Whilst many of these points are valid in simple terms I think we are forgetting a big point. It is not a dictionary or technical publication, it is simply an entertainment publication and for the masses it does that well. Whilst it does get repititious for people who have been into it for a while bear in mind as old readers drop out due to changing interests new readers who have never seen any of it before take their place and for them it is all fresh. I do agree with the Japanese bias but that is also reflected out in the real world. How many of you guys with cool, tough or well set up tourers have contacted the mag offering their Jeeps for features. How many have done build up threads in the 4WD Action web site.
Sure some of the vehicles are illegal but so are many on the road, some however are fully engineered. If we take the approach that they should not publish illegally modified vehicles then should we not take the same approach on a forum like this. Hands up all those giuys/gals who have something illegal on there Grand, I thought so.
Lets take ALL that stuff out of the magazine and see what it is like to read, how many in comparison get pleasure and interest from reading Overlander. It's no different with all the doof doof or motorbike magazines. Heck take all the non factual stuff out of the womens magazines and see what they are like.
Having defended them in a sense I'll say I still get the magazine and would nearly have the full collection from day one back in the old 4WD Monthly days but I do notice the change and sometimes wonder why I do still buy it but I can't help myself. Like watching a train wreck, you know you shouldn't but yet you can't look away. I also took task with the Gall Boys DVD's when president of our local 4wd club. We wrote to the state association suggesting they review their DVD's and decide if they felt it appropriate to voice concerns with the content of their DVD's. I believe they did because the content did change after that. The Gall's were doing a lot of irresponsible 4wding and towing and by that I mean unsafe recovery practices and offroad towing. To cap it off they did a DVD up Teewah beach at a time when there was serious push to shut access down and we felt it was fuel for the fire of the greenies. They still do DVD's but gone are the dodgy recoveries etc.
Whilst extreme I would not consider the recovery situations and in fact the actual driving on the 4WD Action DVD's to be particularly unsafe at least not from poor practices. Maybe just from the situation but then that's what makes people tick and others dream of doing the same. That's why we have bungy jumpers etc. Must admit I'll have to go back and review some oft hem as I have never really noticed the lack of seatbelts when on the go. Sure every time they are stopped they may be off but they have probably been through that scene several times and setting up for the shoot etc. Sometimes we see them on some not.
Ooohh got to go now, the wife has come home with the mail and the latest issue is here with a new DVD, time to fire up the spare TV.
be the change in the world you want to see
