Le Mans 08 was a bit shit

[Mike_C]

I reckon so anyway, and here's why:

1. The organisers only let you view the track from 1/4 of the actual track - no admission to the Mulsanne straight so we were told and similar stories elsewhere - totally st.

2. The standard tickets got you bugger all apart from entry to overpriced food and drink stands and an overcrowded area by the Dunlop bridge.

3. The toilet and shower facilites were, as promised, wank.

4. If you did find a good viewing area they bullstted you into moving - e.g. up behind Beausejour there were a couple of cracking spots which, even though only shrubland, apparently we weren't allowed to view from - and heres where the lies started. During the day, apparently it was a VIP area requiring a green pass - WRONG, thats the track side of the fence, not this side sunshine. In the evening the second lie arose - apparently it was too dangerous to be there? Funny place to sit so-called VIP's during the day then...

5. The people - most were ok but there were also a lot of tossers who repeatedly walked THROUGH the middle of our camp pitch, leaving all their st behind, kicking out guide ropes for tents, etc and basically being disrespectful tossers - a mixture of English and French people as it happens.

6. Driving round town I have NEVER been scowled at by locals so much in my life! I am actually a fan of France, hell I even have a property over there, but Le Mans is a miserable hell hole of a town I never wish to visit again.

7. The pikeys locals who broke into a couple of our tents stealing money from one mate and a Nokia phone from another - nothing was left on show, they actually unzipped the tents whilst the guys were asleep in them and stole the stuff out of their folded up trousers pockets! Good job security team...

So, Le Mans, you can go fk yourself next year cos I'm not paying for your overpriced shat to be treated like scum and generally having a crap weekend.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Apart from that.....

[King Sid]

Access to Mulsanne? Don't think that's ever been included in GA ticket has it? Hence all the 'Night manoeuvres' tales on here...

[here]

Mike_C said:

I reckon so anyway, and here's why:

1. The organisers only let you view the track from 1/4 of the actual track - no admission to the Mulsanne straight so we were told and similar stories elsewhere - totally st.

2. The standard tickets got you bugger all apart from entry to overpriced food and drink stands and an overcrowded area by the Dunlop bridge.

3. The toilet and shower facilites were, as promised, wank.

4. If you did find a good viewing area they bullstted you into moving - e.g. up behind Beausejour there were a couple of cracking spots which, even though only shrubland, apparently we weren't allowed to view from - and heres where the lies started. During the day, apparently it was a VIP area requiring a green pass - WRONG, thats the track side of the fence, not this side sunshine. In the evening the second lie arose - apparently it was too dangerous to be there? Funny place to sit so-called VIP's during the day then...

5. The people - most were ok but there were also a lot of tossers who repeatedly walked THROUGH the middle of our camp pitch, leaving all their st behind, kicking out guide ropes for tents, etc and basically being disrespectful tossers - a mixture of English and French people as it happens.

6. Driving round town I have NEVER been scowled at by locals so much in my life! I am actually a fan of France, hell I even have a property over there, but Le Mans is a miserable hell hole of a town I never wish to visit again.

7. The pikeys locals who broke into a couple of our tents stealing money from one mate and a Nokia phone from another - nothing was left on show, they actually unzipped the tents whilst the guys were asleep in them and stole the stuff out of their folded up trousers pockets! Good job security team...

So, Le Mans, you can go fk yourself next year cos I'm not paying for your overpriced shat to be treated like scum and generally having a crap weekend.

Sounded very crap for you mate. But i do agree with what you are saying. On the point about over priced food. I bought a bag of pick and mix sweets that cost me 15 euros......for 14 sweets

[Slow Eddie]

So what do you expect. The loos on Karting Nord were great and so where the showers. The basic price of a ticket's for nothing so how about spending some money and buying a stand seat.

No it wasn't perfect this year but I've never seen so much moaning. Take a rucksack full of beer next year and make the effort to get to mulsanne.

[tlracing]

1) Mulsanne has been off limits for years. General entry tickets will get you into the whole village area and trackside from the Ford Chicane to Tetre Rouge. It also allows entry to the Porsche Curves, Mulsanne Corner and Arnage Corner;

2) Food at any predominantly outdoor event isn't cheap. You can always buy at the supermarkets in town or on the way;

3) Toilets are only as clean as they are left by the users;

4) If there isn't enough area to view in 1) above, then I can't understand exactly what you do expect;

5) Fair enough;

6) Can't say I've ever had any problems - I have friends who live in the town too;

7) Can't condone theft, but why not lock valuables in the car?

Finally, I hope you find somewhere else to your liking.

Mike_C said:

I reckon so anyway, and here's why:

1. The organisers only let you view the track from 1/4 of the actual track - no admission to the Mulsanne straight so we were told and similar stories elsewhere - totally st.

2. The standard tickets got you bugger all apart from entry to overpriced food and drink stands and an overcrowded area by the Dunlop bridge.

3. The toilet and shower facilites were, as promised, wank.

4. If you did find a good viewing area they bullstted you into moving - e.g. up behind Beausejour there were a couple of cracking spots which, even though only shrubland, apparently we weren't allowed to view from - and heres where the lies started. During the day, apparently it was a VIP area requiring a green pass - WRONG, thats the track side of the fence, not this side sunshine. In the evening the second lie arose - apparently it was too dangerous to be there? Funny place to sit so-called VIP's during the day then...

5. The people - most were ok but there were also a lot of tossers who repeatedly walked THROUGH the middle of our camp pitch, leaving all their st behind, kicking out guide ropes for tents, etc and basically being disrespectful tossers - a mixture of English and French people as it happens.

6. Driving round town I have NEVER been scowled at by locals so much in my life! I am actually a fan of France, hell I even have a property over there, but Le Mans is a miserable hell hole of a town I never wish to visit again.

7. The pikeys locals who broke into a couple of our tents stealing money from one mate and a Nokia phone from another - nothing was left on show, they actually unzipped the tents whilst the guys were asleep in them and stole the stuff out of their folded up trousers pockets! Good job security team...

So, Le Mans, you can go fk yourself next year cos I'm not paying for your overpriced shat to be treated like scum and generally having a crap weekend.

[here]

Slow Eddie said:

So what do you expect.

I dont think the man expected #1,#5,#6, and #7. But maybe you did, its horses for courses.

[Mike_C]

Slow Eddie said:

So what do you expect. The loos on Karting Nord were great and so where the showers. The basic price of a ticket's for nothing so how about spending some money and buying a stand seat.

No it wasn't perfect this year but I've never seen so much moaning. Take a rucksack full of beer next year and make the effort to get to mulsanne.

We got through plenty of beer - we actually had a good wknd, but only because it was 6 lads having a catch up over a good few beers, nothing to do with the Le Mans event unfortunately.

The only decent bit relating to the event was when we snuck through the woods at night and were about 10 yards from the cars as they came up towards the Porsche curves - that, admittedly was awesome, but again no thanks to the tight arse organisers, the thieving pikeys, the scowling locals or anything else, just because race cars are awesome!

Doing the TT instead next year - Le Mans can keep itself to itself thanks very much.

[Slow Eddie]

I'll refer you to TL racings reply.

If you leave valuables in a tent it will get broken into and i tend to find the locals treat you dependant on how you treat them.

[Windsorphil]

A little research would have prepared you properly...there's tons of it on here.

[Mike_C]

Slow Eddie said:

I'll refer you to TL racings reply.

If you leave valuables in a tent it will get broken into and i tend to find the locals treat you dependant on how you treat them.

We did lock most valuables in the car, we're not stupid, but you'd hope leaving your mobile next to you wrapped up in your jeans would be safe - particularly when you're sleeping in the tent right next to it!!

As for the locals - all we did was drive through town, no shouting, no loud music and no offensive stickers on the car, just a circuit map and stuff and we were just scowled at constantly! s.

[morfmedia]

Showers + toilets were good in Houx Annexe last year and Karting Nord this year. Never leave anything in your tent you're not willing to lose. I always sleep with shorts / jeans on with everything in + keep entrance pass round my neck. Failing that lock it all in the car and put keys under your pillow at night....

French locals seemed ok this year, we had plenty of stickers on our car and got lots of good attention

[jamesdhannah]

Mike_C said:

I reckon so anyway, and here's why:

1. The organisers only let you view the track from 1/4 of the actual track - no admission to the Mulsanne straight so we were told and similar stories elsewhere - totally st.

2. The standard tickets got you bugger all apart from entry to overpriced food and drink stands and an overcrowded area by the Dunlop bridge.

3. The toilet and shower facilites were, as promised, wank.

4. If you did find a good viewing area they bullstted you into moving - e.g. up behind Beausejour there were a couple of cracking spots which, even though only shrubland, apparently we weren't allowed to view from - and heres where the lies started. During the day, apparently it was a VIP area requiring a green pass - WRONG, thats the track side of the fence, not this side sunshine. In the evening the second lie arose - apparently it was too dangerous to be there? Funny place to sit so-called VIP's during the day then...

5. The people - most were ok but there were also a lot of tossers who repeatedly walked THROUGH the middle of our camp pitch, leaving all their st behind, kicking out guide ropes for tents, etc and basically being disrespectful tossers - a mixture of English and French people as it happens.

6. Driving round town I have NEVER been scowled at by locals so much in my life! I am actually a fan of France, hell I even have a property over there, but Le Mans is a miserable hell hole of a town I never wish to visit again.

7. The pikeys locals who broke into a couple of our tents stealing money from one mate and a Nokia phone from another - nothing was left on show, they actually unzipped the tents whilst the guys were asleep in them and stole the stuff out of their folded up trousers pockets! Good job security team...

So, Le Mans, you can go fk yourself next year cos I'm not paying for your overpriced shat to be treated like scum and generally having a crap weekend.

Have to admit this does read as a bad experience..........

[Boris.]

I don't think you'd have really wanted to be seated in a grandstand next to the mulsanne when the mercedes flipped into the air there a few years back...Having manged to yet there at night this year, you can see why they don't like people getting up close - there just isn't the equipment in terms of safety barriers, fencing etc etc to make it safe to be a 'safe' place to leave large numbers of the general public - it is after all a public road after all (Hence why it's more than possible to get up close if you to make the effort).

[Vario-Rob]

Really the key to your problems around the circuit is to get the hell out of the place with a map.

Take Sunday lunchtime for example, we sat with seven, repeat seven other Brits in the Shanghai 24 Chinese restaurant just a few feet away from the Mulsanne eating a very acceptable Sunday lunch for very modest loot. Prior to that we had been stood outside Hanundiers watching the cars at full chat between Tetre Rouge and the first chicane

The previous evening we parked up at the car park between Mulsanne corner and Indianapolis and stood on the earth bund watching the racing with just a handful of people, absolutely fantastic and not an unfunny tour t-shirt or Super Soaker in sight

There is always next year and over the last twenty years I am pretty sure we haven’t found something new or better to add to our weekend

[TeaVR]

My first year at Le Mans. Camped next to the Porsche curves (Porsche Club) and the facilities were excellent. Thanks Porsche Club UK!

I really enjoyed myself, but there were highs and lows e.g.

a) + Good access to pits
b) - With so much money coming into Le Mans every year, surely life for pedestreans travelling to the circuit from camp sites should be a little safer!
c) - Great spirit - e.g. Chopper display team, but why do some people have to take it too far e.g. I witnessed one pissed up Brit soaking a French family whilst they drove past - they looked terrified. At the end of the day, if someone doesn't want to do a burn up - why give them such a hard time?
d) + The cars - fantastic bits of kits - great noises e.g Corvettes! Also nice to see squadrons of British cars arriving!
e) + Meeting other petrol heads and chatting
f) - Environmental issue. The camp site next to us was Danish. At the end of the weekend, the Danish organisers scooped up all of the tents (which they had provided) and threw them into a skip - must have been about 100+. LAZY!

For me - I think I will try Le Mans classic next time.

[Mark B]

As other shave said, do some research first! Did you bother to go out to the other corners, Arnage, Indianopolis, Mulsanne Corner, and the whole circuit between Porsche Curves and Tetre Rouge!

With an attitude like that towards an event that is cheap, in comparison to most, if not all, other international motorsport events it's no surprise you didn't enjoy yourself!

I do agree with you about the people though, there are a lot of knobbers present currently..

Enjoy the TT next year!

[Simes205]

TeaVR said:

c) - Great spirit - e.g. Chopper display team

Good old Team Beer Mountain

http://www.beermountain.com/

[lowdrag]

As a Le Mans local it is the first time ever I have heard of the locals scowling and behaving badly at visiting racing fans. This is a town of 150,000 souls where the average wage is £5 per hour. It is only natural that prices go up at peak periods (supply/demand) and having been to race circuits in four continents it has always been thus. Buying a beer at the Revival let alone trying to find reasonably priced accomodation is very expensive. Silverstone GP is the same. Unfortunately the pikey problem is a well known one and the advice is to sleep with all your valuables in the sleeping bag with you. Thats the only way. At least they unzipped your tent because to avoid noise they quite often use a stanley knife!

To view the circuit I am amazed that more of you don't do so from either Arnage or Mulsanne bends. Someone posted that Mulsanne is closed but not so. Health and safety has insisted on a wire fence but it is still there and I can vouch for the fact that it certainly wasn't full - I am on the other side on the infield facing you. The Mulsanne straight has always been a no go area for at least 25 years to my certain knowledge unless you can get access to the restaurants or the Hotel Arbor there - difficult. I was at Watkins Glen last year with press and photographers passes and even in some of our areas there was 20 ft high chicken wire with slots in for the camera lenses. I've been to Bathurst, Laguna Seca, Sears Point, Road America and most European circuits and yes, it is getting tougher for Joe Public but, and it is a big but, Le Mans is the only race held on an eight mile circuit half of which is closed public roads. That part cannot be configured for the public, only the small Bugatti circuit. However, they are building a new hotel on Mulsanne bend - get in quick and watch the race in air conditioned comfort with a Pimms and your little finger raised in sympathy for the rest of the great unwashed.

[sleep envy]

Mike_C said:

I reckon so anyway, and here's why: blah, blah, blah

1. The organisers only let you view the track from 1/4 of the actual track - no admission to the Mulsanne straight so we were told and similar stories elsewhere - totally st.

not true - you can watch from the Chinese Cafe pretty much closer to the cars than anywhere else on the circuit

2. The standard tickets got you bugger all apart from entry to overpriced food and drink stands and an overcrowded area by the Dunlop bridge.

Again not true - gives access to Tetre Rouge, Arnage, Porsche Curves, Mulsanne...

3. The toilet and shower facilites were, as promised, wank.

Not on my campsite

4. If you did find a good viewing area they bullstted you into moving...

not happened to me

5. The people - most were ok but there were also a lot of tossers who repeatedly walked THROUGH the middle of our camp pitch, leaving all their st behind, kicking out guide ropes for tents, etc and basically being disrespectful tossers - a mixture of English and French people as it happens.

where were you staying?

6. Driving round town I have NEVER been scowled at by locals so much in my life! I am actually a fan of France, hell I even have a property over there, but Le Mans is a miserable hell hole of a town I never wish to visit again.

Shame - have never had a problem with the locals

7. The pikeys locals who broke into a couple of our tents stealing money from one mate and a Nokia phone from another - nothing was left on show, they actually unzipped the tents whilst the guys were asleep in them and stole the stuff out of their folded up trousers pockets! Good job security team...

lock valubles in the car

So, Le Mans, you can go fk yourself next year cos I'm not paying for your overpriced shat to be treated like scum and generally having a crap weekend.

lovely, less people at the circuit next year