Is the 'forum' as we know it dead?

Have Facebook, Twatter, Instagram and the like finally killed off forums? In short, I think they have.

When you look at club forums for instance, some are virtually dead. Big generic 4x4 forums like Difflock used to be thriving, it's not the same these days. Remember Mud Club? That was massive at one time, that's another that died a death.

Back in 2007 when I held the first Landy Rally we had a thriving forum. Then, one of the forum's most active participants started a Land Rally Facebook page. Before you knew it, people had turned like a shoal of fish away from the forum to the FB page. That didn't kill off Landy Rally, the recession did that in 2011, but it definitely killed off the forum. It seemed to die overnight.

Same is true here. This forum was full of active, knowledgeable contributors a couple of years ago, now it's like a morgue on here. Even 'Assassin' whose posts were long and full of useful information has all but given up, and who can blame him? If nobody's listening, what's the point?

Myself, I suppose I'm just as bad as these days I will open FB before this forum, what does that say ... and I was the one who started the darn thing in the first place?!!!

It's sad because all FB has are throwaway comments, snide remarks from anonymous keyboard warriors and virtually nothing in the way of genuine info, yet this forum is jam packed with archive information, tips and advice from folk that have been there, done it and haven't needed to buy the T-shirt ... because they created the T-shirt in the first place!

They say folk nowadays have a very low attention span, in that respect Facebook is the perfect platform for them. A quick look then it's back to the TV. Yep, it's really sad.

What's your view? That's if there's still somebody left out there to read my rant of course!

Hi Tom I always come here before Facebook and has for twattterrr what's that for no go there, I do not have a Facebook account Dilys mainly has for keeping in touch with the kids ha ha yongest is now over 30.

I always look at forums, wildcampiing,  DOC, Defender,  even go back to D3 one sometimes.

Do you a a face page for the overland forum or show.
I like coming back to check out stuff, as you say so mutch info on here.

We do not have tv , so mutch crap on there.

Yep, the Adventure Overland Show has a FB page. No choice, have to go on it to answer any question about the show. What it is good for is issuing an official Press Release or snippet of news.

Do do Twatter at all, seems to me that's all about gossip which I could do without.

Well done you for supporting the forums.

thou I do have a FB account I very rarely use it, its main advantage for me is that its instant or more or less
I think the major issue with forums when you post a topic or reply to one and don't use the correct terminology or what you say doesn't come across the way you intended it, you get some backside orifice, jumping down you throat before you know it, then if you not care full you end up with other contributors taking sides before somebody calms things down,

that's just my opinion

No they don't you self-righteous pompous ...



I'm okay now, just taken me tablet, thanks nurse.

That's why Kevin I introduced the  and  smilies, 'cause some people just don't get it. The ones you're talking about, I call them 'keyboard warriors'. Total idiots who hide behind their screens. Every forum has one (Facebook's a favourite for attracting them - moths to a flame), every club has one, in fact every company or organisation of any kind has one. That's life I'm afraid, thankfully they're outweighed by the good guys.

Isn't life great?

I don't post unless I have something to say. I'm still here in the background checking things out though.

I look at the forum most days and have really enjoyed it over the past few years but I have only posted 47 times so I guess I couldn't complain if it died. It's a bit like the corner shop down the road, I rarely used it but was sad to see it close down. I should have used it more.

I also use a few other forums for information on my Ford Ranger and Unimog and I also have a Facebook account. Facebook seems fine for keeping in touch and chatting but as far as I know can not be used for research in the way forums can. The archive of information here is huge.

For me forums have stopped me buying magazines, I would far rather read Tembo's write ups about Morocco than an article in a magazine as I feel I know Tembo a little, can ask questions and like to read how the plan is developing in the build up to the trips.

as others have said I tend to have a look when ever I can and post when I've some thing to add/ask

Wow, there's still life in Oz!

Got to say I'm the same mate, because I'm a member of so many forums I wonder in an out and like you and will only contribute if there's something worth saying ... otherwise it would be like Facebook where the numpties will tell you what they've had for breakfast. Am I really interested whether you've had orange or cranberry juice with your muesli?  Don't think so.

Now if you're wondering whether to have fried tomatoes as opposed to tinned with your bacon and eggs, then you've got me attention.

