(non) off-road shaming - why?

[whiterubicon]

Too many people worry about what other people think and what they have. I live in Knoxville, TN and you cannot leave the house without getting run over by a Jeep. Around Christmas last year I was in a grocery store parking lot and I passed a white (and I mean all white - bumpers, handles, wheels - everything) Jeep. Must have had 28 inch wheels and low profile tires. Really not my style at all. But, I waved. The girl driving followed me to my spot, got out and thanked me. She said she waves at so many Jeeps but nobody waves back. To see how happy she was really made me realize, who gives a crap what I think about what someone does or doesn't do with their Jeep - they bought it, should make them happy.

Sponsored

 

[Jjirish]

Medians are hard. Did you work up to them with parking space curbs? That’s how I started my offroad journey.

First it was high incline driveways... then curbs. I stayed on curbs for a while, being a girl in a mans jeep world and all. Once I got up the nerve to attempt a median- i did so with my new found curb confidence.... now there's no going back. Its median mayhem. Blocked turning lane? No problem! Need to pop a uturn??? Bump-de-bump it is!

 

[Jjirish]

Some people have the need to belittle others to make themselves feel better. I say ignore them and do what makes you happy. Its funny we all say 90 something percent of jeep owners dont do serious off-roading. That means a lot of us on here are serious mall crawlers!

When called a mall crawler just own it!

Or display it.

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

 

[Blazing Saddles]

I think the mall crawling crowd needs to get more serious. Hear me out: Mall Overlanding!

Get a RTT, go to large parking decks all over the world and take pictures of the skyline and camp out on the roof. Go into 4 low and crawl around parking lots during busy times and then youtube the fights you'll inevitably cause. They could do rock crawling from pot holes in the city streets!

 

[Dkretden]

First it was high incline driveways... then curbs. I stayed on curbs for a while, being a girl in a mans jeep world and all. Once I got up the nerve to attempt a median- i did so with my new found curb confidence.... now there's no going back. Its median mayhem. Blocked turning lane? No problem! Need to pop a uturn??? Bump-de-bump it is!

I got a sneaky feeling that this “girl in a man’s jeep world” is a bunch of crap…… let’s face it, I got a feeling that in a bar fight, most people would bet on you after you throw the first cross to the chin. LOL.

I’m also betting that you go mudding every weekend in Florida.

I think the mall crawling crowd needs to get more serious. Hear me out: Mall Overlanding!

Get a RTT, go to large parking decks all over the world and take pictures of the skyline and camp out on the roof. Go into 4 low and crawl around parking lots during busy times and then youtube the fights you'll inevitably cause. They could do rock crawling from pot holes in the city streets!

shoot. This actually sounds fun. As long as there is an air conditioned “comfort station” in the garage. I would do it.

 

[acomputernerd]

Its one of the cool things that make this a fun method of transportation. It can be customized to what ever you want it to look like. Then you are able to do what ever you want to do with it. Can't say that about other vehicles. Shame on anyone shaming, that's the kind of thing should stay on facebook.

 

[aldo98229]

I am old enough to have seen society move in waves, from one fad to the next.

Decades ago were Personal Luxury Coupes; then everyone wanted to own a "luxury" Oldsmobile or Buick midsize sedan. Then came the minivans; no one could get enough of them; then midsize FWD sedans. Then the SUV craze started.

Over the past decade, the market has undergone a major shift away from cars and sedans towards CUVs, SUVs and pickup trucks.

Now everything has to show that we are adventurous: Subaru is slapping cladding and orange accents onto everything on its lineup to look butch; Ford just added red tow hooks to the new Explorer "Timberline." Heck even Honda jumped on the bandwagon with a new Passport with more cladding, black wheels and orange stitching.

No doubt Jeep is riding this wave. Jeep has always been known as the adventure brand. But like all fads, this one will die too, and many will move on from Jeeps --and from this forum-- onto the next bright shiny thing.

 

[Dkretden]

I am old enough to have seen society move in waves, from one fad to the next.

Decades ago were Personal Luxury Coupes; then everyone wanted to own a "luxury" Oldsmobile or Buick midsize sedan. Then came the minivans; no one could get enough of them; then midsize FWD sedans. Then the SUV craze started.

Over the past decade, the market has undergone a major shift away from cars and sedans towards CUVs, SUVs and pickup trucks.

