Black Country - "cruising free zone"

[Junkman]

There were road signs proclaiming this all over the place, following a High Court injunction.
Since I have no idea what that even means, I researched a bit more into this 'illegal car cruising'.
 
Although - to my surprise - it is nowhere clearly defined what exactly constitutes the jailable crime of 'cruising',
it appears to be exactly what we are doing when we are at Cannock, in particular our activities at the Truckers' Rest
and even more so in the car park at the auctions.
If we ever get caught, the common consensus must thus be, that a clear definition of what 'cruising' is has to be delivered by the court.
 
Mind you, since this is introduced all over the UK at the moment, it could potentially affect Shitefest as well.

[chaseracer]

We'll be OK.  I'm on the Heath Hayes & Wimblebury parish council...

 

[cros]

You are indeed a powerful person.

In my youth before cruising was invented we would go for a 'hover'. Take a shagged Austin landcrab and a deserted car park, engage top gear and spend an hour or so in orbit. A forgotten pleasure.

[Urko]

Suspect this would only become relevant if one (or more) of us was, for example, the twat who is running around Loughborough at present in an old Yank pickup with totally straight through exhaust, and who revs it until it backfires even ten seconds - and even he seems to have avoided the attention of the rozzers so far.

 

It is a tricky balance though and some berk always seems to ruin things (thankfully not for AS yet)

[chaseracer]

You are indeed a powerful person.

 

My plans for world domination are well advanced, to the point where I think I need a timing light 

[strangeangel]

I wouldn't worry about it, I suspect it's aimed more at individuals whose cars look like this

 

 

who like nothing better than a good evening's tray sliding in Maccydees carpark.

 

 

Q359: I will be attending a cruise in your area, what advice can you give me?

 

A 'car cruise' is a gathering of large numbers of car enthusiasts who meet at car parks where 'boy racers' show off their customised vehicles. A minority of these perform dangerous stunts and this coupled with the sheer numbers of people gives rise to causing fear to the public.

Whilst cruising in itself is not illegal, many of the cars involved do commit offences whilst taking part in the cruise, such as speeding, handbrake turns and criminal damage.

 

Some Police Forces are now treating the meetings as Anti-Social Behaviour and are asking people to leave. Anyone who refuses to leave an area when asked to do so by a Police Officer or Police Community Support Officer, faces arrest.

 

The police would urge people not to take part and if they do to drive carefully and be mindful of the possible nuisance such events can bring to neighbourhoods.

 

 

 

from here.

[fordperv]

This was also bought into force in stoke at festival Park which was one of my favourite meeting spots, it was a fantastic place back in the day, the atmosphere on a Sunday night was electric, people came from all around to meet there and you literally couldn't move for cars, because of injunctions like this it's put a good few people off the car hobby

[chaseracer]

AS attracts a different kind of punter, especially in the Midlands...

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/21796-as-in-the-community-midlands-massiv-goes-oval/?p=833177

 

 

[Junkman]

I wouldn't worry about it, I suspect it's aimed more at individuals whose cars look like this

 

What worries me, is that the wording of the injunction doesn't clarify with one syllable who it is aimed to, and what 'cruising' actually is, so it must be assumed, it's everyone and everything.

So I have no idea, on which side of the law I currently stand, but I guess it's the bad one.

 

And since a considerable amount of tax money was spent on expensive road signs, and there have been reported police 'crackdowns', this is to be taken seriously.

[garbaldy]

I wasn't aware cruising ment a group of grown men parked in a car park talking crap.

[Junkman]

I wasn't aware cruising ment a group of grown men parked in a car park talking crap.

 

What is the age cutoff then? Because it doesn't state that in the injunction either.

[barefoot]

Will this affect the 'Brighton Breeze'? 

When ten thousand* twats, myself included drive from London to Brighton in old skool VW vans.

Or is that a rally?

[chaseracer]

The 'Black Country injunction' is only valid between 3pm and 7am, I understand.  And none of us get up that early.

[UltraWomble]

I wasn't aware cruising ment a group of grown men parked in a car park talking crap.

Possibly aimed at men in the toilets taking crap?

http://www.cruisinggays.com/cannock/areas/34022-a5-truck-stop-cannock/

[garbaldy]

What is the age cutoff then? Because it doesn't state that in the injunction either.

I should have put PARKED instead of parked as I wasn't referring to the age of said Parkers.

[chaseracer]

^^ When you're finished, you'll find us at the other truck stop half a mile down the road... 

[mercrocker]

Talking of Brighton, like to see them try and stop this..... 

 

 

 http://www.veterancarrun.com/

 

 

 

 

The cruise crackdown thing looks like something really loosely worded and legated so if tossers in crap cars cause problems and the polis can't stick anything else on them they can use the anti-cruising thing. 

 

Would assume that a group of mature tax-paying adults in non-leased cars could still carry on as normal?   Not totalitarian yet, are we?

