The People's Manifesto – an attack on 4×4 drivers !

Posted: April 15, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 4wdni, 4x4, Belfast, car business, Government, Interesting, Northern Ireland | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

Alan in Belfast talks about Mark Thomas new book, the People’s Manifesto.  Its a good post, read it.  The book looks good to, like a common sense approach to politics.

I just want to pull a few points from the book though,

“4×4 drivers should be forced to drive everywhere off-road, even to Sainsburys.”

That would sadly be illegal, most of the land (over 80% in Northern Ireland) is owned farmland and as such driving across it is trespassing.

“Anyone with a 4×4 in a city must also volunteer for the nearest mountain rescue service.”

On the UK Mainland their is such a thing as ‘The 4×4 response team’ which is a voluntary organisation and they do great work.  Sadly in Northern Ireland this does not exist and no one I spoke to in local council seemed overly bother about setting one up.

I am off course, picking holes.  I am for the 4×4 driver !  The correct 4×4 driver that is, I don’t have a 4×4 at present however when I did own one, I drove it off road.  I stopped to pull fallen tree’s from the road and I pulled car’s from ditches.  4x4s are not a bad thing however the large % of 4x4s on our roads are nothing more than cars ferrying kids to school and mums to shops and these people do not know how to drive a 4×4 correctly !

I will buy a 4×4 again and I will take it off road ! (legally)

Rant over

Russell

Making everyday an adventure

Posted: January 26, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: 21 Days, 4wdni, 4x4, Belfast, Business, Do something Now is good, events, Explorer Scouts, Extreme Scouting, Government | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Making everyday an Adventure : One of the 2008 tag lines of the UK Scouting movement and something that I try to run my life by!

Why shouldn’t everyday to be an adventure? are we so caught up in our boring live’s they we cannot do something new, different or exiting everyday ?

Right now, I’m enjoying life for what it is and not letting the doom and gloom that is a deep recesion and a useless Government get me down but rather taking the time to take the senic route to work, going on mini adventures with my wife and daugther, trying out stores that I have not been in before, trying new things and new foods etc.

Life is good, I’m good ! How are you ?

Who says Scouts are boring ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Posted: October 23, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: 4x4, Do something Now is good, Explorer Scouts, Extreme Scouting, Network Scouts, Scally Rally, Scouting Itreland, Scouts, travel, UK Scouts, Venture Scouts | Leave a comment


Climb a mountain, fly a plane, build a hovercraft, canoe, Race a 4×4, Drive 1500 miles around Ireland in a car worth no more than £100, learn to surf, meet new people, learn to stakeboard, Go to a Gala Ball, Fix a car, Camp with fellow scouts from all over the world, Travel, Go to Australia, America and Canada, Fish, Hike, Swim, Sit around the fire and enjoy the craic, Get outside, DO SOMETHING NEW !

Just some of the things we have done / are doing this year at Scouts all over County Antrim.

Who says Scouts are boring ???? Things have changed over the last few years and the stigma of ‘Scouts are boring’ is starting to leave the movement !

Think its time you got involved ? we have some great sections for older guys and dare I say it, girls !

Antrim Network Scouts caters for people aged 18 – 25 , more info can be found by clicking here.
Lagan Valley Explorers caters for people aged 14-18, more info can be found by clicking here.

I am a better person for what Scouting has done for me, Its time you found out why !

Off Roading – Part One , Getting Stuck

Posted: October 13, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: 4wdni, 4x4, Extreme Scouting, Jeep, Jeep XJ, Motoring, Off Roading, Scouts | Leave a comment


I have decided rather than selling ‘ Old Faithful ‘ my old and reliable trusty Jeep that I am going to do a few modifications and do with it as Jeep intended, Off Road the baby !

The annoying thing about off roading in a 4×4 is that, although they are in theory built to take the abuse they do need some work for that ‘Go Anywhere’ experience, as I found out the hard way !!

At Present, Old Faithful is completely standard and I have tackled a few not to tricky off road courses, all has went pretty ok (apart from I can really see the benefit of off road tyres as my bus slips and slides its away about the hills getting not much grip at all) until Saturday when I got myself a wee bit stuck …….


The lift on the car was not enough as the wheels dug down in the mud, the center of the car touched earch and perched me right there, I remember reading on one of the forums if this happened, simply grab your Hi-Lift jack, Jack her up, dig out the earth and drive on. Great, except I dont own a high lift Jack, but a phone call to a good friends and hey ho, I got one fairly quickly.

With in about an hour, we had Old Faithful dug out and back on the road, in need of a serious bath !

All in all a great days craic, and a list of modification I know I will need if I am to take this seriously and protect my Jeep !

* Off Road Tyres
* 2/3 inch lift
* Flood lights, Front and Back (for night driving)
* Rock Sliders, all round the car for protection.
And thats just for starters, watch this space !