Maybe we should do more!

[GreenMeanie]

Lately there has been a lot of news about Hummers that is negative. Actually not new, its been around for a while. I am wondering is there more we can do as a club that is perhaps less self serving and more contributive to our communities. As it turns out for me these are the events i like the most. We are clearly a blessed bunch of folks being in the position of owning one these grest vehicles and we should by all means make attempts to highlight some positive things about the folks who drive them to offset the negative newsreel we get all the time.

Some ideas i think would be fun:



Have a patroling emergency storm crew(s) to do extractions within the GTA during major storms. I pulled out 3 this year so far in one storm. All three occaisions i was offered money but i declined. Then i started thinking,, Instead these offers could be seen as donations and could be accepted to benifit worthy charitable orgs.if a mechanism was in place. to do so such as a webpage/paypal donation site whereby rescued drivers could make a donation if they chose and/or tell the rescue story.



Senior Citizen Delivery service. With hundreds of homes in the GTA there is always something needed for pick up and delivery. A chair, a person a bag of groceries, a computer, repair materials or a simple convienience whereby senior homes could take advantage of our ability to transport basic things as a free service. Simply leaving a card at the reception desk of a few of these places could be a lot of help to these folks.



Child Ride Program where we would convoy kids with disabilities to and from schools and special events. In our youth at risk program we would get a bus to get the kids to the Argos game but imagine the excitement for the kids showing up in Hummers instead.



Point is we could do more if we wanted to and the more we are seen doing good things the better it will be for us and those that we do for.. Lets hear some ideas.

[shotgun-cam]

We all do extractions and road side assistance (I hope). We have even acted as a road block for a crash before police arrived. What is needed is exposure in press of Hummer good deeds, Charities supported and such. This is why Toy Mountain is so important we get repaid in good press. Maybe at present we should raise a bounty on the hit and run or to help the family involved. We should also hit the media to stop bad mouthing Hummers as it was a rental or stolen SUV and any make can be deadly in a crash.

To those who say Hummers should be removed from the road I answer I ride a bicycle should all vehicles be reduced to the smallest safest vehicles on the road for cyclist safety or do we coexist and share the road.

One friend who is a Toronto cop stated to me there is more at fault than the running driver like why 8 people 2 adults and 6 kids were in a 7 passenger van.

[Autumn Walker]

I would like to participate in some of these "publicity" causes. The one thing we need to be aware of and careful about is liability. If you are ferrying someone around in your truck, you are more than likely not covered to do it - if there is an accident you are screwed. If you are pulling someone out of a ditch and rip their axle / bumper / whatever off the car, you could be liable and your insurance will likely not cover you for the damages.

[Gadgets]

I agree with all above, I just a couple weeks ago came across a car in the ditch (just happened) others were trying to get the occupants out in the dark, I maneuvered and lit up the scene with my off road lights, checked to make sure they were OK, and let them know help was on the way... heard the dispatch on my scanner in the truck. then carried on. Problem is, Autumnwalker is right, liabilities are an issue, and now I hear advertisements on the radio for "personal injury" lawyers we will rapidly deteriorate into the U.S. style of lawsuits for everything and everybody.

However, I do like the ideas, and I'm sure there are things we can do. Driving the kids around would work, provided it is arranged under the organization involved, then their insurance should cover things. Toy Mountain was great thing, and I'm sure there other ways to help charities, we just have to be visible while doing so. Sounds self centered, but in reality it is what we need, and if we can gain that positive edge by helping others... so beit.

[shotgun-cam]

We have also during bad weather made ourselves and our truck to assist police and other emergency vehicles in "breaking paths" for their equipement. Also group should get legal forms releasing owners from claims on rescue work tows and tugs as a protection from law suits.