Horses for courses, we're all different. Still doesn't make it right though!

I like the corner shop analogy, makes sense does that.

I also stopped buying magazines, simply because of cost. I used to buy four Land Rover mags + 4x4 magazine, nowadays you can count on one hand how many I buy in a year. Unfortunately they've had their day.

I only get the Land Rover Monthly now Dilys manged to get it for a £1 for 6 months, when it stops unless I get another deal will not be getting it any more.

Tom, you are correct, I think what's the point as many forums are dying and not just this one.

Trends are the issue and the trend was that 4X4's were in vogue and they sold lots of them and while today most are Chelsea tractors, when they were in vogue and selling like hot cakes many people decided to try them off road and searched out forums such as this or one for their particular marque which gave them the information and confidence to try some gentle off roading and building up to more difficult terrain.

Then the 4X4 bubble burst due initially to organisations such as the politically well connected Ramblers Association and their strong connections to the politicians of the day, did you know John Prescott (egg man) was one such example who was given an honorary membership? and they used these connections to influence them and their decisions.
They ran several campaigns deliberately targeting the media with misinformation, remember the 4' ruts crap, or that 4X4's rolled over? then they used the emotional blackmail of claiming 4X4's killed children which whipped the media into a frenzy for a cheap headline, and the politicians into whose ears they were whispering, they then joined forces with other groups such as the environmentalists to reinforce their bullshit and bollocks and formed a multi-faceted attack.

This influenced many people, by the time their claims were proven as the total bollocks they were it was too late as the damage was done, the media printed little of this and none made headlines, it was in the middle of the paper in a small column so most people didn't read it; but the motor industry weren't about to give up. They gave the looks of an off roader by creating soft roaders which had car derived engines, automatically engaging four wheel drive coupled to traction control systems making them easy to drive, particularly for women while still retaining their lofty driving positions and the appearance of the 4X4 in a compact package with low emissions, even if they couldn't even beat a Citroen 2CV off road.

Much of this was down to vanity and many manufacturers trade ability for vanity and vanity is and was then being heavily marketed. How many people have the right named laptop or tablet, yet they likely use less that 5% of its capability, but its the right name. How many people buy the poopie Fiat 500 which doesn't even go uphill, but its fashionable, or they have to go to a wine bar instead of a pub and pay £15 for a pint of bear which nobody has heard of and tastes like weasel wet wig because its the place to be seen.
How many people have to have an I-phone because its the phone in fashion, or a watch the size of Big ben on their wrist because its the fashionable bling, and in most cases they live beyond their means and get heavily into debt when it all goes tits up and they lose their jobs and cant afford to pay all their loans and all because they are a bunch of thick, brainless sheeple.

Then the trend for traditional 4X4's drops, people or sheeple sell them off and move to the next fad or trend and the numbers of traditional 4X4 owners drops as do those off roading.

I much prefer forums to farcebook.... I just hate the way FB is laid out. It is just a messaging service really, nothing like this (or other) forums where you can start an individual thread on one subject, and stick to it, adding pictures as you go along.

FB is just a muddle and mess. I'm a member on it, but only because I needed to access a certain closed group. Most days its just crappy pictures, jokes that are only mediocre in humour, video clips of complete Darwin members and inane chat from losers who think that the world owes them a living and everyone who bothers to work hard and earn are suddenly 'Tory scum.

Give me a forum anyday!

Its also a clever way of spying on people Jim, how many twats go on it bragging about what they have and post pictures of where they live.

I probably don't help the situation, but I tend to post only if I have a question or can help someone out with an answer. I am on Facebook, but not a member of any 4x4 groups if I'm honest I never even thought about it. I am a member of a few 4x4 forums, but this is the only one that I ever look at. I like it here, there are lots of knowledgeable people only too happy to give there experiences. So are forums dead? I don't think so, however I think that they are changing, possibly for the better. It almost seems that the have moved to Facebook and have left the forums a nicer place!

I agree with everything that's been said. Particularly like Ass's comment about modern 4x4s - "even if they couldn't even beat a Citroen 2CV off road".

