which or what club to join

[bussy1963]

Hello

Can anybody tell m e the advantages of being a member of a 4x4 club.

I have been to a few different clubs looking for which one suits my needs.

So far i have found that the majority seen to focus on booze and bull****.

All i want is a nice fairly easy going club without the bull**** and all the other stuff like you need to complete a course before you can go a trip stuff. For god sake i have been driving 4x4's for over 25 years These include heavy 4x4 vehicles 38 seat passenger coaches, fire trucks dozers.

Cant seen what some snotty nosed kid could teach me. Like most of us here we have chosen to forget more than the kid could teach.

Im open to suggestions

[THE BOOGER]

Unfortunatly (or fortunatly) all clubs will want you to complete a course so they can not be held responsible if you @#*? &% as most of us do very occasionally. You only have to it once then its done.Having said that im not in any clubs i go 4x4 with friends from different clubs toyos and susuki,s etc as clubs dont always get on with each other.I did 4x4 course in army two weeks full time plus recovery, bush repairs everything and would still have to do course iof i joined a club.

[Slunnie]

Cant seen what some snotty nosed kid could teach me. Like most of us here we have chosen to forget more than the kid could teach.

Im open to suggestions
I find this quite disappointing. Don't be too proud. Although you'd be surprised at times how little they know about some things, you'll also be surprised at how much they know about other things. Its good to see things done differently from how its always been done for the last 50 years.

Do you still decend in low first with the feet off the pedal in fear of losing control. Let a youngun show how its now done - with better control. ;)

[weeds]

mate with comments like that its probably best you don't join a club

my current club is the second 4wd club i have been involved with. yes i did the mandatory training day with the first club and am attending a training day tomorrow with my current club, i have also done driver training with my previous two jobs......nobody knows everything and i'm sure i will pick up something and maybe pass on a thing or two to a member that has maybe never been offroad

the way i see it is clubs need to set a minimum standard to ensure everybody is at the same level, 4wd skills is only one part of it, the also bring you up to speed on how the club operate on trips, convoy procedure etc. the days are normally free, it does involve 4wding, you get to meet club members, you get to see what skills are within the club, if you go with the right attitude and you have the right skills you can offer your services to help out on training days and pass your wealth of knowledge onto novice drivers. i doubt clubs appoint traininers willie nillie, they are generally experienced in 4wd driving and recovery, they are also very committed club members and they always carry a hanky just incase their nose starts to run.

do your research i'm sure there is a club that will suit your needs:cool:

[bussy1963]

Yeah I agree everybody can learn something.

I think my point was lost during my first thread. every club i have looked at has greeted me with " Oh a new member the fridge is over there put the money in the box". and then they go on to tell you how they got bogged and ripped up a track trying to get out of the situation.

It might seen to be a hospitality thing but when members you see there are knocking back copious amounts of booze the hoping into there vehicles to go home doesn't give you much confidence in there abilities.

but as i said im open to suggestions

[dmdigital]

I would suggest you rethink what you want (or don't want) out of a club before going any further. Like the others have mentioned I find your attitude somewhat disappointing.

I'd also be very surprised if any of us would confess to being even 1/10th as good an off-road driver as you believe yourself to be. My attitude is I can always learn something from someone and maybe even teach them something as well. Age is certainly no barrier either.

On reading your last post though I think you make a much more valid point. I too don't think any club should be irresponsible or encourage off-roading that is destructive in its nature.

[Bytemrk]

Bussy,

Obviously you like Land Rovers.... or you wouldn't be here. Have you taken a look at LROCV ? http://www.lrocv.com.au

Maybe come along to one or two monthly meetings, get a feel for the club. visitors are always welcome.

As you said different people have different needs, so I agree it's important to find a club that suits yours. One advantage of LROCV is that its big... that means a wide variety of activities, from people that want to go hard trips to people that prefer outback touring and everything in between.

Why don't you pop along to the Vic 4wd show at Wandin? http://www.victorian4wdshow.com.au It's run by LROCV so you could find out more about the club there and usually there are other 4wd clubs represented as well.

And you may well catch up with quite a few people from this forum too.

