Photographs of unfortunate travellers who managed to destroy their rental car by driving it into a river in the central highlands has been making the rounds on Icelandic social media recently. The photographs show an expensive SUV half submerged in one of the slow flowing rapids of river Hólmsá on the road to Landmannalaugar highland oasis. Although the pictures are a few years old, and no mountain road has opened this spring, including the roads to Landmannalaugar, the photographs should remind everyone that you need to show responsibility and common sense when driving in the highlands!
Read more: Highland roads remain closed due to dangerous conditions
The photographer, Doddi Gumm, told Iceland Insider that he took the pictures in 2012.
“If I remember correctly the people driving the car were Italian. I was utterly flabbergasted that they had chosen this location to cross the river, because the actual crossing was perhaps 20-30 meters (65-100 ft.) from where they had attempted to cross the river, and there was considerable traffic. They had left tracks in the vegetation, and then they had to wait for a truck which could pull them out of the river, which left even more damage.
When asked why they chose this spot they explained that they picked the spot where the distance across the river was shortest.”
The travellers managed to break all rules regarding highland driving and river crossing. The first, and most important rule is that you never drive off-road. Off road driving is illegal, and it damages the vegetation.
Read more: Numerous travellers faced with millions of króna in water damages after failed river crossings
Keeping to the road should also be common sense at river crossing: You don’t go driving off road to search for some alternate crossing when there is an obvious and safe crossing where other cars are crossing the river.
The safest spot to cross a river is also always where it runs wide and calm: A river is guaranteed to be deeper at its narrowest point. It should also be common sense that it is safer to cross a river where it runs calm, rather than pick a point where it passes through rapids.
Read more: Photos: Travellers in a compact car get stuck on mountain route 66 only suitable for trucks
Finally: You should always check the river by wading into it before you drive your car into the river. Take off your shoes and socks and wade in to check the riverbed, the depth of the river and its speed: If you are unsure, don’t drive in! You don’t want to end your adventure stuck in a river in the highlands, faced with thousands of dollars in water damage to your rental car.
Photographs of unfortunate travellers who managed to destroy their rental car by driving it into a river in the central highlands has been making the rounds on Icelandic social media recently. The photographs show an expensive SUV half submerged in one of the slow flowing rapids of river Hólmsá on the road to Landmannalaugar highland oasis. Although the pictures are a few years old, and no mountain road has opened this spring, including the roads to Landmannalaugar, the photographs should remind everyone that you need to show responsibility and common sense when driving in the highlands!
Read more: Highland roads remain closed due to dangerous conditions
The photographer, Doddi Gumm, told Iceland Insider that he took the pictures in 2012.
“If I remember correctly the people driving the car were Italian. I was utterly flabbergasted that they had chosen this location to cross the river, because the actual crossing was perhaps 20-30 meters (65-100 ft.) from where they had attempted to cross the river, and there was considerable traffic. They had left tracks in the vegetation, and then they had to wait for a truck which could pull them out of the river, which left even more damage.
When asked why they chose this spot they explained that they picked the spot where the distance across the river was shortest.”
The travellers managed to break all rules regarding highland driving and river crossing. The first, and most important rule is that you never drive off-road. Off road driving is illegal, and it damages the vegetation.
Read more: Numerous travellers faced with millions of króna in water damages after failed river crossings
Keeping to the road should also be common sense at river crossing: You don’t go driving off road to search for some alternate crossing when there is an obvious and safe crossing where other cars are crossing the river.
The safest spot to cross a river is also always where it runs wide and calm: A river is guaranteed to be deeper at its narrowest point. It should also be common sense that it is safer to cross a river where it runs calm, rather than pick a point where it passes through rapids.
Read more: Photos: Travellers in a compact car get stuck on mountain route 66 only suitable for trucks
Finally: You should always check the river by wading into it before you drive your car into the river. Take off your shoes and socks and wade in to check the riverbed, the depth of the river and its speed: If you are unsure, don’t drive in! You don’t want to end your adventure stuck in a river in the highlands, faced with thousands of dollars in water damage to your rental car.
