porl replied:

Going on everywhere. I live in brissy and tonight on the news was the story of Inskip Point and Rainbow Beach being overrun over chrissy with novice 4WD'ers and not so novice 4WD morons and there was a huge fight which started in one camp (so the story said) and spread, a few hospistalised, and the beach is a highway etc etc and now talk of government closing down half the campsites or restricting to 50% or whatever. I was up at Inskip two years ago at Easter and no i am not going back during school holidays.

last time i went to rainbow beach i couldn't get back onto the road from my preferred cutting cause an ancient subaru sedan with 4 adults in it and fully inlfated tyres funny enough got bogged. No shackles no snatch strap just blocking up the cutting until they were rescued - and no, they didn't want to get dragged back to the road they only wanted to get onto the beach so i presume they intended to do the same thing in reverse when they wanted to get back on to the road.

I admit i was the one to help them but next time i reckon i'd look and think twice.

I can only empathise, i have no political solution at the moment.

Ron173 replied:

I agree totally,

Just a reflection on the society we live in today.....

Theres always a few idiots who totally ruin it for the majority who are respectful of our enjoyment of the land.

Today I pulled a bloke out who bogged his hyundai launching his boat, he did thank me, but then progressed to fill this TINY tinnie with a 5hp engine with 3 Large adults and 3 not so small kids, and about a dozen rods!!

I just left quietly, with wife shaking her head agreeingly, knowing what I was thinking.

Rgds

Ron

HJ60-2H replied:

We were up on Fraser last school holidays and was with another experienced sand driver. We made a rule about helping others before we left. We would help if they were in imminent danger or were prepared and had their own recovery gear already set up, or they were backpackers and at least half of them had bikini tops on. Funnily enough we helped out 3 vehicles that met each of the criteria. The best one was the Rav 4 with his own recovery gear all set up and he very pilotly asked for help. It was a pleasure to help him, nice guy.

Nowadays if you stop to help everyone that needs it you spend your day going no where especially at the popular spots.

Exploder replied:

Yes I was Just down that way over New Year’s and it was Busy.

Didn’t get a chance to go 4Wding as on the Sunday lunchtime (After we had all recovered) when were about to go out the 4WD system started Flashing Error codes at me as we were heading out and it refused to lock into Hi or low range, Bummer. Sorted it out today thankfully, just a dirty Electrical connection on the T/Case shift motor.

2 of the guy’s I know did head out to one location they had a Metallic Blue Jeep Wrangler and a White Hi-lux Surf.

Billowaggi replied:

I give the whole coastal strip [W.A.]a big miss this time of year and head into the bush, only 20 k's from the holiday ratrace and I can drive for an hour on the bush tracks and not see a soul. Coastal tracks around Margaret River at this time of year you stand a good chance of being cleaned up by someone driving the way their vehicle was advertised on the TV.
Regards Ken.

Pattio replied:

Was on Stocton last wed-28th. I went to help the 1st stuck 4B we got to. A LC 100
bogged almost side by side with his mate, completly blocking the track. He was airing down at this point and just needed a little digging to get going. Talked to him about clearing around his wheels and then driving out. As I was digging he jumped in the 4B with the windows up and AC going full bore and took of in 1st low, running over the shovel blade. The handle almost smacked me in the face, and all he managed to do is grind forward a few metres as he dug himself in deeper. He did manage to leave a space to get through which I took advantage of. I drove past another 5-6 stuck vehicles on the track as I was feeling ticked of with his stupidity. I don't mind helping and giving a bit of advice so people enjoy and learn, but I would have spent half the day acting as a free recovery an training service. Better things to do with my time. Over there again yesterday and one of my biggest concerns was very apparent. The large amount of rubbish some people discard. There were a number of camp sites where people had left piles of rubbish in the dunes, one were they had just driven out of the camp site even leaving empty bottles sitting on a camp table. This sort of disregard for such a special place only gives the authorities more reason to prevent us from access. I wish some were not so disrespectful of such a wounderful place. Regards Chris