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Ok, to save alot of time, I'm replying to 3 in one here, so bear with me if
its a bit long.
First:
>From: Lauhe@aol.com
>Subject: Re: [MV] Car Crushing: Bad Idea?
> Excuse me for asking, but I am cranky today, and out of sorts, and tired of
> everyone thinking everyone needs to DO something............Why do you feel
> the need to put on any sort of exhibition for anyone?
Amen.
The first thing we have to remember, that unlike the (maybe not so) average
Big Joe, who owns a old chevy with 10 inches of lift and 44 inch tyres, and
enjoys crushing cars and stuff and destroying property (even if its his
place to destroy) wo show off the capibilities of his vehicle, just the pure
fact that the vehicles (toys) that we love to own, restore, and operate, are
machines of war. What we need, and what was pointed out was that we need to
associate these vehicles with GOOD press and show the world out there that
people who own tanks, 6x6's and the little mutt, that they arent the object
to be afrid of, but rather, a piece of history, something to be proud of, to
collect, to restore and to use.
Perhaps 99% of the people out there that own Military vehicles have them
for 3 reasons.
First, Theres the (good) facination or awe of these vehicles, what they
were used for, how they work, maybe you or your parents drove one in the
military.
Second, theres the people who restore them, so that generations in the
future can still see working examples of them, The people who lovingly give
time effort and money into their hobby.
And then theres the third group, of which i'm a member of, The people who
use them for what they are designed for (no, not war, dont get that idea).
They put these vehicles thru things that some civilian vehicles cannot do,
wheather it using a 5 ton or a duce-and-a-half for hauling large loads, or a
mutt or a 6x6 to go off-roading and exploring, or a CUCV or a humvee for
farm work, search and rescue or whatnot, because these vehicles give their
all every day, and are dependable for what they are used for.
The members of that list make up this 99% of the owners out there, and
i'm glad to be associated with them.
Unfortuntly, theres also that 1% that uses these vehicles for another
purpose. The milita member, who owns armoured vehicles for whatever his
plans may include, the crazed man who steals a tank for a armoury for a
crazed drive around town, etc.
These are the images that are burned into the minds of the public, these
people are the ones who do irrepairable damage to our hobby...
Which brings me to the next point:
----------
>From: "JOHN SEIDTS" <john@astory.com>
>Subject: Re: [MV] Stolen Tank- think a little bit more
> I cannot stress enough that you need to get out there with your vehicle and
> build positive public image. If there is just one photograph of an M37
> rescuing a child from a flood, or driving dialysis patients to their
> treatments during a snowstorm, it is worth so much to the public image of
> our hobby. Otherwise we risk letting somebody else, like the unfortunate
> fellow in the M60, build it for us.
----------
>From: James Burrill <jburrill@dttus.com>
>Subject: [MV] Re[2]: [MV] Mil-Veh collection bad?
> Anyway. I think we really need to make our HMVs more visible on a day
> to day basis with good press. Parades are nice, MV flee markets
> attract other vehicle buffs, but we need to be seen in a friendly
> light in other areas. When has your club contacted the local Scout
> Council and offered to sponsor a trail ride and water way clean up?
EXACTLY! Thats what we need to do, we need to let the public see this hobby
in a good light.
However, we also need to do it responsably. Build up a good rapport in your
community, Easier to do in small rural areas then in the urban jungles, but
still. Use your vehicle to help collect food on a food drive, have your club
hold a "Military Vehlcle Show", where you let the people see you, as a
person who is committed to collecting these vehcles in a good light.
>From: James Burrill <jburrill@dttus.com>
>Subject: [MV] Re[2]: [MV] Mil-Veh collection bad?
> Lot of good press there. And yes, it is great to volunteer to help in
> a snow storm, but has the whole club made the contact before the snow
> hits? Showing up in the middle of a storm unannounced may be a
> distraction to the police rather than a help....they don't know what
> you can really do and may be afraid that you are a fruit.
>
> How about your club contacting the agencies that have these home bound
> people like the given Kidney example before the weather gets bad and
> work out your protocol. Then get the local paper to run a story.
VERY important point there, you want to let people know what to expect
before hand.
Maybe you want to call the search and rescue office, to extend them a open
invitation of use of you and your vehicle in a emergancy, but be willing to
take no as an answer, or express your intrest in joinging their team, and
being trained, as they may require you to do.
Let the local athorities know what you have, and what you can do for it, and
be open to being contacted if they need help.
I'm looking at it fromt he other side, as a search team manager, I would
rather turn down a offer for something that we could use, like use of a m37
on a search, because of the unkknown variable of what the vehicle and the
driver's unpreparedness to the event are.
I've been there, done that. I had to say no to some help that we really
could have used, because while the driver was familer with his vehicle
(thank God) did not know the area, and did not/ would not become familier
with our protacols.
Thank you for reading what amounts to at least a few bucks worth of 2¢
opinion.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Feb 21 2000 - 18:15:03 PST