Need your public support, plz read!!

[YBSLO4]

Hey everyone,

Recently i been working on the organisationg of something that could possibly save a lot of us import owners from a lot of grief. I like all other modified car owners are sick of being tagged as 'hoons' and 'rebels of the road' because of the other guys out there in similar cars whos poil it for us. As we all know illegal street drag meets have become big of late and attract a large number of people on a very regular basis australia wide. This is where my efforts begin.

After speaking to a few officers and other ranked police, i have been given praise for the thought of taking an idea i have to the police board in order to work out a civil way that is fair for both us as drivers/pwners of these cars and the police themselves who are out there to keep the roads safe.

I am looking to somewhow organise an official fortnightly event at a proper venue which is safe and away from public roads, with the assistance of the Victoria Poilce in which owners of high performance and modified vehicles, or even standard vehicles can come along and for a small fee (to cover venue costs) be able to do basically anything that isn't legal on the streets. Hopefully some sort of drag strip and an open area for burnouts etc. I want it to be more than just a place for 'hoons' to go, i want it to be seen as a lagitimate attempt to stop people missbehaving on the streets and do it in a safe area. I would also like the Police to have some part in the goings on, so that they can show that its not all bad to have some fun sometimes but jsut not on the roads, cos we all know coppers where young once too.

What i am trying to do on here is inform everyone of what i am out achieve, and would like to think i could get the same support as i have seen as various illegal meets, and just think what it could potentially do for us... it will HOPEFULLY lessen the amount of people willing to risk accidents on the road and the reputation of all other owners, which has already been hit with a harsh blow.

It seems to me that this is the biggest problem with all this illegal activity in the modified car scence at the moment, that really there is no where to go for this sorta stuff... yes you can go to Heathcotte or Calder and get ripped by a 9sec VL or a 10sec rotary, but what is the fun in that? The temptation on the road is knowing that if you own a skyline and a mate has a 180 that it will be close and that they are willing to risk it in a drag to see whos is better... and i like to see that competition, jsut not on the roads, so if i can bring that same friendly competition to a safe environment where all street cars are able to attend then i believe we can ALL make it successful and fun for everyone without being accused on front pages of newspapers and new headlines around the country.

I am pleading for the support of all of those who are genuinely interested in this. I know if we can get a similar turnout to say an MCCR open cruise at an event like this (which i believe is very possible) then it will be hugely successful, and held on a frequent enough basis it will hopefully stop the illegal drags from occuring and will stop the publics damaging view on modified car owners.

Regards,

James.

[Guest RedLineGTR]

Free Bump, i'm pretty sure all of vic sau will be in for support and all other car clubs...something maybe discuss at BMT This Sat..Bro you coming along??? Maybe we can have a meeting at a hall or something to get some ideas going and some discussions.

[YBSLO4]

Um not really in tune with any meetings and stuff relating to forums, if i could get some info that'd be great. If possible if we could organise a large enough group of people to attend i could possible try and get hold of a few high ranked traffic officers to attend the meet to see their view of it aswell and to discuss the likelyhood of it working? I've posted on a few forums so hopefully there will be enough people informed that if i hold an organised meeting of some sort that we could have a very serious discussion regarding this issue.

[SKY031]

Sounds great in theory, but take into account that anything like this would require public liability insurance, and I don't like the chances of any insurance companies jumping at the chance of taking this kind of thing on.

We know it's needed, the law knows it's needed, but there just aren't any venues that are suitable for this kind of thing.

(Taking into account noise and emissions)

If you can get this off the ground, people will back you, but it's going to be a long hard process.

Good luck with it, and keep us informed.

~K

[rofocale]

YBSLO4,

I think this is a great idea and I hope it comes together. Kinda like a blue light disco or something, but for cars.

BTW, how about we petition the EPA to reduce their emissions compliance testing from $2500, to something practical. Then have the same thing for modifications as you're proposing for driving. I'm sure that those people out there who like to use good equipment on their car would be quite happy to meet all legal requirements if it didn't cost an arm and a leg. Or is there something I'm missing here as I have no idea about this one, but I keep reading stories of EPA action against people.

I think interaction, awareness and community are a great way to deal with some of the issues experienced by all parties involved in these issues.

[Black32]

The issue is public liability insurance. The idea seems great and id be willing to support it but insurance would be a killer. If there was no insurance you can bet that somone will try to sue for damages if thier car gets damaged ect. The police are now confiscating cars that have been caught in illegal drag racing so its getting to the point of ridiculous. There must be something closer than Calder that we can get together.

[clarkey]

You've got my vote

Alan

[Guest RedLineGTR]

The problem is that if there is a meeting people including myself would be abit scared that if we rockup, while the meeting is going on they will defect all our cars, or block the entrance off. BUt i guess if something is setup people will rock up in stocko cars.

[predator]

I think its a good idea if you can get the balling rolling on it, as its definitely a great idea which i am sure a few people have thought about, but never actually actioned.

