Summernats feeling the pressure of Global Economic Crisis?

Ari I’d be landscaping your corner block with some really really big rocks.

– as for the art comment – people around here seem to hate art too.

Adza said :

But of course this isn’t art is it, so I wouldn’t expect you refined public servants to put up with it.

Unfounded, unfair and a totally rediculous statement.

VYBerlina – I should have finished that comment with, ”
I don’t want to go out and have my night ruined by mobs of drunks WHO HAVE JUST BEEN AT AN EVENT WHERE IT IS SEEN AS ACCEPTABLE TO HARRASS WOMAN AND NOW THEY STILL THINK THAT IT IS OKAY TO HARRASS ME WHILE I”M OUT”

A lot of you say you stay away from the idiots but it’s when the idiots come to you, your streets that things need to be done. Ari, if I were in your position I would weld some nails together and throw the resulting caltraps all over the road to puncture their tyres however I’m probably not as nice as you.

Labor didn’t get the nine seats it needs for total government which means it has to court the greens to get what it wants. The greens could be the way to getting summernats moved or banned.

Theoretically there should be nothing wrong with Summernats, car festivals don’t have to involve booze and boobs and bad behaviour.

The majority of those that attend, the ones that ensure that Chic Henry makes a profit, are there for the cars and don’t act like Summernats is the ACT equivalent of Schoolies Week.

Unfortunately the small percentage of idiots are still a large number of people and go out of their way to make life unpleasant for everyone else. Inner North is a nightmare during Summernats.

Anyone who thinks that you should just avoid the “trouble spots” has no idea how many yobs their are driving around the suburbs being assholes, Braddon being especially dangerous.

If you are a white male and want an idea of how unpleasant it can be, dress up in a Burqa and walk through Braddon at night when Summernats is on. Have fun.

The Inner North area is residential suburbs, not a play park for drunken, sexist, racist violent yobs with the IQ of a dead fish.

It shouldn’t be like that, car festivals don’t have to involve such behaviour.

Instead of calling those who complain about such disgusting behaviour Wowsers etc etc the car enthusiast community and Summernats needs to get together and do something about it. If that involves more security staff and less profit, well, so be it. I don’t see why I and the majority of Inner North residents should have to put up with Summernats so that Chick Henry can make a profit.

If Summernats closes down and Canberra gets a reputation as being boring, who cares. What does it matter what a bunch of yobs think about our city. Putting up with such behaviour so we won’t be thought of as boring is ridiculous.

Adza said :

Moving Summernats won’t fix the yobbo problems, all you’re doing is to push it somewhere else… out of your backyard so it’s not your problem.

I live in the inner north on an exposed corner block with a two-year-old sleeping in the room closest to the street.

Summernats d*ckheads use my street for drag racing and when this event is on I live in fear that one will lose control and slam into my baby’s room. In the past two years two cars have ended up within metres of the room in run-of-the-mill intersection bingles.

So, yes, I would rather it was someone else’s problem.

Moving Summernats won’t fix the yobbo problems, all you’re doing is to push it somewhere else… out of your backyard so it’s not your problem.

I’ve been to Summernats 4 times in the last 14 years. Everytime I enjoy myself and stay clear of the yobbos. I take my wife and 3 kids as well and they love it.

The amount of tits you see there is less than one night’s worth of viewing on TV.

But of course this isn’t art is it, so I wouldn’t expect you refined public servants to put up with it.

AngryHenry said :

Jim Jones said :

There’s really nothing that creative about what they do now, it’s the same shite every year.

Agreed. That is why I won’t be attending this year (or probably ever again). I have been to every Summernats held in Canberra, three as an entrant. I went last year only because I was given a free pass, after being there for five minutes I was bored and wanted to leave.

Alcohol is a big part of the problem. I think they have banned or considerably cutdown on BYO grog. You can still purchase grog inside EPIC though at greatly inflated prices.

