Magazine Article - Clarification

[gonzoon]

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)...

[Rekin]

This saturday @ 10am, come down and have a gander, we wont bite.

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/20...bq-t306850.html

and

Cant miss this one

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Mi...to-t306659.html

[RBPOWA-(TJ)]

i'll just say Good luck with this Ian

if you do get your story and gets printed as a positive, then even better.

but i do have a good feeling about it thought, alot of people complain about getting bad media, now is their chance to show the other side of the street car community, or get burned by the media.....again... only time will tell.

good luck

EDIT : good links Pat, cant go wrong at those events, unless the stray's rock up and ruined for everyone, there is always one bad apple

[R31Nismoid]

cheers for the clarification.

As mentioned throughout the thread, this forum/club tries hard to stay away from this hoon image. Anyone boasting about illegal racing, idiotic behavoir etc on this forum are frowned upon and banned. We have police officers who are members on this site/club and are invited to any meets/cruises we have.

You wont find any idiots here, but if you are truly interested in hearing our side of the story im sure R31Nismoid has a few words to say *handballs to R31Nismoid *

Catch... and now play

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)...

Gee... what a good guesser i am. Funny about that...

I cannot logically see how attending illegal street meets/drags and writing about it is going to offer any tangible benefit. You are just going to see people suffering from the below reasons, even if they do not know why they exist.

- Lack of facilities for Drag racing has gone DOWN whilst the number of people driving has gone UP. I'm sure you can find some stats about that. The one that is currently open (calder) is 25mins from the CBD by freeway, or basically over 40mins min for anyone on the other side... where the industrial park is around the corner.

- Lack of any decent licensing and or testing. The fact is people can get their license far too easily. There should be compulsory driver training for anyone attemping to get their P's and then a retest once they are off it.

- Non existent educating. Stupid scare campaigns on television do nothing for the vast majority of young males who think they are invincible. There should be a group(s) that goes around to secondary schools or similar to talk to them face to face. Some about real life experience. Seeing someone talk about killing thier best mate in person has far greater impact than some orchestrated TV ad (half the time they don't even have correct statistics in them).

- Totally re-active Government (as opposed to pro-active. Crushing/Impounding cars? i mean come on, the Gov't does nothing to STOP it, lets it happen, then thinks taking your car is the solution?

- Police totally gave up on the "bluey" cars @ the drags that were there to help raise awareness, work with the community and so on. I give full props the to Officers who were driving that program, i know many wanted it shut down a lot sooner.

- Police waiting outside venues like DragTag, Dyno nights and so on do NOTHING for the people doing the right thing in legal manners. Deny it all they want, they know they target such legal events and punish those who try to do the right thing... so why bother even trying? Fair point most of them have.

I could go on for hours. I'm sure you can see pretty much what im getting at.

You go to these meets and write a "voice" piece, all it will be is the dumb muppets giving you responses like:

"coz there is nowhere else to do this bro you kno?"

"i do it cause i enjoy da run n tat you kno?"

Yes i know that is being fairly stereotypical, but it's really not that far from the overall truth.

If they were properly educated, licence tested, given facilities to vent themselves - they would go and do it!

They probably don't realise it themselves, and they never will, hence they need to be guided to it. Scaremongering, fear tactics and so on will only drive a young male to do it MORE... that's what the retarded law makers in this state/country do not realise.

I'm done for now... fingers are rather sore, been a heavy day for me

If you want to go into it further, this club has varying events over coming months.

You would be more than welcome to attend as my guest, i am President of this Victorian Club, and i also run these here forums.

I have a fairly good grasp i feel on what the larger issues are - going to a street meet IMO really will not give you much other than faces full of burning rubber

[2rismo]

Which magazine?

[funkymonkey]

guys, keep the discussion civil in this thread, the OP's willing to clarify his intentions, so give him a chance to be heard.

