What to Do When Your Car Gets Stuck in Mud?
2 Answers
Solutions for a car stuck in mud: 1. Find a wooden stick about half a meter long; if unavailable, use a long wrench from the toolbox as a substitute; 2. Prepare a rope approximately 3 to 4 meters long—avoid using wire as it may damage the tires; 3. Securely tie the wooden stick to the tire with the rope, wrapping it multiple times to ensure stability; 4. Start the car engine and gently control the throttle. The wheel will leverage the grip of the wooden stick to easily free itself. Avoid suddenly accelerating; instead, lightly press the throttle to find the point where the car can move. If moving forward fails, reverse early. After backing out of the pit, change the driving direction. Alternatively, use a jack to lift the stuck tire and fill the pit with bricks, stones, or branches to increase friction.
I've been stuck in mud many times. The first step is never to stomp on the accelerator, as that will only dig the tires deeper. Quickly shift to neutral, get out, and find branches, rocks, or hard objects from the trunk to place in front of the drive wheels. For rear-wheel-drive cars stuck deep, jacking up the rear wheels and placing wooden boards underneath works best—remember to put a spare tire under the car to prevent slipping. A shovel is a lifesaver; digging away the soft mud around the tires saves a lot of effort. Once the groundwork is solid, get back in the car, shift to low gear, and press the throttle as gently as stepping on an egg, while lightly steering left and right to find traction. If there are passengers, have them push the rear of the car, but make sure they stand to the side to avoid mud flung by the wheels. If all else fails, attach a tow rope to the tow hook on the chassis—never cut corners by tying it to the bumper. Develop good habits when driving on rough roads: if the mud pit looks deeper than one-third of the tire height, just go around. Keeping a military shovel in the car is much more convenient than calling for rescue.
