Discussion
I've been going to Le Mans for every year since 1988 (only missed one year due to broken legs and back '07)
We even bought a minibus a good few years back to get all the camping gear and fridge etc down to LM.
I don't really feel like booking this year.
After seeing the demise of HA, the forest section before the Mulsanne, Cheap beer, ever increasing price rises, sanitising the whole LM experience, The loss of the independent beer tents (especially miss the student one by the Dunlop Bridge on the in-field) No strip-shos & Fat Lady, Nude skinny bird with the reptiles.
The whole thing becoming very corporate.
The place being awash with the Saturday Night cruise Brigade, Don't get me wrong, I don't mind what people drive etc. It seems that it has lost it's edge and appeal to me, sure I love racing, it seem that the mind-set of others who attend now spoil it for me.
I am thinking that the classic is the only event to see there now?
Are you happy of what's there now and will always attend?
Mates who only have started to go really enjoy it, because they know no different.
I have met some great people over the years nad many have become friends.
Has it run it's course with those who have seen the radical changes?
We even bought a minibus a good few years back to get all the camping gear and fridge etc down to LM.
I don't really feel like booking this year.
After seeing the demise of HA, the forest section before the Mulsanne, Cheap beer, ever increasing price rises, sanitising the whole LM experience, The loss of the independent beer tents (especially miss the student one by the Dunlop Bridge on the in-field) No strip-shos & Fat Lady, Nude skinny bird with the reptiles.
The whole thing becoming very corporate.
The place being awash with the Saturday Night cruise Brigade, Don't get me wrong, I don't mind what people drive etc. It seems that it has lost it's edge and appeal to me, sure I love racing, it seem that the mind-set of others who attend now spoil it for me.
I am thinking that the classic is the only event to see there now?
Are you happy of what's there now and will always attend?
Mates who only have started to go really enjoy it, because they know no different.
I have met some great people over the years nad many have become friends.
Has it run it's course with those who have seen the radical changes?
Edited by final_edition on Monday 23 February 14:53
Interestingly, my first Le Mans was the year of the 'new' pit lane buildings - and my Dad felt the same way you do about the 'new' corporate image etc etc. I've not noticed that... but I do really miss the 'old' village - the new one is just 'boring'.
I'll still keep going though - I love the racing too much, and the atmosphere is just not the same elsewhere.
I'll still keep going though - I love the racing too much, and the atmosphere is just not the same elsewhere.
What's at the heart of your trip ? For me it's the racing, the car's and the friends I go with.
So what if there's no titty bars and the vilage has gone a bit corporate. The indepedent beer tents are replaced with more globally recognised brands . . . The reality of all of this is that it helps make sure the racing is there every year.
In reality the 3 key elements to my trip remain almost constantly great. The race lives up to the billing more years than it doesn't, the place is full of glorious car's from ancient to modern and the friends keep coming adding more each year. Looking forward to catching up with people we met last year.
The environment changes every year and we've adapted parts of our trip to take in more cars and different parts of the circuits and different friends etc . .
So what if there's no titty bars and the vilage has gone a bit corporate. The indepedent beer tents are replaced with more globally recognised brands . . . The reality of all of this is that it helps make sure the racing is there every year.
In reality the 3 key elements to my trip remain almost constantly great. The race lives up to the billing more years than it doesn't, the place is full of glorious car's from ancient to modern and the friends keep coming adding more each year. Looking forward to catching up with people we met last year.
The environment changes every year and we've adapted parts of our trip to take in more cars and different parts of the circuits and different friends etc . .
Great post there Final Edition.
Have to aggree with almost everything you say. I just wish the ACO would listen to the fans.
I first went to Le Mans in 1982, I went down with a bunch of mates on a old british coach through some motoring tour company!
I aggree that over the years The Le Mans circuit is losing a bit of its Character each year and becoming just another motoring circuit. The old village was fantastic, the Beer tents great. In the 90s we started taking the cars down there, we first stayed in Parking Blue, Houx annex, then on to Houx a few times, tried Beausejour a couple of times, all had there good and bad points.
