[Mark07]

I grew up near Cheshire, so when i think of an off-roader, my mind (wrongly) wanders to the image of a 'Chelsea tractor'.

Do you have experience driving off-road? Was it for fun or related to your job? What did you need your vehicle to do? Which vehicle were you using?

When considering an off-road vehicle, which features are must-haves?

[olduser]

Yes.
Tractors, Farm machinery, Vans, Cars, Motor bikes, Mini, Austin 7.(Trials machine)

Disciplined throttle control.

[Rolebama]

I was in the Army for several years, a Tank Regiment, so drove just about everything they had across country for a variety of reasons. Other than that, a variety of motorcycles. My favourites then were a Triumph Mountain Cub and a Greeves Scottish, which I rode in Trials competitions. Army-wise BSA M20s and B40s, both in full courier dress. We also had 2 hovercraft, kit-builds, which were light enough that when taken over too rough a surface, I could manhandle onto smoother surfaces.

[Beelzebub]

@olduser
I once had an off-road tuition session driving various vehicles, including descending near-vertical inclines, in a Land Rover, as part of a corporate "jolly". Good fun and highly recommended, but no doubt very expensive.

I now drive a Chelsea Tractor in London, entirely on tarmac.

[Drivingforfun]

Can any of the army folk here enlighten me on something

I once was told some advice which was to never overtake a funeral procession or a military convoy

I can understand the former but not the latter, why would it be disrespectful to overtake military vehicles? Did that advice perhaps come from many decades ago, maybe Northern Ireland or something, or maybe some more authoritarian country??

I recently pulled out of a slip road onto the A1 and ended up in the middle of a military convoy, I overtook them as they were doing around 45mph and I can confirm they didn't pick me off with one of their cannons 😁

[Rolebama]

I was never aware of any such advice. However, I have seen some tomfoolery between vehicles driving in convoy, so, like you, I would have no problem overtaking on a dual carriageway.

[olduser]

If you see a military convoy these days it's probably the whole army on the move so we are probably at war so I would leave them to it.😋

It's a very long time since I saw a military convoy but the ones I remember did not have room for a car between their vehicles.
Overtaking them on normal roads would be very dangerous but as you have both said on dual carriageway no problem.

I remember in 1945 standing on the roadside with other kids shouting, "any gum chum" at military convoys.
The yanks did throw out chewing gum, the brits threw out chocolate but I once noted a packet landing on the verge, no one else had seen it, I grabbed it tore it open and got stuck in but it was a block of dehydrated soup, not good, not good at all.🤢