Cheers, Mark

[Shonky]

Not to devalue your skills at all mate, but what's to stop some know it all coming in with an "I know everything, I've been driving since cars were invented etc etc" when their skills aren't up to scratch?

There are plenty of cowboys out there who have taught themselves the wrong thing and have managed to survive doing the wrong thing for years. What about that snatch strap that lets go and kills a fellow club member's "snot nosed kid" thanks to said cowboy?

My point is, you can't apply the benefit of the doubt selectively. Everyone does the same course. Everyone is on the same page. Morons who think they know better and are a danger can be failed and essentially taken out of the equation for trips. People like yourself will have no trouble and can go away with your new mates rest assured that some ignoramus isn't going to put a D-Shackle through your skull...

You are looking at it the wrong way I think. :) Look at it as a trip to show that you do know what you are doing, and to align your modus operandi with that of the other club members.


I am a newer member of Land Rover Owners Club (Sydney) and whilst I am quite comfortable off road thanks to an on and off rural upbringing, I am still attending a club course not only as a requirement, but to expand and refine my skills, see how others work and to HAVE FUN! :D


Your second point is very valid however - that sort of behaviour belongs on South African 4WD TV shows... :angel:


Good luck in whatever you decide. :)
Shonky - a humble snot nosed kid.

[V8Ian]

ILet a youngun show how its now done - with better control. ;)

Head under dash, screaming loudly?:Rolling::Rolling:

[Forest]

I live in Melbourne. I have belonged to the All Wheel Drive Club for quite a while, and have joined Landrover club recently. Been on trips with both, no irresponsibility, good people, good fun, haven't done a course, like to one day.

I can recommend both Clubs

[Rugrat]

I understand the 'concerns' about clubs but as a member of the Pajero Club for over 5 years, having 'played' with LROCV clubbies, i'd suggest you have been visiting the wrong clubs - look at either of them.
Try going on a trip with them or to a meeting - and yes they will all want you to do some driver training but talk to the Trip leaders and generally they will accomodate - hell i'm not tooooo proud to keep learning - after all i'm just a 4x YO spring chicken

[rijidij]

So far i have found that the majority seen to focus on booze and bull****.

All i want is a nice fairly easy going club without the bull**** and all the other stuff like you need to complete a course before you can go a trip stuff. For god sake i have been driving 4x4's for over 25 years


Rugrat......and yes they will all want you to do some driver training but talk to the Trip leaders and generally they will accomodate

As for the "Booze and Bull**** ", in my 14 years as a member of LROCV, I can happily say that I have only ever struck 2 'annoying' drunks on club events. It's deffinately not a 'boozy' club.
You will always get some amount of Bull**** among 600+ members though :D

As for driver training, you will find most trip leaders will gladly welcome new members along, with or without training, as long as you are fully aware of what the trip involves and the leader is aware of your experience. Obviously the leader will be concerned for your wellbeing, and their own, as well as the other participants on the trip.

Murray

[wardy1]

I must admit that I tried LROCV a few years ago and it wasn't for me. I had a fair amount of experience in 4wd too but the day course was ok and yes, I did learn one or two things.

The sheer size of the club meant that trips for 'newbies' were massively over subscribed (25 - 30 trucks on a trip...even spit into 2 it was huge and sloooooowwwww), the more 'specialised trips' which had restricted vehicle numbers were usually full with the same crews all the time and so it was difficult for a new member to get on these trips too. I did let them know my reasons for not renewing my membership and perhaps they've improved things now. I won't be shelling out my hard earned to find out.

Don't know if you've been on an AULRO trip yet but they are great, usually well researched and organised and we've had a ball on every one we've been on.

