Far out. I had completey forgotten about the Summernats coming up soon. Please, please, Chic Henry – move the event to elsewhere. Or better yet, don’t run it at all.

Although I am sure that Summernats provides an economic boost to Canberra, I for one would love to see it disappear. I love cars. I have been to Summernats twice; once with a mate of mine when I lived in Wagga and once with my son who was about 9 or 10 at the time. Family friendly? NO. Inexpensive day out to look at cars? NO. (BTW. A Honda Civic with a large exhaust and a big stereo isn’t a street machine). Sensible car owners? NO. Could hardly wait to get out of there? YES. Drunk fu*kwits causing as much trouble in Civic as they possibly can whilst they are away from Shazzah? YES.

When you have your young son with you, the last thing I wanted was some pissed tramp flashing her tits then watching the pissed yobbos act like they are at a sorority house party at an American university.

Anyway, I am sure that others will disagree with me. This is just my take on things.

I can’t stand the nats, but why are so many people in Canberra against it?

If you don’t like it then don’t go.

As well, the rest of the country already see us as boring and mindless with nothing to do, banning another event will just fortify this belief.

However, doesn’t chic roll out this old chesnut every year, that is, threatening to take it elsewhere.

methinks he’s after a bit more government cash to help swell the coffers.

It used to be great but, as usual, a minority (which seems to get bigger annually) ends up ruining it. Belray I thoroughly agree that a slick paint job, lowered suspension and a set of Simmons does not make a street machine.

The entry requirements should be changed so that cars need to have comprehensive modifications ie installing different drivetrains and/or significant body modifications before they’re allowed to be entered.

People put a heck of a lot of money into building the top contenders so there should be somewhere where they get to show their cars off but not where they’re in danger of being damaged by drunken (or sober) morons.

Maybe it is time to move Summernats from Canberra. Let some other police force deal with the idiots it attracts. Or do what happened to the Alcoholic Frolic and tone it down.

farnarkler said :

It used to be great but, as usual, a minority (which seems to get bigger annually) ends up ruining it. Belray I thoroughly agree that a slick paint job, lowered suspension and a set of Simmons does not make a street machine.

The entry requirements should be changed so that cars need to have comprehensive modifications ie installing different drivetrains and/or significant body modifications before they’re allowed to be entered.

People put a heck of a lot of money into building the top contenders so there should be somewhere where they get to show their cars off but not where they’re in danger of being damaged by drunken (or sober) morons.

Maybe it is time to move Summernats from Canberra. Let some other police force deal with the idiots it attracts. Or do what happened to the Alcoholic Frolic and tone it down.

Fully agree. If it was about the cars, I would embrace it fully, as I have an HJ Monaro that I love dearly. Does it go anywhere near Summernats? No. Does it even come out of the garage during Summernats? No. During that time, driving it is like throwing the Police a birdie – it is an absolute Police magnet. The rest of the year, all is good.

I also agree that if you don’t like it, don’t go – and I don’t. There are however, some aspects that are forced upon the Canberra population (try going for a meal or a drink in Civic during Summernats).

is anyone actually lives in Canberra here from January 1 to 4? Let’s just hope we don’t return to Bartertown (it’s beyond thunderdome, don’tcha know)

Thumper said :

However, doesn’t chic roll out this old chesnut every year, that is, threatening to take it elsewhere.

methinks he’s after a bit more government cash to help swell the coffers.

Yes, Chic’s annual whinge. Last year it was the cost of insurance for the event.

Here’s an idea, Chic – make the punters who go along to the event pay more to get in, that way you can cover your costs and not expect the ACT taxpayer cough up another $300 000 to line your pockets with!

Begging for yet more public money, eh Chic? Keep digging…

farnarkler said :

The entry requirements should be changed so that cars need to have comprehensive modifications ie installing different drivetrains and/or significant body modifications before they’re allowed to be entered.

While I agree that there is probably too many “paint/rims/exhaust” type cars, there are already fairly specific entry requirements for getting your car in to Summernats. On the application form you have to list all of the mods/details of your car, along with sending photos. They then get back to you as to whether you are allowed to enter.

The requirements regarding the extent of modifications vary depending on the age or class of the car – eg. for older cars and street machines, a few engine mods, nice paint and rims is probably enough, whereas modern cars need significant modification from standard such as engine mods, body, interior, stereo, etc as well.

It is basically just up to the people running Summernats to keep out the full-sick cars that I would say only a minority are interested in.

FTR I have been an entrant 3 times.

Fair enough to say if you don’t like it then don’t go but it impacts on the whole area around Natex. Kaleen servo becomes a Western suburb of Sydney and if I lived in Dickson or Watson, I’d holiday overseas when the summernats is on.

