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Man arrested for driving self-drive rental Maruti Swift on Morjim Beach in Goa

In many instances in the past, we have seen how driving on a beach can be harmful to a vehicle. We have seen a few examples where the cars driven on the seashores were washed away by the oncoming waves, hydro-locking their engines and damaging their body shell. However, there are still some people who just don’t understand the common sense of not driving on a beach. One such man got arrested for driving a rented self-drive car on the shores of Morjim Beach in Goa.

As per recent reports by a Facebook page ‘In Goa 24×7’, a tourist hailing from Chennai was arrested by Pernem police of Goa for driving a self-drive rented Maruti Suzuki Swift on the Morjim beach. While the beach was not too crowded, such an activity could have been endangering tourists. Also, the Morjim beach has a protected turtle nesting site, thus driving a vehicle over the beach could have been fatal for the turtles on the beach.

Was driving a self-drive rental car

Man arrested for driving self-drive rental Maruti Swift on Morjim Beach in Goa

On being confronted by the local policeman, the person claimed that he is a vigilance officer from Chennai and had no idea about the local rules and prohibitions for the beach. A video of the accused driving on the beach went viral in no time. Based on the video, the driver was arrested based on an FIR registered on him under sections 279 and 336. The self-drive rental Swift has been seized by Pernem police, and the owner of the self-drive rental agency is also being questioned on the matter.

It is not clear that whether the beach had a warning sign or board showing information for not driving on the beach or not. However, even if there was no warning sign present, it is a matter of common sense to not drive on the loose sands of a beach.

Driving on the beach

The cars, especially the ones with a two-wheel drive system, do not get an ample amount of traction and grip due to loose sands, due to which they get stuck on the sands. It can become more dangerous if you are driving close to the shores, as the oncoming waves can wash the car away and damage the cabin and engine permanently. Even if you are driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle, it is advisable to stay away from the seashores.

The water from the sea waves can enter inside the engine, resulting in its hydro locking. In such cases, the whole engine requires thorough opening and cleaning, which is an expensive affair. In addition to this, modern vehicles have a lot of complicated systems, which rely heavily on sensors and electronic control units. If seawater enters inside the engine bay or the cabin, these electronic systems can also get damaged, which will add up to the expenses.