Dont get me wrong here but Le Mans for me is as much about the prepration of getting your toys ready, the meeting up with like minded people on the ferrys / Tunnel, the run down there, the drivers prade in the town center friday evening. The chance to drive around parts of the circuit that the race cars were practice'ng on only hours before. The evening in Arnage, Knock back a couple then back to the curcit, might see a band, The build up to the start of the race, The Lads who are always down by the fence dressed up as Hawaiian Tropic Girls
Then theres the crazy dutch with there orange flares, the cars fire up there engines 
The Hairs on the back of your neck stand on end...Coooooor 
HERE WE GO AGAIN, Oh and theres some realy loud things flying around for 24hrs. Go On those Corvettes
I realy do miss the meeting up with classic cars and fellow PHs which used to take place at Indianapolis / Arnage Corner on the friday morning. As usual one or two spoil it for everybody else and the thing gets shut down. I too have noticed over the years there seems to be more of a Football type thug mentality creeping into this event, dont mention Houx Roundabout
. Im going again this year and I have decided to take my car, but have decided to stay away from the curcit as Im sick to death of the pikies and chavs, the beer throwers which have no respect for anybodys cars, after making the journey down there. Part of what this event is all about. Rant Over! 
Have to aggree with almost everything you say. I just wish the ACO would listen to the fans.
I first went to Le Mans in 1982, I went down with a bunch of mates on a old british coach through some motoring tour company!
I aggree that over the years The Le Mans circuit is losing a bit of its Character each year and becoming just another motoring circuit. The old village was fantastic, the Beer tents great. In the 90s we started taking the cars down there, we first stayed in Parking Blue, Houx annex, then on to Houx a few times, tried Beausejour a couple of times, all had there good and bad points.
Dont get me wrong here but Le Mans for me is as much about the prepration of getting your toys ready, the meeting up with like minded people on the ferrys / Tunnel, the run down there, the drivers prade in the town center friday evening. The chance to drive around parts of the circuit that the race cars were practice'ng on only hours before. The evening in Arnage, Knock back a couple then back to the curcit, might see a band, The build up to the start of the race, The Lads who are always down by the fence dressed up as Hawaiian Tropic Girls
Then theres the crazy dutch with there orange flares, the cars fire up there engines The Hairs on the back of your neck stand on end...Coooooor HERE WE GO AGAIN, Oh and theres some realy loud things flying around for 24hrs. Go On those Corvettes I realy do miss the meeting up with classic cars and fellow PHs which used to take place at Indianapolis / Arnage Corner on the friday morning. As usual one or two spoil it for everybody else and the thing gets shut down. I too have noticed over the years there seems to be more of a Football type thug mentality creeping into this event, dont mention Houx Roundabout
. Im going again this year and I have decided to take my car, but have decided to stay away from the curcit as Im sick to death of the pikies and chavs, the beer throwers which have no respect for anybodys cars, after making the journey down there. Part of what this event is all about. Rant Over! Johno said:
What's at the heart of your trip ? For me it's the racing, the car's and the friends I go with.
So what if there's no titty bars and the vilage has gone a bit corporate. The indepedent beer tents are replaced with more globally recognised brands . . . The reality of all of this is that it helps make sure the racing is there every year.
In reality the 3 key elements to my trip remain almost constantly great. The race lives up to the billing more years than it doesn't, the place is full of glorious car's from ancient to modern and the friends keep coming adding more each year. Looking forward to catching up with people we met last year.
The environment changes every year and we've adapted parts of our trip to take in more cars and different parts of the circuits and different friends etc . .
+1So what if there's no titty bars and the vilage has gone a bit corporate. The indepedent beer tents are replaced with more globally recognised brands . . . The reality of all of this is that it helps make sure the racing is there every year.
In reality the 3 key elements to my trip remain almost constantly great. The race lives up to the billing more years than it doesn't, the place is full of glorious car's from ancient to modern and the friends keep coming adding more each year. Looking forward to catching up with people we met last year.
The environment changes every year and we've adapted parts of our trip to take in more cars and different parts of the circuits and different friends etc . .
I have been each year since 1993.
Its going downhill rapidly.
I can remember the very first year, there were 8 of us stood packed in on the start finish line, and the bloke next to me asked 2 questions.
1/. are you english
2/. can you look after my camera while i go to the loo.
He then proceeded to hand me a camera with an enormous lens on it, and vanished for half an hour. Eventually, he returned complete with 9 beers, and didnt look at all suprised that i was still there with the camera.
I just dont think it would happen anymore, the chav element seems to be slipping in worse every year, its more hostile, and i can imagine it wont be much longer before something really unfortunate happens.
