Offroad-Express

A request from the Matamata-Piako District Council....

Council has been getting a number of complaints from the residents on Wairakau Rd.

There are a few problems;

1 The vehicles driving on the road ( Wairakau Rd mainly) that are not registered etc, and at speed.

2 The people that after going up Thompsons and then wash their 4WD vehicles in the Waihekau Stream at the ford. Some even bring along small pumps to wash their trucks.

I know The Waikato Regional Council are not happy with this either.


It is getting to the stage where the Police will be carrying out patrols of the area on the weekends.

Can you please pass on that this is not acceptable.

PeterVahry wrote:A request from the Matamata-Piako District Council....

Council has been getting a number of complaints from the residents on Wairakau Rd.

There are a few problems;

1 The vehicles driving on the road ( Wairakau Rd mainly) that are not registered etc, and at speed.

2 The people that after going up Thompsons and then wash their 4WD vehicles in the Waihekau Stream at the ford. Some even bring along small pumps to wash their trucks.

I know The Waikato Regional Council are not happy with this either.


It is getting to the stage where the Police will be carrying out patrols of the area on the weekends.

Can you please pass on that this is not acceptable.

And how do they know that the wagons have no rego etc?? What speed are they doing and what is the speed limit??

So they have to drive through a ford??? If they drive through it 4 times is that a problem?? Or is it because they are perceive to be washing wagons?? Is the ford limited to a certain number of vehicle movements a day?? Or are they moving people across that don't want to get wet feet??

Not wanting to be anal about it, but grew up on farms etc and my parents still do live on one. They have had to change, three farms have been brought next door and now combined, so vehicle movements have gone up from 6 a day to about 45.

It sounds like the court case in England where people tried to sue a farmer for his cows making noise and they get woken up in the mornings.........

Just an idea, and I know that signs are never really the answer and there are plenty already, but are there signs saying no washing trucks in the stream? Might be an idea to put one up.

Rego wise that's up to the owner of the vehicle and they should know better.

what wrong with cleaning your truck before driving back to auckland, less mud on the road isn't there ffs

Way more dirt bikes up there than 4x4's and have never seen one yet with a rego or warrant.

coxsy wrote:what wrong with cleaning your truck before driving back to auckland, less mud on the road isn't there ffs

You'll probably find a lot of anti 4wders do not like to see vehicles being cleaned in rivers, and DOC and local councils are known to be very anti this too, due to the sediment ending up through the waterways. Whether they have a valid point or not, it can, and does give us a bad rep with some people unfortunately. There was a big debate about this years ago when a member had a video showing them driving through a creek beside a ford in Pureora from memory.

DaveM wrote:

coxsy wrote:what wrong with cleaning your truck before driving back to auckland, less mud on the road isn't there ffs

You'll probably find a lot of anti 4wders do not like to see vehicles being cleaned in rivers, and DOC and local councils are known to be very anti this too, due to the sediment ending up through the waterways. Whether they have a valid point or not, it can, and does give us a bad rep with some people unfortunately. There was a big debate about this years ago when a member had a video showing them driving through a creek beside a ford in Pureora from memory.

And that proved to be alot of shit, someone will find the thread here.
Don't have the time to find it...

DaveM wrote: There was a big debate about this years ago when a member had a video showing them driving through a creek beside a ford in Pureora from memory.

That is one of the main reasons I didn't renew my membership of the Nelson 4X4 club because they are supporting the NZWDA after my run in with the said person as well as the clubs 33 inch tyre rule.

It is better do your own thing and enjoy yourself without all the bullshit

Cheers Richard

Re the ford:
I've never seen any signs at the ford saying ya couldnt drive through it. I've been there in it and had locals wave out. I dont believe the stream is owned by anyone... is it? It doesnt, to my knowledge, feed anyones private tank water etc. On whose, and what authority, is the above whinge being made?

Whatsmore the OP states "A request from the Matamata-Piako District Council".. I dont see a request being made anywhere within the rest of the text????? I see paraphrasing perhaps, I see someone trying to admonish others with no proof and with no authority, I dont see a request.

Others have already pointed out the similarity between this and the bullshit Pureora incident....

I also havent renewed my NZFWDA membership. Right there with ya bulletproof and others. What a joke.

Re the speeding and no regs etc:
Where's the proof that these vehicles have no registrations? Has someone actually gotten out of their house or car and approached the vehicle and had a look, taken a photo etc? Or is this just assumption?
If they have no reg then sure they shouldnt be there, if theyre speeding then sure they need their wings clipped. Ive never seen a un-woffed/reg'd truck on the road proper, inside the gates coming off trailers yes, but never on the road.

Strictly speaking the track itself fits the legal classification of a road, and as such there should be no vehicles at all up Thommos without a current wof and reg, including quads and trail bikes, lets go the whole hog and get the Police up there too. gwon.... gwon....

Ive got my popcorn.. lets be having some

Mark Craig

What a bunch of moaners. Don't shoot the messenger but think of the consequences. At present there is a friendly link within the Council who does what he can to keep access to Thompsons for us. It's not an offence to drive through a ford but it is to discharge mud into a waterway.
Certainly the problem may include motorcycles speeding, but I was asked to address 4WD users.
I'm not a NZFWDA representative, so don't blame them. Just keep on selfishly beating up places and you'll have had your fun, but the future looks bleak for others.

If anyone wishes to take it up with the writer then here's the full email received this afternoon.
Hi Peter,
I wonder if you can get a message around the 4WD traps.

Council has been getting a number of complaints from the residents on Wairakau Rd.

There are a few problems;

1 The vehicles driving on the road ( Wairakau Rd mainly) that are not registered etc, and at speed.

2 The people that after going up Thompsons and then wash their 4WD vehicles in the Waihekau Stream at the ford. Some even bring along small pumps to wash their trucks.

I know The Waikato Regional Council are not happy with this either.

It is getting to the stage where the Police will be carrying out patrols of the area on the weekends.

Can you please pass on that this is not acceptable.

Thanks

Mike van Bysterveldt | Engineering Officer - Roading
Matamata-Piako District Council 35 Kenrick Street, PO Box 266, Te Aroha 3342
p 07 884 0060 | m 027 499 3427 | f 07 884 0077 | w http://www.mpdc.govt.nz

It would help immensely if you would use quotation marks to identify what others have said/asked you to pass on. Then we could see what YOU say and take it for what it is, seperate from THE MESSAGE which could then be perhaps more objectively viewed.

Who is selfishly beating up places? Bit of a generalisation isnt it? Some more information perhaps to substantiate the innuendo?

what I find interesting is that all such messages voiced here come from one person, seems only one person keeps stirring these things up.

Popcorn in microwave

Peter just read your post where you say you do not represent the nz4wda and got me thinking
Who is it you represent ???
Who is it you THINK you represent ???

Peter thanks for passing on the concerns that the locals up there are having.

People on this forum need to stop taking things so personally.
Peter is doing all responsible 4wders a favour by passing on this information.
Whether or not the locals complaints are valid or not there concerns are.

We all need to keep the locals happy where ever we go 4wding ....we need friends out there not pissed off locals.

^^^^ x2

leave pete alone he is only tryna keep available to us all what some take for granted.

nom nom nom popcorn

Peter just read your post where you say you do not represent the nz4wda and got me thinking
Who is it you represent ???
Who is it you THINK you represent ???

Does it matter who or what I represent? In this case I was asked by a Council representative to pass on their concerns. If I don't represent any organisation, does that mean I can't say anything... or is commenting just the prerogative of some people?

It's time to some to stop and think about tomorrow. Check what's happening in the US to four wheeling, as they get squeezed. Our government departments follow world trends and the trend is to restrict four wheeling. Anybody shown interest in the DoC CMS process?
What do I know? I was over 15 years on the NZFWDA executive getting the ear of DoC and Councils like Matamata and have been 10 years on the board of the international group UFWDA www.ufwda.org

Maybe we just shouldn't have bothered to work to keep places like Thompsons open for 4x4 use and then these issues would not exist, as there would be so few places to use a 4WD, that it would not be worth having one to play with.

No doubt about you having done a lot for our organization over the years. thank you. nowdays as I see it you are the one trying to restrict us more than anyone else. you send notices out here and in other avenues telling us what we can and cant do as if you are in a position of authority yet as far as I am aware you have none. you seem to have appointed yourself to liaise with others in the interest of bringing to the fore the subject of restricting our freedoms and then working with them to do just that.. Why??? You appear to have decided your vision for for the future of 4wding is the way it has to be yet your views dont seem to be on a par with the majority of 4wders. If it was you would still be in a voted position of the organisation perhaps. Can I ask you when you last actualy did any 4wding as in the mud up too your axles. perhaps doing so would help you get back in touch with how the people feel.
respect to you for your efforts however working in the interest of our sport may involve fighting for our rights rather than conceding all in the hope the powers that be may let us continue in some restricted capacity driving around on terrain that most of us would do in 2wd.

these are my personal views from watching your input over a no of years now. I hold no position in the organization. have held my tongue here but have had enough of seeing you here telling us what we cant do yet have nothing else to offer here except show you are against us and 4wding in general.
sincerly Clive

Ever heard the saying "Don't shoot the messenger?"