[chaseracer]

I think we're safe.  Weird, but safe.

[John F]

 

"Top Gear's search for a replacement for legendary automotive pundit William Woollard got off to a bad start..."

[Dave_Q]

I think we're OK, the injunction text can be found here - http://cms.walsall.gov.uk/high_court_injunction-5.pdf

 

And makes a pretty clear definition of the sort of things that will get you into trouble with DA FEDS:

 

 

"Car cruising means 2 or more motor vehicles (including motorbikes) between the hours of 3pm and 7am being in the marked place on the map etc, when a vehicle performs any of the prohibited activities....

 

Speeding

Driving in convoy

Racing

Performing stunts

Sounding horns (as to cause a significant public nuisance)

Playing music (as to cause a significant public nuisance)

Using foul or abusive language

Using threatening or intimidating behaviour to another person

Causing an obstruction on a moving highway, whether moving or stationary"

 

 

I think the only one that any of our members might possibly do is drive in a convoy, or cause an obstruction by having an FTP.

 

If they're planning to haul everyone who breaks down before the court for breaching the order, that could be lols.

 

Otherwise, does anyone have the patience to enter into correspondence with the local police and/or court to confirm that a selection of car enthusiasts driving their heaps from the truckers rest to the auction house doesn't constitute car cruising?

 

This does seem to be a poorly worded and thought out order though, 8am Sunday morning cruise anyone?

[Richard]

But surely most of these things are already offences. Why not just enforce the laws we already have?

[Dave_Q]

I know, I would have thought that this would be section 59 heaven.

 

From another police force: http://www.kent.police.uk/contact_us/reporting_issues/nuisance_drivers.html

 

Basically if a vehicle is being used anti socially it can be seized and even destroyed.

 

Although I did once see a car being taken under s59 on police interceptors and the voiceover just said the lad went and got it the next day after paying £200 or so towing fees.

 

Maybe they can't actually destroy the cars and having them towed is not enough of a deterrent? Contempt of court carries up to 2 years in prison.

[Junkman]

But surely most of these things are already offences. Why not just enforce the laws we already have?

 

That is something that will never cease to puzzle me.

Why did we need anti terror acts, when bombing people was illegal in the first place?

 

The problem I have with this additional legislation is, that it is (most probably deliberately) worded in a way, that it can be applied at random.

And this does constitute a totalitarian system under martial law, although very covertly.

[Pillock]

We travel from cafe to auction on convoy, and some of the words used to describe the lots in the auction could definitely be described as Abusive.

 

We're doomed.

[Jim Bell]

I watched a film about cruising. American Men kept lobbing their Cocks out and there wasn't any terrible cars on show at all.

 

I had to turn it off in the end.

 

Almost impossible to masturbate to.

[Junkman]

I hitherto did the following within the realms of autoshitism:

 

Speeding - got the ticket

Driving in convoy - regularly

Racing - that white van sure saw my tailpipe on Saturday

Performing stunts - woollarded

Sounding horns (as to cause a significant public nuisance) - OK, that's one thing I never do - the horn is only ever sounded at the MoT test

Playing music (as to cause a significant public nuisance) - was done in a public car park in Glossop

Using foul or abusive language - always!

Using threatening or intimidating behaviour to another person - gimme cake now!

Causing an obstruction on a moving highway, whether moving or stationary - OK, that's what everyone else in the UK does to me

 

So I score 7 out of 9 and 2 is already enough to get my arse into gaol.

[alf892]

That is something that will never cease to puzzle me.

Why did we need anti terror acts, when bombing people was illegal in the first place?

 

The problem I have with this additional legislation is, that it is (most probably deliberately) worded in a way, that it can be applied at random.

And this does constitute a totalitarian system under martial law, although very covertly.

Absolutely bang on! I think it was Maz Harris in Back Street Heroes who was very eloquent on just this topic.

 

We get little dribs and drabs of extra rules and laws.......then if you query it the answer is 'oh don't worry it is not aimed at us' but the actual words don't make any distinction......so if the authorities did suddenly want to act the power is there to be enforced as they wish.

 

I'm not saying it is a conspiracy but........

[Supernaut]

Today I learned it's illegal to drive in convoy between the hours of 3pm and 7am.

 

How is driving in convoy illegal if you're otherwise driving sensibly?

[TataBobu]

 

I think we're OK, the injunction text can be found here - http://cms.walsall.gov.uk/high_court_injunction-5.pdf

 

And makes a pretty clear definition of the sort of things that will get you into trouble with DA FEDS:

 

 

"Car cruising means 2 or more motor vehicles (including motorbikes) between the hours of 3pm and 7am being in the marked place on the map etc, when a vehicle performs any of the prohibited activities....

 

[...]

Using foul or abusive language

 

 

 

 

Do you have talking cars that curse? 

[vulgalour]

I'm sorry, is it 1994 again?