There are times in life when being bogged down in a muddy rut is just an opportunity to regain traction and make strides. Sometimes you can pull yourself out without aid or assistance, while other times you have no choice but to grab an old piece of wood and strap it to your heavy truck's tire to get the job done.
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There's perhaps no greater feeling of helplessness than when your car or truck's accelerator is slammed to the floor, but the only response is the whirring of tires and the absence of movement. A Facebook user named Dan Mengedoht posted a video that shows a truck driver demonstrating a simple solution to this very predicament. 

As the video shows, if you ever find yourself in the middle of a muddy field and your truck tires can't get a grip, add some lumber into the equation. The clip picks up after the ad hoc truck modification has taken place. The low rumble of the idling motor sets the soundtrack for the motionless truck tire adorned with the white wooden beam. 

Then, the driver steps on the gas.

As the truck tire turns, the piece of wood catches the seemingly stable earth that flanks the muddy rut on both sides, lifting the heavy vehicle up and propelling it forward. Another tire rotation, another progression toward the truck's impending escape from muddy purgatory. A clever tip that anyone in a similar predicament can implement — but this driver isn't the first person to use such an approach.

Some tanks that date back to World War I are equipped with what's known as "unditching beams," which are large wooden beams that help tanks dislodge themselves when they are stuck in the mud. It's an effective approach for military tanks, but make sure that you know what you're doing if you try this on your own truck so that no damage occurs to your vehicle, or anyone nearby.

Mengedoht's video has gained a lot of traction as well. Since the clever clip was posted on Sept. 3, 2015, the video has amassed over 19 million views. Perhaps the video's popularity stems from the fact that we have all found ourselves in a muddy situation we weren't sure how to get out of. Ruts in life can often parallel ruts in a muddy field, but sometimes, it just takes a little bit of creativity — and a spare piece of wood — to climb our way out of them.