Time for a new hobby?

[billbloke]

As some of you know, i've been having a few issues with the immobilizer on my Disco.
All good now.
So I dropped it in for its MOT. Apart from the usual lights and rust issues, it's a Land Rover which has suffered it's share of abuse, so I was expecting some of that.
What I wasn't prepared for was the conversation that followed.
I should say that the MOT testing station is owned by a friend so the chat was frank and honest.

Basically, he was suggesting that he wasn't happy about passing my truck through it's mot with all of the mods.
Apart from the sharp edges showing as a result of the lift, he went on to say that the ministry, vosa, dsv or whatever they call themselves now, have just issued new guidelines and they don't like the fact that so much tyre is showing as a result of the lift.

These are just a coupe of items which he told me about. There seems to be an effort to get modified vehicles off the road.
On the positive, he has said that he will read the document further and try to interpret a way of justifying a pass but to be fair, in his shoes, I wouldn't risk losing my license to carry out mot inspections.

This begs the question, do i bother with a modified 4x4? Would i get the same level of fun from a standard truck?

I have many other hobbies so I would fill my spare time, however, I do enjoy these days out so would miss them.

Also, no one seems to be using this site much now so that also adds to the consideration. It sounds a bit lame but without the members for company, this hobby would get boring.

[forward_gear]

Hi Bill,

Sorry to hear about your MOT woes.

That sounds unreasonable to me but then again I am not an MOT tester. I have a body lift but took the massive tyres off and put back standard so I would have thought I would have had the same issue. Is it really the sharp bits he is more concerned with?

I looked at the MOT Manual on the .gov website https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/ ... class3457/ and am unable to find anything specific apart from if the body has an unsafe modification but that sounds subjective to me.

[forward_gear]

Would you get the same amount of fun from an unmodified truck?

My answer to that is: quite likely yes. An unmodified vehicle is going to do pretty much the same stuff as a modified one. The fun is the challenge. I know you are know stranger to a challenge Bill trying to go through obstacles that nobody else was prepared to try. The thing is your modified truck did not succeed very well at those, so it might as well as been unmodified and you could have done the same, still got stuck and still had the same amount of fun

[billbloke]

Sometimes it needs someone to point out the obvious.
Thanks for that Brian. Guess I was just feeling sorry for myself.
Must say though, never realised that the mot guidelines where available to view. Might take a scan at that.

[mudmagnet]

I am having the same thoughts bill
Forum dead no one going out much maybe time to sell up and start knitting classes
I don't get off road very much now and the club was great for the events that were organised which used to encourage me to get out off road more
Still times move on

[ratrace]

got to admit i don't off road in the uk at all now, the Landrover has been moove to Bulgaria where i can fun now

The Land C is being left as is and i will use that in Spain/Portugal most of the time

Again i think this forum is going slowly like many others its on its last leggs

Pity i learn a lot here

[Cannon_Ball]

HI Guys,

I have had about a year off since I sold my truck, just bought a new one and came back onto the site to say Hi and see who is still about and wow,

Insert image of a tumbleweed

i didn't think this club would be as quiet as it is!

in regards to the MOTs, there are always new rules coming out, in the lowered car scene (rather than our raised scene) there are always things coming in about stretched tyres and what is safe and unsafe, at the end of the day the laws state that its down to the individual tester,

obviously serious No No's like sharp edges etc can be an issue, but things such as Tyres could be swapped for the MOT, (or not... ) and then put 'back on' after the test, there is no picture to say the truck was modified when it was tested, so there are always loopholes

Either way, it looks like there are 3 events going on on the 25th November around our areas! so hopefully bump into you guys then!

[Cannon_Ball]

HI Guys,

I have had about a year off since I sold my truck, just bought a new one and came back onto the site to say Hi and see who is still about and wow,

Insert image of a tumbleweed

i didn't think this club would be as quiet as it is!

in regards to the MOTs, there are always new rules coming out, in the lowered car scene (rather than our raised scene) there are always things coming in about stretched tyres and what is safe and unsafe, at the end of the day the laws state that its down to the individual tester,

obviously serious No No's like sharp edges etc can be an issue, but things such as Tyres could be swapped for the MOT, (or not... ) and then put 'back on' after the test, there is no picture to say the truck was modified when it was tested, so there are always loopholes

Either way, it looks like there are 3 events going on on the 25th November around our areas! so hopefully bump into you guys then!

[Arnie De Beer]

Unfortunately the lack of organised events by the club is a reaction to the lack of paying customers on the last few events. Numbers at our events had been dropping for awhile and the last couple of events we organised we lost money on, something the club couldn’t afford to do. The last laning day we organised had a hand full of people signed up, as the event got nearer they started pulling out. On the day we were left with myself and one other leader so we went on our own and had a great day in the snow. I’m still keen to go laning so in the next couple of weeks I’m hoping to get a route organised, I’ll post it here and anybody who wants to come is welcome

[ratrace]

the problem is this club was always base around the south of england , where now days sites are uk base or EU base and some are world wide base.

For a local site to the south its good

[clarkey]

bill bloke I remember your face on your first day near punch bowl in ya shinny new d-max that was a great day I think just good meet ups free lanes are great days memories last forever or until we hit dementor

[clarkey]

disco 3 transformer offroader the way to

[Country_Est]

Also a lot of the original leaders have also moved area or changed areas of operations. Ie moved to overlanding or given up. I am now residing in Durham so am looking to get back into green lanning up here. But am willing to come back for the 2 day Dorset trip that Timberjohn was looking to run next year. Also am unaware of any leader action in the "Team Area" as no longer have access there.

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[billbloke]

bill bloke I remember your face on your first day near punch bowl in ya shinny new d-max that was a great day I think just good meet ups free lanes are great days memories last forever or until we hit dementor

To be fair, this is very true. These days out with the banter and camaraderie are great memories.
And they do depend on a lot of time and work by the leaders to make them happen.
Maybe as a club we should be thinking In terms of using the site as a hub to arrange more casual meets, which do not require such commitment by any one person.

[Cannon_Ball]

I do agree...
I bought my first proper 4x4 off Ninja on here - and came with a friend to the RTV event in Petersfield area/West Meon and was instantly suckered in, that must have been a solid 7 years ago now, and I myself dip in and out of having a winter 4x4 as a toy

its always great to see faces and meet peeps, I'm not even that bothered about the play days would happily just go around a few lanes and then maybe a beverage after - cheap day out with just time and fuel

either way, if anyone is around the Portsmouth area I am always in for a cheeky lane! I havent even taken my Disco out properly since i bought it... heartbreaking!!!!!!!!