Saturday kicked off bright and early with superb weather,
and a steady stream of cars rolled in for the show ’n’ shine
and judging, while traders and swap meet patrons busied
themselves sorting their wares.
Walking amongst the owners and friends doing last-minute
cleaning, setting up shades and barbeques, or generally
having a laugh reminded me why we do what we do. COTM
is definitely geared at people as well as cars, offering the
opportunity for old friends to have a sometimes-just-annual
catch-up, or reaffirm new friendships spawned through the
modern connections of social media.
The sheer volume and variety of Chryslers here is what floored
me; as a COTM virgin I’d never experienced so many Mopars
in one place, and walking the rows introduced me to a number
of rarer models that I’d never spied in the flesh, or even knew
existed. The Rambler/AMC crowd were here in their fifth year
as an incorporated part of COTM, and were well-represented,
with everything from Javelins to the last of the Aussie Jeeps.
Matt Webster and his team from Webster’s Dyno spent a
busy morning preparing their tent for the first session of power
runs before the crowds and cars gradually dispersed for the
afternoon cruise to Ettamogah Pub. Shaun and I caught up
with our newfound mates from the previous evening – who
we’d since dubbed ‘The Charger Blokes’, and they asked us to
join them on the drive. They didn’t have to ask twice!
As I waved goodbye to the hire Commodore and strapped
myself into Michael McLean’s VJ for the cruise, I forgot that
I had responsibilities and was on the clock; I was just aI SWEAR I’D JUMPED INTO THE
DELOREAN AND SHOT BACK TO THE GLORY DAYS
WITH THE AMOUNT OF AWESOME
STREET CRUISING ON THE GO
NINIGHGHT MOOVEVESS
THE LOCAL police were extremely – and thankfully – tolerant to say the least, and
the COTM crowd were mostly responsible people who used restraint to balance noise
and action. Sadly, it was mainly the antics of a couple of P-plate Commodore drivers
tank-slapping their mang-mangs sideways through busy intersections that brought
on the heat. And I’m not randomly pointing fingers or trying to pick on any one
particular group – it’s just the plain truth of the matter.
Curbing bad behaviour is everyone’s responsibility if events like COTM are going to
continue to be locally supported, and the carload in the late-model Challenger who
gave me unprovoked shit at the lights then caused me to take evasive action when
they cut me off aren’t helping our image either. Sure, in my hire basher I would’ve
looked like any normal Joe Public and not a fellow enthusiast, but therein lies the
issue. It’s the way our collective behaviour is received by the broader community
that will determine the longevity of events like this.
CO TM