Are all car clubs hoons?

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by dave289

not sure I agree with what your MATE has done.yes these guys were idiots ,I saw no footage so dont know how severe it was ,but 3 were 19 ,2 were 21 and another 20,did you guys never speed or do a burnout when you were young, this act is the same as dobbing on your class mates(something that was not even considered an option when I was in primary school by anyone,yes we had a code back then and EVERYBODY stuck with it)so to me it was low to say the least. while we have young drivers we will ALWAYS have speeding and burnouts .and to think these guys lost their car over it(something that we would never have copped in our day) .I thought for a minute your mate might be a copper ,but thinking about it a copper would not be so stupid as to join a club and then go and nark on anybody like this, a copper would not be this low.hope I never go to a meet with your MATE ,I might churp the tyres ,he will film me and then I will lose my car. :

These people are asked not to do it. Its an organised event so doesn't matter. If they did it on their own then if they get caught that it there problem.

[Torquen]

All the so called "hoon" car clubs are alot more fun to go on cruises with if you have a car with a bit of go, because the majority of other members will also have performace cars. Im not saying that you should encourage hoon behaviour but the fact of the matter is that most people who have a modded car dont 'test' the new power out on a track. It gets done on the street. So taking that into account, most car clubs are for moddified car owners therefor id say yes, most car club members particapate in hoon related activites at some point. Your niave to think that the majority of people who own modded cars and meet up for cruise will behave in a media/public friendly manner 100% of the time.
You may not be the one ripping burnouts and cutting hoops in car parks, but according to the hoon laws alot of activites (small chirp in tyres, accelerating quickly to the speed limit etc) which myself and im sure if your honest with yourself alot of you do is still considered 'hooning'.
Just my 2 cents on the matter.

[Iggypoppin']

i dont want to toot my own horn...but the weekend just been, my car club organized a whole day at virginia speedway just so we could roast some tyres and keep it off the street. however, i am not about to say that we've never done some skids on public roads. but lets face it, i doubt anyone here is perfect, nor can they resist at times...the important thing is we are all trying and by attending the speedway and such events, we can keep it off the street. be good to have a drag strip though.
thats my two cents. we're not perfect by any stretch of the imagination...but we're TRYING which is more than i can say for some other people.

[Romulus]

What constitutes a car club? An incorporated body or an internet site for Skylines, Commodores, Falcons etc.

I'd say car clubs that are incorporated (registered) are not hoons, indeed most will report their own members for hooning if unlawful activities are carried out before, during or after club events.

The other 'internet' car clubs are definately hoon clubs

[Torquen]

You dont have to be 'registered' to be a car club imo. Car club is just a group of like minded people who enjoy driving/showing off there pride and joy with other enthusiasts

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by Torquen

You dont have to be 'registered' to be a car club imo. Car club is just a group of like minded people who enjoy driving/showing off there pride and joy with other enthusiasts

they are more a bunch of guys who enjoy cars, in my opinion
a car club has meetings and runs, fees and constitutions - they represent an actual club and therefore their actions must be appropriate in relation to road safety and rules. paid up members take their club and mates seriously
a bunch of people who like cars are different - they do not need to answer to anyone but themselves, because they do not represent any actual club and it is only the individuals who will suffer if things get out of hand

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by Melz

Car clubs are turning out to be a waste of space anyway.... Political infighting and bickering.

Not wrong about that Melz.........

[BFZ Wagon]

Somehow I doubt car clubs like model T car clubs, Antique cars & the older car clubs have these sort of problems.
But these sort of clubs usually have more members of an 'older generation' and usually seem to be more sedate.
Just my opinion. :P

[Torquen]

^^^yes cause most have 'been there and done that' when they where younger.

[seduced_xr]

there are certain lines the police cross. the WA police tried to canary a 2 day old XR6 because apparnlty its illegal to have an aftermarket spoiler higher then the factory 1. this guy was completely embarresed when i pointed out it was a FPV GT spoiler on an XR6. the same rolling shell and he got very defensive after i asked if he planned to defect every FPV GT. as said if your cars defective you shouldnt be driving it..

