Carmageddon - Stevenage

[BorniteIdentity]

Sadly, this sort of thing has been a long time coming.

 

https://metro.co.uk/2019/07/19/crash-leaves-14-injured-people-hit-side-road-car-meet-10424263/

 

I know it's terribly "on message" to denigrate the "cruising" community, but this has been so inevitable for such a long time that I'm only surprised that it hasn't happened sooner.  

My concern is that its impact will be far wider than required, with stationary meets for men with sandals and adenoids also at risk of being banned.

[Peter C]

I've seen many near misses at the Ace Cafe over the years.

Installation of speed humps and more police presence has apparently reduced the number of incidents but I've stopped going mostly because I find it difficult to relate to dickheads half my age.

[BorniteIdentity]

What boils my custard is the organiser saying "Hey we're a static meet and we can't be held responsible for everyone".  What that actually will mean is the police going "Well - 'Stevenage' was a static meet and look what happened, so we need to ban all meets of over 10 cars in one place".  

I wish they'd just have the bollocks to say "Yep, this happens at every event - we have tried to have a word but they won't listen".  

[dome]

Saw this. Nasty. Nissan 370 or similar steaming up a 40mph road going like fuck and a GT86 pulls out from a side road giving it the beans but he/she can't see what's coming for spectators crowding the road. Sideswipes the 350, both cars spear off into the crowds on either side.

They'll get punished but more importantly they'll have to live with their actions. 

Sadly this will likely have repercussions for us car folk who don't drive like cunts-ie 99.99% of us. 

[BorniteIdentity]

Obviously we wouldn't understand the appeal.  I've had it explained to be before by a brainless, toothless moron.  "Only real car guys get it".  

As for the whole "it's a static meet m9" narrative - there's evidence from a journalist who went two years ago on Twitter that this was absolutely happening then and has continued to do so.  The organisers can not absolve themselves here.

[Eyersey1234]

It's the idiots that spoil it for the majority. I hope the Nissan driver gets the book thrown at him and is sent to prison. Agree the organisers can't be absolved of blame. 

[DaveDorson]

When street racing was a problem in the US of A in the post war era, the NHRA formed, and with it came a load of sanctioned drag strips.

When Street Racing became an issue in Malta, the government stepped in and Hal-Far Raceway was formed using the old air field, for a couple of Euro's you can run your car all night without the danger of spearing into the crowds gathered at the track side, as they're behind a concrete barrier.

 

When a problem like this arises in the UK, we'll have some half arsed reactionary measures like we did in the mid 1990's, convoys of more than 5 vehicles will get slapped with an order/fine/vehicle seizure.  All organised vehicular gatherings will be outlawed, and our Motorsport tracks will continue to be bulldozed to make way for houses that don't get built for years, and when they are built can't be afforded by those who need them the most.

There's a reason I got into drag racing away from the street, and a reason I try not to go to these sorts of meets;  if it's not prats in the car parks, it's prats on the way out, or convoying to the events causing the bother.

 

 

[sierraman]

I’ve got to say with modified cars and these cruise type things comes idiots. That’s nothing new, the same type of people were doing handbrake turns in a Maestro in Safeway’s car park 20 years ago.

A congregation collects in the local Asda car park near us, I’d say they’re maybe in their early 20’s, revving up the engine in their Golfs etc. A cynic in me would say they ought to be down town speaking to women. 

I think the difference now is that they could quite easily be behind the wheel of a 200bhp car now as opposed to a 70bhp Astra. 

[JeeExEll]

Check out this 12min vid. It's not from last night, it's from the Stevenage meet Thur 11/7/19, a week ago.

First 6mins youngsters showing off, as they do. After about 6mins things start to get iffy (40mph road), and Coco the clown makes an appearance around 7mins 40 (I was PMSL, what a twonk). After 9mins highly dangerous.

But why stand in a busy public road and on the narrow central reservation through choice, with cars whizzing by at high speed? Like skittles at a bowling alley.

 

[DaveDorson]

6 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I’ve got to say with modified cars and these cruise type things comes idiots. That’s nothing new, the same type of people were doing handbrake turns in a Maestro in Safeway’s car park 20 years ago.

A congregation collects in the local Asda car park near us, I’d say they’re maybe in their early 20’s, revving up the engine in their Golfs etc. A cynic in me would say they ought to be down town speaking to women. 

