why does joe public hate us?

[lexulance]

Was at the upper ashley today and came out at the gorge,i have never had so many people giving us evil looks,all we did was drive quietly out of the river and exit through the camp at the gorge,nothin silly done prior to this,because we had modified trucks on bigger than street tyres?
youd think we had driven through a swimming hole with everyone swimming in it at the same time the looks we got

[Heath]

Wait until winter snow and their car is in a ditch because they slid off the road or doctors and nurses cant get to work/home.

Then we are a valuable member of society with unique abilities that they can utilise.

[lexulance]

yeah aye,or when they get their family wagon burried in shingle at the waimak and have had to walk some distance to find a four wheel drive enthusiast who can be bothered helping them

[mudlva]

Wait until winter snow and their car is in a ditch because they slid off the road or doctors and nurses cant get to work/home.

Then we are a valuable member of society with unique abilities that they can utilise.

here here well said

[IcedJohnno]

Was at the upper ashley today and came out at the gorge,i have never had so many people giving us evil looks,all we did was drive quietly out of the river and exit through the camp at the gorge,nothin silly done prior to this,because we had modified trucks on bigger than street tyres?
youd think we had driven through a swimming hole with everyone swimming in it at the same time the looks we got

A good subject to raise.
Because it is no longer politically correct (read green) to drive river beds. Not even braided ones like we have in Canty.
Folks will have seen the news re rare gulls being decimated Chrissy eve in the Ashley and be making a connection.
Also remember Peter Vahry's comments about a trip certain ORE folks went on in the NI a couple of years back. Tis not seen by many as treading lightly.

Having said these peceptions that the general community think about us, I must point out that I personally think it is possible to be green / care for the environment, and 4wd up braided rivers.
This sums me up. I have a green bent and I enjoy 4wding. I choose where I drive in braided rivers. If I see birds I go a different way.

[Jerry]

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/ ... 27&t=33757

[Crash bandicoot]

yep nothing like being waved down by half a dozen vehicles stuck in sand with the tide coming in to feel loved.

[tallsam66]

I think only a few dont like us & they are the uneducated ones.
The people that matter like Doc , St Johns & Civil Defense are learning we are greenies & good & helpful members of the community too .
Combined Clubs & the 4wd clubs down here are doing lots of good work to inforce this.
We have done track maintainance work where local trampers were asked to help & none turned up...but combined clubs were there.
We have take nurses & police to work etc when we have big snow.
We helped with meals on wheels during the big snow.
We were on standby to assist St Johns when we had big snow.
Many members of 4wd clubs & ORE members assisted greatly with getting water & other supplies to those in earthquake hit areas.
There are emergency response set up down here in case of future emergencies.
Im proud to be a 4wd owner & driver..you be proud too.

All this stuff the mupppets that dont like us dont know about.

[red-devil]

I know the camp owner and guess what "he's a 4x4 nut just like us too". and im heading up there next week to catch up with him lol.

trevor dont forget those of us that help out in the snow and quake never ask for any money in return.

[tallsam66]

I know the camp owner and guess what "he's a 4x4 nut just like us too". and im heading up there next week to catch up with him lol.

trevor dont forget those of us that help out in the snow and quake never ask for any money in return.

Fairly sure he used to be member of North Canty 4wd Club

[rokhound]

you want funny looks at ashley gorge, try going in at the campground and heading upstream (into the gorge).

[lexulance]

you want funny looks at ashley gorge, try going in at the campground and heading upstream (into the gorge).

yep did that a while ago,nobody swimming or anything but still got death looks from walkers,i didnt get that far though a 8foot deep water hole was the turnaround point

[Twodiffs]

I know the camp owner and guess what "he's a 4x4 nut just like us too". and im heading up there next week to catch up with him lol.

trevor dont forget those of us that help out in the snow and quake never ask for any money in return.

Fairly sure he used to be member of North Canty 4wd Club

He was Trev...for quite some time!

[red-devil]

I know the camp owner and guess what "he's a 4x4 nut just like us too". and im heading up there next week to catch up with him lol.

trevor dont forget those of us that help out in the snow and quake never ask for any money in return.

Fairly sure he used to be member of North Canty 4wd Club

He was Trev...for quite some time!

That he was, just like i was too before i went over seas

[Twodiffs]

Years ago Ken Sibley organised a council approved drive on the beach from the estuary near Sumner all the way up to the rocks at Amberley, only got back onto the main road to cross the bridges etc.
There was about 20-30 4wd's.....should have seen some of the public as we drove under the pier, they were giving us the evils and writing rego numbers down in the sand !!

Couple of people told them good luck with making a complaint as the council knew we were there.

[red-devil]

i get the same look when im running training for the lifeboat, on beach access using the 4x4 and quad.

