French police nab cannonball run drivers.
Discussion
road angel a said:
flemke said:
road angel a said:
There really is no need for aggressive behaviour on this forum, its just destructive.
But aggressive behavour is okay on the road?No and I didn't imply that either. The sort of behaviour that you suggest happens in these sort of runs also happens outside of runs and on public roads. I don't think the runs were designed to create a place where people feel they are able to behave in this fashion either. I certainly don't. I understand what you are saying about the few people who do act like this, whilst liveried and therefore gaining more publicity builds negative feelings. Surely there are other ways to stop this rather than just simply banning any such events all together? Or are you suggesting that is the only way?
Oh come ON. Are you seriously suggesting that the participants in the *Ball events are considerate, courteous drivers and that there's a tiny minority of people who drive like utter retards, who coincidentally are the ones who record their antics and bung in on t'interweb?
Go to YouTube. Search for CannonBall or Gumball or whatever. Then tell me that the driving by the cars with the stickers on is considerate or courteous.
If you are indeed making that suggestion, I have a bridge to sell you.
CommanderJameson said:
My 2p: "Take it to the track."
When I want to drive fast, and learn to drive track style and push the limits that is exactly what I do! :-)
Im sure the others also do the same!!
Cannonball isn't for that. Cannonball is more of an adventure, Im sure others would agree they do that for the same reason, and other non-aggressive reasons. Liveried or not liveried.
CommanderJameson said:
Oh come ON. Are you seriously suggesting that the participants in the *Ball events are considerate, courteous drivers and that there's a tiny minority of people who drive like utter retards, who coincidentally are the ones who record their antics and bung in on t'interweb?
Go to YouTube. Search for CannonBall or Gumball or whatever. Then tell me that the driving by the cars with the stickers on is considerate or courteous.
If you are indeed making that suggestion, I have a bridge to sell you.
Yes I am saying that. I promise you that they are in a minority (from my brief experience in any case). I was even quite surprised at it! If you look at those videos they are usually showing the same cars, same drivers.
road angel a said:
Surely there are other ways to stop this rather than just simply banning any such events all together? Or are you suggesting that is the only way?
There is very little in this world that I would ban, certainly much less than what actually is banned. There is, however, no bar to self-restraint.
Wouldn't you say, RAA, that there is a huge amount of self-promotion in these events, and that it seems to be pitched at the lowest-common-mental-denominator of homo sapiens?
For many decades motoring enthusiasts have gone in groups to drive at progressive speeds, when appropriate, across the Continent.
In many cases these groups have comprised mostly grown-ups who take their driving seriously. They have not sought to attract attention to themselves by slapping stickers onto their cars, attracting third-rate "celebrities" to come along for the ride, publishing their route for the scrutiny of the police, calling a press conference to maximise the notoriety that they receive, or shutting down Regent Street.
A number of years ago on British TV there was a show about some pre-pubescent character who had the previous year organised one of these events. He said, IIRC, that his motive for conceiving and operating the event was to make as much money for himself as soon as he could.
That seemed to sum it up pretty well.
road angel a said:
Cannonball isn't for that. Cannonball is more of an adventure, Im sure others would agree they do that for the same reason, and other non-aggressive reasons.
Travelling in convoy across Continental motorways?
Eating in fancy restaurants?
Having your itinerary programmed by the organisers?
Maybe it's getting arrested. Which you could also do by getting incoherently drunk and taking a piss in public on a Saturday night - which I have no doubt some of these bold adventurers have done as well.
flemke said:
road angel a said:
Surely there are other ways to stop this rather than just simply banning any such events all together? Or are you suggesting that is the only way?
There is very little in this world that I would ban, certainly much less than what actually is banned. There is, however, no bar to self-restraint.
Wouldn't you say, RAA, that there is a huge amount of self-promotion in these events, and that it seems to be pitched at the lowest-common-mental-denominator of homo sapiens?
For many decades motoring enthusiasts have gone in groups to drive at progressive speeds, when appropriate, across the Continent.
In many cases these groups have comprised mostly grown-ups who take their driving seriously. They have not sought to attract attention to themselves by slapping stickers onto their cars, attracting third-rate "celebrities" to come along for the ride, publishing their route for the scrutiny of the police, calling a press conference to maximise the notoriety that they receive, or shutting down Regent Street.