Its a great shame.
And i lament the loss of the old champers tent location, most sad to see it go
Its going downhill rapidly.
I can remember the very first year, there were 8 of us stood packed in on the start finish line, and the bloke next to me asked 2 questions.
1/. are you english
2/. can you look after my camera while i go to the loo.
He then proceeded to hand me a camera with an enormous lens on it, and vanished for half an hour. Eventually, he returned complete with 9 beers, and didnt look at all suprised that i was still there with the camera.
I just dont think it would happen anymore, the chav element seems to be slipping in worse every year, its more hostile, and i can imagine it wont be much longer before something really unfortunate happens.
Its a great shame.
And i lament the loss of the old champers tent location, most sad to see it go
final_edition said:
is it me?
yes.i missed last years le mans as i went to the classic instead but as a relative younglin i have been to 5 full 24 hours now.
so i've never known the circuit without chicanes (the first year i went was when the added the dunlop esses!) and only really know the new paddock, but the event is what you make of it!
the classic was good, but the people in our group who aren't really into cars got bored very quickly last year, and tbh, even i struggled to see the point of someone turning up in a massive chrysler and doing 3-4 laps per race!!!
but i'm really looking forward to "full" le mans this year, yes, i think there are more and more idiots creeping in who are ruining the event for the rest of us, but i can ignore them and still enjoy myself, you never know, give it a few years and they'll probably have moved on anyway!
Nick M said:
Johno said:
What's at the heart of your trip ? For me it's the racing, the car's and the friends I go with.
So what if there's no titty bars and the vilage has gone a bit corporate. The indepedent beer tents are replaced with more globally recognised brands . . . The reality of all of this is that it helps make sure the racing is there every year.
In reality the 3 key elements to my trip remain almost constantly great. The race lives up to the billing more years than it doesn't, the place is full of glorious car's from ancient to modern and the friends keep coming adding more each year. Looking forward to catching up with people we met last year.
The environment changes every year and we've adapted parts of our trip to take in more cars and different parts of the circuits and different friends etc . .
+1So what if there's no titty bars and the vilage has gone a bit corporate. The indepedent beer tents are replaced with more globally recognised brands . . . The reality of all of this is that it helps make sure the racing is there every year.
In reality the 3 key elements to my trip remain almost constantly great. The race lives up to the billing more years than it doesn't, the place is full of glorious car's from ancient to modern and the friends keep coming adding more each year. Looking forward to catching up with people we met last year.
The environment changes every year and we've adapted parts of our trip to take in more cars and different parts of the circuits and different friends etc . .
fatboy18 said:
theres no way that would happen now 
From which I can only assume your a camera-stealing, MacPower reading, football thug, pikie toe-rag.I go to Le Mans. If someone asked me to hold their camera I would and I would still be there when the owner returned.
Maybe people let their fears and experiences of the minority cloud their view of everyone else...
Not an old LM hand by any stretch but there was a marked difference the last time I went. Lots of Chavs and not a great atmosphere in a lot of places.
Due to the nobs soaking cars and their interiors most people with nice cars drive them to the car parks and leave them there just leaving the chav mobiles to hoon around doing burnouts.
My crowd went to the Nurburgring 24 instead last year and it was great. Great place, nice friendly, hospitable people, good accommodation and you never felt like you were being ripped off. 2 euros for a cold pint bottle of 5% lager and the track passes were about half the price of LM tickets and you didnt have to pay extra to get into the grand stands.
We are going again in May.
Due to the nobs soaking cars and their interiors most people with nice cars drive them to the car parks and leave them there just leaving the chav mobiles to hoon around doing burnouts.
My crowd went to the Nurburgring 24 instead last year and it was great. Great place, nice friendly, hospitable people, good accommodation and you never felt like you were being ripped off. 2 euros for a cold pint bottle of 5% lager and the track passes were about half the price of LM tickets and you didnt have to pay extra to get into the grand stands.
We are going again in May.
it was my first trip to le mans last year and i loved every second of it.
the chavs on friday were a pain in the ass agreed.
it's a real shame i've never seen it in the good old days as you guys have, i just hope the chav's are kept under a bit more control this year, the gendarmes were there on friday but turned a blind eye to they stupidity which is a shame.
shame theres no titty bars but again, the chavs would ruin it for everyone else.
