Affiliation Information

Hello All!

I see many lovely expedition vehicles with flags and stickers on and just wondered what your opinion was on flying the flag as it were whilst travelling.

I intend to go travelling in my Landy pretty much open ended this year and have no idea what areas I may end up in. My street smarts would lead me to err on the side of safety and keep stickers/paint jobs pretty neutral and not display national affiliations so as to minimise attention in certain areas. I'd love to drive through parts of Europe in a Landy with a Union Jack paint job and EnGerLand stickers everywhere (not really) but not sure I'd want the same attention if I land in parts of Africa or the Middle East. That said, I wonder if making the effort to have your vehicle really stand out as an expedition vehicle could actually benefit you and make you appear more neutral to some people?

What are your thoughts/experiences?

Andy.

Why do you want everybody te see ya, the more attention you attract the more problems you will attract. So keep everything low key.

I personally would not fly a country flag...of course 99.9% of people would not have a problem with it...but I would not personally want to have a risk of hostility, even if it is a very low risk. I hve to say that on my travels I have not found anyone to be hoste towards where I am from - not in the slightest. Well...I say that, a few have thought we were from America...but as soon as we pointed out we were from England they are much happier

I asume yu had the mandatory GB sticker tho?

use magnetic GB then you can whip them off.

use your loaf, thats about it! EU will be fine, but outside, like you have said it is a different world.

Its best to keep colours vibrant as to not look like 'Malita'. If you have a dark coloured vehicle, especially matt green then some stickers may well help.

As an aside its also worth noting that you should not wear 'combat' trousers/shirts in some of these countries. Its not fashion there and may well be taken the wrong way!

Always try to keep moving, dont tell people your exact routes, timeframes etc and dont attract attention.

G

Thanks Griffdowg. I hadn't thought about the camo but now you mention it, I know even in Barbados they say wearing camo is illegal and that's about the most civil place I know (for an Englishmen at least).

Good idea about the magnetic GB plates and yeah I guess what I meant about the stickers was avoiding looking like an official or mischievous vehicle. I'm intending to get a disco for it and so most would probably be dark colours I guess. I will bear that in mind when I shop around and consider some stickers then if need be.

Thanks again.

I have the GB sticker of course. But there is a big difference between having a GB sticker and having a massive flag on the bonnet or whatever! Stating where you have been rather than, to what some may see as "we are the best". Does that make any sense?

What countries do you think would object to wearing camo style shorts/trousers? The countries I have been to at laast, I don't honestly think they would take a blind bit of notice what I was wearing. I have a camo net over the top of the car...creates quite a lot of intrigue but never hostility! I have blodne hair, blue eyes, and in a Red Land Rover with English plates...somehow don't think I will blend in many places un-noticed!

rustyrhinos said:

I have the GB sticker of course. But there is a big difference between having a GB sticker and having a massive flag on the bonnet or whatever! Stating where you have been rather than, to what some may see as "we are the best". Does that make any sense?

What countries do you think would object to wearing camo style shorts/trousers? The countries I have been to at laast, I don't honestly think they would take a blind bit of notice what I was wearing. I have a camo net over the top of the car...creates quite a lot of intrigue but never hostility! I have blodne hair, blue eyes, and in a Red Land Rover with English plates...somehow don't think I will blend in many places un-noticed!

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As per my post, wearing camo in Barbados (and I think a lot of Caribbean islands) is supposedly illegal. Camo clothes are the reserve of the army or officials and wearing camo can be interpreted as trying to impersonate such people. The places in the Caribbean I've been too don't take small touristy breaches seriously, however, if I was going through somewhere with civil unrest I wouldn't want to chance being mistaken for army or militia by ****ed off locals or just give a genuine authority any reason to give me grief. Even the GB plates I would like to remove going through certain areas as I feel they'd just stand you out as 'visiting' which again would just give certain people an excuse to approach you.

The reason I asked about stickers and things is because I wonder if you make yourself so obviously a travelling/expedition vehicle you might be viewed sympathetically or just appear so detached from regional trivialities that you might be left alone. Previous travelling experience dictates I'd try and go un-noticed and do what the locals do and I think that seems to still be the best plan when expeditioning.

Show me a Scotsman that does not have a St Andrews Flag on his motor, and I'll eat my hat

muddyfox said:

Show me a Scotsman that does not have a St Andrews Flag on his motor, and I'll eat my hat

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That's so we don't get mistaken for being english!!!!

Mine is painted as a zebra, whilst driving through China I carried a Chinese flag, everybody thought it was reaaly good never had a negative comment, in fact I believe that the fact the car stands out so much is a real bonus, people just want to talk including police and customs officials, obviously you must do what you feel most comfortable doing. To agree with Rusty my hair is blonde dreadlocks and blue eyes so there isn't a chance of me fitting in either.

Lee

Once a vehicle is fitted with a roof rack, multiple spare tires, roof tent, lights and possible winch the vehicle already stands out.

We decided on adding flags we got in each country to our defender during our trip through Africa. Along with big deals indicating what we were doing. If anything it makes people come and say hello and look at your vehicle with interest. Officials gave us the same interest.

Just bare in mind no matter how you try to fit in, chances are you won't wherever you go. Having UK flags is also a sign you speak English.