[Iggypoppin']

sometimes though you are unaware of defects. Like if a globe goes, oil leak begins or similar. pretty touchy subject if you ask me, everybodys got a story but alot of people also are quick to defend authorities.

[mrbaxr6t]

I am not a member of a car club but am a car enthusiast and have been as an entrant to the Easternats at Sandown. If memory serves they place chicanes to limit speeds and create choke or stop points, but as soon as the cars are held at a chicane for some reason (most likely their own safety) they start ripping skids in close proximity to each other, now this is quite dangerous. The organizers frown upon this behavior as they have a designated skid area, despite the rules and the threat of being removed from the track many still rip it up at the chicanes. Ripping skids at the chicanes blinds others approaching thanks to your tyre smoke.

Some of the activities I have witnessed first hand on the sandown raceway borders on lunatic and the poor officials run their butts off disciplining people as best they can.

Now I am unaware of if these people are from car clubs or are enthusiasts like me or what, but sometimes some of them just plain stop thinking. I totally understand the police response to the easternats entrants, they don't want that behavior on the street. If you don't like being targeted I hate to say it but you have nobody to blame but the twits that taunt the police/community on the streets.

[opto]

It may not keep hooning off the streets butit may minimise it, in South Australia, if there was a motorsport park with say 2 burnout pads a wet skid pan, a drag strip, a drift track and a circuit that was accessable at a reasonable cost to let go, maybe there wouldnt be so much "hooning" on the streets.

If the government would support this financially, then hard policing of hoons with fines and car confiscation may not be an ongoing issue.

[JC]

Originally Posted by 95falcon

Dog act.

Why is that? The idiots were doing burnouts en masse - they get deserve whatever is coming their way.

The club I used to be in (ACT FPV/XR club) does not tolerate any hoon-type behaviour. Any reports to the club are taken seriously, and the member can be asked to leave and not come back (and no, I am not a member because of that; I don't own a car that qualifies for membership!).

[5L]

police target modified car clubs, a group of modified cars all in a group normally means trouble. i know there are a lot of people who stick by the rules but all it takes is for one drop kick to wreck it for everyone.

if you want to go for a cruise and be left alone, fly solo. pile a group of friends in the car and go out for a cruise, as soon as it gets bigger than one car peoples ego's start to play on the situation. and then people try to out do one another or show who's is the faster or who can take corners faster.

i have rarely been picked on by any police when it is me and some friends in the one car, as soon as they see more than one car they start to wonder what we are upto.

if you have to have more than one car, maybe just all park up and talk. its too hard talking while cars are moving anyway.

[fos408]

I think the cops in adelaide are pretty tolerant of clubs cruising.It is not uncommon to get 150cars at SMASA cruise and 300 on a zipple cruise once a month over summer and the cops cruise the car park and keep an eye out for the factor. the vast majoriety are highly modified and I am sure that they could pull out the defect book quite easily but both clubs have a good reputation with the police and the police know they do not endorse hooning. As above it does occur but they seem to target the indiividuals involved. I have only ever seen them go nuts on everybody one night when they where expecting RCK at their worst .I suppose you as a club need to do your best to communicate with the police and let the trouble makers no they are not welcome.As for this bit about if you know your car is defective dont drive it , most modified car owners walk the line with modifications that can get you a defect but still be safe ,I just get shitty when Im am behaving my selves and still cops the attention due to the above factor.

[Walt Kowalski]

Originally Posted by foylema

Like a few mates of mine have been defected for oil leaks like what is with that...

Do all cars get inspected for roadworthiness before each rego in your state?

Qld and Vic have more POS cars on the roads than NSW because they only do roadworthy certificates when they sell.

If they keep the car for 20 years it is not inspected and they just stay on the road with more bad tyres, brakes and oil leaks etc.

Oil leaks are dangerous. Get them fixed.

[RG]

Originally Posted by SLWXR6

sometimes though you are unaware of defects. Like if a globe goes, oil leak begins or similar. pretty touchy subject if you ask me, everybodys got a story but alot of people also are quick to defend authorities.

If a globe blows then you need to replace it, a serious oil leak won't "just begin" it would have gotten worse over time and with regular maintenance would be fixed so I fail to see how it is a "touchy subject". Your car, your responsibility to keep it safe and in RWC.

