Future of offroading in the UK

[Dave W]

Since we started our club we've had only one proposal to change the rules regarding eligibility and that was originally to do with tyre patterns and that was expanded during the proposal process to include tyre sizes. A number of us had been competing in Ireland for a number of years and noticed that the use of 35 inch Simex and similar, often larger, tyres was making it impossible for anyone without that size of tyres to move around the sites. even the marshals for the competition were using 35 inch Simex so when we turned up for the second year on 32 inch tyres we were pretty much stuffed as most of the tracks were impassable.

We'd also seen similar effects on one of the UK sites we were using at the time which was being overused for pay and play between our annual trial there. Despite the land owners best efforts to keep plowing up and levelling the ruts that were being caused we were struggling to get vehicles around the site and didn't want to get involved in an "arms race" of tyre sizes.

In the end, when the proposal went to the AGM, it was discussed at length and a unanimous decision led to the proposal being dropped for a number of reasons although it was decided that we should monitor all the sites we still use and reconsider if our use of them is not sustainable in the long term due to either over aggressive tyres or large tyres. As has already been mentioned here, the trials competitions in particular tend to penalise large tyres anyway and none of the sites we now use have pay and play on them so currently none of the sites we use have seen any deterioration.

I strongly believe that, government interference aside, for the uk off road scene to continue all users and organisers need to consider the impact they are having on the land and what they can do to help the land owner manage the land and keep the sport sustainable.

[sean f]

Don't get me wrong IF this new class is interpreted as you describe then it has promise, but as with politics and laws, the devil is in the details.

The reference to production vehicles was an assumption there needs to be some sort of reference as to what a land rover actually looks like and how similar it needs to be.

When I tried RTV a couple of times in the mid 90's I was initially turned away in the S1 due to no door tops and no seat belts, seat belts does make sense so no complaint there. I did a couple with traditional leaf springs driving to the site with the door tops and seat belt in the back, fitting them to compete then removing them for the drive home. After fitting the parabolics I wasn't allowed to take part (they were spotted by someone who complained halfway though an event). The events were highly competetive so rules were pushed by a lot and enforced in a patchy way, at least a third of the field were CCV motors which had been road registered and were trailered to and from events. I tried again in the 90 but the bumper was a tubular one so I was not allowed, it was full width (I checked!) but sat a couple of inches above the dumb irons so was declared not allowed. I did point out that a lot of the other vehicles had "standard" bumpers that were bent to a degree they where higher than mine and some had tacked on ends that were quite obviously designed to bend out of the way or fall off as soon as the event started but this was allowed as "damaged". By this time the events had also go to the point they were laid out for the CCV motors so sometimes if you weren't willing to take damage (dents and scratches) it was difficult to even get to the start gates sometimes, and there was a serious risk of a roll over on some parts (it wasn't unusual for someone going out to win to roll at some point). All I wanted was a fun day out and to play off road in a place with others to help if it didn't go well, I stopped going and now just drive green lanes of which there is fortunately plenty round here.

With the new class if the rules aren't clear people WILL push them and when things get competative people will start quoting rules and arguing about was is and isn't allowed and at times things can get nasty, been there, seen it, walked away. If tray backs are allowed then someone will push to full space frame and so on, until you get something that doesn't look anything like a standard land rover but does bear a passing resembalance to a comp safari motor if you squint through foggy glasses, there has to be a line somewhere and its where that is that needs to be defined, the clearer theses line are the better for all. Laying out a course that works for a full space frame with 35" tyres, rapid hydro steer, no front or rear over hangs etc but still even possible for a near standard series which fails standard class due to a tubular winch bumper will be a challenge!, particularly after several vehicles with bigger tyres have dug it out a bit first.

[Chicken Drumstick]

It sounds like you have been very unlucky in the past with wanting to compete. And sadly The ARC/ALRC has had more than its share or very anal officials and event organisers. Maybe there is a different local club you could join these days though, or maybe those/that person who caused the trouble for you, is no longer active in the club.

 

I agree the reg will need clarifying in time and I don't really agree with the current wording. But it is at least some progress. If it hadn't been this, it would have been nothing at all. So while it's far from perfect, at least it was progress.

As for what sorts of vehicles look like Land Rover's. Well if clubs start finding 10-20% of their members are in tray backs, I can't see any club really wanting to turn members away. If however only 1-2% turn up, then I can see such things being not allowed at some point in the future, so as not to upset the existing members. But this is all speculation on my part. And only time will tell.

 

I think there consensus however, that as the ALRC is still a one make club for Land Rovers, the preference would be to not encourage things like this:

Even if it is built of out LR parts.

 

But something like this does still look like a Land Rover and should be fully allowed to enter:

 

And IMO vehicles that look like this should also be accepted as they clearly look like a Land Rover still. And they will be welcome at our club, as there is nothing in the regs to prevent them now.