Now everything has to show that we are adventurous: Subaru is slapping cladding and orange accents onto everything on its lineup to look butch; Ford just added red tow hooks to the new Explorer "Timberline." Heck even Honda jumped on the bandwagon with a new Passport with more cladding, black wheels and orange stitching.

No doubt Jeep is riding this wave. Jeep has always been known as the adventure brand. But like all fads, this one will die too, and many will move on from Jeeps --and from this forum-- onto the next bright shiny thing.

I’m joining the goat yoga forum.

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

Maybe jealousy sometimes plays a role.

At times, a new, but financially comfortable enthusiast to an endeavor goes out and buys the gear that the diehard loyalist with miles and years under their belt struggles to afford.

It doesn't justify the criticism, but it can be a hard pill to swallow to see someone get out of a fully customized off road Wrangler who never takes it beyond a parking lot--much as it is a person's right to outfit their Wrangler as they see fit even if they'll never use such options beyond mere "show."

I think they call that place SEMA.

 

[Fsttanks]

The subject line says it all.

It is completely true and I see it mostly in the late 30 to early 40 something crowd when speaking with them. It seems they equate the more built up ones Jeep is the more their knowledge and experience (more like covering for lack of experience). I have been off roading for almost 40 years and have owned several Jeep’s, I no longer need to over build my Jeeps (haven’t for years now) to compensate for less driving experience and hence I am told almost every time I am out on the trails these days “oh you look like you’re new to this, you shouldn’t be on this trail” (which always puts a grin on my face) a statement based solely on the appearance of my Jeep.

They quickly learn that an experienced driver and a lightly modified Jeep (basic 2” puck lift & 35” tires) can easily keep up with their expensive built up Jeep while making it look easy.

Point is never judge a book by its cover. We all have different needs for our Jeep’s. Some like to off road them hard, some just easy scenic trails, some for getting through bad weather and some just because they have more character then a Tesla or Honda.

You be you and don’t waist any emotional energy on worrying about what other think of YOUR JEEP. After all they are not making the payments.

Here is my simple 2021 that for me gets the job done.

 

[MRH512]

Fair point, re: feeling justifiably insulted over an unnecessary slight.

Some years ago, during the daily commute, I rode over a median on my street motorcycle in order to avoid an intersection that was dangerously clogged.

And of course I clocked an LEO in my rearview just as I crossed over to the other lane. Either he took no interest in my maneuver, or there was too much traffic between him and the motorcyclist who was surely on the throttle already. Ahem.

I had a slightly different LEO experience. I had to climb up on a large median at an intersection to get out of the way so a LEO with lights & sires blazing could get through. No other cars at the intersection were capable of it so I got intentional eye contact a nod of appreciation from the cop as he drove by.

 

[Dkretden]

Maybe jealousy sometimes plays a role.

At times, a new, but financially comfortable enthusiast to an endeavor goes out and buys the gear that the diehard loyalist with miles and years under their belt struggles to afford.

It doesn't justify the criticism, but it can be a hard pill to swallow to see someone get out of a fully customized off road Wrangler who never takes it beyond a parking lot--much as it is a person's right to outfit their Wrangler as they see fit even if they'll never use such options beyond mere "show."

You may be correct. But, I think that if people get jealous over another person’s chosen vehicle then they should stop modding immediately and direct the savings to pay a trained psychologist.

 

[FinnCustomKnives]

When it comes down to it, it's because everyone has an opinion wether one likes it or not. I can totally get not understanding someone wanting to DD a wrangler and never take it offroad. On road, it's mannerisms are about as bad as it gets with a new vehicle. Hell I guess I kind of fall in that category. I bought a rubicon to beat the hell out of it offroad and as a secondary DD for the family. If I was solely DD'ing it, we may not be in a Wrangler honestly.

However if thats what you want to do with your vehicle, do it. Who cares what someone else thinks about it?! When I see 22's with 33's on a wrangler that clearly has never seen dirt I cringe, whereas you may love it. Does that mean either of us are objectively right? Mods and/or usecase is very subjective as far as I am concerned.

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

I too see the humor in your observation. But those SEMA customizers do so primarily to sell their wares.

The ones I'm talking about--whose decisions I respect silently--are more cut of this mold of which jokes are made:

Oh I knew where you wanted it to go, but I couldn't resist lol.

Sponsored