A Very Delicate Question to Tunnelers

[The Moosehunter]

Hi All

Now I've been wondering whether or not to post anything and time will tell if I should have just shut up, but I have concerns that I wonder if anyone else shares.

I love these runs and do not wish in any way to sound negative, as I really appreciate the organisation put in by some and enjoy them immensely.

Now it could have been just me or the fact that it was the day after Xmas, but there level of showing off seemed to be lacking compared to previous runs, and I am worried that the essence of the meet may be diminished if people lose focus of the reason I believe the Tunnel Runs exist.

The main benfit from battling your way through all the traffic, lights and cameras risking collecting points, is that there is so much fun to be had underground. Yet I witnessed a reluctantance by some to make the most of the tunnels and proceeded to drive through in an ordely fashion with limited offensive rasps and howls from within their rides. In my opinion, Tunnel runs are not about excess speed or an orderly procession of fine machinery, it's all about getting as much noise as possible from your internal combustion engine (and occasionaly the tyres if you are so inclined) as possible

And this is where I want to be very very careful.

This spectacle should be enjoyed by as many people as possible, and the last thing I want to do is come across as an arrogant , but quiet motors hamper this side of the run for me. Having everyday cars getting in between the performers is sometimes frustrating , but if you have 3 tourists in front and 3 tunnelers behind in quiet or sedately driven motors, it can feel a bit lonely,and to be honest I like the commradery of the run and if feel I'm the only person driving like a childish prat, then I can do that in my home town.

There are undoubtably some very loud motors out there, Cerbs especially seem to thrive on the accoustics, and yet other potential worriers to the crown seemed to miss out on opportunties. I am biased with my V8 , but V12's also sound great when thrashed so how letting us hear them some more . 6 & 10 Cylinders also hold their own and believe it or not I have heard some nice 4's aswell.

(Am I pussyfooting around enough ?)

I have noticed tonight that people are offering passenger rides where possible to others, now I think this is an excellent approach as it encourages interaction and will help in the introduction of participants. I normally bring a passenger with me as I come up from Southampton, but if someone would like to swap over half way though and you have an equally noisy motor as my Griff and are not afraid of going sideways, then I am sure my brother could be persuaded to change seats. If he's not changed with me of course.

Perhaps a list of available seats could be offered on a seperate thread to those who would like to come and yet feel that their ride is somehow not suitable

Now if this is just me then I will delete this thread and shut the feck up, if the sentiment is shared by only a few then can we form a group within a group and hopefully, if this point is taken on board by all participants then I look forward to a Midnight run of roaring crackling banging screeching and sliding tomfoolery

Feel free to comment and I'll see you all there

Andy

(stands back and waits for the barrage)











>> Edited by The Moosehunter on Friday 6th January 19:56

>> Edited by The Moosehunter on Friday 6th January 20:00

[Ballistic Banana]

your Barrage sir



;p

I thouroughly enjoyed being in front and Behind you while you went side ways around most the course

BB

[zed sump]

give me a tunnel and i'll show you why some cars don't need sound systms. there's only one tunnel near me and there are huge acoustic cracks already running up the walls are there any other tunnels in dorset/ hants..?

[The Moosehunter]

Ballistic Banana said:

your Barrage sir ;p I thouroughly enjoyed being in front and Behind you while you went side ways around most the course BB

Always happy to oblige with the entertainment

I think the next one will finish off the rear tyres though. Come and say Hi

Quality Pic by the way. Ideal way to keep the thread lighthearted.





>> Edited by The Moosehunter on Friday 6th January 23:05

[Hughesie II]

Could have been Lambo Cops attendance, oh wait no, i spent most of the day sideways as well officer

[Muncher]

I have a spare passenger seat if anyone wants it, heading down from Ipswich.

[victormeldrew]

Don't know about the tunnel runs, but there a tunnel in Rugby under the railway station that gets the full aural symphony from my 8 pice orchestra whenever I go though, accompanied by the Bridgestone backing singers.

