23/05/2011 - Presidential Vehicle gets stuck in Ireland

What are your thoughts on this incident?
Could/should it have been avoided?

Shouldn't the CPT have recceed the routes beforehand?
Being stuck there for so long could have finished in a very bad way....

Well ill have a go based on my very limited knowledge in the hope ill learn more from others input.

I'd presume the team tasked with this would have at least sat down with the relevant authorities and security already in place. Most likely at the very least they would have gone through the route(s) together but perhaps not actually driven them in full?

If we presume that they did actually drive them in full then it wasn't "full" enough, obviously. Maybe just checked out the entrance that caused the problem seen in the video and the building, any other exits and such. In fairness, any American car is a nightmare over here due to their size. Add in the extra weight and length of the principles car and I suppose grounding out should have been factored in, but outwith the normal possibility?

As I said, I'm only really having a go to get the post moving so I can learn more.

At the end of the day however, bit embarrassing for all concerned in the video.......

If all the recce failed the last warning was when the second car, with it`s shorter wheelbase, ground it`s way over with a gasp and cheer from the crowd!

I had previously heard that the adjustable suspension on `The Beast` had failed to rise resulting in the `beaching`

Recces should be carried out with the same/ if not the closest possible match in vehicle type in order to get things perfect and in order to avoid this type of problem.
We are talking Ireland here but it a country hostile to the US, a vehicle that is not moving would have been a perfect target.

A friend was telling me he did all recces on a motorbike in order to get it done rapidly as you can weave through traffic easily.
He went through a narrow street on his motorbike and this was part of the route.

When day 1 of the task came and the principal was being taken to his hotel from the airport, the car got to the narrow street, and as it was a large mercedes, it didn't get through.
This meant reversing and changing route...

As well as having a red face on day 1!