Dune bashing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dune Bashing, also known as Desert Safari, is a form of off-road driving, using a four-wheel drive vehicle to explore sand dunes. Whilst in some parts of the world, such as the fragile coastal dunes of Australia, it is illegal, in others such as the Middle East, it is a booming attraction for tourists. In the U.S.A. there are a couple of areas as well, most notably the Silver Lake area in Mears, Michigan and the Glamis Dunes in California.
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[edit] Vehicles used
Although most four-wheel drive vehicles are capable of dune bashing, the smaller, lower vehicles (known as 'soft roaders') are not used because they have a higher risk of getting stuck. Larger Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) such as the Toyota Land Cruiser are more common. The vehicles used for this activity are usually equipped with a roll cage to prevent the roof from caving in on passengers in the case of an overturn.
[edit] How it's done
Similar to auto-racing, experience and skill is required to maneuver the car and prevent accidents. Hence, in most cases, a professional driver accompanies the group. A group can consist of as many people as there are working seatbelts in the vehicle. Before entering the desert in an everyday-use SUV, it is essential to reduce the tire pressure. This is done to gain more traction by increasing the footprint of the tyre and, therefore, reducing the downward forces on the sand. For example, tires with a recommended pressure of 35 pound-force per square inch(PSI) would be reduced to approximately 17 PSI. Upon entering the desert, it is common to meet with a pack of vehicles and a group leader before proceeding. The group leader then leads the pack through the stunts in single file. The main reason for this technique is to prevent vehicles from losing track of direction and getting lost.
[edit] Costs
Prices for such an activity vary according to geographic location. In Dubai, UAE, half a day of dune bashing with a tour company costs between 40USD and 60USD per person or 300USD to rent an entire vehicle for 6 passengers, with a driver included.
