How bad was Friday last year?
Discussion
The ACO seemed to have hired private security personnel to supervise the crowd on the road alongside Karting Nord/Technoparc to allow non-hooning vehicles safe passage. That made it much better, no need to any 'friendly' bumper nudges to get through.
By the evening the major hoon point was the roundabout down by Beausejour (I suspect due to the proximity to the Danish campsite).
By the evening the major hoon point was the roundabout down by Beausejour (I suspect due to the proximity to the Danish campsite).
Easy_Targa said:
There were armed police all over the Mulsanne on Friday though actually not quite as early on or nasty as they were in 2010. They made short work of clearing all the motors off the verges though.....
Do they never smile?
French police are routinely armed (national/gendarmes) with a sidearm. So no special treatment there. I welcome their presence to stop the stupidness.Do they never smile?
During day there was no hassle that I saw. Don't know how things went in the evening onwards.
Missed last year too and whilst I've enjoyed some of the friday meets in the past I haven't bothered the last couple of times as I can't be arsed with t
ts trying to spray piss in my window.
I might venture out again this year and see how it goes as I fancy a trip up to the great british welcome.
ts trying to spray piss in my window.I might venture out again this year and see how it goes as I fancy a trip up to the great british welcome.
DS240 said:
French police are routinely armed (national/gendarmes) with a sidearm. So no special treatment there. I welcome their presence to stop the stupidness.
During day there was no hassle that I saw. Don't know how things went in the evening onwards.
There is a world of difference between the Gendarmes who look like extras from an Inspector Clouseau film and the CRS. The latter are all about US Marine style hair cuts, black uniforms, mirror shades and a total sense of humour failure. They had tear gas launchers with them last year, which was nice. Try saying "Do you want to keep your car?" with a heavy French accent and you will have the general idea. There was no trouble.During day there was no hassle that I saw. Don't know how things went in the evening onwards.
LMS Is a fabulous event but unfortunately attracts many fking wkers as my old gran would say. Last year was quieter than normal but they are still out there which is why I'm leaving my lovely car at home and going in the van. If it's not tts banging on the bonnet trying to get me to burn some rubber, its squirting pis$ through the window with a supa soaker, it's trying to avoid the broken glass from years of camping, being a target from the bottles thrown at our campsite from the road at 4am and hoping the fallout from the fireworks doesn't hit the paintwork. If you have a nice car, leave it at home and bring a Vauxhall.
king wkers as my old gran would say. Last year was quieter than normal but they are still out there which is why I'm leaving my lovely car at home and going in the van. If it's not tts banging on the bonnet trying to get me to burn some rubber, its squirting pis$ through the window with a supa soaker, it's trying to avoid the broken glass from years of camping, being a target from the bottles thrown at our campsite from the road at 4am and hoping the fallout from the fireworks doesn't hit the paintwork. If you have a nice car, leave it at home and bring a Vauxhall.Mad Friday in 2011 where I was appeared to be just as mad, but with a lot less louts at our side of the track, compared to previous years. I think the credit crunch has reduced the number of w@nk@rs that had attended in previous years.
I did see a French Audi convertible driver get out after a super soaker dumped on him, he looked to start a fight after the guy with the super soaker decided to do a runner, but could n't make it up the bank. The rest of the crowd, just surrounded the driver to stop him getting physical. It was good to see the large guys step in and calm things down.
I've been to 4 Le Mans, and not seen anything other than water used. If you are near the Karting track entrance, you need to drive with windows up, sunroof closed and look out for water bombs and soakers. This applies to people walking / cycling etc.
I did see a French Audi convertible driver get out after a super soaker dumped on him, he looked to start a fight after the guy with the super soaker decided to do a runner, but could n't make it up the bank. The rest of the crowd, just surrounded the driver to stop him getting physical. It was good to see the large guys step in and calm things down.
I've been to 4 Le Mans, and not seen anything other than water used. If you are near the Karting track entrance, you need to drive with windows up, sunroof closed and look out for water bombs and soakers. This applies to people walking / cycling etc.
ukcobra said:
The rest of the crowd, just surrounded the driver to stop him getting physical. It was good to see the large guys step in and calm things down.
They shouldn't have got involved and let him kick the st out of the coward with the super soaker. If your going to fk about at least be man enough to deal with the consequences, especially in someone elses country. robmlufc said:
ukcobra said:
The rest of the crowd, just surrounded the driver to stop him getting physical. It was good to see the large guys step in and calm things down.
They shouldn't have got involved and let him kick the st out of the coward with the super soaker. If your going to fk about at least be man enough to deal with the consequences, especially in someone elses country. After a drive around in the morning to absorb the atmosphere, we always park up after lunch and wander into town for the parade, so have yet to witness any Friday stupidity, although Arnarge used to get a bit hairy even before lunch! Mulsanne village is as quiet as a mouse, we dropped in there on the way down to the Pistonheads lunch last year. Might try St. Saturin this year.
