Event Coverage Hunnert Car Pile Up Traffic Pile Up

What happened this year in Morris Illinois was good for some bad for others. I heard of people coming as far as 5 to 8 hours and further were turned around by the police and told the show was closed.

The car line was 5 miles long toward the show grounds of people crawling to get near it . Morris was not ready for the amount of people the show brought . I live a 1/2 hour away and it took two hours just to get to the show parking lot where me and thousands of others were told if you park anywhere around the area you will be towed away. People of course parked anyways and proceeded to try and enter the show , only to be turned away at the gate.

There are all sorts of rumors already circulating is to why this happened. And I am not saying it was the shows fault for being too big. But the Illinois State Police, Grundy County Sheriffs Dept. and the City of Morris PD did a terrible job. No traffic police, threatening people etc... There is no need for that and I am very dissapointed I never got into the show that I was waiting for a year to attend.

I hope the people who got in had a great time and my only suggestion to the organizers of this event is to say **** You Morris Illinois, they must not like town revenue that much. And bring the show to Joliet to the Speedway or Route 66 drag way parking lot where it will fit next year. Im not here to offend the show organizers I know its not your fault but something needs to be done.

 

I am glad it was a Killer turnout

 

Wow!

 

Whoa! anybody know anything more about this?

 

People started parking up and down both sides of the country road and all over the surrounding areas. Some early parkers may have made it in before the State Police said to stop the mass confusion . They were turning people away who drove all day to attend this event.

 

I know 2 guys that were going from louisville, I will see them on monday.

 

I hope they got in man that's a long way.

 

I know I wasn't the only one this happen to. My honest guess would be 1000 people were still waiting in their cars to get in when I left at 2:30pm. There were kustoms that never made it in. RV's , an ass ton of spectators and alot of pissed off bikers too. Someone else who went back me up & please chime in.

 

Oh dude that is just so out of control.

 

The interstate was backed up for three miles, and then highway 47 was backed up back across the interstate overpass all the way into town around noon. When we eventually got to the fairgounds they just waved us past. What a mess.

 

Thank you Dr X . Did you drive from Kenosha Wisconsin to attend?

 

I went to two pile ups today.....my first and last!
Sat in traffic for over an hour between the highway exit and the venue
only to be told the show was closed.
What a joke.

 

Thanks for chiming in guys. I am so disappointed . About to crack a few beers and drink the pain away.

 

I got there a 9:00 am sharp. Short delay (2-3 minutes) to get into the parking lot from the North.

Parked about 5 rows back from the center entrance...no problem.

Croud was large, but courtious. Watched cars come through the gate for an hour and a half before the stream subsided. There was still room for participants in the back, near the cornfield, although I saw some late ariving customs were routed to the area outside the track's first turn (inside the track fence where the swap was last year).

We left at ~2:30. It took a while to get out of the parking lot, but no worse than any other sporting event, & much better than any Nascar race I've been to. Again, very few jerks outbound. Lots of give and take so the traffic moved ok considering the long periods of time they had to close the exits to let the highway clear.

Cars were parked along the highway for about 1/2 mile or so going north when we left, so it may be true that late arrivals were being turned away,

Don't sleep in so late next year & you'll be ok

Great show (again)

Alan

 

We were at the 47 exit at 12:30 and made it to the gates at 1:45. It took us an hour and 45 min to go 1.5 miles from the I-80 off ramp (which was backed up about 1/4 mile at 12:30) to the fairgrounds where a state trooper told us the show was closed down. I saw people parking as far as 1 mile away to get out and walk instead of standing in traffic. It was a mess. I can only imagine how long the backup on I-80 eventually got.

 

Glad you had a good experience man. But something went really wrong. I arrived there at 11:30 and tried to get in for 3 hours before giving up.

 

The state police were the ones who shut it down. They said they were not going to let anyone else in until the congestion went down. Myself, amongst many others went through the ditch to get into the parking lot. I was sooo happy that I didnt get stuck!! Picture a minivan riding a muddy ditch!! LOL!! I guess we got lucky that we were still able to get in before they shut the gates. It was a great show, and sorry to those of you who didnt get in. Maybe the traffic situation will be better next year!!

