Astra VXR owners given £100 fines at Bluewater

[Speed Badger]

Can you really be fined for simply parking next to similar cars, if you genuinely aren't tearing around like a bunch of ttty boy racers?

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/amp/wer...

[Beethree]

Yeah that’s pretty ridiculous. Unfortunately all car enthusiasts tend to get tarred with the same brush.
Wouldn’t be a problem if a large part of car culture now wasn’t being a dhead in car parks for youtube and tiktok videos

[SteveStrange]

And every story has 2 sides. They say they weren't driving like idiots or doing the things that "enthusiasts" get a bad name for. Forgive me if I don't take their word for it as an unbiased, genuine, honest account.

[Paulsd]

Speed Badger said:

Can you really be fined for simply parking next to similar cars, if you genuinely aren't tearing around like a bunch of ttty boy racers?

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/amp/wer...

Yes - friends of my eldest son have been fined after getting something to eat in Bluewater. Come out to find 8 police cars surrounding three of theirs.

They were told that they "suspect" they'll be up to no good later so giving out fines now.

They are fines from Datford Council which you can appeal. They all find it very frustrating and unfair, which I completeley agree with.

It's interesting as none of the sillyness happens in Bluewater anyway - it's all on the industrial estate about 2 miles way.

[FourGears]

Seems overkill from the Police.

Shouldnt they be catching actual criminals?

[Paulsd]

FourGears said:

Seems overkill from the Police.

Shouldnt they be catching actual criminals?

You would think so. It’s not hard at all to work out where the actual dodgy driving is happening so go there and hand out fines etc. Not because you think they might later once they’ve left.

Doesn’t help plod’s cause at all in trying to earn some respect.

[Driver101]

FourGears said:

Seems overkill from the Police.

Shouldnt they be catching actual criminals?

Residents, shop owners and customers complain the police are doing nothing to stop antisocial and intimidating driving.
The police do something to stop antisocial and intimidating driving and they get criticised for doing that.

Edited by Driver101 on Monday 31st October 11:57

[Oceanrower]

Driver101 said:

Residents, shop owners and customers complain the police are doing nothing to stop antisocial and intimidating driving.
The police do something to stop antisocial and intimidating driving and they get criticised for doing that.

Edited by Driver101 on Monday 31st October 11:57

Here’s a suggestion. How about they stop antisocial and intimidating driving when the cars are actually being driven in an antisocial and intimidating manner.

Rather than when the lads are sat in a cafe having a burger…

[Tankrizzo]

There will be people laughing at this until it happens to them on a PH meet.

[Driver101]

Oceanrower said:

Driver101 said:

Residents, shop owners and customers complain the police are doing nothing to stop antisocial and intimidating driving.
The police do something to stop antisocial and intimidating driving and they get criticised for doing that.

Edited by Driver101 on Monday 31st October 11:57

Here’s a suggestion. How about they stop antisocial and intimidating driving when the cars are actually being driven in an antisocial and intimidating manner.

Rather than when the lads are sat in a cafe having a burger…

You honestly believe the police turned up in numbers for reports of a number of empty cars parked up in a car park?

A dozen souped up Astra VXRs on an organised cruise and they have done nothing to draw attention to themselves in an area plagued by antisocial driving?

Without hearing the other side of the story I don't believe the side we are heading. Seen it all too often.

[Paulsd]

Driver101 said:

You honestly believe the police turned up in numbers for reports of a number of empty cars parked up in a car park?

Not sure about the Astras but yes - this is what they do. Bluewater has it's own Police Station on the north side of the car parks.

[SteveStrange]

"What's the point of a rev limiter, if they aren't for bouncing off?"

"Not hurting anyone."

"We're being victimised."

"They won't give us anywhere legal we can go and drive like we want to, for free."

"They're just jealous."

[mat205125]

Will they take the same approach for the groups of Honda Jazz that'll fill the carparks, when the pensioners all go shopping on Monday morning??

[mat205125]

Paulsd said:

Yes - friends of my eldest son have been fined after getting something to eat in Bluewater. Come out to find 8 police cars surrounding three of theirs.

They were told that they "suspect" they'll be up to no good later so giving out fines now.

They are fines from Datford Council which you can appeal. They all find it very frustrating and unfair, which I completeley agree with.

It's interesting as none of the sillyness happens in Bluewater anyway - it's all on the industrial estate about 2 miles way.

[Evanivitch]

It is a bizarre piece of legislation that seems to be largely based on parking your car next to cars of a similar make/model/interest.

And whilst car cruises do often attract anti social behaviour, it shouldn't be a crime to park your car next to a friend's.

Lazy policing that I suspect would be easily overturned of challenged.

[SteveStrange]

Evanivitch said:

It is a bizarre piece of legislation that seems to be largely based on parking your car next to cars of a similar make/model/interest.

And whilst car cruises do often attract anti social behaviour, it shouldn't be a crime to park your car next to a friend's.

Lazy policing that I suspect would be easily overturned of challenged.

Again, we only have their side of the story. How do we know they didn't arrive driving like idiots? Of course, it's entirely possible, but given how cars like VXRs tend to be driven, especially in large car parks, by youngsters "meeting up for burgers", then it's hardly surprising.

[KarlMac]

I mean I’d fine anyone with a VXR whether their parked next to each other or not, especially if it’s a Zafira.

I’m aware this might be a minority opinion.

[LankyFreak]

Oceanrower said:

Here’s a suggestion. How about they stop antisocial and intimidating driving when the cars are actually being driven in an antisocial and intimidating manner.

Rather than when the lads are sat in a cafe having a burger…

Absolutely spot on.

[Evanivitch]

SteveStrange said:

Evanivitch said:

It is a bizarre piece of legislation that seems to be largely based on parking your car next to cars of a similar make/model/interest.

And whilst car cruises do often attract anti social behaviour, it shouldn't be a crime to park your car next to a friend's.

Lazy policing that I suspect would be easily overturned of challenged.

Again, we only have their side of the story. How do we know they didn't arrive driving like idiots? Of course, it's entirely possible, but given how cars like VXRs tend to be driven, especially in large car parks, by youngsters "meeting up for burgers", then it's hardly surprising.

Read. The. Article.

It literally is a ticket for being parked with similar vehicles with constitutes a "car cruise".

And "driving like an idiot" is a seperate offence

[Driver101]

Evanivitch said:

It is a bizarre piece of legislation that seems to be largely based on parking your car next to cars of a similar make/model/interest.

And whilst car cruises do often attract anti social behaviour, it shouldn't be a crime to park your car next to a friend's.

Lazy policing that I suspect would be easily overturned of challenged.

There is an order in place to break up car cruises and meets. It was an organised car cruise according to the police.



Kent Police Community Safety Unit Inspector Trevor Jenner said: "The fine was issued to this driver as part of our ongoing work to tackle anti-social behaviour in Greenhithe.

"The motorist was part of a group who had travelled to Kent as part of a car cruise."







Car cruises and get togethers usually end up with antisocial driving and behaviour. I'm afraid I'm not buying that a dozen souped up hot hatches have attended a get together and nobody has done anything to draw negative attention to the group, or the police have handed out fines for nothing.