I don't condone the soaking, nor do I particularly like stopping the traffic and demanding a burnout. I think it's a disaster waiting to happen quite frankly.
However, with my realistic hat on, given the huge amount of people that
a) appear to like this type of activity
b) and turn up in great numbers to watch
I don't think that a few blokes asking the water guns is going to stop.
Personally the guy who did the soaking should have stood his ground, also the guy in the Audi had a very short fuse. I would have been pissed off too.
The activities on Friday, are one of the reasons why I don't arrive on a Thursday anymore. I plan to arrive late Friday afternoon and hope to miss most of the stupidity.
However, with my realistic hat on, given the huge amount of people that
a) appear to like this type of activity
b) and turn up in great numbers to watch
I don't think that a few blokes asking the water guns is going to stop.
Personally the guy who did the soaking should have stood his ground, also the guy in the Audi had a very short fuse. I would have been pissed off too.
The activities on Friday, are one of the reasons why I don't arrive on a Thursday anymore. I plan to arrive late Friday afternoon and hope to miss most of the stupidity.
I've only been to Le Mans a couple of times over the last two years and never witnessed Mad Friday. I like the idea of a bit of talented showboating from those who have interesting cars but I'm not interested in getting soaked, having things thrown at me or watching a Peugeot 406 doing a wheel spin before people scatter to avoid being knocked over.
Anyway an old mate is coming with me this year in either his M5 or an older 3 series with a V8 engine he’s building and he remembers Mad Friday from 10 years ago. I think he wants to venture out to soak up the atmosphere, is it going to be worth it or will we be surrounded by louts?
Anyway an old mate is coming with me this year in either his M5 or an older 3 series with a V8 engine he’s building and he remembers Mad Friday from 10 years ago. I think he wants to venture out to soak up the atmosphere, is it going to be worth it or will we be surrounded by louts?
Things have gradually calmed way down on the Friday over the last few years. The private security guys pretty much have manage to stop the burnouts which in turn reduces the crowds. If you drive around on Friday afternoon in a convertible or with your windows down then you are likely to get shot with a water pistol. Pretty easy solution to that then. Mad Friday is no big deal, it's certainly no reason to be put off attending this superb weekend.
Thud_Mcguffin said:
Things have gradually calmed way down on the Friday over the last few years. The private security guys pretty much have manage to stop the burnouts which in turn reduces the crowds. If you drive around on Friday afternoon in a convertible or with your windows down then you are likely to get shot with a water pistol. Pretty easy solution to that then. Mad Friday is no big deal, it's certainly no reason to be put off attending this superb weekend.
Yeah, stop taking the Westfield or drive round with the bloody roof up. Certainly put me off attending - don't see why I have to put up with ts acting like that.Last year I was stood outside the Houx Annexe in the afternoon for half an hour or so when I was walking to get the tram into town and it was reasonably well behaved. The atmosphere was good and no one was really out of order. In fact I was going to go back and get the Westfield out and take it to the roundabout and back up for a bit of fun, but decided against it purely on a reliability issue. Didnt want something breaking by doing burn outs.
However when I came back at night after the driver's parade it was a different story. It was a drunken rabble. No cars were getting through. They were even stopping buses. I mean how do you get a 12 ton bus to burn out. Wake up guys.
Really a tale of two different times, but the beer definitely had an impact on the behaviour of the crowd.
However when I came back at night after the driver's parade it was a different story. It was a drunken rabble. No cars were getting through. They were even stopping buses. I mean how do you get a 12 ton bus to burn out. Wake up guys.
Really a tale of two different times, but the beer definitely had an impact on the behaviour of the crowd.
webby74 said:
Found it very quiet on mulsanne last year. One guy in a big american pick up truck decided to give it some revs, no burnout though outside the pub only to have a batton smashed across his bonnet by a member of the police
Did he damage it?? Thats very harsh treatment...Think I'll just stick to the usual campsite horsing around and the atmosphere of the general enclosure and town than worrying about driving around. Sounds like the yobs have spoiled this Mad Friday thing, resulting in the authorities coming down hard on the whole affair.
Its a real shame it has come to this. Mad friday used to be an opportunity for everyone to show off their cars and maybe burn a bit of rubber. Now it attracts the wrong people who get arsy when you dont comply. My car is impossible to wheel spin but you try explaining that to the drunken sunburnt muppet stood in front of you through whilst trying to talk through the tiniest opening of the window to avoid getting soaked... 9 years ago it was a highlight. Now its something to be observed from far. Nevermind. Plenty more things to do 
dredgey said:
webby74 said:
Found it very quiet on mulsanne last year. One guy in a big american pick up truck decided to give it some revs, no burnout though outside the pub only to have a batton smashed across his bonnet by a member of the police
Did he damage it?? Thats very harsh treatment...Think I'll just stick to the usual campsite horsing around and the atmosphere of the general enclosure and town than worrying about driving around. Sounds like the yobs have spoiled this Mad Friday thing, resulting in the authorities coming down hard on the whole affair.
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