A number of years ago on British TV there was a show about some pre-pubescent character who had the previous year organised one of these events. He said, IIRC, that his motive for conceiving and operating the event was to make as much money for himself as soon as he could.
That seemed to sum it up pretty well.
Yes its true for the organisers it is a business, to make money. They are, in effect, holiday/tourist operators. I the cannonball run and raised money for charity so used the publicity to good measure. We raised just under £2000 for our charity Women On the Move Against Cancer.
We went on an advanced driving course beforehand to improve our road safey skills. Both myself and my co-driver went on this course. I think most people should go on these type of courses and I certainly did learn a lot from it.
I don't do the event for any sort of self promotion/publicity, I couldn't give a dam whether there are stickers or no stickers, dvds, no dvds, TV, no TV. Im not a celebrity lover, actually the complete opposite. I don't even have a TV! I did it for the enjoyment of driving across Europe, and at the same time raise a bit of money for a good charity. I love driving long distances, whether trips to The Ring or one of the organised events.
I truely believe that most people do Cannonball run (where route is kept secret until you set off although I do think Gumball is different) for this reason and not just to show off in front of each other. Self regulation has to be key in not getting bad publicity in these events.
flemke said:
road angel a said:
Cannonball isn't for that. Cannonball is more of an adventure, Im sure others would agree they do that for the same reason, and other non-aggressive reasons.
Travelling in convoy across Continental motorways?
Eating in fancy restaurants?
Having your itinerary programmed by the organisers?
Maybe it's getting arrested. Which you could also do by getting incoherently drunk and taking a piss in public on a Saturday night - which I have no doubt some of these bold adventurers have done as well.
Well, they weren't really fancy restaurants. Im quite sick to death of those as it happens... The route's a secret in anycase... Yes its nice driving across Europe. I personally enjoy that. Is that also a crime to enjoy driving through countries to enjoy scenary and roads I haven't yet experienced? What else is there that you need to complain about ?
road angel a said:
Self regulation has to be key in not getting bad publicity in these events.
Does that include the kind of self-regulation that prevents two dipshits from racing at 190kph and 200kph respectively on a French motorway??? In a heavily promoted event that thrives on its reputation for wild driving from 'crazy' characters, surely the whole concept of self-regulation is an oxymoron. It's almost a competition to see who can perform the most outlandish stunt, usually at a speed that's disproportionate to the driver's ability.
BTW, well done on raising £2k for charity
cazzer said:
GarrettMacD said:
BTW, well done on raising £2k for charity
Which was about half the entry fee wasnt it?
Thats irrelevant. A lot of people partake in activities to raise money for charity and inevitably sometimes it will cost them more to do the activity than the money they raise for the charity! Are you suggesting that people should stop any respective fund raising activites and simply just give all the money to charity instead whilst sitting on their arses at home watching some crap tv ?
Gosh what a miserable bunch you lot are, putting other people's lives under so much scrutiny!
Edited by road angel a on Friday 14th July 09:48
cazzer said:
GarrettMacD said:
BTW, well done on raising £2k for charity
Which was about half the entry fee wasnt it?
And your point is?
www.womac.co.uk - scroll down the homepage.
nel said:
Just heard on French radio on the way home - probably be in the British press tomorrow.
The court at Bethune found them guilty of racing on the A26 at speeds of up to 200 kph (shock horror - not 125 mph!!). 3 month suspended prison sentence, Ferrari and Porsche definitively confiscated for sale by the state, and 1000€ fines! Talk about an over-reaction to a victimless crime! Same problem as in the UK - you'd get less than that for GBH in France! I assume that the vehicle confiscation will be over-turned on appeal or by a European court, but they have certainly sent a strong signal about Gumballs, Cannonballs, etc.
The court at Bethune found them guilty of racing on the A26 at speeds of up to 200 kph (shock horror - not 125 mph!!). 3 month suspended prison sentence, Ferrari and Porsche definitively confiscated for sale by the state, and 1000€ fines! Talk about an over-reaction to a victimless crime! Same problem as in the UK - you'd get less than that for GBH in France! I assume that the vehicle confiscation will be over-turned on appeal or by a European court, but they have certainly sent a strong signal about Gumballs, Cannonballs, etc.