I think the difference now is that they could quite easily be behind the wheel of a 200bhp car now as opposed to a 70bhp Astra. 

 

You'd be surprised at how many encounters with young women come about from owning a modified car and attending such gatherings. 

We used to call them tyre biters, or car tarts.  

[EssDeeWon]

People stand around watching other people being twats in their cars?  Riveting.

I'd sooner sit indoors watching c*nt island.

[DaveDorson]

21 minutes ago, EssDeeWon said:

People stand around watching other people being twats in their cars?  Riveting.

I'd sooner sit indoors watching c*nt island.

Well no.  But sometimes people are twats after and people watch that bit.

[purplebargeken]

Friday and Saturday nights round my way means you can hear many cars doing wheel spins, doughnuts on the car parks of the local cinema which is about 10 minutes away.

[Kiltox]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

I’ve got to say with modified cars and these cruise type things comes idiots. That’s nothing new, the same type of people were doing handbrake turns in a Maestro in Safeway’s car park 20 years ago.

A congregation collects in the local Asda car park near us, I’d say they’re maybe in their early 20’s, revving up the engine in their Golfs etc. A cynic in me would say they ought to be down town speaking to women. 

I think the difference now is that they could quite easily be behind the wheel of a 200bhp car now as opposed to a 70bhp Astra. 

20 years ago? The Barry car of choice in 1999 was a Maestro?

[wuvvum]

20 years ago PCP wasn't a thing so most youngsters drove shit cars as that's all they could afford.

[scdan4]

Were none of you young once?

yoofs spanking all their money on cars? Yep

yoofs showing off to their mates and the flange? Yep.

yoofs being , well, just stupid yoofs? Yep.

 

but quick, let’s ban it. It’s dangerous.

 

oh look, the yoofs are completely disengaged from our society, let’s blame smartphones.

[loserone]

That video is interesting.  It doesn't appeal to me at all, but it screams of a lack of appropriate facilities.

 

These kids need a £2 a run drag strip.  Cheap night out if the car doesn't break, petrol and exhaust noises.  

When I was 15 I used to ride my bikes over street furniture, usually not dangerously but sometimes probably so.  Now there are skate parks with things for kids to ride, and for all the OAPs claim they're unused, if you go past at 11PM they're full of people enjoying themselves and keeping fit (and yes, some people taking drugs.)

Someone with some nous could make a fortune if they build the right facilities in the right place.

[Kiltox]

4 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

20 years ago PCP wasn't a thing so most youngsters drove shit cars as that's all they could afford.

Car finance has always been a thing. 

I meant are we sure they were driving Maestros 20 years ago, given it’s 2019, or is it the usual Autoshite stuck in about 2002 syndrome 

1999 would’ve been peak Max Power surely. 

[Jerzy Woking]

I used to really enjoy the drag racing at North Weald airfield in Essex, extremely well organised by Tony Huck. It was stopped after a compliant from a local resident about the noise! On a working airfield.

Often the place was packed with those attending just to show their cars or meet up in their various clubs, and not run them up the strip. 

Some very fast cars and bikes attended sometimes, at other times it was just a load of road cars and bikes, but always interesting. And close to home.

I can't ever remember there being any cocking about on the airfield or on roads surrounding it, or at least none that I was ever aware of. It's closure has been a big loss.

[scdan4]

Cit c1 / pug 106. Monthlies. Free insurance. Max power heaven. ? And that’s only because we couldn’t afford a supra / gto 

 

 

This thread makes me feel old. 

[95 quid Peugeot]

55 minutes ago, scdan4 said:

Were none of you young once?

yoofs spanking all their money on cars? Yep

yoofs showing off to their mates and the flange? Yep.

yoofs being , well, just stupid yoofs? Yep.

 

but quick, let’s ban it. It’s dangerous.

 

oh look, the yoofs are completely disengaged from our society, let’s blame smartphones.

I'm 61. That ^^^^^^ seems to my be youth.  Not much apart from smartphone has changed 

[New POD]

Now, I'm prepared to be flamed.  

Back in the 80s I used to go and watch rally cars in the dark forest. 

These cars were so out of control, that we made sure to stand somewhere safe.

If people are stupid enough to stand on a central reservation knowing that there are cars doing silly speeds then I truly believe that they only have themselves to blame. 

They had no reason to be there apart from.to witnesses the street racing. And to feel the danger. 

Obviously my heart go out to thier families.  Nobody wants a son or daughter to stand in a stupid place and pay the price for being stupid enough to stand there. 

My heart sort of goes out to the drivers. Only it doesn't. Nobody wants to run over another person.  Like the pictures of rally drivers clearing the crowds who stand in the road to get a better view? 

How is it different? 

One is a legal race and the other is an illegal race.  The difference is that someone made one thing legal and they still drove those rally cars. They are no.better than.the drivers of Stevenage. They should have said to the rally organisers. We are not doing this today. 

Conclusion.  People do stupid things. Don't do stupid things and you can have my sympathy. 

 

[scdan4]

1 hour ago, DaveDorson said:

 

We used to call them tyre biters, or car tarts.  

Ahhh.  Nova Knob Cloths. Where are they now?.

[DaveDorson]

1 minute ago, scdan4 said:

Ahhh.  Nova Knob Cloths. Where are they now?.

They got younger, we got older.

 

They're still out there.  There's a local lass I know of who runs a car club and doesn't own/drive a car.  She is doing a mechanics course at the local college.  Apparently her fella has a MkIV Supra.  I've seen her, I've seen him, she's definitely a fan of the car.

[BorniteIdentity]

41 minutes ago, scdan4 said:

Were none of you young once?

yoofs spanking all their money on cars? Yep

yoofs showing off to their mates and the flange? Yep.

yoofs being , well, just stupid yoofs? Yep.

 

but quick, let’s ban it. It’s dangerous.

 

oh look, the yoofs are completely disengaged from our society, let’s blame smartphones.

I genuinely don't think I've seen so many cliches used in one single post.  Congratulations.

[sierraman]

The guy was driving like a dick, he lost control and seriously injured several people. Whether this happened in 1978 or it happened in 2019 is irrespective. He’s a dick. 

[loserone]

2 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I genuinely don't think I've seen so many cliches used in one single post.  Congratulations.

More to the point, who is suggesting banning what is already illegal behaviour?

[scdan4]

2 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

Check out this 12min vid. It's not from last night, it's from the Stevenage meet Thur 11/7/19, a week ago.

First 6mins youngsters showing off, as they do. After about 6mins things start to get iffy (40mph road), and Coco the clown makes an appearance around 7mins 40 (I was PMSL, what a twonk). After 9mins highly dangerous.

But why stand in the road and on the narrow central reservation through choice, like skittles at a bowling alley? 

 

Thanks for that. I’ve never seen Stevenage so positively presented or look so interesting. Double denim was a bit squeezed in ? . I genuinely enjoyed it, thank you.

coco the clown is a fucking legend, selflessly prepared to sacrifice his hard earned just to appease the ungrateful baying mob.

I think we have very different standards for highly dangerous though. ?

 

And I’d not have stayed all night. But I’d definitely have stood in the middle for a bit. I’d be there for the visceral excitement, the popping banging full bore noise, smell, excitement and danger. And that’s all better closer, with less high viz. and yes there is a greater than normal chance of a corsa to the face..... ..... that is one of the reasons you’re stood there in the first place 

 

[wuvvum]

54 minutes ago, Kiltox said:

Car finance has always been a thing. 

I meant are we sure they were driving Maestros 20 years ago, given it’s 2019, or is it the usual Autoshite stuck in about 2002 syndrome 

1999 would’ve been peak Max Power surely. 

Most Max Power-type stuff was a daft body kit and wheels on a Nova 1.3 SR though - there was the odd turbonutter conversion but very few barrymobiles in those days could hold a candle to a 370Z.

20 years ago was 1999, at which point the last Maestros were only 4 years old, so not that far-fetched.

[EssDeeWon]

1 hour ago, DaveDorson said:

Well no.  But sometimes people are twats after and people watch that bit.

Fairy muff.  

Southend centre is a no go on a Friday / Sat evening especially during the summer. You get them under and over taking, sitting 45mm off your back bumper in their lowered corsa's and fiesta's heading for the seafront. I think this sort of thing goes on down there but never been there to witness it. Lots about it in the local press, residents trying to get it stopped, imagine having to listen to tyre screech all evening. Far from ideal I suppose if you do live down there.