Soft sand presents a challenge to the off-roader: it is smooth and delicate but unforgiving.
Beach sand has its own characteristics, with the added complexity of the water table beneath it, the gentle lean of the land towards the sea and the complications of tides and deep tracks left by other vehicles, so let's deal with that one first.
Although nowadays there are not many beaches to drive along, with a few techniques you can make sure you keep your car out of the sea and still get close enough so you can drop the cool box and tents straight out the tailgate.
There are two main approaches: inexperienced drivers and lesser vehicles usually opt for a mad rush, hoping to reach campsite destination before sinking in. Quite often they pay for it the next day when it's time to leave and they no longer have the luxury of a run-up. Additionally, this selfish sort of driving disturbs all other people and can actually be quite dangerous.
The more mature way of driving is to realise there are two distinct areas of sand on a beach - the soft dry sand above the reach of water, and the part closer to the sea which is within the reach of tides.
A powerful enough SUV, with proper reduction of gears through a transfer case, does not require speed to traverse deep and dry beach sand. If fully loaded, perhaps lowering the tyre pressure can help, but normally a steady and determined chug through the sand in low range is enough to reach the target area.
Turning is made difficult, since the angle of the front wheels will give a snow plough effect, so it is best to aim straight.
If the wheels lose traction and the car stops moving forward, do not gun it, but immediately reverse straight back a few metres, along your own tracks, and then try moving forward again with more push. You may have to repeat this several times, but speed is not required.
Closer to the sea itself, the packed sand at low tide is enticing as it makes driving ever so easy, but it also can have a dramatic lean towards the upcoming tide, which will have no mercy and can swallow up a car in a few minutes. Once up to the chassis in wet sand, no digging, pulling, tugging or towing will free it, and an industrial winch pulling from a lorry or crane is the only way out.
Besides, isn't that strip of sand by the sea a place where the children play and families and friends picnic and camp out?
motoring@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
SECRET%20INVASION
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Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Company%20Profile
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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