What are you all moaning about? Peter was asked to put out concerns from the council, which make perfect sense to me, take it easy on the approach road, would you want a bunch of noisey cars outside your house most weekends?, don't wash trucks in the stream, is it so hard to clean them at home?

With the attitude some of you guys are showing no wonder more & more areas are being closed to 4wheeling.

What a bunch of moaners.....
Peter is just passing on a message....
Rather than "shooting the messenger" just think of it as a prick to the conscience...
If any one else posted that request / info would it have had the same reaction??

Thankyou Peter for the heads up.........

nowdays as I see it you are the one trying to restrict us more than anyone else. you send notices out here and in other avenues telling us what we can and cant do as if you are in a position of authority yet as far as I am aware you have none.

Clive, only the law has authority over you. If you've seen my name attached to information, it's because I've been one of the few willing to put my head above the parapets so that a variety of plonkers have a target. I reiterate, unless four wheeling 'behaves' then there will be more restrictions. South Africa now requires four wheelers to take an instruction course on good environmental practice before they can drive on public land. http://www.aawdc.org.za/content/newslet ... 201204.pdf
You can bet our government is aware of that.

When did I last go four wheeling... two weekends ago. In March I ran the 4x4 National Park charity event www.4x4nationalpark.co.nz which involves private and DoC land.

Maybe some people have a bit much mud in their eyes and can't see what's coming. I'm just trying to raise awareness that NZ four wheeling is close to shooting ourselves in the foot because of those who insist that it's their right and no one is going to stop them having 'fun' at the expense of others.

Yes ours is a sport that is very visible and the way some people leave tracks all ripped up does us all no favours.

Don't shoot the messenger
I second This
but think of the consequences. At present there is a friendly link within the Council who does what he can to keep access to Thompsons for us. It's not an offence to drive through a ford but it is to discharge mud into a waterway.
Certainly the problem may include motorcycles speeding, but I was asked to address 4WD users.
I'm not a NZFWDA representative,
I am
so don't blame them.

If anyone wishes to take it up with the writer then here's the full email received this afternoon.
Hi Peter,
I wonder if you can get a message around the 4WD traps.

Council has been getting a number of complaints from the residents on Wairakau Rd.

There are a few problems;

1 The vehicles driving on the road ( Wairakau Rd mainly) that are not registered etc, and at speed.

2 The people that after going up Thompsons and then wash their 4WD vehicles in the Waihekau Stream at the ford. Some even bring along small pumps to wash their trucks.

I know The Waikato Regional Council are not happy with this either.

It is getting to the stage where the Police will be carrying out patrols of the area on the weekends.

Can you please pass on that this is not acceptable.

Thanks

Mike van Bysterveldt | Engineering Officer - Roading
Matamata-Piako District Council 35 Kenrick Street, PO Box 266, Te Aroha 3342
p 07 884 0060 | m 027 499 3427 | f 07 884 0077 | w http://www.mpdc.govt.nz

Ok let get back to topic here

a councilor has approached Peter to pass on this message and that he has now done,

Its got nothing to do with how where or why anybody goes wheeling it got a lot to do with
respecting other peoples (as in public) property

quite simply there has been people traveling alot faster than they should and the council has asked people to slow down NO BIGY

And they are saying that people are washing their vehicles in the creek ford area. This is about a kilometre down the road away from the track and it is a public road so yes there should be legal restrictions on w.o.f. and rego (yes I have used this as well)

As the water ways are over seen by Environment Waikato and the mud being washed into the water way has been tracked to Thompson track then they could force an issue to close or limit access until there is maintenance completed to stop the water way from getting dirty IE close the gates

SO lets not go about shooting people and take the warning as intended

Have a look at the work (next summer now) that has been done to Waitawhata and that’s just so we can keep using it over the summer season, and this was from Environment Waikato through to the council as well

Regards Rohan Hooker
Northern Zone
Public Relations Officer
NZFWDA

Interesting, the council requires dirty oily logging trucks to use the ford as their "structure" accross the stream is inadequate, but dirty 4x4's aren't allowed to use the ford, they have to cross via the rickety steel grate structure thing??

Maybe they should build a bridge over the stream and it would solve all the problems??

But that would require the council to actually do something.

The same council that allows dairy cows in the stream, and has given a logging company consent to havest forestry in the same area.

Ever seen the aftermath of a pine forest harvest?? Haveing worked for the regional council as a resource officer and issued a significant amount of resource consents for forest harvesting, I can assure you all that 50 4x4's washing their wheels in the stream before they hit the motor way back to Auckland is insignificant compared the sediment that is discharged into the stream from a dairy heard grazing the banks of the stream, or a rainfall event on/in a recently harvested pine forest.