There are a lot that are quick to defend but there are more who are even quicker to blame. Those people I call tools who can't accept responsibility.

[Walt Kowalski]

Originally Posted by Melz

The fact some 'hoons' are getting around in 'groups' doesn't constitute a club... they instead constitute a bunch of idiots...

SPOT ON!

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by dave289

not sure I agree with what your MATE has done.yes these guys were idiots ,I saw no footage so dont know how severe it was ,but 3 were 19 ,2 were 21 and another 20,did you guys never speed or do a burnout when you were young, this act is the same as dobbing on your class mates(something that was not even considered an option when I was in primary school by anyone,yes we had a code back then and EVERYBODY stuck with it)so to me it was low to say the least. while we have young drivers we will ALWAYS have speeding and burnouts .and to think these guys lost their car over it(something that we would never have copped in our day) .I thought for a minute your mate might be a copper ,but thinking about it a copper would not be so stupid as to join a club and then go and nark on anybody like this, a copper would not be this low.hope I never go to a meet with your MATE ,I might churp the tyres ,he will film me and then I will lose my car. :

Chirping your tyres in my opinion is far different to letting a massive stand still rip... or, in the worst offenders case, doing doughnuts in a busy intersection and having cars stopped because of what you were doing.

I mean think about it... is chirping your tyres going to create sufficient smoke/noise to be captured by a camera? I don't believe it would - therefore you're not really making a valid point. If you chose to let loose, fish tail your car 150 metres down the road like one of the offenders who had his car impounded.... then perhaps you will have called cause for reporting you. Would you agree?

I mean... let's take the next post for example:

Originally Posted by XABEBAGT

Those who think there is nothing wrong with doing a burnout when leaving an organised venue should spare a thought for the organisers who have to front the police, the local residents and the club members when this sort of rubbish goes on. I love a burnout as much as anyone and have pulled a few in my time but there is a place for everything and leaving an organised venue where the organisers cop the flack is not it. If you have to do it, then do it annonomously where ONLY YOU are responsible for it. It does nothing to enhanse the organised muscle car movement when idiots speed or do burnouts in residential areas while the residents are watching. It also makes venues reluctant to have the group back again.

I myself am one of the main organisers of the event that was mentioned in the news recently. I was the one who had to stand there trying to warn people not to misbehave when they were leaving the carpark. I was also the one after this had all happened and the police were on hand impounding the person I mentioned earlier who was caught doing doughnuts in a busy intersection in front of a police car.. I was one of a few people who had to front the cops and tell them what was going on. At this point, we are seen as responsible for it happening. The police initially do not understand what is taking place and assume the worst... some sort of riot, some sort of drag and burnout meet... and it takes a while to convince them of the truth.

And hence you end up with an article in the paper - because they indeed do understand that we were for the most part trying to do the right thing in having a cruise to raise funds ($2090 raised) for the bushfire victims etc.

Now understand this. I'm a car enthusiast just as anyone else is. I've had my mistakes of the past and have also been a statistic as far as car impounds go. I also don't choose to misbehave when there is 1000 people and several hundred cars all in close proximity.. it's like trying to do a burnout in a shopping centre car park... it's just stupid.

Unfortunately, people choose to make their own decisions and when you are running cruises in Melbourne which attract 500, 600+ cars I can no longer just hold a head in the sand approach because I am found looking like a by the police pretty quickly if I choose to ignore what is going on. Therefore, in the interest of my own reputation with the police as well as upholding both the car club I represent and the car scene in general it is best that I comply and cooperate with the police to ensure this behaviour does not continue at events.

Put simply, with 600 cars attending our recent cruise which was advertised as a mini cruise and hoping for around 200 cars.. I am able to be arrogant enough to suggest that if you cannot respect the rules to which myself and the other club leaders have set for our events then you are more than welcome to sit at home with your thumb in your **** - because we'd prefer those with poor behaviour and attitudes not to be involved in our cause.

