Autoblog

Photo by Mike Erickson, San Clemente Marine Safety

Memorial Day has passed and beach season is upon us. With the long summer days and cool ocean breezes, it may be tempting to take your new SUV out for a spin on the sand. If you are dumping that much money into a vehicle, why not share a special moment with your ride? Perhaps a close up view of the sunrise over the Pacific Ocean is in order. That was exactly the idea shared recently by a man in San Clemente, California. He decided to drive his 2008 Cadillac Escalade out to the ocean's edge to watch dawn break. However, the man must not have been one of California's avid wave riders, as he displayed an extreme lack of tide awareness and little concern for sand consistency. The eager sun watcher apparently ventured too far off of dry shore. Water saturated sand is the recipe for quicksand, so it was no surprise that the massive SUV sunk into the ground, trapping its driver in the raising surf. Even with waves reaching up to the rear view mirrors, the Escalade pilot refused to abandon ship, at least until authorities noted it was highly possible for the vehicle to flip over.

In the end, the Escalade adventurer was cited for driving on the beach, as typically only service vehicles such as those of the police or lifeguards are permitted to roam freely on beaches. There are some places, like Daytona Beach, Florida, that have general automotive admission, however. In that case, sand conditions are closely monitored, but even then it is not uncommon for folks to get stuck. This summer, we suggest beach goers keep all four tires on the pavement. All that sand is hard to clean up anyway, plus saltwater is rather corrosive. Thanks for the tip Keith!

[Source: OC Register]