Maybe Goulburn (Wakefield Park) would be a more suitable place, though I’m not sure that the town has enough facilities (accomodation/servos.

I have no probs going to the nats as a spectator. Have taken the missus (who isn’t a car enthusiast by any stretch) and our kids who are aged under 10.

If it was unsafe at all, then of course we wouldn’t go.

We plan to go again this year.

I’m not a big car fan myself, but always thought Summernats was a great idea when it started as it was something a bit different for Canberra. I think most would agree we are better off having a range of attractions throughout the year to keep people happy and interested. Now it’s just a big money grab. Why else wouldn’t Chic Henry go back to emphasising nice cars and car-related events? Now it seems to be sell as much alcohol as you can in an effort to make profit. I know alchohol was always there, but I reckon getting rid of it is the only way to try and turn this mess around as the people who attend nowadays have not proven they can act otherwise.

Otherwise, get rid of it – it’s not worth it.

Yep, and those residents have to pay for the security guards themselves. And that doesn’t stop the bottles being thrown, the vomit, and the intimidation when you drive down the street.

Even over in Ainslie we get doughnuts on the park, d1ckheads yelling at cyclists, and verbal abuse of women and girls. I’m sure the supermarket sells a fair bit of extra booze, and there is the frisson of excitement at an influx of … interesting … fashion choices, but it doesn’t come close to making up for the liberties lost.

Fundamentally, Mr Henry has designed the event around alcohol and boobs. Combined with testosterone, the results are predictable.

Either run an actual car festival and control the idiots, or do it where there’s no-one around but voluntary participants.

Perhaps the Greens turncoats can resurrect themselves by doing something about Summernats …

farnarkler said :

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.

Dude – as we already have the prison, the dump, probably the power station/s …. might as well chuck Summernats in the mix.

residents in those units near epic have to show id to guards to get into their own complexes during summernats – i bet noone mentions that when you buy one.

I saw a quote elsewhere on this matter and Chic was saying that due to the finacial crisis his profits would be lower, which to me says he is gonna make a profit. So yeah what a bloody hide, and just shows what is wrong with this world. Everyone wants to make a massive profit year in year out and when the cards turn they are asking for handouts or for us to feel sorry for them.

So poor sleazy Chic is worried about the event being “not as profitable” and the ACT Govt has to provide him with a greater profit margin ? How does that work ?

Frankly I’ll be interested to see how our new “Green” government can justify holding Summernats at all – let alone giving Chic a handout to do it. Lets face it, Summernats does nothing but encourage and reward stupid and dangerous driving, objectification and abuse of women and the senseless burning of fossil fuels.

Summernats has sadly lost its whole point of being a car enthusiasts event, which I think is sad for those who truly appreciate their cars and spend time, love and money on them.

I think the arguments about how much money it brings into the ACT are also fairly groundless. The only businesses making any money are the strip clubs, cheap hotels, caravan parks and oil companies. I sincerely doubt much money is spent south of Commonwealth Avenue bridge.

In the meantime, the ACT ratepayers are already paying dearly for extra police, the week-long cleanup and traffic control. Not to mention the huge social cost of anti-social behaviour, sexual assualt, harassment and the copycat hoons on the streets. Residents living in apartments near EPIC during this time have to pay for their own security to stop the vandalism, drunks and ‘free parkers’.

I really don’t care if people think Canberra is boring. Having a four day “booze and skin fest” as harvyk1 so aptly put it, wont change anything.

Jim Jones said :

No Angry, it’s not comparing apples and oranges. There are bad apples in both car culture and metal culture that give the culture a bad name – it’s that simple.

I mentioned the bad advertising angles re: sexism and noted that it was sexist. The point still stands that there is nothing *inherently* sexist about a car festival and that the whole thing can be retooled to give legitimate car enthusiasts what they’re after.

At the moment it looks like you’re arguing for the sake of it – and probably because you’ve got some kind of bug up your ass about PB. For the record, note that the prominent females on this board have either left or are waging a war against the sh1t that has been spouted in such threads as shooters and the knife-jacking.

