What to do if your car gets bogged

If you really want to see everything this great land of ours has to offer, you need to keep driving when the paved roads end – and perhaps, even, beyond. However, driving on unsealed roads – or off them – comes with its own set of challenges, not the least when the rain comes bucketing down. That’s when you can discover that seemingly well-graded dirt roads can turn into muddy, car-devouring vortexes.

So what do you do if you get stuck? Here are some tricks to deploy before raising the white flag and calling in the recovery service.

So, you've started losing traction, momentum and now your car has stopped? This is exactly when you need to stop, take a deep breath and, if it's safe to do so, get out and take stock of your situation – flooring the throttle will only dig you in deeper. Once you've got to grips with your particular scenario, you might just be able to deploy one of the following methods – or a combination of several – to get yourself free.

If your car moves before spinning its wheels, this might just save you without getting your hands dirty. It's all about repeatedly 'rocking' the car forward and backward, with the goal of moving and compressing enough of the material under the tyres to give them enough traction for you to break free. Just put your car in first gear, move forward a fraction, then put it in reverse and move back a little, then repeat. With each 'rock' you hopefully gain a little more traction and, ultimately, freedom. You will, however, need a delicate touch, a good dose of patience, and some luck for this to work.

Which wheel or wheels are spinning? If it's a back wheel and you're travelling with two people in the front, simply move your passenger to the back seat. This could be just enough to allow your car to get enough grip and stop spinning. If that's not enough – or if you're alone – try placing a heavy object that is in your car to the wheel that is spinning.

This is a simple hack. Simply identify the spinning wheel, then tightly tuck anything you can find – rocks, sticks, gravel, leaves, sand, drier dirt, you name it – under the wheel and in its forward path. If you get lucky you might gain enough traction to make it out.

Still stuck? Then your best chance now is to move some of the earth that's stopping your car. If your car is sitting on its chassis, you'll need to dig or – if you don't have a shovel – scoop as much of it away as you can. Depending on your situation, you might need to either stack dirt under the tyre or clear it away to give you the space to gain momentum – again, it's all trial and error.

Off-roading and getting bogged go hand in hand. If you want to give yourself the best chance of making it to your off-road destination, your rig needs these car-recovery staples:

1. Winch: Not always a silver bullet or cheap, and potentially dangerous without the correct use and training, but your best insurance against getting stuck.

2. Recovery boards: Sliding one or more of these relatively inexpensive jiggers under a spinning wheel or wheels can often be enough to get you out of a tight spot.

3. Snatch straps: Great if you have another vehicle around to pull you free. Affordable too but, like a winch, they can be dangerous or even lethal if used incorrectly.

4. Tyre inflator: Lowering a tyre's pressure to increase its contact patch and traction is another get-out trick, but only if you have one of these.

If none of the above solutions have worked, the next step is to call your roadside assistance team to help free the vehicle and be on your merry way. For future driving expeditions that could potentially lead you to get bogged, a top tip is to always ensure your car is equipped with items like shovels, spare mats and blankets.

^Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}