I was reading a great thread about what streets we used to cruise, and it got me thinking. What happened to cruising? I don't know if its the same all over the country, but here on Long Island the scene has been dead for many years. There are still "cruise nights" where we go to a parking lot and hang out. Thats ok, but I wonder why no one actually drives anymore. Even the kids with their OT cars aren't out looking for some action. The places we used to go to are deserted on Saturday nights now. With the resurgence of hot rods and with the popularity of those rice burners it makes me wonder why?
The "kids" were always stupid. Gas was always expensive. Do a rod run. Do a call out to a bunch of guys and plan a route, go for a cruise through a scenic route on the open road, pick a bunch of stops and areas to group, stay within the laws limits and drive them. Don't let the dum dums wreck it for you, there have always been the dum dums and there always will be.
It tough. We organize things but its never the way I read in magazines, books or seen in movies. As a younger gerneration I always looked for that. It also seemed to me growing up listening to my dads stories and his friends chicks digged kool cars alot more back in the day...seems like now days girls I grew up with didnt want the guy with the cool car, she wanted the guy who could party the hardest and score the best drugs....never really did understand it. I think the younger crowd my age and younger just dont really get it. Cops always raise hell around here too cuz of bad apples loitering and littering....
The police and city cracked down in my town even going so far as to reconfigure the street layout. It was ressurected for 1 night every summer 2 years ago and the turnout has been huge.
I don't know if they're any worse than we were. There was plenty of street racing long before I was cruising.
Cruising used to be cruising up an down the local "AVE". And certain spots were mecha for cruisers such as the Renton, loop Renton, Wa. When it was just cruisers in cars cruising it wasn't too bad as usually the cops figured that they had us all where they could keep an eye on us. Then it got to be where there were as many hanger on and wannabees on the sidewalks making messes as there were cruisers then cruising became sitting in a parking lot. A few things that contributed to the closing of cruising locally were the gang problem, loud or super loud sound equipment in cars that a lot of non cruiser find obnoxious. Plus some of the greenie bunch thinks that cruising burns up too much fuel and lets out too many emissions.
My spot was Hempstead Tpk between the 135 and Wantagh pkwy. Every night during the summer the Tpk was packed with cool cars and young kids. A lot of people cruised Deer Park Ave too but I only went there a few times.
Because the cars and music the kids have today suck. Only the well off kids today can afford a new camaro, mustang, or challenger. Plus the young boys today had rather stay home and play computer games all night.
Street racing and cruising always were two totally different things around here, so was cruising. There are really two completely different mind sets to this. Some are cruising Moms more door looking for trouble. Then there are the guys like us, cruising to enjoy our rides. The cops always took a look at who was who around here, most of the guys who cruised their nice cars were already established as part of the positive fabric of society, slightly older and more respectful guys. You have to separate yourself from that crowd that throws beer bottles at the citizens and drag races down main street. You have to show a clear difference to the law that you are not a crazed hoodlum. The hoodlum part is OK, it's the crazed part that no one wants.
Oh!! Wait a minute.. My nephew is gonna tell me when he is done playing his game and downloading a few songs.
I'm young as well as my buddies and we try and go for a cruise twice a month if not more, despite how much the price of a gallon of gas is. there is few things better than crusing with your friends and family IMO, I try and take my 11 year old daughter crusing all the time. Sam
Hey there in Hartford. My cousins took me out to cruise Berlin Tpk back in the day. That was a great scene too. Do they still do it there?
Go to the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit. 30,000 plus cars. Just make sure you do your cruising Mon-Fri. Saturday, the day of the cruise, its a parking lot.
I think the loud stereo thing is a lot of it. It draws cops quick, plus for some cops lots of kids in cars driving slow = gang activity and/or street racing.
yeah, the vancouver cruise has been a big sucess. it's not every week though. when i was a kid, they were still cruisng Broadway downtown, 82nd had a couple spots, always a turnout at "The Speck" some spots would have more action than others, but it wasn't an "event" you just knew that cars would be cruising.
You might be surprised how well this works. We put together something of an impromptu "Fun Run" last summer hoping to get 10-15 cars involved. The morning we gathered at the little Town Square we had almost 30 cars and nearly 60 people. We picked up another 6 to 8 cars on the route. We ran about 75 miles to a Diner themed restaurant, then headed to a car museum about 20 miles from the restaurant, and then headed back home in a downpour rain. I still get notes and phone calls from many of the folks who attended wanting to know when we're gonna do it again. Give it a shot guys; it worked for us.
Well stated;we have only ourselves(or our contemporaries) to blame. In a lot of cases,the trash and clutter forced businesses to call the police to thwart the littering and occasionally vandalism. Sad,but true.
There has been a big culture shift these days. Todays teenagers view cars more as appliances rather than a major part of their lives. With the advent of technologies like cell phones, text messaging, facebook, etc. Kids don't need to gather at one location to hang out. And with the constant gridlock and traffic problems that plaque our larger cities, who would want to. That being said, there is still huge demand if you take the time to organize a cruise. Our little "car club" helped put together a cruise to the local drive in last summer (http://www.skyvumovies.com/) and we jam packed the place to the point of the septic tank overflowing before the movie even started. About 150 cars showed up with drivers and passengers of all ages.
It was run out of town here because the public was complaining about bumper to bumper traffic on Main street. It was a great time - even through the 80's. I have no idea what kids do these days. I've gone out for a cruise late Saturday nights a few times last summer, only to be saddened from the lack of activity anywhere. Guess kid's just sit around and smoke pot or something now.
this generation of knuckle heads dont appreciate simple joys in life such as cruising. its all about the clubs, texting, video games and fucking facebook. being that im 23 i see this trend within my own circles. as depressing as it is its something well have to all come to accept. hey i have an idea, everyone pitch in and lets start a town somewhere with a mandatory requirement of a blue collar trade craft and pre 63 automobiles and pre 83 bikes to get in. cult-ish? maybe, but id be down.
Those of you who actually "cruised" back then (think high school). Think back of the actual reason, the real reason. 90% of the reason for cruising was sex. Guys out looking for chicks. Groups of girls out looking for guys. Today with the internet and texting and all that gobbledy gook, there is no need for cruising. That is my theory of why cruising (at least for the younger population) has died. Now getting a group of hot rods together and driving somewhere... that's a great idea no matter wher you are or when you do it.
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