Don't shoot the messenger, it is always interesting to hear what is going on behind the scene's, especially when some one has a good relationship with all stake holders, councils, 4wheelers, DOC, locals etc etc!!

You guys are all two quick to jump to conclusions and jump down peoples throats. Its like a soap opera some times.

Just take it that there are people watching whats going on around that area, and that some caution should be exercised.

Don't do dumb shit on the gravel road and attract attention to yourselves, do it up the track.

Easy as that

PeterVahry wrote:
Anybody shown interest in the DoC CMS process?
.

In this thread you refer to me as a moaner which I resent.

To answer the question about DOC and the CMS process. When the West Coast CMS came up I had phone call from John Randell asking if I was aware what was happening. After being put in the light I went straight to the Southern reps of the association and asked what were they doing about it. They had no idea and weren't even interested so I took time off work and took it in my own hands to get a get action and signatures as did others down here as well to make sure our access was maintained.

So don't talk to me about who is interested in access

I drive through the river beside the ford at Pureora and all hell breaks loose because we didn't stay at the right campsite even though top Association reps were leading the trip.

I consider my self a responsible 4 wheeler so I am not going to be a puppet to someone who thinks they are can tell me what I can do or not do

Sorry if I have upset anyone but because of friendly relationships with farmers down here I have more access than most

Cheers Richard

Keep emotions out of it!

Thanks Peter for keeping us informed, it is this type of information that helps keep us in line well some us at least.
I do have to make a comment tho like with the speed if someone is caught speeding then it is there own bloody fault and take what is given to them, with the reg, WOF etc every vehicle should comply the the road laws, as with the washing your truck in the ford yes Iam guilty for that one, I can agree and disagree with this one, having 2 or 3 trucks would be acceptable, but having more than that would be a bit to much and yes eyebrows would be raised, me coming from a farming background and know the effects of water overflow/drainage I think fertilizer is far more enviromentaly unsafe than mud/clay.

Anyway enough said, Peter keep it up we know that someone out there is keeping an eye out for us fellow 4WDriver's.

That's my 2cents.

Over and out

Cheers

i see that people have been trying to drive up the river at the crossing so either the council or some farmer has put metal bars into the river to kill your radiator or tires if you try and drive up, sounds more like the age old scenario of a couple of muppets hacking someone off and they in turn cause a stink about it, for example just the other day up there, i came across some young and rather drunk stupid lads in a shinny (road tires) who needed there broken motor bike carried back down, after returning there bike to them at the bottom of the track i mentioned the river to wash their dads 4x4 off abit, i slowly moved through the ford to clean my wheels i backed though it again and at that moment they charged through and nearly hit me TWICE, as well as crashing into the steel grate..... no they were not locals

sound familiar ?

Cheers Peter,

It would be a dam shame to lose access to Thompsons. a great track that the council allows to get beat up and then regularly fixes. Not many would do that so we need to step up to the plate here and rip into any idiots we see going outside of what is acceptable.

Funny thing is alot of the un-regoed,roofless, drunk driven wagons are all from the wider local area. Alot of them would be farm kids using a farm hack. Everyone that drives from afar to enjoy this track either has a warrant or a trailer for the bush truck.

lets be a bit proactive and keep Thompsons for a few more years yet!!!

Nivapulledout wrote:Cheers Peter,

It would be a dam shame to lose access to Thompsons. a great track that the council allows to get beat up and then regularly fixes. Not many would do that so we need to step up to the plate here and rip into any idiots we see going outside of what is acceptable.

Funny thing is alot of the un-regoed,roofless, drunk driven wagons are all from the wider local area. Alot of them would be farm kids using a farm hack. Everyone that drives from afar to enjoy this track either has a warrant or a trailer for the bush truck.

lets be a bit proactive and keep Thompsons for a few more years yet!!!

That is bullshit mate. Not the locals ever..... Peter will confirm this because he has tried to decredit people before...................

Even taken it to National Levels in the NZWFDA. If you new guys don't believe me, feel free to pm me and I will give you my numbers and you talk to me. Or contact bulletproof , jafa or moriety.

It aint about 4 wagons washing themselves in the river. Have you seen the de-forestation up there?? Go to google earth and look at the land loss. It is the damage that is ongoing. Ask you local council how much sedimet is carried down the river in a flood. I know at where I have spent most of my life it was 1000 tonnes per minute...

And don't even bother trying to push the speeding/warrant thing. If you want proof, get it and then it will be sorted. Typical scaremongering we have seen before...