On the current happenings in the Stoke-On-Trent area with the proposed banning of all Boy Racers AND Car Enthusiasts from the site known as Festival Park. There are differences between the two groups of car fanatics and why they do what they do.
Recently in the Stoke-On-Trent area where I live there has been a lot of talk about moves by the police to get an order to stop groups of car enthusiasts meeting there and gathering in groups. While I can see why the police wish to do this I believe that it is no different than a group of people going up to Hanley for a night out clubbing or a group of people going to the cinema together just that this group drives modified cars, I don't see the police moving to stop people clubbing or watching films. The only difference is that the car enthusiasts stand outside talking. Now before you think what about the noise, the disturbance, damage etc you need to understand that just as some teenagers are good and some teenagers carry knives and stab people there are the good modified car drivers and the bad modified car drivers. However, just as the public seems to tar all teenagers as the knife carrying, stabbing, kind (a whole different issue altogether) it seems all modified car drivers are seen as the noisy, un-insured, bad driving ones.
What I want to do is tell you the differences between the two types of car communities as well as put together all of the answers to peoples questions, queries and miss-conceptions regarding the Car Enthusiasts scene that I have seen in various places in one place, both sensibly, and thought out from both sides. I have taken a few of the things said in comments, blog posts and newspaper columns and tried to answer them as best as I can. Everyone is welcome to comment, not only to agree with me but also to disagree, all that I ask is that you don't make it personal, you keep it to a healthy discussion and you acknowledge the difference between Boy Racers and Car Enthusiasts (explained below)
Boy Racers Vs Car Enthusiasts
One of the most important things to remember when talking about this issue and before voicing anything for EITHER side is to understand that there is not just one group of car drivers that are being talked about here. However they are often seen as the same, they are called Boy Racers and Car enthusiasts.
Boy racers are the ones you see doing stupid speeds down the dual carriageways and if they are particularly bad, the streets too. The ones that scare you as they come towards you too fast in your rear-view mirror and they are also the ones that screech round, cause damage and make a whole lot of noise and problems for local residents and businesses. They are NOT the ones you see sat about in car parks talking and looking at the cars.
Car Enthusiasts on the other hand are people who enjoy cars as a hobby, just as plane enthusiast will congregate at an airport and watch the planes take off and land. Car enthusiasts like to look at cars, however because the price of a car is considerably less than a plane, most of them own one too. Naturally these enthusiasts wish to meet others that enjoy their hobby as much as them, just as people who enjoy movies wish to watch them together.
Unfortunately the place of choice for both these groups of car users is a car park because they are usually quiet at night, easy to get to and of course because they want to bring their cars!
Why Do the Idiots Spend all that Money to Modify those Cars, Anyway?
Basically Car Enthusiasts view their cars the same way as you view your living room (stay with me here) you wouldn't have exactly the same living room as your neighbour, it may have the same layout but you decorate it differently. I see my cars modifications as my decoration, not everyone has the best-decorated house but they are different. Its about having something original, something that is yours and that people recognise as yours, not just another car the same as everyone else. Think about anything you own, chances are it will have something that makes it a little bit more personal to you. A car enthusiast just goes that little bit further.
Boy racers on the other hand generally are the ones you see that have modified cars that are either 1. Falling to bits or 2. Bodged together and will very soon fall to bits. Generally they don't really care about the look of the car they just want to get their 1Ltr engines to sound bigger and go that little bit faster.
You Wouldn't Hang Out on Your Own Street Corner
I will agree fully with that, I wouldn't hang out on my street corner, nor do I hang out on yours however. We are on the car parks which are well away from residential properties and apart from us passing to get to the car park we shouldn't be near enough to cause any problems. However, regardless, there are problems, residents complain of cars screeching past, music blaring and people collecting outside on their streets. The reasons for this I'm unsure, the screeching past can easily be blamed on boy racers on their way down to Festival Park, as well as the music, but people congregating outside peoples homes is not on at all, I wouldn't want it on my street, however, I am a strong believer in trying to work out solutions that benefit both sides rather than looking for quick fix solutions. Bringing in bans for the streets that it currently affects will bring relief for those streets but I believe it will only move these boy racers onto another street nearby, you cant solve the problem simply by re-creating it elsewhere. Long-term solutions need to be put in place.