[rokhound]

Years ago Ken Sibley organised a council approved drive on the beach from the estuary near Sumner all the way up to the rocks at Amberley, only got back onto the main road to cross the bridges etc.
There was about 20-30 4wd's.....should have seen some of the public as we drove under the pier, they were giving us the evils and writing rego numbers down in the sand !!

Couple of people told them good luck with making a complaint as the council knew we were there.

Yep I remember that trip. Pier was still under construction as well if I recall...

[kiwipete]

Years ago Ken Sibley organised a council approved drive on the beach from the estuary near Sumner all the way up to the rocks at Amberley, only got back onto the main road to cross the bridges etc.
There was about 20-30 4wd's.....should have seen some of the public as we drove under the pier, they were giving us the evils and writing rego numbers down in the sand !!

Couple of people told them good luck with making a complaint as the council knew we were there.

That was my first taste of four wheel drive trips i went on. Was a great trip too.

[Bulletproof]

Years ago Ken Sibley organised a council approved drive on the beach from the estuary near Sumner all the way up to the rocks at Amberley, only got back onto the main road to cross the bridges etc.
There was about 20-30 4wd's.....should have seen some of the public as we drove under the pier, they were giving us the evils and writing rego numbers down in the sand !!

Couple of people told them good luck with making a complaint as the council knew we were there.

That was my first taste of four wheel drive trips i went on. Was a great trip too.

I bet it was a slow trip too ! Gardening and moving stones bigger than 75mm dia so you could be guided over

Cheers Richard

[kbjj]

you want funny looks at ashley gorge, try going in at the campground and heading upstream (into the gorge).

yep did that a while ago,nobody swimming or anything but still got death looks from walkers,i didnt get that far though a 8foot deep water hole was the turnaround point

reminds me of a few years back when we went up the gorge in the morn when nobody was about, then to return in the heat of the day with a heap of swimmers/bathers about, creating a nice shade of brown water, as 6 trucks would making the multiple crossings needed. Fark... if looks could kill I've got a warped sense of humour I reckon, cause I thought it was funny

[ActyonMan]

The evil looks could be due to a couple of recent incidents where idiots have destroyed the eggs and/or nests or chicks of the protected black backed gull.

In one incident some brainless moron in a 4WD is said to have driven through a nesting area destroying nests and eggs.

The second incident some equally brainless moron stoned a bunch of chicks before the birds could fly.

It may be the usual story that a thoughtless act of a lowlife taints the rest of us.

ActyonMan

[3VILC]

Can relate to that during heavy flooding here in recent years. People are yelling and screaming at you driving in the water because some idiots are going out speeding thru the floodwaters and pushing it up into peoples houses, yet there were those of us in the local 4wd club that were organised by the council and civil defence to be out driving in it recovering people whos houses were already underwater and had no way out. As always, if the shoe was on the other foot... All good to making a stink about a bit of water slopping in your front door, until its them and thier kids thats stuck in a house completely underwater on a cold evening, with no easy way out. I had to walk some parts and it was over waist deep and freezing cold (carrying my mates bloody dog that was too scared to swim of all things haha)

[RobLucking]

If may throw a bug into the works.... but what do you all think of people in lowered/modified cars then?

granted there are some F***wits! just like that in 4wds.

but back when I had modified cars, I helped organise a cruise for cancer, organised by the cancer foundation, police were fully aware, and we raised ALOT of money, I was taking a kid that was 8 and been given less than 12months to live, there was a handful of cars with these kids, and (with approval and pre-checks from the police) there was a couple points in the trip were the 'excessive acceleration etc' laws would usually be enforced, were dropped. had HUGE banners, and yet my car alone had over 50 complaits as being a boy racer..... my fully roll caged road legal race car that is....

so i guess what im getting at, is to the people that don't like toying with there cars. as soon as anyone does (to go faster or to not get stuck) they get looks that could kill as they get viewed and 'hoons' 'idiots' etc.

*my 10cents and observations worth

[snotgoblin]

Everyone has raised some good points here. We are the responsible 4x4-ers, who are aware of potential hazards associated in operating our vehicles in shared use areas.

I think the guys that really give us a bad name are the guys who are not members of any club or formal group. These are the guys who drive their modified trucks at illegal speeds on the road and generally aggressively, using the "might has right" philosophy it seems? Most of us realise that a modified truck tends not to be the best on road speed machine.

Now, I am as guilty as anyone when it comes to using a bit of loud pedal at times - hell it can be fun. But - there are videos out there (You Tube and the like) of trucks at speed in NZ rivers etc. As far as I can tell these are publicly accessible areas and perhaps this is not the most responsible use of these areas by 4x4 enthusiasts?

Anyhow - the way I think when I am driving my truck is as if I am driving a branded company vehicle - my driving represents the brand to the public.