RECENT ARTICLE

RECENT ARTICLE - TOP HAT'S CORNER

July, 2001, Cruise News

STORY LINE: SERIOUS RULES FOR FUN IN THE SUMMER WITH OLD CARS/FAST CARS

Some very serious concerns here. I really like car people and cars of all kinds-especially the customs, factory muscle and convertible models. One can never get enough power or go fast enough, but it all must be kept secure, under control and properly used. Where I am leading to here is that all of us have seen-and have abused this horsepower at times-and it must stop, or someone somewhere is going to get hurt … or maybe worse. I have done it, you may have done it … and we should not do it.

A number of years ago I wrote of how I observed people driving reckless and higher speeds than safe. That same week one of my columns ran with a story of some innocent people who were killed in just that kind of mishap-totally unwarranted. A few years back a car flipped over on Gratiot after leaving a favorite Sunday cruising spot-while utilizing way too much power and no doubt being an inept wannabe drag racer. Fortunately no one was harmed other than the drivers pocketbook, ego and his ‘broke’ zoomer. Just a few weeks back a car load of folks pulled out of a very favorite spot for Friday night cruising -and proceeded to accomplish a 180 in the middle of-and taking up three of the four lanes of Thirteen Mile Road. Again fortunate that no one was in harms way. It would have been different if traffic just happened to be present … or if a pedestrian was their or the car flipped over and rolled over the curb and crushed someone. Worst of all, was that some of the onlooking crowd made positive comments on how cool it was … and not how stupid and reckless the driver was.

We have all on occasion-and that includes me-of becoming way to overzealous in our application of the ‘loud pedal’-but this must stop. It is not the fault of the hosting parking lot, car club of an event or cruise night sponsor that someone gets reckless, but that of the driver, the cars inhabitants and the coaxing crowd. Dont pull the ‘trigger’ on the street - I think we would all prefer that I or your car friends, let alone an unsuspecting child or victims family, not have to be a witness against you as a bad apple … in court. Please … before its too late.

Some additional comments in regards to cruising Mount Clemens. If you are not already aware, the police will ticket you if you park illegally in a handicapped spot or in a walkway-thats only fair. They will also ticket you if you are driving in an unorthadox manner … as in squeeling tires. It is also possible that you could got to jail after they impound your car. We all want this cruise night to last. Its a fun night and it will be protected.

Another part of what may be the law, that you may want to aware of is that drag racing on the street-and getting caught at it-could end up with the car that you have worked so hard on … being impounded, confiscated and sold with the proceeds of the sale not being returned to you. Yep, sure could ruin the day. So lets go ‘cruisin. Safely.

Like fast cars? Top Fuel NHRA style recently had speeds/ET posted at 331mph @ 4.49 seconds in the 1320. Who would have ever thought that these speeds were possible.