how did the rural world get by before people started buying 4 WD vehicles.... they were available way back in the 40s and 50s....
but not purchased as often, even in snow country...
Nobody ever went anywhere back then. duh You can't get anywhere without 4 wheel drive silly goose. Just think of the country that's been opened up! Soon as it snowed the amount of effective wilderness acres went up by a magnitude of 10 at least.
I've actually asked a few old timers how they got by with 2WD drive pickups.
Basic answer, "We just didn't get around nearly as easy".
I am quite aware that my grandpas and great uncles had nothing but 2WD pickups when they started out. They also got by with little 2WD tractors. And there might have been 2-3 guys taking 'all day' to feed 100 head of cows.
Could I get by with a 2WD pickup? Sure, most of the time I do now. The rest of the time a guy just wouldn't get as much done and it would be a big pain in the ass getting stuck all the time.
4WD is rather handy and I have less than zero desire to go back to 2WD.
Kinda like indoor plumbing. Sure, I could walk outside and go take a [bleep] in an outhouse but that would be pretty retarded given there is a perfectly good toilet inside the house.
