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View Full Version : FOUR WHEELER TREADS HEAVILY!!



Java
March 14th, 2012, 08:02 AM
I never write to editors, but I did today. In the March issue of FOUR WHEELER they have two clowns driving a sweet Toyota belonging to the ARB company across the Aussie outback. this is the text of my letter to john.cappa@fourwheeler.com, I'm posting it here because I don't think they will print it...

I just got my March 2012 FW and was reading the Solo on the Simpson article and came across this gem on p29: "Dividing the valley is a crystal clear stream... which meanders along over a sculpted sandstone bottom. We must have, uh, missed the "No Camping Beyond This Point" sign, as we drove to the furthest vehicle-accessible point and set up our swags by the water's edge..."

Are you kidding? I will never take Chris "Part of the Problem" Collard seriously again. You may have heard the phrase "Tread Lightly" at some point, it is especially important when you are representing an American magazine while driving an Australian manufacturer's rig as the guest of another country. If I was the Aussies I'd ticket you based on that article, and if I was ARB I'd tell you to call someonelse next time you're down under. Pull that crap in Moab and see how you like the Access Violation fines. Pull in in CO and I will personally turn you in. That is uh, shameful, and you should, uh, not do that, and if you uh, do that, uh, don't brag about it at work, especially uh, in a 4x4 mag!! If my letter even sees print I'm sure you'll try to spin it as my misunderstanding, or maybe I'm missing the "joke"... it's not funny to me, my club in CO cleans trails every year from damage guys like you cause. We participate in http://staythetrail.org (http://staythetrail.org/), something you should look into / learn from. Congrats on setting wheeling back a decade and perpetuating the selfish American stereotype overseas. Geniuses. I won't be renewing my subscription this year based on that article; we clearly don't see eye to eye and you can't have my $$ to spend being irresponsible.

My name is Paul but you can call me:

Disappointed in Denver.

Brody
March 14th, 2012, 09:02 AM
Good for you. I also wrote them a letter regarding some drunken redneck asshat cretins (probably used words much to that effect, too...as well as tagging the editors with similar names) when they posted an article about these clowns chopping the top off a van, obviously off of some 4x road/area, then butchering it up so that they could go topless in a van with what looked to be the whole inbreed cast of Deliverance.....sans roll bar or other protection.

Editors/owners of the 4x magazines should take a stand as far as what actually goes into their magazines so that the magazine represents a positive image for 4 wheelers, and not glorify the drunken redneck, yeehaw, rip up the landscape, 'squeal like a pig, Greenie!', image the general populace sees us as. Of course, if you are an inbred cretin without a ******* clue and publish a 4x magazine, I guess this stuff is what you can print in your magazine.

My letter, of course, never saw print, although slightly more toned down letters from other people expressing the same concerns about the ass suckers in the topless van did. Oh....and the people who wrote in about the van also said "If you guys are going to promote dumb ass **** like this in your magazine, remove me from your subscription list", too.

ShutUpHippie
March 14th, 2012, 10:48 AM
:thumb: thanks Paul

MelloYello
March 14th, 2012, 03:59 PM
Thanks you!
You should do one better and forward that to ARB. I am sure their BOD will find that interesting. Mr. Crappa has always been an asshat imho.

Jackie
March 14th, 2012, 09:17 PM
Almost sounds like... "sorry - my bad."

But at least you got a response.

Java
March 14th, 2012, 09:33 PM
John Cappa emailed me the same response, this was mine to him (I'm done with this after this, I think I've said my piece):

Chris: You put yourself under the lorrie, all I did was quote you. This is the paragraph in it's entirety:

"With just a few clics of pavement we located the track to the Palm Valley in the Krichauff Range. We had been directed ther by a bloke we met in the Simpson; it is truly one of the gems of Australia. A mix between Moab and Mulege, red rock sandstone walls rise to either side of a palm-lined canyon. Dividing the valley is a crystal clear stream, the Finke River, which meanders along over a sculpted sandstone bottom. We must have, uh, missed the "No Camping Beyond This Point" sign, as we drive to the furthest vehicle-accessible point and set up our swags by the water's edge; apparently we missed the improved tourist campground as well. Another nice thing about Palm Valley... no crocs."

I think the tone of your response to me and the tone of your article are different, and I'm not convinced at all by it, I think it's just spin to be frank. All I can do is further quote you:

"Uluru, also known as Ayres Rock, rises 1,142 feet above its table flat surroundings and is one of the most recognized matural wonders of the world; it is hallowed ground to the Pitjantjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the region. Home to a number of natural springs, waterholes and caves, the area has been inhabited for more than 10,000 years. Ancient rock art can be found in a number of the caves, and there are dozens of aboriginal legends of how the rock came to be. When Ned visited Uluru in the early '80s, you could drive, walk, or camp just about anywhere. Things have changed and access is now ridiculously controlled; no camping, no stopping on the side of the road for a photo, no... no... no."

Because of guys like you doing things like you talk about in your article things have changed; those rules are for YOU specifically. You can spin it as you want, the article speaks for itself.

thanks for your time, John and Chris.

MelloYello
March 14th, 2012, 09:47 PM
Their response does not surprise me.
However, thank you Paul for keeping your eyes open and calling them out on it. It is BS like this that just fuels the fire for trail closures.

Java
March 15th, 2012, 03:05 PM
I just went to the ARB page and responded, and then I deleted my response. I think I've said enough, I'll just let the article stand on it's own. It is always possible that I'm wrong too, it'll be interesting to hear other perspectives on FB, but based on nothing in particular I don't really want to interact with them.

Java
March 15th, 2012, 03:05 PM
oh and Chris Collard requested I be his friend????? I honestly have NO idea who this guy is and from reading the article I am going put my thoughts this way:

They are VERY experienced at what they do, they KNOW where they are, they knew EXACTLY what they were doing and while they "stayed on a trail" they blatantly went beyond designated camping spots. my humble opinion

Agreed. :thumb: