An open letter to fans of cncpics.com
09-04-11, 04:14 PM
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An open letter to fans of cncpics.com
Many of you don't know but I'm just a contributing photographer and take the time to make most of the forum posts for cncpics.com.
Lately there has been a lot of bad behavior at Cars and Coffee Irvine. Most of the bad behavior seems to come from those drivers of mostly stock late model vehicles, which might be at home at your regular summer car shows, but are not really that special to show off at Cars and Coffee. These people seem to feel entitled to show off their cars and become offended when one suggests that they park their cars in the clearly marked exhibitor area.
Max the owner of the site, the one who keeps cncpics.com up and running for your viewing pressure wrote this letter:
This past weekend we had three especially bad incidents. The first was with the guys in this Camaro who refused to accept the fact that the lot was closed. First they got confrontational with Freeman Thomas. They said their friend was reserving a spot for them and that they should be let in. First and foremost reserving a spot for a friend is strongly frowned upon at Cars and Coffee. It completely goes against the spirit of the event. Display parking is not to be reserved and it is there for the taking to whomever shows up first. Then there was the owner of a Lexus LX470 who also became irate when he was told that there was no more parking, that the lot was full. He claimed to see a bunch of spots and proceeded into the lot even though we tried to stop him. He proceeded to circle the lot for 20 mins until he found someone leaving. He was then asked to leave and again he refused to do so. At this point Camaro guy came right over and voiced his opinion once again.
The last person to be a bad apple was the driver of a trike thing. He did a burn out right at the exit and unfortunately the police officer who serves as security wasn't in his unit at the time to fine him. Steve, one of the other photography contributors, and I stepped in front of his vehicle and gave him a mouthful.
These bad apples are endangering the event.
Please help us keep these people from ruining this unique event.
Thanks,
-Leo
Cliff notes: Bad Apples contributing to the degradation of the event. Website contributing? Shut down site?
Lately there has been a lot of bad behavior at Cars and Coffee Irvine. Most of the bad behavior seems to come from those drivers of mostly stock late model vehicles, which might be at home at your regular summer car shows, but are not really that special to show off at Cars and Coffee. These people seem to feel entitled to show off their cars and become offended when one suggests that they park their cars in the clearly marked exhibitor area.
Max the owner of the site, the one who keeps cncpics.com up and running for your viewing pressure wrote this letter:
For some time I have had a nagging doubt that posting the photographs from Cars and Coffee each week is contributing to the degradation of the event.
In the last few years the event has seen a considerable drop-off in quality with a corresponding increase in the number of late model Mustangs, Corvettes, Porsches, BMW's and the like.
Last week as I left the parking lot, I exited behind a minty Aston Martin DB5 that had not managed to get a show spot.
It occurs to me that many late-model cars have now become fixtures.
We barely bother to photograph these regular attendees, very few people will find a photograph of, say, a Mustang GT with chrome wheels very interesting. Except the owner, obviously.
I would estimate that each week something close to half of the cars in the show lot could be swapped out with something more interesting that was bumped to the public parking structure.
The other observation that I would like to make is that those that bring late-model, frankly fairly dull cars, are often the ones that make the most trouble, the ones that ignore the organizers and the ones that leave with the most, erm, enthusiasm and almost always they are the loudest and most aggressive.
Coincidence ?
Maybe.
Of course if the driver of the beautiful DB5 had got there earlier, he/she would have been able to show his car.
Also, of course, had the drivers of the Macy cars been a tad realistic regarding the showability of their cars, then there would not have been an issue.
So, what to do ?
Linda, our organizer and greeter, tries to direct people to the public parking lot, but is often ignored or abused. This is pathetic behavior. But it does highlight the issue, I watched a 330i driver flip her off and then hurtle into the show lot for suggesting that his car would be more at home in the public lot for example.
Again, what can we do ?
cncpics.com served a couple of million images last month.
Are we perpetuating the problem with the publicity that we give it.
This is not a comfortable thought, I am a car nut and I love to take photographs of cars.
cncpics.com has never, ever, made a dime nor do I want t to. I have personally worn out a couple of shutter buttons (seriously) and invested in additional hardware specifically for cncpics. The traumas that we have had with hosting services that cannot handle the traffic has be expensive to resolve too.
I started the site a few years ago, specifically so that I could share the event with friends in the UK. I had no idea that within a few years it would be serving a couple of million images each month.
Nor that I would be fretting that I am somehow responsible for drawing the people that are wrecking the event.
Should I simply close cncpics.com and thus reduce the exposure that the event has significantly.
Maybe leave this open letter on the single page ?
Or what should we do ?
I am honestly looking for inspiration !
Thoughts ?
Max
In the last few years the event has seen a considerable drop-off in quality with a corresponding increase in the number of late model Mustangs, Corvettes, Porsches, BMW's and the like.
Last week as I left the parking lot, I exited behind a minty Aston Martin DB5 that had not managed to get a show spot.
It occurs to me that many late-model cars have now become fixtures.
We barely bother to photograph these regular attendees, very few people will find a photograph of, say, a Mustang GT with chrome wheels very interesting. Except the owner, obviously.
I would estimate that each week something close to half of the cars in the show lot could be swapped out with something more interesting that was bumped to the public parking structure.
The other observation that I would like to make is that those that bring late-model, frankly fairly dull cars, are often the ones that make the most trouble, the ones that ignore the organizers and the ones that leave with the most, erm, enthusiasm and almost always they are the loudest and most aggressive.
Coincidence ?
Maybe.
Of course if the driver of the beautiful DB5 had got there earlier, he/she would have been able to show his car.
Also, of course, had the drivers of the Macy cars been a tad realistic regarding the showability of their cars, then there would not have been an issue.
So, what to do ?
Linda, our organizer and greeter, tries to direct people to the public parking lot, but is often ignored or abused. This is pathetic behavior. But it does highlight the issue, I watched a 330i driver flip her off and then hurtle into the show lot for suggesting that his car would be more at home in the public lot for example.
Again, what can we do ?
cncpics.com served a couple of million images last month.
Are we perpetuating the problem with the publicity that we give it.
This is not a comfortable thought, I am a car nut and I love to take photographs of cars.
cncpics.com has never, ever, made a dime nor do I want t to. I have personally worn out a couple of shutter buttons (seriously) and invested in additional hardware specifically for cncpics. The traumas that we have had with hosting services that cannot handle the traffic has be expensive to resolve too.
I started the site a few years ago, specifically so that I could share the event with friends in the UK. I had no idea that within a few years it would be serving a couple of million images each month.
Nor that I would be fretting that I am somehow responsible for drawing the people that are wrecking the event.
Should I simply close cncpics.com and thus reduce the exposure that the event has significantly.
Maybe leave this open letter on the single page ?
Or what should we do ?
I am honestly looking for inspiration !
Thoughts ?
Max
The last person to be a bad apple was the driver of a trike thing. He did a burn out right at the exit and unfortunately the police officer who serves as security wasn't in his unit at the time to fine him. Steve, one of the other photography contributors, and I stepped in front of his vehicle and gave him a mouthful.
These bad apples are endangering the event.
Please help us keep these people from ruining this unique event.
Thanks,
-Leo
Cliff notes: Bad Apples contributing to the degradation of the event. Website contributing? Shut down site?
09-04-11, 05:56 PM
#3
lol at the 2 guys in the Camaro...
but on a serious note... the weekly car show(hundreds of cars) that i frequent, have a huge lawn for all "show" cars old & new.
the organizers separate the "classics"(20 years and older) from the newer cars... no problems and everyone is happy.
the obvious problem with this CNC is that you don't have enough room for both...
maybe charge a fee to the cars that are not "classics" ? this is what the car show that i attend does...
but on a serious note... the weekly car show(hundreds of cars) that i frequent, have a huge lawn for all "show" cars old & new.
the organizers separate the "classics"(20 years and older) from the newer cars... no problems and everyone is happy.
the obvious problem with this CNC is that you don't have enough room for both...
maybe charge a fee to the cars that are not "classics" ? this is what the car show that i attend does...
09-04-11, 06:21 PM
#4
CNC is different ffrom most car shows. it's really more of a very organized meet than it is a show imho, and that's why there's problems with getting people to listen.
imho i wish they could just draft a couple extra cops to enforce the law but local PD budget is just as pinched as everyone elses'
imho i wish they could just draft a couple extra cops to enforce the law but local PD budget is just as pinched as everyone elses'
09-04-11, 08:10 PM
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It sounds like what Pure said - more of an "organized" meet than a show, and the "organizers" are over their head in terms of the amount of traffic it now draws. You can try to cordon off areas with specific signs stating that only a certain age bracket (of vehicle, not owner, obviously) is allowed in each area, then have people that allow others to fill in spots once a time has been met (IE - once it gets to be 7, let others who don't fit the criteria into the area to fill in remaining spots).
While I enjoy a relatively local and unorganized/unsactioned event, you have to accept pretty much whomever comes out if you don't have the ability to set specific rules or control a situation with those rules. Having not been to one of these "events," are the rules published somewhere? Is there signage? Who gets to make the call as to what is an "interesting" car and what is "boring?"
Big Mack
While I enjoy a relatively local and unorganized/unsactioned event, you have to accept pretty much whomever comes out if you don't have the ability to set specific rules or control a situation with those rules. Having not been to one of these "events," are the rules published somewhere? Is there signage? Who gets to make the call as to what is an "interesting" car and what is "boring?"
Big Mack
09-04-11, 09:32 PM
#6
Lexus Champion
It's great that you are posting pictures of the people who are the trouble makers. A little shame goes a long way. If they are so intent on being seen and noticed, then they should get what they deserve.
Burgandy Corvette...nuff said.
I love the idea of Cars and Coffee and everytime I've been, it's the best showing of cars. I do believe that people should be given a leaflet of some kind in order to let them know what the "unspoken" rules are since there aren't any real rules. Handing out the letter written by Max, or something to that effect, would be great.
Some people are just ignorant and it sounds like you just have to inform the masses of what is the understood procedure of letting cars onto the lot.
Burgandy Corvette...nuff said.
I love the idea of Cars and Coffee and everytime I've been, it's the best showing of cars. I do believe that people should be given a leaflet of some kind in order to let them know what the "unspoken" rules are since there aren't any real rules. Handing out the letter written by Max, or something to that effect, would be great.
Some people are just ignorant and it sounds like you just have to inform the masses of what is the understood procedure of letting cars onto the lot.
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09-07-11, 07:51 AM
#10
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Sadly this is everywhere and not just car shows. One of the things is everyone thinks they drive a Rolls Royce and everyone thinks they are special and their car is special. I noticed this really start happening in the mid 2000s.
There is simply a lack of respect for truly special cars and the unwritten code to park your **** in the back. This is bigger than car shows, now you have every tom, **** and jane in their new Sonata or whatever they think is cool taking up the end spots, double parking etc.
Trust, if your car IS SPECIAL, you will be asked to park in the show lot. People will say "hey you need to PARK THERE".
Its also tough, as an organizer of free meets/events myself you don't get paid for helping the "Community" and then some in the "Community" want to defecate all over you and your hard work and show no respect. These people are making organizers question what is in it for them and what do they do it for. Life is full enough without having to put up with crap for something you do out of love.
There is simply a lack of respect for truly special cars and the unwritten code to park your **** in the back. This is bigger than car shows, now you have every tom, **** and jane in their new Sonata or whatever they think is cool taking up the end spots, double parking etc.
Trust, if your car IS SPECIAL, you will be asked to park in the show lot. People will say "hey you need to PARK THERE".
Its also tough, as an organizer of free meets/events myself you don't get paid for helping the "Community" and then some in the "Community" want to defecate all over you and your hard work and show no respect. These people are making organizers question what is in it for them and what do they do it for. Life is full enough without having to put up with crap for something you do out of love.
09-07-11, 08:09 PM
#11
It's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Why not just have a list of "douche of the week" and post them up prominently on your website? With the 3 ****** posted up such as in this post, and then maybe heckle them or pin up "douche" on their car next time they show up will definitely get the message across. No need to shut down something that does seem to be special and brings great joy to many people. Don't let a few spoiled apples ruin the bunch. Clearly label them spoiled apples so everyone can avoid. 
I would list a pic of their faces and their license plates. Not their whole car as that would just stroke their ego. Make a list of DoTW (douche of the week). Trust me, with this breed of idiots, bad attention is not worth it. The goal is to make them specifically feel unwelcomed, bring unwanted attention onto them.
I would list a pic of their faces and their license plates. Not their whole car as that would just stroke their ego. Make a list of DoTW (douche of the week). Trust me, with this breed of idiots, bad attention is not worth it. The goal is to make them specifically feel unwelcomed, bring unwanted attention onto them.
Last edited by T0ked; 09-07-11 at 08:15 PM.
09-08-11, 09:22 PM
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What people don't get here as that we are not telling people NOT to show up. We welcome visitors. The people we don't want are the ones who want to park their stock 2006 Mass Produced Snoozefest with the hood open in the SHOW lot and pretend it's something people want to look at just because they don't want to walk from the Spectator lot to the Show lot. Cars and Coffee Irvine has two separate lots for each group of cars. We aren't saying that you aren't welcome to attend the even if you're a stock Mustang, Camaro, Camry, etc. driver. Just park in the SPECTATOR lot and enjoy the show. Don't get all pissy when you are asked to go park in the SPECTATOR lot when you are trying to drive in the show lot either. Please stop for the greeters at the show lot so that they may direct you towards the correct area for you to park your car. Don't drive past them with your windows up and pretend not to see them. Yes we saw you Mr. Stock 330i driver you aren't fooling anyone. When we try to close off the lot, don't try to drive around the cones or even worse (which I've seen happen many times) go and actually remove the cones so you may drive in. Also we ask for car clubs not to "INVADE" cars and coffee. Sure you can have your meet here, but either ask the organizers in advance so that they may reserve a few spots for your club or meet in the spectator lot.
Thanks,
-Leo
Cars and Coffee addict who drives 80miles round trip from his Night Shift job to Cars and Coffee EVERY weekend like a dedicated zombie in his 260,000 mile junker just to bring images from the show to all its fans.
Thanks,
-Leo
Cars and Coffee addict who drives 80miles round trip from his Night Shift job to Cars and Coffee EVERY weekend like a dedicated zombie in his 260,000 mile junker just to bring images from the show to all its fans.
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