Good Guy UTV Driver Sacrifices His Can-Am to Stop Another Rolling Down a Dune
This feels like a serious candidate for save of the century.
Accidents happen when you're off-roading. You haven't tried hard enough if you've never broken something on the trail or on the dunes. Usually, though, breakage occurs when you're doing something you shouldn't. That wasn't the case with this Can-Am Maverick X3 driver who sacrificed his side-by-side to save another X3 that was rolling downhill and picking up speed.
The video was first posted by @x3danny_ on Instagram. He claims his dad was the one driving the rescue Can-Am, and what's more, the guy they saved is his uncle. Several clips have made their way online from different angles outside the UTV as well as one onboard. The latter shows Danny's dad charging up the dune and putting his rig on the line to keep his brother safe.
The wreck happened on Comp Hill inside the Dumont Dunes OHV area, located in the Mojave desert. It's a huge off-road recreation space measuring more than 7,600 acres about 40 miles north of Baker, California. Riders come pouring in and things can get hectic with so many machines, but fortunately, this man was looking out.
Not much damage was done to either Can-Am from what I can tell. The vehicle that went tumbling down the dune went largely unscathed, save for some damage to the passenger side. The rescue rig sustained minor damage, mainly on the hood and on the roof, but still nothing too bad. It could have been a lot worse if the UTV flipped another 10-15 times, or if the orange and black machine caught the other's tire instead of its flat floor.
Several people in the UTV community offered to either cover the cost of repairs or put the family in touch with the best shops. @x3danny_ acknowledged them and said thanks, but no thanks as everything was fortunately covered under insurance. I doubt that was even a thought in their minds as they sprung into action super quickly, minimizing damage and keeping the passengers safe all the while. Some of them apparently suffered some bruising, possibly from the seatbelts, but that's all.
Your impression of UTV drivers might be a little sour given the recent shutdowns of key trail systems out west, but let this video serve as proof that not all of 'em are bad. Far from it.
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