has subsequently been proven to be absolutely spot on with his statement. Understanding why this point is correct is fundamental in understanding why we should refrain from fitting cross ply tyres to our vehicles when they are going to be used for general and even fairly extreme off road driving.
The way that radial tyres are manufactured give them a flexible side wall whilst still retaining strength. This flexible sidewall allowed greater control over the direction of the tyre on the road and hence the vehicle went where you steered it without any hesitancy! Also, and of extreme importance, it allowed the tyre to retain its contact patch on corners rather than lean on a corner and lose contact.
Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:03:11 +0300 - Motorcycle & Quad Bike Training for Outreach Workers
OnCourse is now offering 3 DAY Motorcycle and Quad Bike training for Outreach workers.
Over the years, there has been a considerable increase in the number of organisations using motorcycles and quad bikes (ATVs) for outreach work. It makes sense; they give better access to rural communities, and in contrast with 4wd vehicles, cost less and are cheaper to run.
Unfortunately, a critical problem with this is, outreach workers are specialists in another field, often having little or no experience in how to safely ride these potentially life threatening machines. Some may never have ridden a bicycle before and are then handed a fairly powerful machine to carry out their field work. Many times, this has been with drastic results; as the field worker is thrown in at the deep end, so to speak, learning from the school of hard knocks, literally!
Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:37:36 +0300 - EXTREME Off-Road Equipment Available
"Absolutely fantastic stuff! 4wd gear that's strong, usable and absolutely perfect for out here. I sell it because I use it, love it, and know you will too."
-Mick Farmer
OnCourse is now selling EXTREME recovery equipment made by OK off-road in the United States. We have selected the XD recovery kit and the 1" x 30' yanker rope as best for the tough rainy season conditions out and pull out a typically heavy 4x4. This equipment is even strong enough to pull out an Armoured Landcruiser! Just look at those SWL's - can you beat that?
This equipment is immediately available in Uganda; alternatively, if you would operate in the Great Lakes region or Horn of Africa and are outside of Uganda, we can ship the consignments to you directly from the United States, FOB. We're able to get excellent international shipping rates - so contact us for a quote.
Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:34:36 +0300 - Electronically Challenged
During my apprentice days, I came across the KISS principle. You found out what this meant as soon as you tried to offer up a complicated solution to a problem and met with the answer, "K(eep) I(t) S(imple) S(tupid)!"
So why can't some manufacturers of vehicles that send their products to this region still follow this principle. For instance, take the old series Land Rovers or the early Landcruisers. I know, they may be basic, noisy and uncomfortable (no chance of falling asleep at the wheel though) but they were reliable, slow in relationship to modern vehicles (less likely of accidents / rollovers) had, manual steering and non servo brakes (no need for expensive gym fees), 2-60 air conditioning, 2 windows open 60 k.p.h. (no need to install an expensive sauna) and you became an apprentice to Macguiver by being able to fix your vehicle with a tool kit that contained a bent spoon and a Big G!
Tue, 10 Oct 2006 10:32:17 +0300 - Roll-Overs on Unsealed Roads Revisited
By Mick Farmer. A recent event has prompted me to revisit this subject. Fortunately, all involved were not seriously hurt but so easily could have been. Therefore, I believe it is important to address, why this type of accident occurs frequently and to seemingly "experienced" national drivers, the "old Africa hands" and newcomers alike?
Generally, rollovers are the consequence of incorrectly recognizing the potential hazards that accumulate to a state where an accident is inevitable.
To drive defensively is to "avoid being involved in an accident regardless of the actions of other drivers and /or road users and adverse driving conditions."
The foundation of defensive driving is hazard awareness; a hazard is anything that contains an element of potential or actual danger. Common sense dictates that we recognize the hazard in its potential state and thereby alter the way we drive accordingly. By being prepared, should the potential hazard become an actual hazard, we can avoid rather than evade.
Hazards can be group into six main sections; the vehicle; the road; the traffic; the weather; the light; the driver.
Unsealed roads in themselves have a myriad of hazards to recognize and respond to. Correctly identifying them and knowing the correct defence and application is essential. Here are a few quick examples and is not a comprehensive list by any means:
The Vehicle: Mechanical condition, suspension condition, tyre condition (pressure, tread depth) and vehicle load /distribution all need to be correct. Ignoring these can be the first in a long list of accumulative errors ....
Wed, 10 May 2006 10:48:53 +0300 - NEW: Train-the-Trainer Programmes
As of April 3rd, 2006, we are offering seven day train-the-trainer courses (ToT) designed for individuals, who would like to become lead trainers in the OnCourse driver training programmes.
Fri, 7 Apr 2006 12:04:55 +0300 - Blowing Smoke
By Mick Farmer. With the number of vehicles hitting the road, ever on the increase, a concern over the pollution levels which some of these smoke billowing vehicles cause, is a major concern. However, we have to face the fact, vehicles using the internal combustion engine as a main source of power, are going to be around for a long time. Too many powerful countries and companies have a vested interest in keeping the status quo.
So, where can we lay the blame for the ever increasing amount of pollution being emitted by these crazy horses? Should it be proportioned to the vehicle user, society, to multinational fuel corporations or to the Governments?
Let's take the vehicle user first of all. If your vehicle is chuffing out inordinate amounts of smoke, then it means there is something wrong with it. The cause should be fixed before the situation gets worse, and you spend even more money on repairs. In the long run you will save money and improve fuel consumption. Coughing out black smoke may mean the engine or fuel system needs attention - in my experience it's usually the former. Blue smoke means that the engine is burning oil and that the engine requires attention.
Sun, 19 Feb 2006 14:39:32 +0300 - February 2006 - Announcing A Train-the-Trainer Programme
Please find below our latest Uganda /Kenya training schedules. It's been a busy start to the new year and we have a number of new projects online. Specifically, over the last few months, we have been designing the OCCL Train-the-Trainer programme for our 3 Day Professional Driving Course. It is competency based, and therefore, participants must be able to demonstrate proficient driving and training /presentation skills. Details will be posted on our web site within the next month.
Also, a reminder the 2006 Rhino Stampede is slated for May 6, 2006. Based on the feedback we have received, the event will be held at our 4wd training site on a Saturday, rather then up-country over a long weekend. This year, promises to be an exciting event and we already have several new sponsors online.
Finally, and most importantly, we are hearing from sources, that there are now FORGERIES of our certificates floating around Kampala. We haven't seen them, so can't comment on what they look like. I have detailed below what to look for on OCCL certificates and the three types we issue.
Sun, 19 Feb 2006 14:38:05 +0300 - 2006 4x4 Rhino Stampede - Uganda
All proceeds raised from the 4x4 fun day, go towards the support and upkeep of the Rhinos and the sanctuary. Forms and news will be added /updated for 2006, as and when details are confirmed. The event is organised and managed by the Rhino Fund of Uganda with technical support from On Course.
Sat, 29 Oct 2005 17:34:20 +0300 - Course Adapted By CJTF-HOA
Following a series of vehicle rollovers in January 2005, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) implemented a road safety initiative which included adapting OCCL's Professional Driving Course into their own motor vehicle drivers safety course...
Sat, 29 Oct 2005 17:33:37 +0300 - 4wd Vehicle Inspections
I am often astounded at how few people, when they come on our training courses, know how to open their vehicle bonnet (hood), let alone carry out a basic /routine inspection...
Sat, 29 Oct 2005 17:33:03 +0300