I would have thought you’d be intelligent enough to at least stay out of it.

Mate when you look at it like that there are bad apples everywhere. It’s not just in these areas.

Nope, I’m not arguing for the sake of it. There’s nothing inherently sexist about car festival’s maybe, but there is with Summernats. This you can’t deny.

Whilst recieving a lot of compliments at those concerts, no-one ever asked my girlfriend to show us her tits at Iron Maiden both nights I went, or AC/DC for that matter…

Could someone please advise me where to buy a beige cardy?

Alternatively, we could ship more police in and let them do their job. Last year I went and watch the cruise through Braddon on the Friday night, and there were some really nice cars there. There were also a whole bunch of cops keeping a lid on things.

If illegal behaviour is happening in the nearby suburbs, get some more cops in to patrol these areas. Make Chic Henry pay for it, and let him pass the cost through to his patrons. When he and they bleat, tell him to piss off and keep the patrons under control.

I’ve been to Summernats a few times, and it really isn’t a patch on what it once was. Also, the crowd control inside is really poor.

However, I found this comment (#21) kinda funny:
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.

You never see drunk people out in Canberra on New Years normally, do you…

I think they should move it to Winter. ACT govt is always trying to find an event to sponsor to bring in crowds for winter. And they could run some other event in the Summernats timeslot.

I kinda like this idea. It would make people less likely to call for bewbs if they can’t tell what a person looks like, and less likely to flash if they have to take off their parker first.

sepi said :

“For the record, note that the prominent females on this board have either left or are waging a war against the sh1t that has been spouted in such threads as shooters and the knife-jacking.”

It is sad that the tolerance for woman-bashing on this site seems to be escalating, as these things do when left unchecked.

Agreed.

“For the record, note that the prominent females on this board have either left or are waging a war against the sh1t that has been spouted in such threads as shooters and the knife-jacking.”

It is sad that the tolerance for woman-bashing on this site seems to be escalating, as these things do when left unchecked.

FC said :

I don’t think the ‘if you don’t like it, don’t go’ argument really stands.

That argument may stand. What about if you do like it, pay for it yourself. Why should those who don’t like it end up putting money towards it via government payouts and discounted rent.

If they need more money to run it then increase the ticket price

Anyone in Watson, Downer, Dickson, Hackett can’t go shopping for milk and bread without being confronted by the scary Nats crowd.

And the streets around us get a few nice burnout marks.
So it’s not really possible to live near it and not know about it.

Unfortunately.

I think they should move it to Winter. ACT govt is always trying to find an event to sponsor to bring in crowds for winter. And they could run some other event in the Summernats timeslot.

Win-win – the nats might be a bit smaller and more controllable, and we’d get a new event.

No Angry, it’s not comparing apples and oranges. There are bad apples in both car culture and metal culture that give the culture a bad name – it’s that simple.

I mentioned the bad advertising angles re: sexism and noted that it was sexist. The point still stands that there is nothing *inherently* sexist about a car festival and that the whole thing can be retooled to give legitimate car enthusiasts what they’re after.

At the moment it looks like you’re arguing for the sake of it – and probably because you’ve got some kind of bug up your ass about PB. For the record, note that the prominent females on this board have either left or are waging a war against the sh1t that has been spouted in such threads as shooters and the knife-jacking.

I would have thought you’d be intelligent enough to at least stay out of it.

Jim Jones said :

Angry Henry – I’m a metalhead, and I’ve been a metalhead since you were in diapers, hence the AC/DC, Maiden references. A visible minority of nob-ends has the catastrophic effect of everyone else being tarred with the same brush. Just as I’m sure there are many fans of Summernats who are embarrassed by the actions of the d1cks who not only ruin the event for everyone else but make people think that *everyone* who goes to Nats is like that.

