gonzoon

hmmm, yeah, I take your point, but, yes, I wanted to at least give them a "voice", instead of just have them painted as the scourge of the times by tabloid media. Plus, yeah, give the public an idea of what the reality of what they're doing.

cheers, but I just deactivated my goddam facebook account in a fit of panic after reading the veiled threats in last night's thread (doh)

My brief is pretty vague, but its going to be a pretty big piece (4000 words), so will hope to include interviews, opinions, accounts.... This is literally the start of my research. The angle seems to be twofold - what is it with young men and cars - the love of the machine etc etc , and what is really happening out on the streets AND within more responsible set-ups... There's a photographer working on it too, i need to liaise with him at some point and see who he's meeting...

Thanks for that. I've just spent a disturbing hour reading all the posts from last night, and it has freaked the shit out of me. It seems I was pretty naive posting what I did - I am trying to find a story, and I want it to be a fair, interesting and new one. i don't know a lot about SAU, i found the site through a simple search on the keywords "hoon hotspots". Please believe me - the tone of the piece i'm hoping to write will not be so cliched or senationalist, I was just trying to find a starting-point. i am very interested in attending at least one of the events you mention - can't make Saturday morning, will try to make another. When are the monthly SAU metings? Just to be upfront - I DO want to speak to street-racers, but I ALSO want to contrast that with other breeds of enthusiast - the more detail i can give of the whole spectrum, the better the article, i figure. Oh, and to be even more upfront - I am a TOTAL idiot in regards to cars (aswell as internet security, clearly) - I will be writing from the perspective of a total ingenue.. You lot seem like a proud and passionate group, so i hope that doesn't seem insulting...

Mate, I would love to do exactly that. Can you point me in the right direction? (asap?)

I am trying to write an article which will cover as many aspects of the car subculture in Melbourne as possible - including illegal street-racing, organised and sanctioned events, motor enthusiasts who customize cars without ever using them - anything that touches on the topic. I wanted to get some attention because until I meet people there can be no article, that's why I wrote a provocative post, not out of any disrespect for members here. If anyone is interested in meeting and talking with me, on or off the record, I'd be grateful. and by the way, the reason the editor of the magazine wants to cover this is because we never hear from actual drivers - this is not going to be yet another piece vilifying "hoons" (a term which I was intending to use with some irony)...

CLARIFICATION: I am not trying to stitch anyone up. Yes, I am a freelance writer, and yes i have been asked by the Melbourne magazine to write and research a lengthy piece on car culture in Melbourne. The reason given by the editor is that the (generally) young men in the scene (in its many manifestations) who range from genuine enthusiasts to reckless deathwishers do not have a voice in the mainstream media which you so abhor. I am not interested in trading in cliches or putting my name to some piece of scare-mongering bullshit. I'm intent on giving a balanced picture. Yes, i do want to speak to some of the people who you might classify as "idiots", but not just to confirm their idiocy - I want to hear them trying to explain why the f**k they do what they do. I ALSO want to speak to blokes who love their cars and a part of a genuine community. In all honesty, I've only just started looking into this, and this site was one of the first I found which I thought might be useful. I wanted to get some attention, so wrote a deliberately provocative, in retrospect crappily worded post. No offence was meant.

I am writing a lead article for The Age's "Melbourne" magazine on "hoon" drivers in Victoria. Your chance to have your say. I want to talk to you, see what you do, and join in. Confidentiality guaranteed, if you want it. Get your car, your triumphs, your bitching out there.