4-Wheel & Off-Road welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include an address or a telephone number so the sender can be verified. Once verified, your name may be withheld at your request. Letters published in this magazine reflect the opinions of the writers, and we reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, or other purposes. Due to the large volume of mail we receive, we regret that we cannot reply to unpublished letters or return photos. Digital photos must measure no less than 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file.
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Editor
4-Wheel & Off-Road
6420 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515
fax 323.782.2704
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4wheeloffroad@primedia.com
Reader: Your March rag is a great issue, however your 4xForward editorial caused me some concern. As I have sadly noted the return to power of the political party that has traditionally embraced the mantra of those who would take our trails away from us, it occurs to me that we must be more careful about how we portray our diverse hobby, especially in what we print. Speaking from the traditional trail-Jeeper view and playing devil's advocate for a second, I worry that even suggesting the idea of "Urban Crawling" could provide the enemy with a viable (in their eyes) argument that off-roading would have an alternative if they were to close our trails. Further, I don't think it wise that we even suggest that someone in our hobby would have to "cut and run" out of an area that was not legal to wheel in because that just suggests that we are all lawbreakers to begin with.
We all hate that we even have to consider this, but it is reality in the face of our devious opposition. And we as a hobby in our ultra-independent, if not rebellious, persona have in many ways been our own worst enemy. If we do not get a handle on the few disgraceful "bad press" irresponsible wheelers, and collectively present a benign "entitled citizen" face and voice in print, we will undermine the efforts of our coalitions and organizations that work to preserve our freedoms in the gathering storm of the green's resurgence.
RC
Henderson, NV
Editor: Good point, and I do agree with you. The question comes down to how far can we go and not do anything and run scared into a hole? We don't advocate any illegal wheeling, but if concrete is legally available, I say go for it, responsibly. Here's another reader who is just having fun, legally.
Reader: Here's my '89 YJ flexing pretty well on a 3-foot concrete wall where a store used to be. Enjoy, and I hope to see an Urban Wheeling section soon.
Jarrod Hatcher
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Reader: In the Mar. '07 issue you have conflicting information about the same subject in two articles. Now, whether it was an oops on the info given or just a mess-up, I figured I would let you know. On page 74, in "Big Boost Battlefield," you show in the chart that the new 6.4 Power Stroke has an iron block and iron heads, while on page 99, in "First Drive: 2008 Ford Super Duty," you talk about the quietness of the new 6.4 Power Stroke with an iron block and aluminum heads. From other sources, I have read that the 6.4 will have an iron head. I am assuming your Super Duty article had just a typo, and I apologize for the long letter just to tell you that you made a mistake. But hey, everyone makes mistakes, and I can only imagine the hectic schedule you must have. Well, keep up the good work, and don't worry; I am sure there will be a few more little mistakes in the future. You are only human, aren't you?
Tim
Lynn Haven, FL
Editor: This is the month to offer mea culpa for screw-ups, so yes, you are right: It's iron heads and one tough truck.