“I find it intriguing that you have, on previous topics, been very vocal about defending the treatment of women and the derogitory words that some people use when referring to women yet you come to the defence of the Summernats.”

There’s nothing inherently degrading to women about Summernats. The event has been extremely badly advertised in the past in a way that is sexist (I’m thinking of the ‘beers, boobs and burnouts’ image), but there’s no reason why a car festival can’t be run in a way that is legitimate.

Blueberry – I would never brush you off as being paranoid. I’ve had similar problems with Summernats in the past – to the extent that we took it for granted that we’d have to leave Canberra around the time that it was on in order not to be harassed. Scarier was the thought that something might happen to our pets. On one occasion, someone that lived 2 minutes walk from our house was stabbed.

Obviously this is not on. But by the same token, I do believe that many people go to the event because they are car enthusiasts. I don’t care for it (truth be told, I don’t even understand it), but I think that it’s possible to run the event in such a way that the car festival exists, but the rampant d1ckheadery does not.

As much as I dislike Summernats, it would be sad to see it closed down. It would be an admission that nobody had the creativity or the gumption to be able to keep a (reportedly successful) car festival going without insoluble problems.

Then JJ you should know that comparing an AC/DC or Iron Maiden concerts to Summernats is like apples and oranges.

And mate, I’m sorry but given your previous stance on sexism I find it hard to swallow that you think the event is not inherently degrading to women when the imagery associated with the event in advertising, news reports etc. for years and years have been chicks on the backs of cars flashing their boobs to absoultely rabid males.

‘It’s more than a car festival’ that’s what they say in the ads, if it was just a car festival I think it would be less of an issue.

There’s really nothing that creative about what they do now, it’s the same shite every year.

Autosalon’s have done well over the past few years – but are limited to late model cars. They are non-alcohol avents and while pretty girls are a feature of the event there are no boobs being flashed….

I think if we are going to throw taxpayers cash at Summernats then we should have a say on how it’s run.

I have attended Summernats numerous times – right from the early days when the burnout section and go-to-whoa comp was held just out side the pavillions.

I think it is a victim of its own success. The more people have come the less “control” the organisers have had over those people.

>When the rest of Canberra does a runner for the chrissue new years break, this event has always been around to ensure that all the hotels and small businesses get a massive cash injection that then flows out the wider ACT economy in a time when Parliament isn’t sitting, no other functions, conferences or other government related events are occuring.

True true, but if it is all really about the cars then they would get the same revenue if they did something about abhorrent behavior and drinking culture?

blueberry: I’m in the same situation as you, live in Braddon and have to deal with the almost constant noise during this period. We’ve had to move furniture from outside during Summernats to avoid any issues.

It’d be great if they’d do something about the dickhead attendees. I’m sure there’s plenty of good punters… they probably don’t roam the Canberra streets though, they stay at the festival 😛

freaking apple phones. I am more semi illiterate than usual.

Wether you like or dislike Summernats, bear this in mind.

When the rest of Canberra does a runner for the chrissue new years break, this event has always been around to ensure that all the hotels and small businesses get a massive cash injection that then flows out the wider ACT economy in a time when Parliament isn’t sitting, no other functions, conferences or other government related events are occuring.

Regardless of the aqctions of the particiants and if it really is liked by the ACT populus the summer period profits of small business is quietly thankful that it is here.

And, that should suffice for the begrudging ongoing support that the Canberra should offer it. If ti wasn’t here I quite a few the businesses around canberra would feel the summer pinch as we all bugger off down the coast, and then come back to Canberra to complain about being called a Yogi, blebottles and the usual summer mark up of goods and services in the South Coast.

End rant.

If Summernats is closed down it will be a great victory for beige coloured cardigan wearing wowsers.

I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong I hate the beige coloured cardigan wearing wowsers as much as you do. But the problem with the nats is that it’s been given an inch and taken a yard. I don’t think it’s the fault of the nats per say, but it has attracted the sort of people that we as car enthusiasts (you know, the type that love their cars, actually drive them for the pleasure of driving, and look after them like they are our own children) hate.