[Dr_Hoon]

hmmm, something is going to have to change in the way authorities deal with the whole spectrum of righteous enthusiast to indignant hoon. Most of the time it is not a road safety issue, and if it is, then it pales in comparison to drunk/drugged driving. What is at stake is the governance of public space and more abstract concepts like public order and the like. I have researched this and have been spoke to the media about it many times.

Any modified car is a soft target. Police have targets that need to be met, sort of like performance outcomes. I am surprised that more industry figures in the speed shop/workshop sector have not mobilised against the sort of attention that the car scene as a whole is receiving nowadays. It can only be bad for business when enthusiasts do not take their cars out for fear of being defected. How can the culture survive if this is happening?

[ebxr8240]

Define hoon ??
I guess I am ??
The term hoon has changed over the years ..

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by Dr_Hoon

hmmm, something is going to have to change in the way authorities deal with the whole spectrum of righteous enthusiast to indignant hoon. Most of the time it is not a road safety issue, and if it is, then it pales in comparison to drunk/drugged driving. What is at stake is the governance of public space and more abstract concepts like public order and the like. I have researched this and have been spoke to the media about it many times.

Any modified car is a soft target. Police have targets that need to be met, sort of like performance outcomes. I am surprised that more industry figures in the speed shop/workshop sector have not mobilised against the sort of attention that the car scene as a whole is receiving nowadays. It can only be bad for business when enthusiasts do not take their cars out for fear of being defected. How can the culture survive if this is happening?

the problem is theres a few hoons that give every car enthusiast a bad name, the best way is to weed the hoon culture out of the clubs, you will always have hoons in modified cars, its been that way since time began but for the long term best interest of the culture we are best to stamp it out at club level early.

I'm a member of 2 car clubs both of with have a zero tolerance to hoon antics, when out on the road take the cars to WISD and go crazy thats what its for but you will never catch any member of either club driving like a hoon, if all clubs acted like this there wouldnt be a problem

[Iggypoppin']

Russell, I think I should have been a little clearer: one day a month or so ago I got pulled over because one of my brake lights had not worked. Since I can't see the rear of my car and therefore had no idea, I believe it would have been a little unfair to canary me, especially as I offered to drive home escorted and then change the globe myself. The oil leak is the kind of scenario a non-mechanically minded person would get themselves into. Rear main seal or somewhere like that, and it's not easy for someone like, say, my mum to know it's there. Me, I check the car over once a week... I'd be appalled if I had a leak and didn't fix it. You are right though, but if a globe blows while your driving and you had no reasonable way of knowing about it, you can hardly be considered the kind of person who doesn't take good care of their car.

[RG]

Originally Posted by SLWXR6

Russell, I think I should have been a little clearer: one day a month or so ago I got pulled over because one of my brake lights had not worked. Since I can't see the rear of my car and therefore had no idea, I believe it would have been a little unfair to canary me, especially as I offered to drive home escorted and then change the globe myself. The oil leak is the kind of scenario a non-mechanically minded person would get themselves into. Rear main seal or somewhere like that, and it's not easy for someone like, say, my mum to know it's there. Me, I check the car over once a week... I'd be appalled if I had a leak and didn't fix it. You are right though, but if a globe blows while your driving and you had no reasonable way of knowing about it, you can hardly be considered the kind of person who doesn't take good care of their car.

You'll find that if it has just happened and you genuinely didn't know 9 times out of 10 the cop will either let you off or ask you to bring the car in the next day to check it has been fixed.

As for the oil leak thing, my Mum wouldn't know either. Her mechanic would though.

[Go baby Go]

Originally Posted by SCUD

I myself am one of the main organisers of the event that was mentioned in the news recently. I was the one who had to stand there trying to warn people not to misbehave when they were leaving the carpark. I was also the one after this had all happened and the police were on hand impounding the person I mentioned earlier who was caught doing doughnuts in a busy intersection in front of a police car.. I was one of a few people who had to front the cops and tell them what was going on. At this point, we are seen as responsible for it happening.

And hence you end up with an article in the paper - because they indeed do understand that we were for the most part trying to do the right thing in having a cruise to raise funds ($2090 raised) for the bushfire victims etc.