As a longtime Belco resident I am biased against Tuggeranong so why doesn’t Chic Henry move it down there so that North Canberra doesn’t have to put up with it anymore.

ditto on mr evil’s commment. if the people who actually want it aren’t prepared to pay for it themselves, then it isn’t commercially viable and probably should be taken elsewhere. if the ACT government has done the analysis and has found, on balance, enough indirect economic and social benefits for the ACT community then i’m fine with a government subsidy – but if all we get is more bogans, burnouts and a spike in the sexual assault count, then for the love of god let it go elsewhere.

farnarkler said :

As a longtime Belco resident I am biased against Tuggeranong so why doesn’t Chic Henry move it down there so that North Canberra doesn’t have to put up with it anymore.

Yeah, move it to Tuggeranong Hyperdome – they’d love it down there!

At least it would give the residents of Dickson, Watson, etc a respite from the usual. Let the residents of Conder or Banks put up with the idiocy which accompanies Summernats.

Hey! No fair trying to move it to my side of town!

Realistically it would probably work quite well if there were some sort of facilities way over here in the deep south; at least my neighbours wouldn’t be travelling the Expressway at the speed of light.

Frankly, this is the price you inner Northerners pay for the ACT Government pouring all the money into your bit of town.

We Tuggeranongers are depraved ‘cos we’re deprived.

Thumper said :

I can’t stand the nats, but why are so many people in Canberra against it?

If you don’t like it then don’t go.

As well, the rest of the country already see us as boring and mindless with nothing to do, banning another event will just fortify this belief.

Part of the hassle is that, depending on where you live, Summernats comes to you. When I was living in Downer, we’d either split town during Nats, or have to put up with keeping the pets inside 24 hours a day (there were incidences of cats being killed and dogs being kicked, etc.) not being able to go into Dickson or Civic without being abused, and more.

Give them their due, I think that Summernats has been significantly toned down over the years (the worst period I remember was when it was on during New Years Eve, and there was a mob of drunk Natters crawling all over Northbourne Avenue and banging peoples cars … a lot of single girls in cars were really really freaked out about that and didn’t feel safe at all).

But yeah, it’s just a minority who pull this kind of crap, and overreacting to it to the extent that a legitimate event is canceled would paint Canberra as the most intolerant, boring place on earth. I’m not personally interested in it, but I have a stack of friends and relatives who come from all over NSW, Victoria and Queensland and think that it’s great.

Anyone got a spare paddock, and some portaloos?

Jim Jones: this year it’s happening on NYD… close enough to NYE for my likes.

Yep – as predicted here last year, the “one-off” assistance payment would become an annual plea for money.

I remember the incident with the couple in their Volvo surrounded by knuckle draggers. I would have thought the police would have learned from their mistakes from years gone by yet the morons still manage to cause trouble.

I don’t think the ‘if you don’t like it, don’t go’ argument really stands.
Especially with it now happening over new years it potentially ruins your chances of a good time if you want to go out to a club or dancing to celebrate the new year. For some reason when summernats comes round people think its okay to sexual harrass people…
I left town last year when the nats were on, and had planned on it this time, for a holiday, and to avoid getting pissed off, but circumstances have not allowed.

Now I really like new years as a celebration, but now won’t be going out as I don’t want my night ruined by drunken mobs of people.

This sucks I think. At least when it was the week later I never wanted to go out as I had usually been out the week earlier for New Years eve.

Oh good, I won’t be here to witness it.

You’d think Genghis Khan and his hordes are descending upon the city, albeit in Toranas rather than astride elephants…

Summer Nats should receive an annual Arts Grant.

Depends where you live Thumper. If you’re Central/North then yes it is like that. Those who come from interstate to Summernats aren’t quite the same as those who would come to see a Rembrandt exhibition.

But it’s really a policing/organising issue rather than anything else. It’s only a minority who act like d1ckheads, and surely there are ways of curtailing problematic behaviour without having to ban or move the whole thing.

I think the behaviour is a part of the culture of the event.
The even promotes cars, alcohol and girls. Then people are surprised when people get drunk, be stupid behind the wheel and harrass/assault/treat women badly.

I would have thought the police would have worked that out over the years.

They spread themselves far and wide, Queabneyan seems to attract considerable numbers of them, too. And if it starts NYD, guess where they’ll all be on New Year’s Eve?! Not at home, put it that way.

And as for the “it’s a small minority” claim, is it really a small minority? Seems like YobboNats has large numbers of unpleasantly-behaved men (and a smattering of female hangers-on) in loud cars ranging across the region.

And if Chic Henry can’t make a buck, I’m blowed if I know why the taxpayer has to stump up. I hope they made him show them the books when they subsidised him last time.

Oh my I thought I’d become the Antichrist. No I’ve just become and Anarchist. Good enuff.