Was Arnage quiet on Friday this year?
Discussion
On the Friday we cycled up to Arnage for our usual visit to the bars to enjoy a beer whilst hopefully watching a procession of supercars rolling through.
We found it easy to find a table, and the place just seemed generally quiet, apart from some bloke being arrested for cycling naked around the roundabout (does anyone know whether he was charged & what penalty he got?).
Did anybody else think it was quiet this year, or did we arrive in a lull.
We found it easy to find a table, and the place just seemed generally quiet, apart from some bloke being arrested for cycling naked around the roundabout (does anyone know whether he was charged & what penalty he got?).
Did anybody else think it was quiet this year, or did we arrive in a lull.
14th year at lemans and arnage on friday was the quietest ever. Drove straight in parked four cars no problem. Bars really quiet. Got charged 6.50euros in harlequin for a beer normally sit for a while but not at that price. So went to moule bar further up had a great meal but left after one drink as nothing at all decent driving past
Mmmm... actually during the race on my way back at about from a dawn raid on Arnage and Mulsanne corners I drove past a McLaren F1 LM, an F40, an F360 and a lovely old American barge, all in the middle of Arnage high street.
So they're still around, just at times when there's baguettes to be bought rather than beer to be thrown?
Le Mans 24 Hour, June 2011 by giveitfish, on Flickr
So they're still around, just at times when there's baguettes to be bought rather than beer to be thrown?
Le Mans 24 Hour, June 2011 by giveitfish, on Flickr
It is a great shame that the off track Le Mans experience is being ruined by the yob element, I've previously found the general atmosphere with a bit of controlled lunacy (fun that doesn't involve treating other people or their property without respect - such as the "pirate ship" parading near Houx a couple of years ago) thrown in quite an enjoyable part of the Friday.
We also cycled around the course, expecting to see the unofficial car show that used to be held on the verge heading from Porsche Curves towards Arnage, and the road was closed off by Gendarmes. Is there a new venue for a decent Friday car meet?
Last year we went to the Classic instead of the 24 hour, where we enjoyed the more civilised and relaxed atmosphere, but missed the element of a race where we actually cared who won.
We also cycled around the course, expecting to see the unofficial car show that used to be held on the verge heading from Porsche Curves towards Arnage, and the road was closed off by Gendarmes. Is there a new venue for a decent Friday car meet?
Last year we went to the Classic instead of the 24 hour, where we enjoyed the more civilised and relaxed atmosphere, but missed the element of a race where we actually cared who won.
kers
from coming next year. I do wonder whether the off track experience will ever return. Those of you who went there in the 90's will probably know what I mean. The Friday was a big day where people used to go out, cruise around and park up at the side of the road. You could actually walk around, enjoying all the machinery down there. The best places for viewing the cars was at Indianapolis bends and outside the Chinese restaurant on the Mulsanne straight.
Those days seem to have gone and I can probably place my finger on when it went wrong. The 2 big football tournaments they had there was when the crowds that probably weren't so motorsport friendly just happend to join in. Slowly over the years, the police have clamped down more and more and suddenly we are all stifled, not being able to move anywhere, park anywhere.
From that aspect - it is a shame. I enjoyed the Fridays without all the drag strip races that were going to end in carnage or the burn out parades. But that is what happens when the masses meet the excess.
Those days seem to have gone and I can probably place my finger on when it went wrong. The 2 big football tournaments they had there was when the crowds that probably weren't so motorsport friendly just happend to join in. Slowly over the years, the police have clamped down more and more and suddenly we are all stifled, not being able to move anywhere, park anywhere.
From that aspect - it is a shame. I enjoyed the Fridays without all the drag strip races that were going to end in carnage or the burn out parades. But that is what happens when the masses meet the excess.
DazRSK said:
Those days seem to have gone and I can probably place my finger on when it went wrong. The 2 big football tournaments they had there was when the crowds that probably weren't so motorsport friendly just happend to join in. Slowly over the years, the police have clamped down more and more and suddenly we are all stifled, not being able to move anywhere, park anywhere.
Hard to disagree.In my first year ('02) it was clear that things were on the edge of acceptable and the following couple of years started to go beyond that. In addition to that there was the easy Euro £ exchange rate and the ‘promotion’ of the place as a venue for lads weekends away/ stag weekends.
Rest assured though there will be a new element of madness to start up soon, Nature arbores a vacuum.
I don't think Arnage village was quiet due to the yobs as they do not habitually cause a problem in Arnage itself and, you can avoid the hotspots to get back to the camp sites.
I think it was simply the economy. I don't think there were nearly as many people there as in previous years. It is a shame as I love going to Arnage for breakfast each morning and watching the automotive world go by.
I think it was simply the economy. I don't think there were nearly as many people there as in previous years. It is a shame as I love going to Arnage for breakfast each morning and watching the automotive world go by.
wibble928mpg said:
It is a great shame that the off track Le Mans experience is being ruined by the yob element, I've previously found the general atmosphere with a bit of controlled lunacy (fun that doesn't involve treating other people or their property without respect - such as the "pirate ship" parading near Houx a couple of years ago) thrown in quite an enjoyable part of the Friday.
The Pirate ship did not go this year due to the hassle it received over the last couple of yearsGassing Station | Le Mans | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff