Stop Ruining the Reputation of Car Enthusiasts

"Michael Woyahn" (michaelwoyahn) 05/26/2016 at 14:43 • Filed to: None

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Accidents occurred hourly, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! were handed out, and, sadly, a mother and son were run over at this past weekend’s car shows in Wisconsin Dells. The events originally intended to celebrate a love of cars have turned into booze-fests full of two ton weapons. This is an embarrassment to car enthusiasts.

Before I get too far into this piece, I need to clarify that this is not an individual attack on the specific shows in the Dells, though I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the last year of them after all of the incidents over the weekend. People drove recklessly trying to show off for the crowds, and they were disrespectful to the surrounding community. While the huge number of people that attended these events most likely exaggerated the issues, it still illustrated the problems that occur at other car meets.

All across the country, engines bounce off rev limiters, tires spin, and cars drift as they leave shows. These actions ruin the fun for your fellow car lovers who were respectfully enjoying themselves, and they have an even bigger effect on the surrounding people just trying to go about their lives.

To non-car people, a vehicle getting sideways leaving a meet is seen as a threat that’s sliding out of control, possibly sliding right into their car. And this sometimes turns out to be the case for them and other car enthusiasts. Even if the threat turns out to be false, every person sharing the streets sees the methods of showing off specific drivers use, and they assume that every other car enthusiast acts the same way. More often than not, these are the same people who work to ban events in the future because they want to rid their community of the trouble.

We don’t have to act like this. Lake Mills Cars and Coffee, which is pictured above, is the perfect example of respectfulness. The cars arrive in a sane way, get parked safely, and everyone appreciates the beauty of each car. No one revs their engine, and there is no drama when they leave. Even the lot hosting the event is left in pristine condition after the meet. Events like these leave the car people and the non-car people satisfied, which is what car enthusiasts should aspire to do.

Now, I’m not saying that I have a problem with car meets. I love going to events to look at beautiful cars and meet new people. I’m also not saying that you can’t enjoy your car and drive in an enthusiastic manner. There is nothing wrong with driving it hard once in awhile, but do so on an empty back road and be smart about it. Don’t bring that driving style or attitude to car meets where it quickly becomes reckless and selfish. Remember, you are representing an entire community.

A more detailed report of the crash mentioned in the intro can be found !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Michael Woyahn 05/26/2016 at 15:00

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The FB page of our local cars and coffee has been a battle ground lately. lately, with the organizers condemning the drivers of cars who peel out and floor it leaving the show, and especially the ones who come and go to do it multiple times. The culprits and their friends/supporters are claiming that this is just a veiled attempt to get rid of the muscle cars and turn the show into a snobby Euro-show. My thoughts on this are a) it’s not veiled, it says in every invite and description that it’s a Euro/exotic show, and b) yeah, if you are driving like an asshole, you need to stop doing so or stop coming. And yes, if you stand at the exit, you will notices that the Ferraris and Astons and Porsches tend to leave carefully, while the Camaros and Mustangs burn rubber trying to show off. But yeah, anybody who does this is an ass and should be reprimanded or banned, depending on severity or frequency.

Forgetful > Michael Woyahn 05/26/2016 at 15:09

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Ditch the car show scene and go autocross instead. It’s like watching pro sports vs. bodybuilding competitions.

Decay buys too many beaters > Michael Woyahn 05/26/2016 at 15:16

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I’m honestly on the fence about this one as I’ve seen it from both sides. The C&C that I’ve been attending for about 5 years now used to be tiny. The stated rule was “leave as aggressively as you want, but DO NOT break traction” On of the real draws for me was hearing high end exotics actually getting reved out (first gear) leaving the meet. However over the course of a few years the meet grew and started bringing in more american muscle guys and ratchet drift kids who would peel out of every meet and come in a different car each time. So now we have walkies talkies, police presence, cones, “featured parking” and it’s no longer a nice place to be. I attended because I detest the stodgy “old” feeling of car shows but now the local cars and coffee feels just like that to me. Wish there was a middle ground but there does not appear to be one.

Urambo Tauro > Forgetful 05/26/2016 at 15:28

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Great analogy!

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Michael Woyahn 05/26/2016 at 15:28

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People do want to hear the engines, and that’s part of the problem.

My half-serious proposal:

Close off a section of road (no traffic, no downstream peds or spectators) for people to take off. One at a time.

Those who crash, crash. No take-offs on that road until the crash is cleaned up.

Urambo Tauro > Decay buys too many beaters 05/26/2016 at 15:32

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“leave as aggressively as you want, but DO NOT break traction”

That’s a good way to draw the line right there.

Michael Woyahn > Decay buys too many beaters 05/26/2016 at 15:35

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I totally agree. It’s sad that people can’t be trusted to responsibly show off their cars a bit since I love hearing the engines, too. But usually if one person revs their engine, it starts to snowball into others revving their engine and spinning their tires. That’s where the problems start.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Michael Woyahn 05/26/2016 at 15:35

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I was heading to northern Wisconsin this past weekend and our route takes us right through the dells. I don’t know why, but we passed multiple groups of 5+ ricers/drift missiles/bro-cars going EXACTLY the speed limit. That didn’t bother me. What bothered me is that traffic was flowing about 10MPH over the speed limit and they were taking up both lanes slowing up the flow of traffic.

