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.
Please share this newsletter with your car-obsessed friends and encourage them to sign up for the free weekly email. The easy-to-complete signup page is here. And if you’d like to support the efforts of Hagerty Media, please consider joining the Hagerty Drivers Club.
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!
Excellent post, in keeping with longstanding well-written narrative.
This is what leadership reads like.