 

we pulled into the show at 9 am and had to wait in line to enter the show. no issues with that all, everything got handled, especially since most people volunteer there services for this. we walked around for a few and then left to grab some lunch and run bye the hotel, only to see the hwy backed up. after eating we sat in line for about 15 mins too find out that the show was closed down. if you where out you weren't getting in , and if you where in , you weren't getting out. pure lock down.

our group drove 10-12 hrs away, but its more about the people and friends that we don't get to see all year, then it is about the show.

littleratskulls, I'm not really sure about your bases for this thread in the first place.your bitching that you drove 30 mins from your home, probably in a sub-compact car only to not be allowed to view your ol' skool rat rods, and there where WAY too many of those piece of shits in the show a sit was. why do you feel compled to join the HAMB and your first post to stir up shit? nice intro by the way too guy.

the person that i really feel for is rashy, the poor guy volunteered too deal with all the idiots that showed up at the gate and delegate who got in. after doing his good deed and we left and upon returning he was denied entrance. he didn't even get to walk around!

 

Please be cool guys . I made this post to hear people's stories of what happened not for arguments to be started.

 

Damn,that sounds bad!!

 

i did not make it to hunnert this year, but you could see over the last couple of years that this was gonna happen.what do you expect when they put on a kickass carshow

 

Did you read this thread ?????????

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=401305&highlight=hunnert+2009

Traffic can be difficult . We attended and drove right in the lot shortly before 9 am. Had a great time . Most that have attended in the past are aware that 47 is just a 2 lane country road with small shoulders and a culvert on both sides. You cant park on the side of a road like this without becoming an obstruction to traffic . I'm unaware of the traffic situation after 9:30 or so but the entry went smoothly for many.

Instead of starting a fire , how about allowing the " Chrome Czars" the opportunity to assess things and respond. They are great people that take a lot of their personal time so others can enjoy this show. Common courtesy ?????????

 

totally. the czars did a kick ass job. but you can only make plans from what you learn. shows get bigger and bigger and im sure changes will be made accordingly. i remember a similar problem at the drags!!

 

I guess I'm a pretty new guy too although I have been a lurker for a couple of years. I just never really post much, just read.
I was there today too. About 2 and a half hours from Michigan for me. We got there at about 8:45 and got in line to enter the gate. Line was pretty long but moved well once the gates opened. We did find it strange though that the cars which were going to be part of the "show" were also held at the gates and not allowed in until 9 am. Seems they would be let in earlier than the spectators just to save the congestion. May have been a good reason though, just an observation. We had a great time and were very impressed with what we got to see as this was the first time we had attended the pileup. By noon/12:30 the place was packed and we decided that while we would have liked to stay longer, the thick crowd and the thought of the drive home made us decide to leave. We were quite suprised to see the LONG line of traffic (extending back to and down I-80 about 3/4 mile) trying to get in. We also noticed that we saw NO POLICE at all and only the red shirt volunteers doing a very commendable job of trying to keep traffic moving smoothly. I don't want to blame the organizers at all. I think its a fantastic show and I look forward to attending every year when possible. I will say I think a change in venue is needed as this looks to be a show who's popularity has outgrown its currrent home and the community appears to not be interested in helping it with its growing pains. Kudo's to the club for putting together a great show, I'm sure the issues this year will be addressed for the future.

 

I didn't make a post to stir anything up. I am one of the MANY people who came to support you all. That is the basis for my post if you must know guy, not that I owe you any explanation . I was very civil in writing this thread in the first place if you would have read my whole FIRST POST. It clearly states my intentions

 

it did suck about the show getting shut down,to bad cause its a great show.i give props to the guys that put this on....their little baby has out grown its crib.the down side is it did it in one day ....the worst part of the show was the large number of "rat rods".im so tired of seeing all these hacked up POS ...theres nothing wrong with home made cars and parts..sorry mid 50s trucks with no fenders setting on 70s car frames aint cool.its ugly.theirs something wrong with welding random crap all over your car. HAVE SOME PRIDE!!!!!!the only thing rat should be the motor........alittle rust aint bad.but damn!

 

Very well put man. Thats all I was saying too. I appreciate your comments

 

<hr style="color: rgb(229, 229, 229); background-color: rgb(229, 229, 229);" size="1">As I said before, I am not here to offend the show or its organizers. It was not their fault. I am glad it was a Killer turnout