The people whom it now attracts are often as interested in cars as they are in nuclear physics. It’s purely a good excuse for a piss up. Don’t get me wrong, I love my booze, and have quite happily had a drink or three at other car related events (eg a drive to a picnic area with a car club or an overnight drive with the car club around the snowies etc) but the booze culture of the nats is not what real car enthusiasts like. If you have spent the last year looking after and doing up your baby, the last thing you want is for some drunk driver to crash into it.

>Then don’t walk through Braddon on the three days it is on…

Hmmm i live in Brandon and unfortunately i have not yet been able to purchase some kind of teleportation machine.

Yeah, if you don’t like Summernats, just leave Canberra. Gee, can’t see what the problem is here…

The whole point is that an event that makes masses of women feel uncomfortable and unsafe walking around an area they would normally feel fine at is a big problem.

It is not just alcholol that causes the problems either.
The event has a stip show (I believe) and a wet Tshirt competition and promotes the objectification of woman. A lot of people in this environment feel that it is okay to yell things out like, “Show us ya tits” and then they get drunk and are let loose on the rest of canberra.
I don’t really care if the rest of Australia thinks Canberran’s are boring.
I would rather they think that than associate my home town with an even as disgraceful as the summernats.

I’d just take some smart cookie to set up a “real” rival summernats somewhere central (Goulburn?!) and promote it as the real car enthusiasts’ event, poach all the decent cars…

…and the Yobbernats would keep going, because the cars are just a pretext and sideshow to the wholesale yobbery.

> If Summernats is closed down it will be a great victory for beige coloured cardigan wearing wowsers.

No it would be a win for those who like to be able to go out in their own city with out having to worry about being sexually assaulted or abused. I have been to massive rought gigs and night clubs were i have felt a thousand times safer and more respected than i would walking through Braddon when summernats are on. And i certainly don’t wear beige or cardigans.

>She swears that she’ll never go back there for that weekend again. An endless stream of physical and sexual assault victims present themselves to emergency. Plus the usual smattering of alcohol poisoning (but hey, you can get that any weekend here too).

Yup My sister is studying nursing at Bathurst and after talking to some nurses on prac she said that most of the would have the same things to say about working there during that time and this is coming from front line casualty people who have to handle pretty rough situations quite often in their day to day work.

I personally think that summernats is a lost cause. So much of it is based around the culture of drinking and objectification that it would take a drastic effort from the organizers to bring it back to being a car show and those drastic measure would probably also mean a drop in the yobo participant and a drop in admissions so doubtful that will happen.

p1 said :

Not being a fan of the V8 SuperTaxis i’ve never been to Bathurst, but I wonder why we don’t hear the same rape and pillage stories surrounding that event?

Actually I have heard some pretty dodgy stories, but not quite up to summernats standards of dodgyness.

If Chic Henry wants to make the event something that I’d consider going to…

He doesn’t because he knows that in its current format the promise of all the parts you hate is why a lot of people come.

Having been to Bathurst (I was there again this year), I can quite safely say that at least not on the mountain it’s basically a good fun day. I don’t think my car is in any danger when parked there, and I have no problem if my wife want’s to walk around the event alone.

If Chic Henry doesn’t exclude the dickhead minority then what will happen is that real car enthusiasts will abandon the event (in fact I know a few already who used to go, and now wouldn’t dream of it). So instead of running a car show, he will be running a 4 day booze and skin fest.

I personally believe that they should make the event itself alcohol free, have specific bars set up, so that if someone wants a drink (yes there are a few people who can’t get through a day without a drink) they can still get a drink, but they can not leave the bar. If they become drunk they get kicked out of the event, and risk a night in the drunk tank.