[barney]

look Bussy1963, i know exactly where you're coming from.
for the first 20 years of my 4wding life i thought the same.
i joined a club because i was running out of places to go near sydney and i needed some ideas on new locations. i chose the sydney LROC because i felt they could be a wealth of knowledge when needed on my early 110 and that they were probably the only club that didn't have manditory driver training requirements.
in the 8 odd years i have been a member, i have met some great people that share many of my interests, and many of these will be my friends for the rest of my life. i got involved in the club, as this is what makes a club, the member involvement. i took a position on the committee about 6 yrs ago because it was vacant and no one was putting their hand up. i am now covering 3 positions on the committee for the same reason, luckily 2 of them are not that demanding.
i eventually did the driver training course with our club and i have to say i didn't pick up anything new that day, but i watched about 9 new drivers learn valuable skills and learn how to use their 4wds. i saw their confidence build and saw them put their new skills into practice.

if you want join a club to sit back and let everyone do everything for you, don't bother! they will never be able to satisfy your needs and you will only be bitter towards them and probably leave.
settling into a club takes time, you have to meet people and find the ones that you get along with. the LROCV has around 800 or 900 members, you are bound to find like minded individuals in there somewhere.

[Redback]

You could always join the Mickey Mouse Club, they may be what your after:p

Baz.

[bussy1963]

Redback by that comment i take it you must be the president of the club.

BTW are you a member of a 4x4 club

[Sly]

Hmmm clubs, kinda like church/religion. Always some one there to tell you what to do.;)

[clean32]

on the topic of clubs, any family typeclubs in SA ?

[Disco300Tdi]

Hmmm clubs, kinda like church/religion. Always some one there to tell you what to do.;)

You may need to do a trip with the General, or as Wardy said, Try a trip with the Melbourne AULRO guys

[rick130]

"I would not join any club that would have someone like me for a member."

Groucho Marx. :D

[barney]

as tracks get closed up and access is limited, the clubs, as part of their state association and national association, are granted access to more places under M.O.U.'s and such. on top of that, the associations are working on behalf of all 4wd's against government legislation that may affect us, financially and the way we can drive or modify our cars.

[Redback]

Hello

Can anybody tell m e the advantages of being a member of a 4x4 club.

I have been to a few different clubs looking for which one suits my needs.

So far i have found that the majority seen to focus on booze and bull****.

All i want is a nice fairly easy going club without the bull**** and all the other stuff like you need to complete a course before you can go a trip stuff. For god sake i have been driving 4x4's for over 25 years These include heavy 4x4 vehicles 38 seat passenger coaches, fire trucks dozers.

Cant seen what some snotty nosed kid could teach me. Like most of us here we have chosen to forget more than the kid could teach.

Im open to suggestions


Redback by that comment i take it you must be the president of the club.

BTW are you a member of a 4x4 club

Yes I am a member of a club, 2 actually and while I won't try to get you to join a club I can say this, there are good and bad things about clubs and the boose and bull**** is one of them AND IT IS in all clubs, BUT in the right group it's not a problem, the typical boys weekend are not for me, I much prefer a family group trip, yes there is alcohol and bull**** but IN a much more sedate atmosphere.

As for someone younger (snotty nosed kid) than you trying to tell you something new, there are a lot of younger people in clubs that will know a lot more than you in a lot of things, disregarding the information that younger members of a club just because you think you know more seems a bit unfair.

Give a club a chance at least, if you want too join one, you never know you just might make some good friends AND learn something new along the way, that person that told you the beer fridge is over there, just might be a good bloke who doesn't drink very much at all and leads some very good and enjoyable family trips.

Most clubs want you to do a 4WD course for reasons of attitude, insurance and your ability, look at it from their view, you may have never been offroad they don't know that you have been driving 4WDs and heavy vehicles for 25years, you could be lying, also having 25years of driving experience doesn't automatically make you a good driver, I was a heavy vehicle driving instructor in my 30years of driving heavy vehicles and I would not hesitate in doing a 4WD course if my club ask me too, I found in my instructing days a lot of experience drivers who were not good drivers at all, there are heaps things that you and I think I could learn still, I don't know everything and I suspect neither do you, about driving a 4WD and probably never will, there will be something that we have forgotten or have never been shown.

Just my 2 cents;)

Baz.

[Bytemrk]

Hmmm clubs, kinda like church/religion. Always some one there to tell you what to do.;)


That's exactly why it makes sense to check out a few if you are thinking about it... and only get involved in one that fits what you want.

It's simple.... if you feel like your "being told what to do"... don't join..


Personally I enjoy the activities I get time to do with LROCV and so do my family.

But clubs are certainly not for everyone. Its not much different from most things in life... do some research, if you find what you want get it.. if you don't .. move on.

Cheers
Mark