Make way for the 'Roadhog'

Paul H. Williams, Sunday Gleaner Writer

JOHNS TOWN, St Thomas:

HE CRANKS it up, puts it in gear, presses the accelerator and up the road it goes. Two dogs - Blackie and Whitie - chase after it. At the top, he reverses, then speeds down the road. Give way, the 'Roadhog' is coming!

He sinks the brake, stops, smiles and alights from the contraption of a vehicle made from scrap metal and named 'Roadhog'. Onlookers beam with pride, while Blackie and Whitie pant in approval.

He is 18-year-old Tyrrell Crumbie of Johns Town, St Thomas. A student of Seaforth High and a past student of St Thomas Technical, Crumbie's Roadhog is a composite of a power-wash engine, Honda-50 gears and a scooter brake.

The Roadhog is the second vehicular output from the Seaforth High student. The first failed to work, because he did not fully understand how to get it right. However, motivated by the words of a former teacher, he persevered.

"In mechanics class, the teacher say when you doing mechanics you can never give up," he recalled.

Assisted by an older cousin, Roynel Dixon, Crumbie took about four weeks of sweat to put the Roadhog together.

Most challenging phase

Connecting the gearbox to the engine was the most challenging phase for the inventor. And while there were no tears of frustration, a little blood was shed, as his right thumb was slashed as he attempted to fix the accelerator.

Crumbie's accomplishment is hardly surprising since he is the son of an auto mechanic, had always shown a keen interest in assembling motor vehicles and dreamt of being an inventor. Now living his dream, he intends to do further auto-mechanical studies at the Jamaica German Automotive School operated by HEART Trust/NTA.

The Roadhog may be crude and unconventional, but the possibility of developing it into a commercial venture is not far-fetched. Crumbie is planning to build a bigger 'car' operated by a motor-vehicle engine. However, he needs funding and the relevant stamps of approval.

"I would like to get a sponsor. That way I could push my engineering skills to a higher level," he said.

When asked if he would consider making more Roadhogs, which could be used to transport water in hilly places where the precious commodity is sometimes scarce, he said: "If the community organise some more engines and provide the material, we can make some more."

Who knows, Crumbie may be the next big thing out of St Thomas.

As Dixon said: "Him no fi dey yah so ... . Him fi deh over the world a do dem things yah. Everybody a say him no fi deh yah so. Him talent just a waste a Johns Town."

It seems, then, the world is for Tyrrell Crumbie and his Roadhog to conquer ... if Blackie and Whitie would only get out of their way.