The people who feel flashing skin is fine should be hit with a fine (indecent exposure, hey it’d happen on any other weekend at EPIC). Once you take away the booze and boobs (or at least moderate them) the dickhead minority will go find a different event to ruin, and they’d probably find attendance goes way up as families feel more comfortable there.

captainwhorebags said :

Why not ban alcohol? It seems to be the root cause of the problems there.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Doc Evil: my girlfriend did a weekend of work at the Bathurst hospital, not knowing that it was the weekend that the V8s were on. No wonder they needed extra staff and were paying so well….

She swears that she’ll never go back there for that weekend again. An endless stream of physical and sexual assault victims present themselves to emergency. Plus the usual smattering of alcohol poisoning (but hey, you can get that any weekend here too).

I don’t really like Summernats but I can see that it has a huge following. Why not ban alcohol? It seems to be the root cause of the problems there.

Angry Henry – I’m a metalhead, and I’ve been a metalhead since you were in diapers, hence the AC/DC, Maiden references. A visible minority of nob-ends has the catastrophic effect of everyone else being tarred with the same brush. Just as I’m sure there are many fans of Summernats who are embarrassed by the actions of the d1cks who not only ruin the event for everyone else but make people think that *everyone* who goes to Nats is like that.

“I find it intriguing that you have, on previous topics, been very vocal about defending the treatment of women and the derogitory words that some people use when referring to women yet you come to the defence of the Summernats.”

There’s nothing inherently degrading to women about Summernats. The event has been extremely badly advertised in the past in a way that is sexist (I’m thinking of the ‘beers, boobs and burnouts’ image), but there’s no reason why a car festival can’t be run in a way that is legitimate.

Blueberry – I would never brush you off as being paranoid. I’ve had similar problems with Summernats in the past – to the extent that we took it for granted that we’d have to leave Canberra around the time that it was on in order not to be harassed. Scarier was the thought that something might happen to our pets. On one occasion, someone that lived 2 minutes walk from our house was stabbed.

Obviously this is not on. But by the same token, I do believe that many people go to the event because they are car enthusiasts. I don’t care for it (truth be told, I don’t even understand it), but I think that it’s possible to run the event in such a way that the car festival exists, but the rampant d1ckheadery does not.

As much as I dislike Summernats, it would be sad to see it closed down. It would be an admission that nobody had the creativity or the gumption to be able to keep a (reportedly successful) car festival going without insoluble problems.

We’re overdue for a Yobbo to come on and threaten everyone with lots of poorly-spelled swearing… (waits hopefully).

Not being a fan of the V8 SuperTaxis i’ve never been to Bathurst, but I wonder why we don’t hear the same rape and pillage stories surrounding that event?

Actually I have heard some pretty dodgy stories, but not quite up to summernats standards of dodgyness.

If Chic Henry wants to make the event something that I’d consider going to…

He doesn’t because he knows that in its current format the promise of all the parts you hate is why a lot of people come.

>Not being a fan of the V8 SuperTaxis i’ve never been to Bathurst, but I wonder why we don’t hear the same rape and pillage stories surrounding that event?

Don’t you worry I have heard some pretty bad stories from bathurst also. My sister lives on campus at Bathurst UNI (which is really close to the venue). She was officially warned by the uni Staff not to walk on the campus during that time with out a male friend or security escort they were also warned against being alone in there ressies accommodation. Some how i don’t think they would give out warnings like that if there was not a history of bad incidents.

Everything that’s wrong with Summernats, and will ultimately lead to it’s demise can be summed up in just one word – alchohol.

Not being a fan of the V8 SuperTaxis i’ve never been to Bathurst, but I wonder why we don’t hear the same rape and pillage stories surrounding that event?

Love the idea, hate the dicks.

I used to own a car which was fully restored and then modified, which would have been great to take to the nats. The thing is, after the sheer amount of work that went into the thing, I was to scared to even think about driving it near the northside incase some dick did something to the car. Dad and myself spent a year stripping it down to the bare metal, ripping out all of the inside, and removing most of the engine and then rebuilding it. Last thing I wanted was some dick to then key it, throw up on it, egg it, or crash into it.

