Do you think the 4 wheel community has an image problem?

[NS-jeeper]

Maybe we just need more 4x4 only trails and some media coverage of people using it responsibly.  Or like The  Nova Scotia Jeep club, they have the S.W.A.T
 

"The Severe Weather Assistance Team (SWAT) of the Nova Scotia Jeep Club will assist local, municipal or provincial agencies or groups in need of transportation assistance for their essential personnel or supplies during times of inclement weather, during states of emergency or in remote locations where our equipment is built to be. Such support is undertaken on a purely voluntary basis with the intent of the NSJC and it’s membership to be active supporters within our various communities."

A few years back when Haifax was shut down due to a huge snow storm, the media showed them driving docters and nurses to the hospitals. Thats some good publicity!!!

Here's a link to the site: http://www.novascotiajeepclub.ca/contents/swat/swat_main.html

[02TJSport]

Just a thought I figured I'd through out there.  Is there any way of getting someone from the media or a group of ppl that have some kind of influence toghether and taking them on a trail ride with an experienced group and show them what most of us actualy do out there.  Maybe this would give a better understanding of what we do and maybe they can pass that information on to the general public with pictures of a good trail ride and some personal experience.

How else would people be able to see what we do if they don't go out there?

Just a thought.

[Asia]

Some random thoughts:

Our trails are dirt, add snow, rain and runoff and you have muddy trials and mud holes.  Our 4x4s are built to traverse this difficult terrain and get muddy in the process.  I'm OK with mud on my Jeep and I wash it when I can but not usually right away, too many other tasks need tending.  The public knows our trails are muddy and that our 4x4s are used for that purpose, just like you know that sports cars and bikes are going to spend a fair amount of time going fast.  A spade is a spade even if its clean.

Do we have an image problem?  Sure, we have some bad apples, every group does, but I don't think its any worse than other identifiable groups.  I think it would be boring to be all the same, variety and character are the spice of life.

Motorcycles;  I rode them for years, all sport bikes from Japan.  Couldn't afford that Ducati.   I rode them for their amazing performance, the speed of a Ferrari for half the cost of a really cheap car.  The sheer thrill of leaning a bike down in a corner at 160+ kph then accelerating to 225+ kph on the exit.  Even spent some time roadracing where those skills were honed.  Bloody dangerous - yes.  The high flow exhausts (loud pipes) are to enhance the motor's performance - not warn motorists.  I used ear plugs to cut the noise, I want to have good hearing.  I rode like I was invisible, I didn't count on cars to see or hear me.  I rode defensively and only sped where it was safe/safer and appropriate - I became better at this with age  :lol: .

I take exception to the term "rice rocket", its somewhat racist, we could work on our image by avoiding such terms.  Try "Japanese sport bike". :wink:

[Coolhand Luke]

I saw a feature on Daily Planet and it was all about off-road rigs, anyone chance seeing it? It was a real positive story of the off-road community, explaining the engineering and technical aspects of off-roading, they made a point of explaining that most driving was slow and technical, not pinning it and destruction. This is the positive image needed, and by a enviromentally concious show.  Kind of off topic but as an example, Mixed Martial Arts was 1st perceived as a brutal dangerous sport, and banned in most places, because of their work explaining it is more technical than brutal we can see on a regular basis on T.V. and their whole image was changed and respected.

[kevman]

YES.

Doesn't everyone?

Tuners have a bad name, sport bike riders have a bad name, women drivers have a bad name, ethnic drivers have a bad name, young white male drivers have a bad name, minivan soccer moms have a bad name, suv busniess men have a bad name, etc...

Not quite the answer you're looking for but something to think about.

[FeatherFoot]

Tuners have a bad name, sport bike riders have a bad name, women drivers have a bad name, ethnic drivers have a bad name, young white male drivers have a bad name, minivan soccer moms have a bad name, suv busniess men have a bad name, etc...

Not quite the answer you're looking for but something to think about.

Well I'm thinking they may have raised the insurance rates for some of them but I'm not aware of the streets being closed to them unless posted open with a graphic picture. :wink:

[apex]

Tom... I thought you were Inuit? *nudge nudge*

 :twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted:

[Asia]

Yeah Greg, I'm Inuit but I get mistaken for Native North American all the time  :roll: .   Must be something to do with Asians crossing the Bering Sea into N. America many millenia ago.  Just another example of "you can't judge a book by its cover" just like you can't judge a person by how they look or what they drive.  Opinions should be based on actions and character.

[Spinalguy]

Some random thoughts:

Our trails are dirt, add snow, rain and runoff and you have muddy trials and mud holes.  Our 4x4s are built to traverse this difficult terrain and get muddy in the process.  I'm OK with mud on my Jeep and I wash it when I can but not usually right away, too many other tasks need tending.  The public knows our trails are muddy and that our 4x4s are used for that purpose, just like you know that sports cars and bikes are going to spend a fair amount of time going fast.  A spade is a spade even if its clean.

i completely disagree with you!
The public does NOT know what we do, they think they know and when they see mud, the majority think bad thoughts. They think we have been ripping it up or we have polluted the pristine outdoors with our noise! Yes, some 4x4 types know what we do but the majority of Calgary drivers do not. Furthermore, it sucks to be anywhere near a 4x4 in this city covered in mud because "i know, that the 4x4 is going to dump a load of crap on the road in front of me and i hate that!!!!" That is the attitude you are causing Tom because of your selfish attitude that you have 'too many other tasks to attend to' and therefore wash the 4x4 later. i think your attitude is what we(the 4x4 community) do not need!!!!!
Tom :evil:

And i know you love to stir the pot Tom, but its time to grow up and face reality of the trail systems and perceptions, its not time for you to take the contradictory path and play the devils advocate again. i am fumed that anyone can not be proactive in getting the rig cleaned ASAP. Have you heard about GAMP? :roll:
People respect a lot of your opinions and we need everyone on board or kiss all your wheelin good-bye. If we all just stopped at a do it yourself wash bay on the way home from a day or weekend of wheelin to take an extra 1 hour (tops) to clean the rig before you go home, it would help. Also educating other dirty 4x4's in the city would also help all of us in the future.

[BlackYJ]

Sometimes we just have to bite our lips and do what is preceived as the right thing, like washing our vehicles

Spinal Tom is totally right, we ALL have to be on the same page

[Asia]

I'm often late arriving back from a run, should have been home an hour ago to help with getting dinner ready for the kids and spending some time with Lorraine and the kids because I've been gone all day.  Then I have to get ready for work and go to work the next day - 12 hr shifts.  So... no I don't have time to wash my Jeep on the way home, those other priorities are more important.  My muddy Jeep is parked at home, I don't go to work with it.  I also wash it at home with my pressure washer, but it might sit there muddy for several days before I wash it  :twisted: .  And if I needed to drive it muddy, I would  :twisted: .

[JackstandJohnny]

i realize this is a little late to be posting in this discussion as i kinda wanted to address the drinking on the trail aspect.
i remember two may longs ago me and my wheelin buddies got pulled over on valley trail in mclean by the conservation officers on their quads. they asked us if we had any been drinking at all or if we had any booze in the cabs or boxes of our trucks.  naturally we didn't; we explained how we don't drink on the trail cause its dangerous and generally irresponsible, and that beer was for later at camp and they looked surprised. they said we were the first ones they had pulled over all weekend without any alcohol of anysort with us. i found this quite surprising.  this being said, i do think we have an image problem.  constantly when i explain to people (specially in university, stupid commies) about what we do, it doesn't really matter; the idea is etched in their heads already; we destroy the environment and we are irresponsible. my counter arguments are rarely swaying. the idea is sketched in their head that we are detrimental; people are able to manifest their own ideas as to what we do, based on little factual evidence except what they see/told in media etc etc.  personally, if drinking was banned in our offroad areas i don't think i'd object; if that was the way to clear the 4wheelers image i'd abide by it.  seems stupid to put $$$ into a vehicle and not be able to wheel.  and if the ban worked, i'm for it......
my .02

[Coolhand Luke]

Went to Waiporous yestrdy. aftnoon. to show a coworker where to take his jeep (Lost knife & Meadow Crk, trails were great, river very high) hes in Banff so its only 1hr drive, was my 1st trek there since closures, I educated him on the do`s and don`ts and to the history of area, what we used to have and what we have now. It was easy to explain because along the way I picked up 50lbs of trash, I would have taken the sofa, BBQ, and road sign (post attached) if I could have fit them in the jeep. I assume this is from lg. wknd. because I was in same area wk. previous to closures and they weren`t there. Only trucks could bring this stuff to where it was, how do these people get in there. If you see a guy with a BBQ, or a sofa in his truck driving on the trail, what would you do? Talked to ranger, very cool and friendly and appreciative of sofa BBQ info and for efforts of carrying out garbage and finally got some 1st hand info. My biggest concern was the random camping, but if there is a existing fire pit accessable by new trail laws, its okay. He said we are just trying to stop new spots developing. How do these people with sofas and obviously up to no good get away with it. Maybe its time we have a Waiporous minute-man patrol as on the Mexicn border? Extreme yes, but  maybe we should start policing ourselves, and after seeing the evidence that is how I feel. Then again I guy was murdered out there last year, and I could just imagine the rsponse if you tried to educate a drunk idiot about this, I think they need to add one more description for use on a can of bear spray.

[gsxtacy]

why don't we fire off copies of the 4wheel and off-road ultimate adventure to the people who matter.  Thad vid shows professionals wheeling professionally.  oh, and about cleaning your jeep...i'm often in construction sites which are very muddy, and i don't bother to clean it because i don't have time to.  when i get home, it's off to my night job, when i get off from that, it's too late to whip by a self-wash.

use a lawn sprinkler to clean the underside, park it on the grass for a while at night, that way, you are watering your grass too.

but i think sending a copy of the ultimate adventure to the GAMP perpitratiors would be beneficial.

[02TJSport]

Here is a perfect example of why the 4 wheel community has a bad image.  Yesterday just after 1pm I was driving towards waiperous area in my car and this jacked up ford full size truck towing an empty flatbed trailer comes up my a$$ and follows 2-3 feet behind me and I'm driving around 110 and when I get behind someone driving slower he just keeps trying to get closser and I even tapped my brake lights and he just kept right up my A$$.  Then when  I finaly passed the slow vehicle in front of me charges at me once I'm by and stays behind me.  I had to pull over realy fast putting my PREGNANT WIFE and SOON TO BE BORN CHILD in danger.

It is a$$hles like this that make the 4wheel comunity look bad as he was drinving a jacked up truck.  If I ever see this A$$HLE AGAIN HE BETTER RUN for putting my family in danger!!!!

but thats besides the point.  This is one of the reasons we have a bad name and if it doesn't stop it will never change.  Its idiots like that that make me want to just not bother fighting for trails and I may even just not bother wheeling if thats what I'm going to run into every time I go out there.