Quote:
Originally Posted by timbotrog
But one common thread amongst most of the people who have responded here is that they don't seem to foloow the "tread lightly" principles nor do they promote and foster a responsible attitude towards off roading and 4WD vehicles.
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Whilst I agree we need to promote the good practices of tread lightly timbo I would question what is the defination of same. If we look at these guys tackling some very hardcore tracks which nearly always is accompanied by some degree of aggressive driving etc where do we draw the line to unacceptable. If we say no more mega hard tracks and no wheel spin and no mud plugging (which I'm not into) etc what do we say is left to tackle. I make this point after only just the other niught rereading a US thread on an expedition forum which is essentially a forum of tough tourers and their rigs and trips. A relevent take on tread lightly theme in my view was commented by those guys to say that it was not about stopping guys from doing a hard mud plugging bog hole but the proviso was that if you didn't have the rig to tackle it successfully then you don't make a new track to go round it. You go through or go back and that is valid to any track. Can we accept a single track for what it is and avoid the habit of bypassing which widens a track and therefore impacts the surrounds more. Another interesting point they raised was to unbuild any track sections that had to be built up to tackle. The theory was that by track building to make the track easier to navigate successfully you coul dbe making it less challenging for the next guys and maybe leading him to make a new hardcore track somewhere. This thinking to me is about managing what we have without being restricted from doing what we love, in essence a balance.
some of these tracks the DVD boys have done are pretty remote and haardly travelled at all in which case if no does what they did for another year the track could be recovered. If we onyl chew up one line on one ridge is that so bad is it not better than not being able to do this at all. It's a fine line between being allowed some challenging 4WDing or just being stuck with formed dirt road touring. Admittedly these guys may step over the edge from time to time and are balancing on it most of the time but what is the alternative. I don't see them digging the crap out of one spot on a track adamant they will drive it without winching, they tend to have a red hot go get stuck and winch. What is the other method without sanitising our hobby.
Hard call!!!!