Obstaclly Challenged Alternate Route

Like I have said on this subject in other posts, I think it's political correctness gone mad and really not worth getting into a ****ing contest over to be quite honest.

As Outlaw said, we just got back from a club trip and the term was used quite reguarly without anyone getting offended or having a whinge about it. I look at it this way, the 'chicken' track at times can be the 'common sense' track whereas the harder option is the 'bloody mad' option (of which 90% of the time I take :D:D:D).

Trav

At this point, it's 99 not out.

Interesting

Well it’s obvious, the poll speaks for itself.

The overall out come of this poll and the posts on other sites shows overwhelmingly that the 4x4 fraternity are not going to accept any political correctness crap.

Nice to see, cheers.

its funny really i usually never post - i enjoy being a voyeur on this and many other sites

in my travels i have come across this exact same topic from drivesafe
on Overlander
on 4wd Monthly
on Disco3

Now i'm not offended by the term if used correctly... but if some yobbos tried using it in a derogatory way then i'd be stupid to not be offended. And if i had a passenger with me who was not aware of the term then i'm sure they'd read more into it...

These views have been expressed by a few on some of the other threads running also... one guy has said they have banned the term in their club in sydney because a visitor was offended.

I think you are being a bit too smug for your own good drivesafe - it is not a matter of are you offended or not - The original question for an accurate unbiased view should have been "Do you feel that those new to the 4wd scene could be offended by the term 'chicken track'?"

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Originally Posted by Miss Behaving

The original question for an accurate unbiased view should have been "Do you feel that those new to the 4wd scene could be offended by the term 'chicken track'?"

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Sorry Miss, feel a rant coming on...

Actually, your question adds bias. You are in fact asking respondents to second guess the feelings and interpretations of people who they may or may not have met. In that case there is insufficient evidence for any reasonable person to offer an unbiased or objective view. Given that, the person is then likely to opt for how they personally would respond (subjectively nuanced), but that probably wouldn't satisfy so the person would then ere on the side of safety - in other words, our subjectively oriented person is likely to say; "Well I don't really know, so to be safe let's ban it. Just in case".

In any case. We are not in the business of attracting new people to 4WD as a first principle. That may be the case as a second, third or beyond. The first principle, for me anyway, is to find enjoyment by getting to places that are out of the way by driving my trusty George.

And, it is not my responsibility how someone else chooses to feel about or respond to the use of slang terms. Frankly, if someone gets their feelings hurt because someone suggests they might be something less than what they think they are then perhaps they ought to suck it up. On the other hand, if someone who ought to know better uses the term in a way that is intended to put someone down who may not know any better, and they are on a club run, then it is up to the disciplinary committee to teach that person a lesson. Perhaps they could be made to teach new members about track maintenance and driver responsibility.

Now, where's the paper... :angel:

Hi disco2hse, glad you got up earlier than me this morning as I don’t think I could have put it better.

Miss Behaving, it’s your type of response that is offensive. You pointed out how I have posted this elsewhere, which is fine but you, like myself have only found one objection but instead of being UNBIASED and stating that out of, collectively, just over 200 replies, because 3, actually no it’s only 2, find it offensive.

I state 2 because even the one you are referring to stated that the club did NOT find the term offensive but JUST IN CASE others did they wouldn’t use the term.

The story behind my question, a story that seem to change each time it’s told to me, was about someone stating that there female passenger was supposedly offended by the use of the term NOT that the term had been used offensively.

If this is the case then it was the responsibility of the driver to explain what the term meant, rather than the driver using the misunderstanding as an excuse to try to make out a PC injustice had been committed.

I for one,if I heard the use of this or any other term or phrase deliberately used as an insult, would not report to a disciplinary committee, I and I think most 4x4 users would instantly fly up the basted who tried to put someone else down.

This is a BLOKE sport, open to all genders but nun the less, still a bloke sport and as such there are terms that are totally acceptable to use while participating in this sport and those that regularly participate or are just visiting have to accept the ways of this sport but if they can’t accept it’s way then perhaps they need to look for some other means of recreation. They tell me needle craft is good.

Cheers

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Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi disco2hse, glad you got up earlier than me this morning as I don’t think I could have put it better.

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Ya'll welcome.

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Originally Posted by drivesafe

They tell me needle craft is good.

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While they're at it, I need some new seat covers, and a fluffy steering wheel cover would be nice, and maybe some doilies for the spare:D:D:D

My 2 cents worth.

I'm a newbie to 4WDing and LR having only had the D3 for 6 months. I joined the GCLRO and this forum for two reasons: to educate myself and learn, and to meet people with a common interest.

Now, work-wise I'm a manager and am used to telling people what to do, hiring, firing, all that. As a rule I do not like being told what to do.

BUT I joined the forum and the club to learn. So as an amateur if someone tells me I should take the chicken run or has a laugh at my expense because I took it because I don't want to scratch my new 65k car, I will not and should not be offended.

Apart from that, I agree with the comments re political correctness gone too far. A big part of the Australian ethos (if that's the right word) is being able to laugh at yourself, whether it be your looks, mannerisms, religion, whatever. If you get easily offended then that's your problem.

Anyway, rant done, off to work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by drivesafe

This is a BLOKE sport, open to all genders but nun the less, still a bloke sport and as such there are terms that are totally acceptable to use while participating in this sport and those that regularly participate or are just visiting have to accept the ways of this sport but if they can’t accept it’s way then perhaps they need to look for some other means of recreation. They tell me needle craft is good.

Cheers

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this sort of statement is bordering on being sexist and IS demeaning imho...

i suggest we get back to playing the ball not the person.

now where is it written in mud that only men can drive a 4wd? just because it can take balls doesn't mean you must possess testicles.

i fully agree that visitors from outside an activity who are offended by some of the terminology used in the activity should take the time to get a proper feel for the activity before attacking it.

that is just common decency and showing a little respect for others opinions, and for my money that is what is sadly lacking in some of the statements made in this little chest beating / baring exercise.

robust discussion can occur without resorting to personalities, it just takes a little respect and a little forethought.... dam there is that word respect again...

Hi WhiteD3, if I heard someone direct you to the Chicken track and then laugh because you used it, I WOULD find that offensive.

I’ve been driving 4x4s for 10 years now but up until about 2 years ago, most of my “off roading” could have been done in a 2x4 work ute.

About 2 maybe 2 and 1/2 years ago I was invited, via the web site, to join a few local AULRO members in an afternoons off roading at Ormeau and jumped at the opportunity while at the same time posting that I had no real off road experience.

The invite was still open.

Once at the quarry, they introduced themselves, as with any trip like this it was great to put facs to names.

Off we went and after a few runs at fairly easy track we came to a truly extreme run and, as I had made it clear that I was totally inexperienced with REAL off roading, without out even being asked too, Camo pointed at another track running up and around the extreme leg and said that was the chicken track.

To my knowledge he neither meant it as an offensive statement and I didn’t take it that way, even though I had never heard the term before.

But I instantly know what he meant and I was actually quite pleased that these guys, who I hardly knew, were looking after me as a newbie.

This whole issue of the term being politically correct or not has been a bit of an eye opener for me. I posted the question elsewhere so as not to risk rocking the boat here but once I saw the responses on the other sites I decided to run a poll here.

Before running the poll I run the question of a poll on this subject, by one of the moderators ( and no it wasn't Inc ), to see what he thought and his reply was ”It’s an open forum but if you post it, sit back and be prepared”

Well I’m surprised at the results and I think the moderator might be too.

Quite simply put, this form of political correctness and the censorship of it, obviously has no place in the 4x4 community and good to see.

Cheers and thanks for all the replies.