It's a game of cat and mouse. Police 1 - 0 Cannonballers. No one was hurt on this instance.
I've had my fair share of run in's with the Cops worldwide....stop crying, you know the law...get on with it.
So lass, you still havent addressed the pt about how ,or even why, if the rest of us have been enjoying the Continent for many yrs at "interesting" speeds, with a low profile, you lot suddenly see the need to do it with the maximum profile possible? Then, to compound that by releasing publicity material that deals only with the eye catching side...the high speeds, racing crazy behavior, plastic t1ts celebrities. Note, that is the *only* publicity of the events, the good driving, the "adventure" part is *never* spoken about, ergo it matters not one jot if there is any.
This now makes a rod for everybody elses back when previously there was neither a rod nor a need of one.
If you enjoy driving across Europe, touring, making progress, etc, why do it high profile? Why not low profile, below the radar like those of who us who have been doing it for yrs?
This now makes a rod for everybody elses back when previously there was neither a rod nor a need of one.
If you enjoy driving across Europe, touring, making progress, etc, why do it high profile? Why not low profile, below the radar like those of who us who have been doing it for yrs?
Its a bit of theatrical fun. I didn't actually drive any differently to what I usually do, other than trying to actually keep to speed limits on motorways after realising (from inexperience of these events) that yes we are higher profile with the cops from the stickers... It just added a theatrical (silly yes I agree but sometimes its fun to be a bit silly) element (from characters and dressing up etc) but the driving should be kept serious as its done on public roads and none of us want accidents...and it shouldn't be a race....
But I remember that you are tarring everyone with the same brush. I could say, using that arguement, because you are British, like Tony Blair you are also responsible for murder in Iraq. That is another story but the principle remains the same.
But I remember that you are tarring everyone with the same brush. I could say, using that arguement, because you are British, like Tony Blair you are also responsible for murder in Iraq. That is another story but the principle remains the same.
road angel a said:
Its a bit of theatrical fun. I didn't actually drive any differently to what I usually do, other than trying to actually keep to speed limits on motorways after realising (from inexperience of these events) that yes we are higher profile with the cops from the stickers... It just added a theatrical (silly yes I agree but sometimes its fun to be a bit silly) element (from characters and dressing up etc) but the driving should be kept serious as its done on public roads and none of us want accidents...and it shouldn't be a race....
But I remember that you are tarring everyone with the same brush. I could say, using that arguement, because you are British, like Tony Blair you are also responsible for murder in Iraq. That is another story but the principle remains the same.
But I remember that you are tarring everyone with the same brush. I could say, using that arguement, because you are British, like Tony Blair you are also responsible for murder in Iraq. That is another story but the principle remains the same.
No, no, I agree.
60% of the population voted him in, I think they should get a dead iraqi each
VetteG said:
I havent seen the same comments about 'stickering up' related to the many Pistonheaders who do the same when heading to LeMans each year!
A couple of comments earlier I seem to remember (seems like a few years ago). Its steaming from a society where it is now fashionable to tell other people how they should be living their lives. Other people might call it control or bullying... Live on individualism and tolerance.
road angel a said:
VetteG said:
I havent seen the same comments about 'stickering up' related to the many Pistonheaders who do the same when heading to LeMans each year!
A couple of comments earlier I seem to remember (seems like a few years ago). Its steaming from a society where it is now fashionable to tell other people how they should be living their lives. Other people might call it control or bullying... Live on individualism and tolerance.
I think it's called 'spoiling it for the rest of us'
The gendarme know the ballers and the LeManners are coming so it's no surprise they are waiting for them. Can't imagine they are that heavy handed outside these events?
apache said:
road angel a said:
VetteG said:
I havent seen the same comments about 'stickering up' related to the many Pistonheaders who do the same when heading to LeMans each year!
A couple of comments earlier I seem to remember (seems like a few years ago). Its steaming from a society where it is now fashionable to tell other people how they should be living their lives. Other people might call it control or bullying... Live on individualism and tolerance.
I think it's called 'spoiling it for the rest of us'
The gendarme know the ballers and the LeManners are coming so it's no surprise they are waiting for them. Can't imagine they are that heavy handed outside these events?
Eer...yes they are. Belgian friend done for 30,000 euros for speeding in Belgiam. No event taking place. Pure and simple speeding on a motorway.
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff