Cruisin' for a bruisin'!

[retroade]

Local BBC East News has been running two negative stories on local cruises, Southend and Peterborough. Both events have seen some village idiots in attendance, and a Mercedes lost control and hit spectators in Peterborough on Saturday resulting in injuries, fortunately didn't sound too serious. Now we all like a burnout, but there's a time and a place and a crowded Southend seafront in front of the local TV news cameras is neither the time nor the place.

My biggest fear is now there is going to be a backlash from the authorities as they'll feel they need to be seen to act and retro meets will get tarred by the same brush. Both Police and local politicians were on the news items saying they would clamp down. Let's hope common sense is applied and the many aren't made to suffer for the few.

[southside]

There's already high court bans on cruising in a lot of areas in the Midlands. Permanent signs have been put up enforcing it too.

[VIP]

There's already been a popular meet on here that ended up having to be permanently cancelled due to a select number of idiots.

Personally I'm all for banning large scale cruises/meet-ups, ultimately they get so large that they cannot be 'policed' properly so you're never going to be able to influx of morons who ruin it for everyone else.

Stick to small local meets between a few mates, and leave the big meet-ups for organised show, such as RRG.

[southside]

If I remember correctly the high court enforcements here in the Midlands include an offence to take part or organise any street racing, any vehicles travelling in convoy, any large groups of cars meeting in one place, excessive noise, anti social behaviour, causing obstruction weather parked or traveling, and any risk or harm to public or property plus more.

[domino1971]

And I thought cruising meant something else completely where someone ends up maybe gettin a bruise.oh dear...:-)

[fordperv]

The ban in festival Park, Stoke on trent pretty much killed it around here, yeah you get smaller groups getting together on your usual tesco, burger king etc but the Sunday nights where people came from miles around and you could not move for cars let alone race around havn't happened for a long time, I'm glad I am old enough to have been part of it when it was at its peak as these kids now havn't got a clue

[93fxdl]

www.sandwell.gov.uk/info/200284/roads_travel_and_parking/3231/car_cruising_ban
Big brother anyone?
Funny, but most of the issues could easily be applied to football fans, one post said " gatherings of two or more cars " could be a nightmare going to halfords,
Almost all the " cruising " offences listed were all covered as crimes in their own right, racing, speeding, noise, foul language,
Is this just an attempt to create another revenue stream? Will a couple of new jobs for council enforcement officers be created?
If I lived in the area, it would be so tempting to create bogus flyers for cruises, street races, etc then forward them to the council, and watch the headless chickens run around chasing non existant events. Heard tale of the police blanketing the M25 after a cannonball Flyer was handed in.
Ttfn Glenn

[southside]

Aug 11, 2015 9:19:08 GMT fordperv said:

The ban in festival Park, Stoke on trent pretty much killed it around here, yeah you get smaller groups getting together on your usual tesco, burger king etc but the Sunday nights where people came from miles around and you could not move for cars let alone race around havn't happened for a long time, I'm glad I am old enough to have been part of it when it was at its peak as these kids now havn't got a clue

Agreed, I passed my test in 2003 but had a couple of older mates with cars so was on the cruise scene from around 2001 onwards. I was lucky enough to catch the last couple of good years before all the clampdowns began.

I remember going to one cruise in the Midlands around 2002 that was so popular it gridlocked the motorways. Took us about three hours to even get there, was only about twenty mile journey, back in my mates metro gti listening to clubland albums. Ahhhh those were the days

[stevecrx]

Aug 11, 2015 8:53:32 GMT southside said:

If I remember correctly the high court enforcements here in the Midlands include an offence to take part or organise any street racing, any vehicles travelling in convoy, any large groups of cars meeting in one place, excessive noise, anti social behaviour, causing obstruction weather parked or traveling, and any risk or harm to public or property plus more.

Leicester has had a couple of cruises in the last year that were supported by the Police and landowner of the carpark. Seemed successful, without the racing and nob head quota that can ruin these things.

We used to go to a meet at Ashby Foleville which started as a biker meet then spread to classic cars which used ot park on the cricket pitch.

It was a good atmosphere, and a broad selection of vehicles, but that ended up being shut down because of nob heads on quad bikes, and people doing burn outs. Guess it got too popular for it's own good.

[retroade]

My main worry is for local meets. We have a really good monthly meet in the summer that attracts around 100 cars with a strict 20 years or older rule that keeps it sensible. Problem is people are turning up for a look which is all fine apart from we've had complaints of bad driving on the B road leading to the venue, with a few choice twonks speeding through villages with 30mph limits. Where possible people were named and shamed and a statement issued on Facebook apologising for the behaviour and that it was not regulars, but I fear the next time this happens we'll suffer the blow back from the recent negative press and there could be a knee jerk reaction from the local council / police.

[retroade]

Aug 11, 2015 9:25:58 GMT 93fxdl said:

www.sandwell.gov.uk/info/200284/roads_travel_and_parking/3231/car_cruising_ban
Big brother anyone?
Funny, but most of the issues could easily be applied to football fans, one post said " gatherings of two or more cars " could be a nightmare going to halfords,
Almost all the " cruising " offences listed were all covered as crimes in their own right, racing, speeding, noise, foul language,
Is this just an attempt to create another revenue stream? Will a couple of new jobs for council enforcement officers be created?
If I lived in the area, it would be so tempting to create bogus flyers for cruises, street races, etc then forward them to the council, and watch the headless chickens run around chasing non existant events. Heard tale of the police blanketing the M25 after a cannonball Flyer was handed in.
Ttfn Glenn

Guerilla tactics, love it. Operation Carmageddon.

[HoTWire]

Aug 11, 2015 13:01:56 GMT retroade said:

My main worry is for local meets. We have a really good monthly meet in the summer that attracts around 100 cars with a strict 20 years or older rule that keeps it sensible. Problem is people are turning up for a look which is all fine apart from we've had complaints of bad driving on the B road leading to the venue, with a few choice twonks speeding through villages with 30mph limits. Where possible people were named and shamed and a statement issued on Facebook apologising for the behaviour and that it was not regulars, but I fear the next time this happens we'll suffer the blow back from the recent negative press and there could be a knee jerk reaction from the local council / police.

We get exactly the same problem with The Gathering. It REALLY annoys me, you basically come to a show then drive like a total idiot and put that same show in danger (we've had a few very real talks in this area over the years). Idiots.

Also burnouts on the street are rubbish. Unless you are warming your tyres for a drag or hillclimb run you are just being a dick.

#dontdrivelikeadick

[dodgerover]

Aug 11, 2015 8:53:32 GMT southside said:

If I remember correctly the high court enforcements here in the Midlands include an offence to take part or organise any street racing, any vehicles travelling in convoy, any large groups of cars meeting in one place, excessive noise, anti social behaviour, causing obstruction weather parked or traveling, and any risk or harm to public or property plus more.

All those things were already banned under the criminal justice bill circa 1990 aimed at stopping raves and hippies. Any gathering of more than 7 vehicles requires police permission

[meltdown]

Cheddar meet by us has gone the same way with idiots drifting up the gorge which is packed with kids, cyclists and lots of parked cars.

TV were down filming and some numpty showed off further enforcing the mentality that the meet was at fault.

eventually we'll have nowhere to go, queens square meet in bristol is epic but again is beginning to get too large.

[skylinedave]

Could the organisers [ on facebook i presume ] of car meets not just invite the police down via facebook , so they can ccan have a good look about and act as a deterant to the fee idiots who end up turning up after the meet grows ? Perhaps let them take a photo of every persons car they they will know who is being a idiot .

[qwerty]

This is in the process of happening to one of our best local meets.

Started as a aircooled, american, hot rod kind of meet. Over the years classics and retros have joined in, then the watercooled vw lot, then the stance lot and now its a free for all.

Won't be long until its dead. Only been to two this year, after that I decided I'm just not going to bother anymore. Idiots in Corsa's wheel spinning. People in high powered japanese stuff over taking and racing each other from the lights etc etc.

[skylinedave]

I thin its the same with many things in life , bars , restaurants etc - after a while the wrong crowd here of it word of mouth and its a victim of its own popularity . I suppose the thing to do is to maintain good relationships with the police and move somewhere else .

[optimusprime]

Same thing happened with the off road fraternity.
Green lanes being closed due to the few idiots who think its fun to barrel down them at speed, mud flying, driving off track to by-pass an obstacle,or because it looks more of a challenge.


Whatever you do, there will always be a minority that spoil it.

[mjphotography2016]

i seen recently that sweetshop have moved there next event to cheddar due to the last event being way to big for avonmeads
s1311.photobucket.com/user/mjp27/Sweetshop%2029%203%2015/story
few pics from last one we went to,
used to go down to swansea kenfig but used get people driving/racing around there, cheltenham used to a good turn out always same people up there went there on and off for years,
went to newport one a few times, Cardiff used to always be pretty mad, went to End Game and we where sat on the motorway for ages just a massive turn out,
Valleys cruise always used to do good events been to a few of there 100% legal's but again people outside the event tend to get out of hand
whenever there a large gatherings someone always causes problems i see recently that shelseley had problems at there breakfast club.

[ratchart]

Aug 11, 2015 16:58:01 GMT skylinedave said:

Could the organisers [ on facebook i presume ] of car meets not just invite the police down via facebook , so they can ccan have a good look about and act as a deterant to the fee idiots who end up turning up after the meet grows ? Perhaps let them take a photo of every persons car they they will know who is being a idiot .

Is this a serious question?

Speaking from the experience of one of the local meets I frequent, a whole bunch of people, who were otherwise acting like decent civilised adults, got ticketed for minor number plate infringements. (US style plates) This was about a year ago. Nobody was driving dangerously or overstaying their welcome or causing trouble in any way. The nearby cafe was benefiting from the cruisers forcing money into their till, but still a police officer decided it was an easy way to meet his targets. 

How often do we hear politicians telling us that innocent people have nothing to hide, just before taking away some of our civil liberties?