If Chic Henry wants to make the event something that I’d consider going to, make not only the participants prove they are car enthusiasts, but make the spectators as well prove they are genuine car enthusiasts, and get rid of the stripping (hell, Mitchell is 5 minutes down the road if you wanna see flesh), the grog (hey, .05 with cars and all) and only allow those people with an actual love of cars in.

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.

He sure does! Every single year I’ve heard him comment to similar effect… This might be the last one, make sure you come along, something like that…

Jim Jones, Summernats fans are not even in the same league as AC/DC and Iron Maiden fans, sure there might be a crossover and some might spill into each group, but after going to all three events several times I can honestly say that crowds at Summernats are the most unruly and out of control (especially later in the day and well into the evenings). I’ve had a good time at Summernats don’t get me wrong BUT it’s also the only ‘festival’ I’ve been at where I have had to fight someone. Also females are treated with a great deal of respect at Iron Maiden concerts, moreso than I would withness in any nightclub or bar and especially at Summernats.

I’m insulted that you’d even compare them, but as a fan of metal it’s a blanket judgement I have become used to.

You’re suggesting that the people who cause the problems seem like the majority because they are so visible but I argue that they ARE the majority because they are so visible. I find it intriguing that you have, on previous topics, been very vocal about defending the treatment of women and the derogitory words that some people use when referring to women yet you come to the defence of the Summernats. Summernats being a place where I beleive women are objectified in the worst possible way, and where those words you hate so much are used in abundance.

I’m not a Summernats hater, I’ve been many times, but they are what they are and I know what I’m getting into when I show up.

>Yeah, the event is always gonna attract some very unsavoury participants, but surely that’s no reason to ban it. If that were the case, AC/DC and Iron Maiden would have to shut up shop for good.

Yes it is. If the organisers can control the unsavoury participants then it is every reason to ban it. I understand that there are true car enthusiasts out there and that there are some genuine aspects to summernats that are great for them. But summernats is now just and excuse for people to behave badly and for the objectification of women.

I have never really felt uncomfortable walking through the city of my own town at any time except for when summernats is on. Last year I was so worried that I had to get a male friend to catch a bus into the city and walk with me through Braddon to get to my house.

Don’t go brushing this of as me being paranoid, in years previously myself and friends had horrible things happen to us during summernats. One year I worked at the summernats with a kids entertainment company in the ‘kids corner’ while I was packing up I had a group of wankers walk past and one of them groped me on the back side. A good friend of mine was walking through Braddon in the day time last year to get to work and had one of the summernats yobos that sit at the servo walk straight up to her and grab her breast aggressively. She was quite upset and not one person sitting in the crowd said a thing or came to help her out.

No he’s too busy doing ads for butter. No, really.

farnarkler said :

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

It seems Johnny Lydon now posts on the-riotact.

Some of them don’t qualify as being human.

We could feed them beer through the fence. And only give them Fourex and Swan lager!

Surely that would be a human right violation?

p1 said :

Perhaps a policy of no sign outs, like concerts have. Keep everybody contained on site for the three days.

We could feed them beer through the fence. And only give them Fourex and Swan lager!

ant said :

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.

I’m no revhead, but I do know a good many people who go to Summernats … quietly and with family in tow.

I’d argue that the people who cause problems seem like the majority because they’re so very visible (a form of confirmation bias I suppose).

Yeah, the event is always gonna attract some very unsavoury participants, but surely that’s no reason to ban it. If that were the case, AC/DC and Iron Maiden would have to shut up shop for good.

Perhaps a policy of no sign outs, like concerts have. Keep everybody contained on site for the three days.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Summer Nats should receive an annual Arts Grant.

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

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.

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.

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

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

Anyone got a spare paddock, and some portaloos?

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.

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.

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.

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! 🙂

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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)

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).

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.

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.

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.