I went down to join the throng along Northbourne Avenue and I have to say it’s a very satisfying community experience.
The prohibition on watching from the median strip had gone completely by the by but other than that it was all extremely organised, supervised, and very punctual.
There was one car passenger who appeared to be in the act of getting her top off as she whipped past me. One car did a burnout.
But mostly a crowd of guys who used to be into cars brought their families down to press their noses against the glass of a world they’d left behind.
Personalised plates have now reached the point of being almost standard, and new this time around was an explosion of go-pro cameras on peculiar mounting points.
Here’s a slideshow for the car nerds who missed out:
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IrishPete said :
Most yes, not all. In any case, better them being personalised than joining the bone yard.
The point for me is that, these cars are on the road, loved and visibly demonstrable. The significance of cars in 20th century history is not limited to transportation.
Antagonist said :
Diggety said :
Not sure how many of them are original.
IP
BelcoMan said :
There are other events in Canberra that don’t appeal to me such as Floriade that are arguably just as disruptive but I don’t bitch and moan about it, I just accept that it takes all types to make the world go around so I should be tolerant, understanding and even suportive of othere people’s interests and that no one is forcing me to attend or even read about it.
I’m not even a “pasionate” Summernats supporter, didn’t even go last year, but it ads a bit of colour and variety to Canberra and boosts the economy so why not have it. It’s only for a few days year. Floriade goes for weeks.
Hats off to the men and women keeping these classics alive and well.
gungsuperstar said :
I once had a very insightful conversation with a former Summernats owner who told me that Summernats was great for young women because it teaches them how to handle drunken young men shouting sexual abuse.
And he was serious.
They should park Skywhale over EPIC this weekend so people can yell “Show us yer tits!” at it and be appropriate.
LSWCHP said :
Horses for courses. Not many V6 Camry’s could pull a 2 minute burnout.
You want to see something go fast around corners? Go to Goulburn Speedway tonight for the National Super Sedan series or Parramatta City Raceway this weekend to see Steve Kinser’s retirement tour.
I’m not opposed to Summernats per se. It’s not my thing – but that’s ok, I don’t have to go. One of my favourite things about Canberra is its diversity, and the fact that in terms of things to do and see there is something for everyone. While the rest of Australia clamors for the same sporting events and Rolling Stones concerts, we have car shows, galleries, sporting teams and uber-mammoried blimps. (we could do with somewhere other than rubbish university venues for people under 30 to go to music that people under 30 listen to.)
What I am opposed to is that, for the sake of tourism dollars during a quiet time, we completely let ‘nats visitors take over parts of our city.
What’s up with Braddon at the moment? Why are all rules around loitering and hooning ignored by visitors and by the fuzz? Why the hell did I have to drive all the way into the city tonight to pick up a friend because on her 15 minute walk to work she encountered bogans in camping chairs drinking in public and shouting “show us your tits” at every woman who walked past?
Involvement in summernats does not make you a bogan – sitting in a camp chair, wearing your childs footy shorts, with a pile of crushed VB cans next to you, intimidating and shouting offensive comments at the people that actually live here does.
I’m really buggered if I care about people walking through Civic with a tinnie unless they’re clearly drunk – but we’re talking about people setting up camp and treating a busy public street as their own personal back yard or camp site.
How and why is this allowed to happen?
Dickson isn’t much better – although the problem there is more that people are intent on leaving most of their tyres stuck to our roads before they even get to EPIC… and they shout their sexist, offensive comments out their car window.
Antagonist said :
Drive.com.au are saying that last year’s turnout will either be matched or exceeded but it doesn’t feel like that when I’m driving past the EPIC. I remember last year I had some trouble getting through that section of Flemington Road but this year there’s like no traffic and this is around 9am in the morning and 5pm at night.
Focal length, bintang shirts and cries of over estimating the crowds.
Who cares. This is about tourism, skids and elite vehicle building.
I liked Sky whale, I earn 150k and I own a 50 year old Australian muscle car.
Call me a bogan if you like, I don’t really care. Some of you guys just post on here because you don’t have your own hobby.
Felix the Cat said :
Because I, like so many other Canberrans, disagree with the ACT Government funding a Bogan Fest that is solely created for the purpose of generating a profit for a private individual.company whilst all along inconveniencing the locals as well as all of the other dissatisfaction that goes along with the event.
That is the reason I will continue to read this thread and others like it to voice my opinion on the waste of our tax money.
Thanks for asking 🙂
LSWCHP said :
Remember your local poet. Always thirsty, never bogan…
KB1971 said :
Are you sure that is not vinyl wrapping? Not that I care what anyone does to a dirty Holden.
Felix the Cat said :
ACT Policing are saying 20,000.
One thought that occurred to me as I watched the cars go by was that almost all of them (except the Goggomobile for example) looked like they could go very quickly in a straight line, but I doubt if very many of them could take a corner at speed. It’d be interesting to put them on a curvy racetrack and see how they’g go against a stock V6 Camry or Commodore.
BelcoMan said :
Ah Jeez, I’ve always considered myself to be a fairly cultured bloke, but having been to Bali I naturally own a Bintang singlet. Now I discover that this means that I’m a bogan revhead. I will put down my stubby of Pilsner Urquell (which is a damn fine drop) and go buy some VB.
switch said :
Because johnboy got the focal length wrong?
(I’m just trolling trying to get the fascinating camera talk going again…)
Is it just me or does anyone else see the little girl sitting on the lap of the front seat passenger in this CT pic published online?:
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/photogallery/act-news/summernats-2014-in-photos-city-cruise-20140102-3071c.html?selectedImage=8
bigfeet said :
I second that, even though the discussion’s been educational for me.
I think you did a great job, JB. Thanks for the photos.
BelcoMan said :
According to the Canberra Times there were 30,000 people. I find this hard to believe myself, I would believe maybe 3000 but I only saw the people close to Civic so there amy of been many, many more lining the streets to EPIC.
BelcoMan said :
No one is forcing you to go to Summernats or you to even read this thread. This thread is obviously about Summernats so if you dislike it so much then why are you here reading it and commenting?