It has to be done.

A bit more challenging is the tunnel just south of Brum on the M6, just after the toll road branch going south. Not long, but enough to get a few echoes bouncing.

[john lloyd]

The Moosehunter said:

The main benfit from battling your way through all the traffic, lights and cameras risking collecting points, is that there is so much fun to be had underground. Yet I witnessed a reluctantance by some to make the most of the tunnels and proceeded to drive through in an ordely fashion with limited offensive rasps and howls from within their rides. In my opinion, Tunnel runs are not about excess speed or an orderly procession of fine machinery, it's all about getting as much noise as possible from your internal combustion engine (and occasionaly the tyres if you are so inclined) as possible.

It'll be my first time on 14/01/06 so is this OK for showing off?



Oh and how about my horn? www.classic-car-accessories.co.uk/acatalog/klaxonchrome.html

[maddog-uk]

Well when my lot of 6 cars (based on the lights letting us out sequence) where at Eros there was no shortage of revving going on!!

[Mrs Triple S]

Hi

This is only my opinion ( and it may well come across as a girly answer) but.......

I thought that the tunnel runs were started as a bit of fun and the one thing that I have enjoyed about them is that they are free and easy. I just feel that once you start critically analysing them the fun will go and everyone will feel that there is an expectation that we all need to pop, bang, screech, wheelspin etc at all times.
This will only attract the attention of the BiB ( sorry Lee ) and so far we have had very few problems on that score.

As a blonde, woman driver from Essex ( dont have a lot going for her then, I hear you say) I am quite used to hearing negative comments about women drivers and I know that the post was not started for that reason but I drove my Elise on the Boxing Day run and it was the first tunnel run that I have driven and only the second time I had driven in London. I thoroughly enjoyed it for the reason that there were no expectations of my driving abilities,but once you start making it a contest of who can screech the loudest the fun will go.

I also agree with Simon( Maddog) in that I heard plenty of sounds, revs etc.

Moosehunter - Please dont think that I am discounting your opinion because as I said earlier this is just mine.

Lorraine

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

Mrs Triple S said:

This will only attract the attention of the BiB ( sorry Lee ) and so far we have had very few problems on that score.

73 cars and counting on the 14th. That's going to be the problem in the future...

During the day like Boxing Day? Can't see there being any problems. In the early AM's? Hhhmmm

[AMG Merc]

I see Moosehunter's main point - that the original reason for the runs was to make loud in tunnels but since the beginning the run has evolved to include all sorts (including mine - it whooshes instead of cackles - but does what it says on the tin!) and it seems to me that, apart from a couple of non-TVR's howlers, the only marque built with noise in mind is TVR so what do we do...

1. Limit the run only to noisy cars and rename it the "TVR London Tunnel Run" or perhaps the "Over 100bBM London Tunnel Run"
* if so will Eddie be bringing his sound meter along to check cars at at scrutineering?!

or

2. Enjoy if for what it has become - a pleasant day of posing for like-minded Petrolheads in nice that also assists UK tourism (ref the number of tourists leaping about and snapping away at us whenever we hit town!)

[budaholic]

AMG Merc said:

1. Limit the run only to noisy cars and rename it the "TVR London Tunnel Run" or perhaps the "Over 100bBM London Tunnel Run" * if so will Eddie be bringing his sound meter along to check cars at at scrutineering?! or 2. Enjoy if for what it has become - a pleasant day of posing for like-minded Petrolheads in nice that also assists UK tourism (ref the number of tourists leaping about and snapping away at us whenever we hit town!)

We definately don't want to do point 1. because, point 2 is exactly what it's all about....

Tunnel Runs are a gathering of 'CAR' enthusiasts that want to meet up once in a while and drive about the city in convoy. Showing off there P&J to other PHers and the public. If the Tunnels Runs were TVR limited, they would not have grown to the social events that they are today. One marque snobbery will always generate negative responses from owners of other marques.

London Tunnel Runs were all organised on PH. As a result they should be "Pistonhead Tunnel Runs"..... open to all.

Oh, and my mate is bringing his Porsche GT2 on the midnight run on Saturday.

Bud

[Mrs Triple S]

I vote for point 2

BTW Bud - have you added your friends name to the list?

Lorraine

[budaholic]

Mrs Triple S said:

I vote for point 2 BTW Bud - have you added your friends name to the list? Lorraine

Yup!! number 74

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=226320&f=158&h=0&p=10

Now i just have to make sure he doesn't back out

[mad mark]

We dont want to "Limit the run only to noisy cars and rename it the "TVR London Tunnel Run" or perhaps the "Over 100bBM London Tunnel Run" " But at the same time the cars should be something 'special'. But what is special? that is for the individual to decide, and hopefully decide with common sense. I would never do a tunnel run in our Focus, but then if that focus was modded in some way to make it special then bring it on.
Ask yourselves this, Would you rather be stuck behind Bud with him giving you some aural (hope thats the the right spelling ) pleasure, and scorching your bumper with his flames, than behind a VauxFord bla bla that might just as well be returning from Tescobury's.

In essence, I agree with The Moosehunter, but at the same time dont want to exclude any real enthusiast.

[budaholic]

mad mark said:

Ask yourselves this, Would you rather be stuck behind Bud with him giving you some aural pleasure

Careful

[mad mark]

[The Moosehunter]

mad mark said:

We dont want to "Limit the run only to noisy cars and rename it the "TVR London Tunnel Run" or perhaps the "Over 100bBM London Tunnel Run" " But at the same time the cars should be something 'special'. But what is special? that is for the individual to decide, and hopefully decide with common sense. I would never do a tunnel run in our Focus, but then if that focus was modded in some way to make it special then bring it on. Ask yourselves this, Would you rather be stuck behind Bud with him giving you some aural (hope thats the the right spelling ) pleasure, and scorching your bumper with his flames, than behind a VauxFord bla bla that might just as well be returning from Tescobury's. In essence, I agree with The Moosehunter, but at the same time dont want to exclude any real enthusiast.

Cheers for the replies

Mad Mark here has hit the nail on the head

The last thing I would want would be to make this event a TVR or 100 Db + run. I would also not want anyone to feel any pressured into driving in any manner they do not feel comfortable with. The main aim is to enjoy the run but if it can remain "Special" then I feel that it will keep it's prestige.

Judging by the popularity that these runs seem to be getting, would it be better to have a collection of 200 very nice cars driving around the sights and parks of London in a quiet orderly fashion putting on a show for the tourists, or 100 cars all of which perfom as best as possible overground and rip up the tunnels in full voice for the owners and fellow PH'ers benefit and if tourist enjoy the fun aswell the all well and good ?

I really enjoyed Peashooter's Lambo on the first Midnight run. He is a man who loves the sound of his own V12 and also enjoyed sharing it with others (even the shared in it)

The Black Corvette (sorry don't know name) lighting up the rears in a big way outside downing street was hilarious

Hughsie's Westferry underground donut was top

The Budaholic dual carriagway drag with two Porkers was good to be a part of

The Bosses snaking Cerb always a pleasure to watch

Vixpey's Turbo Legacy emmited a noise which was strangely painful / enjoyable

The diversity certainly someting that adds to the run, and if it were just V8 TVR's pottering about then even I would probably only go once. Looking foward to seeing / hearing the Atoms, S200's, bike engines, V12's and turbos. And if I can't hear that Diablo there's gonna be trouble

Keep it special, keep it loud but most of all enjoy

Cheers

Andy















>> Edited by The Moosehunter on Sunday 8th January 07:46

>> Edited by The Moosehunter on Sunday 8th January 08:10

[Mrs Triple S]