Paul
the chavs on friday were a pain in the ass agreed.
it's a real shame i've never seen it in the good old days as you guys have, i just hope the chav's are kept under a bit more control this year, the gendarmes were there on friday but turned a blind eye to they stupidity which is a shame.
shame theres no titty bars but again, the chavs would ruin it for everyone else.
Paul
//j17 said:
fatboy18 said:
theres no way that would happen now
From which I can only assume your a camera-stealing, MacPower reading, football thug, pikie toe-rag.I go to Le Mans. If someone asked me to hold their camera I would and I would still be there when the owner returned.
Maybe people let their fears and experiences of the minority cloud their view of everyone else...
, 
, I would like to think it could still happen but, would you be willing to leave something valuable with a total stranger at le mans? I trusted the French guys staying next to us in Houx a few years ago.... Guess what, when they left the campsite they Nicked our stars and stripes camping chairs and one or two other items We found out it was them from other witnesses. So my rule No1 now is dont trust any b
d. Personally never had any problems with theft in 26 years but, now I choice a slightly more civilised campsite than we originally stayed in, you might not get quite the same party atmosphere but at least your car/tent stays in tact and if you want the party campsites you can walk to them and back again. Pick where you want to camp with care and take note that the people from beermountain and the other sites never seem to rate the campsites they like to stay in it reduces the chances of them getting their first choice. With all ACO sites you get what you pay for so the more expensive the original price is the chances are the betterr the site will be.
Being one of the old farts here, the first time I came to Le Mans was when the GT40's were winning and boy has it changed. All things change, yes, but it is the behaviour now, not the price rises, the increased security, the restrictions on beer tents, the whole corporate thing that gets to me. Knocking people off scooters on the Mulsanne on the Friday just for the fun, throwing bottles at and jumping on cars the Friday night. Filling water pistols with piss and spraying people; I could go on. Where on earth have the manners gone and above all, being a rugby fan, the ability to get merrily drunk without being violent, abusive and downright rude.
I guess I'll be written off by the majority of you as a old timer and out of touch but we had fun too, putting cars on bricks and tied the wheels high in the trees yes, but we didn't damage anything nor get into fights. And at the end of it all we looked forward to seeing the same people again the following year, even those who had to get their wheels back and who were already merrily plotting next year's revenge. It's above all that spirit I miss, and I live here. You won't get me anywhere near the Chemin aux Boeufs on the Friday nor, after last year, the Mulsanne on the Friday.
I guess I'll be written off by the majority of you as a old timer and out of touch but we had fun too, putting cars on bricks and tied the wheels high in the trees yes, but we didn't damage anything nor get into fights. And at the end of it all we looked forward to seeing the same people again the following year, even those who had to get their wheels back and who were already merrily plotting next year's revenge. It's above all that spirit I miss, and I live here. You won't get me anywhere near the Chemin aux Boeufs on the Friday nor, after last year, the Mulsanne on the Friday.
lowdrag said:
Knocking people off scooters on the Mulsanne on the Friday just for the fun
i was there, the scooter nearly hit me as it slid along the ground, the rider of the scooter was about 1 foot away from kicking ten bails out of the idiot (probably the wrong word for him but one that won't get sensored on here) that pushed him off.....fatboy18 said:
//j17 said:
fatboy18 said:
theres no way that would happen now
From which I can only assume your a camera-stealing, MacPower reading, football thug, pikie toe-rag.I go to Le Mans. If someone asked me to hold their camera I would and I would still be there when the owner returned.
Maybe people let their fears and experiences of the minority cloud their view of everyone else...
, , I would like to think it could still happen but, would you be willing to leave something valuable with a total stranger at le mans? I trusted the French guys staying next to us in Houx a few years ago.... Guess what, when they left the campsite they Nicked our stars and stripes camping chairs and one or two other items We found out it was them from other witnesses. So my rule No1 now is dont trust any bd. 
2) If it was my camera then no, I wouldn't trust a random to hold it. Then again I wouldn't have trusted a random to hold in in 1993 either.
3) That's what you get for trusting a cheese-eating surrender monkey.
4) They stole stars and stripes camping chairs...and people say the French have taste!
5) Don't you love people who pipe up with "Oh yea, we've been camping next to you all week and when we saw the people camping the other side of you packing up, then walking in to your tents and coming out with stuff we thought they were pintching it." Good job they didn't wonder over and question them about their actions at the time...
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