Michael Woyahn > Forgetful 05/26/2016 at 15:36

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Interesting. I’ll definitely have to check that out!

Decay buys too many beaters > Urambo Tauro 05/26/2016 at 15:37

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But yeah that was the old way, the good way. Then we got a bunch of people who started breaking traction accidentally (they were reprimanded), then a bunch who did it intentionally (they were asked not to come back), then all their friends. Before you know it we had a cop parked right at the entrance of every meet and everyone leaves like a grandmother on sedatives.

Urambo Tauro > Decay buys too many beaters 05/26/2016 at 15:41

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Is the cop there to enforce the traction rule, or to put a stop to all aggressive acceleration?

Decay buys too many beaters > Michael Woyahn 05/26/2016 at 15:42

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It’s pushed me away from the whole meets/shows/cars and coffee scene. Now I just do smaller canyon drives with friends and racing events (track-days, autocross, drags, ect...) but I wish there was still I laid back place I could go on Saturday mornings and just chill with other enthusiasts and not worry if my cat-less, barely legal, no front plate, track car is going to piss off the cop waiting at the entrance no matter how gingerly I leave.

Michael Woyahn > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 05/26/2016 at 15:43

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I totally agree. No matter what car you’re driving, driving it to the point where it causes a disturbance is not acceptable.

That’s an interesting situation your cars and coffee is in, and quite a stretch for those guys to make. I guess they’ll try anything to defend their behavior.

Decay buys too many beaters > Urambo Tauro 05/26/2016 at 15:45

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Officially the cop is there to enforce “no burn outs, no drifting, no revving” But yeah, who the hell is going to do ANY full throttle right in front of a cop? Regardless the stated agenda.

Michael Woyahn > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 05/26/2016 at 15:48

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I would like to hear the engines too, but people unfortunately people can’t be trusted to responsibly show it off.

I think that idea could actually work really well! It could prevent a lot of issues, but it would be a little difficult to implement.

Michael Woyahn > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 05/26/2016 at 15:50

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That’s fair. Having traffic blocked like that is one of my biggest pet peeves. I would imagine that would be especially frustrating near the Dells because traffic is bad enough without them taking up both lanes!

Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud > Michael Woyahn 05/26/2016 at 18:54

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I gotta admit, i understand the temptation to burn out leaving a C&C or rev off if i have a nice muffler etc... I get it. We all want attention.

BUT

Knowing that there was even a slight possibility i could fall into temptation, knowing the kind of attention i could get at a meet, would also be negative attention from the boys in blue at the most inconvenient times humanly possible, costing unreasonable amounts of money so disproportionately ludacris...

I decided to by a land yacht, put an air suspension on it, and just make it look nice, so instead of “sick burn outs” and “high revs” i have “low & slow drop” and “look at me, Im cool AND ACT MATURE for just long enough to leave this place safely ” lol

Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud > Michael Woyahn 05/26/2016 at 18:57

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I think its a microcosm of society in general...

Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 05/26/2016 at 18:59

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we had a great meet locally assembled by a bunch of leadsled guys, that thanks to lead footed ghetto meat heads got broken up just 1hr in because reving and burnouts

Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud > Forgetful 05/26/2016 at 19:00

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im definitely working to this myself...

NJAnon > Michael Woyahn 05/26/2016 at 19:57

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You all have it real nice then with the meetups or cars & coffee thing. I still have to go to “car shows” inside a building where the cars are turned off except for their car stereo system blaring and multicolored lights blinding you.

To be able to track down a cars owner and get some words in over the loud music is the hardest challenge of the day. :P

Dusty Ventures > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 05/26/2016 at 20:38

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The problem with that is liability. If part of the road is closed for that purpose, those who close the road and/or approved of the closure (show organizers, the town, etc) can be held responsible or sued if something happens. No one would take that risk without insurance to cover the “what if,” and such insurance isn’t cheap. Ergo it could no longer be a free show for attendees, because now the show would need to charge admission to pay for the insurance.

Welcome to the fun world of event organization.

Michael Woyahn > Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud 05/26/2016 at 23:50

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Haha, that works!

JKER > Michael Woyahn 05/27/2016 at 09:23

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Maybe we should just invite police to come hang out at all the car meets. Positive public exposure and they can prevent people from acting like idiots when they leave.

Michael Woyahn > JKER 05/27/2016 at 11:01

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That would definitely help!

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Michael Woyahn 05/27/2016 at 20:13

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beerfest car show surprises me that got off the planning stages without someone going “this sounds like a bad idea”

The aural melody of car engines is something magical. part of it is “don’t be a dick”. sadly those that are dicks don’t understand this. the occasional high pitch soprano of a Ferrari V-12 or baritone ‘Cuda adds to the experience. unfortunately this becomes a dick measuring contest of Vtecs and straight pipe “rat” rods.

My 914 has @80hp if I dont rev out, i can get rear ended by an odessey.

Michael Woyahn > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 05/28/2016 at 00:15

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It’s not officially a “booze-fest”, but drinking and driving happens way too often at these events in the Dells. The person who hit the mother and son was suspected to be under the influence of something, so it’s definitely a problem.

I totally agree about the car engines, though. The sounds totally add to the experience, but the problem is that it starts to snowball into other issues, like you said.