....... I am able to be arrogant enough to suggest that if you cannot respect the rules to which myself and the other club leaders have set for our events then you are more than welcome to sit at home with your thumb in your **** - because we'd prefer those with poor behaviour and attitudes not to be involved in our cause.

SCUD is right on the money.
I happen to be involved at the pointy end of a couple of clubs- one club .. well it doesn't get much pointer. This club has a code of conduct which alll drivers read and sign before departing on a run. For the first time in the 6 or so years of having it, and the club's near on 41 years, we had an "incident". You all read about it in the papers and saw it on the news. As club president, needless to say I got hounded by just about every media outlet in the state.We had to release a statement to ensure the c'tee weren't hounded... a statement for goodness sakes - we are a car club not a conglomorate.... In their eyes we (c'tee) are responsible. So we have a couple of gooses - who are good blokes - make a stupid decision that is still being talked about. We (the club) more very concerned that it would brimg a negative aspect to the car club culture in general. That one second, one minute or moment of madness- whatever you want to call it, right royally stoofs it for everyone else.
We introduced the code of conduct because we wanted to ensure the club was seen as being a positive influence, not negative.
The downside is the adrenalin kicks in and some show off- FPV this year. Rod B stands there saying "please don't do a burnout" etc, and what do you hear as everyone leaves not 5 mins later.............. you just gotta remember if you are on a club run, you are representing the club.
We have trialled the code of conduct with the FPV & XR club and have had no issues with people signing it, nor have we ever had to take people to task on it.
It's all in the atmosphere and the fact that the guys know it won't be tolerated. That being said, we are an incorporated car club that has meetings etc as opposed to forum or group who don't pay membership, have meetings etc. I think that is far easier to control. Also, we didn't have 600 cars turn up for our event and as Scud mentioned, it makes it hard when you don't know them.

Generally speaking, no car clubs aren't hoons, hoon clubs etc. But it makes it very hard to prove when the few bad apples do something silly and ruin it for everyone else.

[LTDHO]

I'm moderator in the same club as SCUD. It is made very clear on our view on illegal activities. Whilst no police involvement id preferred, it is not possible with 600 cars. When 1% of them are done for hoonish behavour, that is great statistics. Most clubs would have up to 50%!!

It's all about sepparating the hoons from the clubs.

[Iggypoppin']

I agree. Lucky for me, he just asked me to fix it in my own time asap. The mum scenario, well, it was an example of "ignorance is bliss" in this case if it happened a fortnight after her last service, then she wouldn't know till the next one unless she got a canary or for some reason opened her bonnet and someone else pointed it out. I'm being pretty pedantic though.

[SNB05T]

Originally Posted by XABEBAGT

Those who think there is nothing wrong with doing a burnout when leaving an organised venue should spare a thought for the organisers who have to front the police, the local residents and the club members when this sort of rubbish goes on. I love a burnout as much as anyone and have pulled a few in my time but there is a place for everything and leaving an organised venue where the organisers cop the flack is not it. If you have to do it, then do it annonomously where ONLY YOU are responsible for it. It does nothing to enhanse the organised muscle car movement when idiots speed or do burnouts in residential areas while the residents are watching. It also makes venues reluctant to have the group back again.

exactly mate.
the last two years, i've organised the cruise for cancer. we've had all types of cars and bikes come along and even the occasional idiot (one we kicked off the cruise as well as the unmarked cop car behind him getting him for smoking it up).

each year we notify the cops of the exact cruise route and finishing point and apart from the above two idiots out of 300+ cars we've had no problems.

mind you last year we had POLAIR circling us at the start and 8 marked and unmarked units meet us at the end (with a majority of them coming over for a snag and softie : )

99% of car clubs (and not just ford clubs) are very strict on their members and what they do at offical club events, and members know the consequenses of their actions.

[Qwik6]

Originally Posted by opto

It may not keep hooning off the streets butit may minimise it, in South Australia, if there was a motorsport park with say 2 burnout pads a wet skid pan, a drag strip, a drift track and a circuit that was accessable at a reasonable cost to let go, maybe there wouldnt be so much "hooning" on the streets.

If the government would support this financially, then hard policing of hoons with fines and car confiscation may not be an ongoing issue.

Thats right. If only we had somewhere to go.