I am just too sure how it would work though. Even at Calder and things you get the occassional dickhead..how do you decide who is just "mucking around" and who is acutally a danger to others at such an event. See at the illegals its all illegal so it doesn't matter, but some sort of sanctioned events there is all sorts of liability issues to take into account. And how much policing would be invovled - i assume there has to be some, but well i can't imagine the police turning a blind eye to modifications and things when obviously 95% of the cars their will be modified in some way. If people have fear of their cars getting done over, they will not come, plain and simple.. and it will fail.

With people suing companies because they can't even read a simple label these days, liability insurance is skyrocketing - making track days and things such as this out of the reach of most Victorian clubs these days. And they wonder why people take to racing on the streets.

Well I think you also need to find out more and meet up with more Victorian SAU members as well to get our opinions and thoughts as a collective...its only a bit further down the page. We do actually plan events and things you know! Saturday there is meant to be a meet, although i think a last minute spanner was thrown into it for various reasons (again plz get down to the VIC forum for proper details).

[Merli]

Good to see you're making an effort.

But just wait for the first smash between that R33 and 180sx, and watch the Police condemn the idea and banish any further thought of it.

[Jamezilla]

Love the idea. I agree about the liability issue - but worth pursuing...

Have you spoken to CAMS?

Also maybe worth speaking to JMS in Adelaide - they organise Drift meets. How do they get around legality?

[YBSLO4]

Yeah public liability is always an issue with any event of any sort. Basically i am wanting to achieve some sort of sponsorship for this to get the community and everyone involved, cos we all know it aint going to stop by itself, drags will continue to run, but if we can prevent their dangerous nature from being on the road then i think its worth it? However with the policing issue i would have strict guidelines for the police as to how and why i am going about the event, and that would be that no cars in the area will be defected or fined as it is off public road, however if they drive off the premises the same back onto public roads then thats a different story as it is back under their full control. Like all of you, i would not go myself if i knew they were going to play all happy with the idea then turn around and defect my car :-/ We all have to put in tho and we need the best ideas we can as to how we can start this properly, too many people say they will do it but there is just not enough action, and i want everyone to be involved to show that we aren't all as they think.

[PuppaDuck]

Sounds like one of those things that every logical person would agree with, but just won't happen - so we live with it

Tell you what though, the person (or organisation) that pulls it off would make history...

I see on-site performance mods sales pulling in big money to said innovator...

[YBSLO4]

Well the best i can do is try... no one else has yet so i'm gunna be the first, they will probably shrug and tell me to get fu*k$D but i'll say the same back cos i don't see them trying to help... all's they are keen on is makin so more money so the government can spend it again or so they can buy some new Vipers, or Porches like they just did.

[skylineakt]

Great to see someone trying and sticking their balls out there haha. I reckon it is a great idea but liability and all the bu#llSh3% will be the main problems I think.

I'm all for it and I think you will get heaps of support once the words get around and the ball rolling.

How does MCCR get around it?? Like one cruise meet I went to, i saw cars there that would be canary if under different circumstance, but yet cops there didn't seem to mind and it was on public road.

[dojobi]

Sounds great. As everyone else has said, Public Liability Insurance is your main hurdle. I just had the thought too - what happens if a bunch of pissed bogans turn up for some burnouts and smash a few cars? Who would cover that? Are you going to be able to breath test everyone who turns up? This would be a private burnout area, right? So the drinking and driving laws wouldn't apply (??)

I've also got the feeling that the cops would set up a defect station outside the place though

[YBSLO4]

Um, a few hurdles so far... just trying to get them to talk is enuff lol As you can imagine. I'm not too sure how things cam be enforced safely and rightly? It is a hard thing to sit down and figure out as their is manys sides to it. Things such as drink driving, and deliberately endangering people like driving pissed and smashing cars deliberately would see me get them in shit, cos it will all fall back on me in the end, so its in my interests that i see this is patroled as it would on public roads. I will not tolerate drink driving and there will be a way of controlling that pretty much by breath testing all drivers upon entry for safety reasons, which i don't think the Police would dissagree at all. As far as defecting goes i will not go ahead with it if i fin dout they are polanning to jsut bust our asses despite the good intentions involved. That is one of the main reasons i wanted to organise this is to stop the crap they pull when legal events are held, its just silly and gives themselves a bad view fromour point of view and creates alot of disslike among owners. I just want it to be fun, yet safe, and not have all the strings attached, i.e. beeing afraid to get canaried, feeling like you will be put in jail for having fun etc. But mos tof all it must be planned properly to ensure SAFETY cos thats what we are trying to do by taking this off the road anyway eh?

[awill]

What about going to the news and local papers trying to rally support of the "majority" who are all the people that complain about us "hoons" dragging out there on the roads.

Broadcast the image that you are thinking of their safety and the compliance to the road rules but cant get Insurance, did the government cover public liability for a group im not sure maybe doctors or farmers or someone that needed it. Surly if there is enough support the government should see fit to give public liability (thats if they ever have before). All to keep the streets safe and save lives. Hopefullyit will supply enthusiasts a playground free of persecution.

Your next Problem is where?

and keeping it safe. If it can be done once then hopefully it will be repeated in WA as barbagello is a hell of a treck from south of the river.