Never Stop Driving #118: Community Standards
I’m thinking about the folks in Florida and the Southeast this week as they begin to recover from Hurricane Milton. At times like these, our special cars are not the priority, yet of course Hagerty is here to help. Several team members are also volunteering in the Asheville cleanup effort from Hurricane Helene, and the Hagerty claims department is on call seven days a week at 800-385-0274 or claims@hagerty.com. Hagerty monitors the storms to anticipate needs and help owners protect their cars along with the rest of their property.
Last weekend, I watched videos from helicopter pilots who flew in supplies to residents stranded after Hurricane Helene, including this one from the feed of former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. Many of the affected communities in western North Carolina are in steep, inaccessible valleys that can only be seen from the air, since the roads are washed away. Biffle’s videos showed just how bad the damage was.
Local news crews, which once would have supplied this information in spades, often no longer have the budgets to cover such disasters, so we’re left with social media platforms. Biffle’s videos were terrific, so I was shocked by some of the petty, downright mean viewer comments. People accused some of the other volunteers of being grandstanders for also posting videos about their rescue efforts.
Viewer comments on websites, YouTube, and other digital platforms are a longtime thorn in the side of content producers. You want to build an engaged online community with free-flowing conversations and insights, but there are always people who will say things through a keyboard that they wouldn’t dare say face to face. We call them “trolls” and the rule of thumb about negative and abusive comments is “don’t feed the trolls.” It can be a minefield for editors, which is why a lot of newspapers have ceased publishing comments altogether.
Through Biffle, I found videos from Garrett Mitchell, an automotive YouTuber I’ve long admired who is known by his stage name “Cleetus McFarland.” Hagerty Media contributing writer Sam Smith calls him, with great admiration, a carnival barker. Mitchell, who also has a helicopter, flew supplies to stranded people and transported those who needed to get out. Being a YouTuber well versed in the mechanics of videography, Mitchell documented everything, including the often-harrowing landings.
I’ve never met Mitchell, but he’s a hustler, showman, and innovator in the best possible way. There is no idea that’s too stupid or ambitious for him to try. Sure, he’s playing for his massive audience, but I like his core philosophy. If an idea is decent, I often tell my kids, why wouldn’t we at least try it? Action beats talk, right? Mitchell also proves you don’t need perfect or expensive cars to have all sorts of fun on wheels, as Smith recalled after attending a McFarland event.
Speaking of actions beating talk, my car buddies have long groused that they’d like to get out and drive more. I wholeheartedly agree, so a few years ago, I organized a three-day rally which has become an annual tradition, in different locations. I plan the routes, the overnight stops, and the food, setting the scene for a relaxing few days to share our passion. It’s super fun and I encourage you to do the same. Someone has to be the organizer so it might as well be you. We’re better versions of ourselves when we’re physically together so as much as I appreciate you reading this digital article, I’m also encouraging you to close the laptop, pull the car out of the garage, and get out and mingle.
This column will take a break next week, but in the meantime, please take advantage of all the free Hagerty material we publish. Sign up for our newsletters, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. If you’d like to support our efforts, please join the Hagerty Drivers Club.
Larry
P.S.: Your feedback and comments are welcome.
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Most local news can report but too often the news in these small communities’ gets buried in the national news.
Too often the national news is based on the masses and those in the small towns are forgotten. I see it in West Virginia where I have been in serious floods but not as bad as here but still no mention on the national news. Sadly it takes hundreds of deaths to get their attention.
What is worrisome is I watch a Congressman speak to a FEMA Volunteer. It was Armature hour on overload. It instilled in me little confidence in the system. I am glad others like Samaritans Purse and Cletus and others are there to help.
Also Greg and Cletus are both just two of a good number of private people doing a lot of good in some of the worst conditions.
I was just disappointed in the delays it took to get more government help. Not pointing fingers but I hope they fix it. Florida was ready so it can be done. I understand these floods are hard to predict where they will happen but they knew someone was going to get the rain.
