I say "Real Cruisers" as Im sure about 6-7 years ago we didnt stand around the rock retail park... Letting kids run riot around the place. You will get nobs who turn up in corsas etc and think they can outdrive anyone, becase they have half a rollcage and becuse theyve cut the springs. That cant be stopped. But to have them razzing round a small confined car park...is that really a place for kids?
Most of the people who turn up to Tues/Thurs nights, in my opinion.. are merely friends of one another. The 2 main groups of people (the sites etc) seem to be in the minority. Theyve no interest in anyone elses cars, just their own and their friends. Theyve no interest in supporting their local scene, because they have work in the morning. Theyve no interest in representing this area at shows etc, as they have lives, jobs, kids, mortgages etc. This is the problem... the "Cruisers" of the past have grown up and moved on. Look at Max Power. That used to be about OTT cars on the front cover... with some local ones chucked in for good measure... and endless pictures of young girls aspiring to be models etc. It may have seemed trampy, but it was what they wanted. About 3-4 years ago, they revamped the magazine to make it more "Professional" performance based etc etc.. The numbers had already dropped anyway, and I dont think the change helped matters either.
All this has added to cruising's downfall unfortunately. Everyone has grown up and lost interest in cruising/modified cars.. and theres not nearly enough young people coming in to replace it all.
Theres also the people who, like me, even still young, have lost interest in modifying their cars, and simply want something standard, yet that is still a good looking car. I turn up to meets etc as I like the people and the atmosphere. Everyone at these meets is a friend.. but thats not enough for some people unfortunately. I also dont see myself as a real cruiser to be honest
Give it time, cruising and modifiying will come back into fashion, but its been drained dry atm and people are generally bored. Its like with farming...you use one field for a few years.. then leave it to regin nutrition, ready to be used again in the future.
What is stopping people from approaching the Police and liaising with them to make Cruising safe and friendly again
Cruising used to be a fairly dangerous/illegal past time to begin with. Its only really recently people hve started using their head and realising that razzing a small shitty car round the place doesnt make them "Cool"
Wow... thats a "Matty" length post right there