BTW, with the Adventure Overland Show fast approaching, a timely reminder that if any of you make it to Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse, make certain you drop by and say hello. Daytime, any Marshal with a radio can locate me, in the evening I shall be propping up the bar. Not as bad as it sounds, only it's a good focal point for me. If I haven't got time to go out and say hello to everybody, at least they know where I'll be.

It's nothing like 'perks of the job' at all ... honest!

i still log in every now and then, must admit not as much as i used to.....i just joined 2 new forums but have found them hard to use and virtualy nobody uses them...face book is easier to use and reaches a lot more people.. .

as for AO15 are we having a camping spot of our own ......

I agree that this forum in particular doesn't seem to meet its core function all that much any more. No fault of Tom or any of us on here. It is just that because of wars being fought across the Middle East, terrorism threats in much of North Africa and other challenges, no one is really doing that much traditional overlanding anymore. As Assassin says, even greenlaning is under threat. There was a time when the traditional London to Cape Town trip was a standard overland route. But as AfricaGirlChild and Viking Explorer found...once you hit Senegal on the west coast, there are not many safe options for continuing by land.

I really enjoy hearing about people planning trips, how they set up their trucks, lessons they learned. Great unknown places they discovered...troubles they overcame. Not so much of that here in this forum anymore. I think FB is part of the problem, but of those intrepid souls still doing long range trips, they set up their own website and spend most of their limited time in internet cafes just updating their own sites.

Not sure if there is any solution. But at the end of the day, I met some really good folks on here and feel I have a small community of friends that I don't have to chat with everyday about what I had for lunch (like FB), but can check in with when I feel the need. I am in the Philippines now, been here a few weeks, but nice to just be able to check in and say hello...even if none of us are planning or living the next great adventure at the moment.

Who knows, maybe peace will suddenly break out and we can all get back in our trucks and go explore those big blanks spaces on the maps once more....

Tembo there are still great and safe places to visit i am doing norway again next year, then theres sweden, and finland i havent had a look at yet and of course theres iceland that needs to be done...and im off to the pyranees in 4 weeks.......
as for moroco theres been a warning from the goverment theres a hightened state of terrorism at the moment so personaly i feel its unsafe at the moment i will have a chat with my friends over there to see whats going on but do i want to put me or any body else whos traveling with me in harms way....?

Nice plan Tuggy, thought for some time that Scandinavians countries are a good bet as they offer a new challenge to the baking heat and dirt roads that most people choose, near enough to civilisation, but far enough away for a challenge and some isolated off road driving in very different conditions.

Got a spare portable log burner if you get stuck but you will have to provide your own chainsaw.

Come to Australia for a diverse challenging trip. We've got it all. Snowy mountains, deserts, untamed bush and the best beaches in the world.

For us here in the UK it is a massive journey and a costly one, while many people may love to try Australia its a combination of cost and getting time off work. Scandinavia is an easier and more accessible and can be done by those on a limited time at a reasonable cost.

From a personal perspective I would think you would need at least 6 months to do Australia but to do it justice you would need more like a year.

Assassin wrote:

For us here in the UK it is a massive journey and a costly one, while many people may love to try Australia its a combination of cost and getting time off work. Scandinavia is an easier and more accessible and can be done by those on a limited time at a reasonable cost.

From a personal perspective I would think you would need at least 6 months to do Australia but to do it justice you would need more like a year.

This!

tuggy wrote:

i still log in every now and then, must admit not as much as i used to.....i just joined 2 new forums but have found them hard to use and virtualy nobody uses them...face book is easier to use and reaches a lot more people.. .

as for AO15 are we having a camping spot of our own ......

Depends where you want to be mate. There is a "4x4 Overland Travel Forum" pitch close to the toilets and Event Office (with electricity if required) if you want to be on there, or there's plenty of out of the way places far from the madding crowd if your prefer. Your choice entirely!

In fact anybody reading this is welcome to camp on the forum's pitch, it's what it is there for!

Hi Tom its a shame but I think you are right the other social media sites do seem to be taking over and its not just hitting this forum but others which I am a contributor too.
Its a shame but it does seem to be the way of things. The one big plus you have over other media sites is you have an annual get together at the Adventure Overland show and we all get to put faces to names unlike as you say the keyboard warriors on other sites. The other big plus is people on this forum do go on trips together I've made some fantastic friends on here and long may it continue.