I pray for all those who lost loved ones and those who have to completely rebuild their lives. Their lives are changed forever.
Larry, I look forward to your newsletter every week. I especially related to your comments about the 3-day drive that you organize every year and wanted to share our recent local experience here in Northern New York. We belong to an Ontario, Canada based British Car Club known as the Boot ‘n Bonnett Club – a group of enthusiasts who love to drive there Littel British Cars (LBC’s). A couple of the members also organize a 3-day “Fall Tour” each year and we were thrilled to participate for the first time this year in our recently completed ’61 Austin Healey 3000 (only took me a short 24-years to complete the restoration). By the way, the other story that has kept my interest is following your Dino project – I could tell a thousand such stories about my 24-year adventure. The good news is we are on the road and thoroughly enjoying it! Keep up the great work – and as many told me over the years – DON’T GIVE UP!
Wait what? You kept at a restoration for 24 years!?!?!?! Amazing. Good for you
Excellent post, in keeping with longstanding well-written narrative.
This is what leadership reads like.
Thank you John, and thanks for reading!
Just wanted to say thank you for these weekly, well-written articles. They are always so relevant and full of perspective. I always look forward to my Friday read.
Really enjoy the weekly write ups from Mr. Webster!
The relief efforts by all the people who got involved and took the personal time, equipment, funds, and the risk to do so are simply amazing. Can’t say I’m necessarily a fan of them all. However a big fan of what they did and a bigger fan of their huge hearts. In no way did it seem any of them where trying to obtain, followers, likes, or subscribers. Most of the people with those popular channels seem to already have plenty of those. It certainly helped shed light on a overlooked situation and plight of those in some areas. Seemed like that was everyone’s good heartfelt intentions and I certainly applaud all involved for that. Definitely helps to know who I’m sending thoughts and prayers to during their challenging and struggling times. Just can’t wrap my mind around making a negative comment about anyone involved in trying to help others. Maybe it’s just the old school thought of if you can’t say anything nice why say anything at all. Just one of those lessons I was taught as a child and try to instill in our children as well.
I so look forward to your weekly articles! Always inspiring, informative and positive. Thank you for all you do! I will do as you suggest and plan a drive and invite some folks to go with me. I have planned motorcycle trips for years but am now driving more in our Galaxy convertible and less on the Harley. Lots of day trips, but not a multi day trip yet. Now I’m looking forward to it!
In these days where the small minority, extremely small I believe, gets amplified via social (antisocial?) media, its refreshing to read your thoughts every week.Common sense, self actualization, concern for others, receptive to new and other perspectives, etc.. Thanks!
While I sympathize with those who are dealing with the aftermath I must add a cautionary note. As I said I can sympathize. To make a long short. I had a place above the flood plain on the Delaware. Seeing the water rise and fall was common. Early one morning the level had dropped as usual but I decided to wait a bit before going to work. Then it started to rise. My precautionary moving turned into a mad dash,now just putting things as high up as I could. The water under the floor was up to my knees in less than fifteen minutes, up to my waist in less when I got out. It stopped at the ceiling. In the days following the locals all said- ‘Look on the bright side. That won’t happen again for at least another 50 years.’ It had been longer since it had.- Every time after when the water would rise it made me feel uneasy until I pulled up stakes as much as I didn’t want to. A couple years later it flooded again the people rebuilt again. Soon after yet again they rebuilt again but following the For Sale signs went up. So to quote Le Mans – “It can happen to you and then it can happen again. ” Unfortunately with rising water temperatures etc. hurricanes are going to become more and more frequent and intense. Rural areas with limited access will probably suffer the most. Sorry but at a certain point all the warnings and safe guards can’t buck a rising tide.
Social media is a double-edged sword. Sure there are a lot of trolls about, but I have been watching a lot of videos, including Cleetus’s, to get an unfiltered view of what is going on in Florida and the south
Well said Larry. My utmost respect and gratitude to the people who helped in anyway possible.