[_Ryan_]

I will second Rekin's(Patrick) suggestions of attending the above events. A Dyno day is a social event as much as it is a mini comp. Go to a DECA(maybe cruise up on the morning with the other cars for the full experience), and Also attend a monthly SAU General Meeting.

[gonzoon]

I will second Rekin's(Patrick) suggestions of attending the above events. A Dyno day is a social event as much as it is a mini comp. Go to a DECA(maybe cruise up on the morning with the other cars for the full experience), and Also attend a monthly SAU General 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...

[R31Nismoid]

General meetings... 3rd Tuesday of every month (Mar 16th next) @ 8pm.... usually people arrive 7pm for a beer/feed/chat etc.

Bells Hotel. Moray St, Sth Melb

I can put you in touch with basically anyone, i did grow up out west afterall and the illegals were a 5min walk from my house.

[RBPOWA-(TJ)]

level headed drivers - SAU meets

Street-racers, anywere down princess hwy, Krispy Kreams Narre Warren, any McDonalds carpark after hours, and industrial area's . if that upsets anyone ? could give a stuff, not my problem.

[Rekin]

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...

Saturdays event will no doubt go from 10am until 4pm+ So if you cant make the morning, the party will still be on in the afternoon

The internet is a funny thing, can easily find info on anyone. Good thing everything was exposed by a friendly club and you have taken action to prevent it happening again.

Regarding "street racers". If you want to see/talk to street racers. Every friday night 12-4am on princes hwy, you will catch a lot of people racing up/down between noble park and warrigal rd. They all park at sandown park hotel or the mcdonalds on intersection of princes hwy/wellington road.

For our sake, pick a hoon who isnt driving a skyline, dont need more attention in the news. Although from what I have seen, the majority are holdens and fords and you would have to try hard to find a skyline.

[_Ryan_]

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...

Is this piece more of a background opinion piece or is it direct quotes and the like? Might want to give a rough outline of what you want to write(without giving too much away), If you want us to steer you in the right direction/have people approach you.

Look at some DECA wrap up threads if you want a bit of a laugh, and to see the kind of things that people get up to.

Have you looked into the Motorvate Melbourne event(just passed) and the background to it?

[funkymonkey]

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.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=287677629647

enjoy

[gonzoon]

Is this piece more of a background opinion piece or is it direct quotes and the like? Might want to give a rough outline of what you want to write(without giving too much away), If you want us to steer you in the right direction/have people approach you.

Look at some DECA wrap up threads if you want a bit of a laugh, and to see the kind of things that people get up to.

Have you looked into the Motorvate Melbourne event(just passed) and the background to it?

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...

[gonzoon]

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=287677629647

enjoy

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)

[Rekin]

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)

lol no need to be afraid of us haha

Im pretty sure if you log back in, you can restore your account. They will send out an email to re-activate the account. After that, just go to privacy settings and change everything to "only friends can view etc"

edit: if all else fails;

I still cannot reactivate my account.

If you are still having trouble reactivating your account, please contact [email protected] from your login email address. Please write your login email address in the subject line of your message along with the word ‘reactivate’.

[R31Nismoid]

lol... oh dear... it's the internet mate.

A keyboard might only leave you with bruised mind after reading it...

People get "carried" away, no-one would hurt ya... lol... I know you probably don't find it as funny :S

[Rekin]

[_Ryan_]

lol no need to be afraid of us haha

Im pretty sure if you log back in, you can restore your account. They will send out an email to re-activate the account. After that, just go to privacy settings and change everything to "only friends can view etc"

There are two options, deactivate and delete. Do you remember which one you pressed?

Once you re-enable it, go to the privacy page, and make everything "friends only" on the drop down boxes. Also untick "index for search engines" or whatever it is. That will make it pretty well locked down until you have time to sort out how you want it setup.

[Rekin]

On another note, if you havent seen, go borrow "Love the beast" from your video rental shop. http://www.lovethebeast.com.au/

Should give you some ideas regarding the first part of your research