'Dangerous' and anti-social car meets spark calls for action as police reveal clamp down - but those running lawful events say they are being 'tarred with same brush'

THEY are the scourge of neighbourhoods leading to angry backlashes from residents demanding more action is taken against the ‘dangerous’ anti-social ‘nuisance’. But those who run legitimate car meet-ups have said they are being ‘tarred with the same brush’ despite holding safe enjoyable events welcome to all.
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The low-point of the anti-social gatherings came when a 17-year-old from Fareham was arrested after losing control of his car and ploughing into a crowd of bystanders – with warnings since issued to parents that children will be arrested for taking part in the gatherings. The incident in Portfield Road on the Voyager Park industrial estate, Copnor, happened as dozens of people lined the streets at the event that saw between 40 and 50 cars taking part.

While tragedy was avoided, a girl in her teens and a woman in her 20s, suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. Two further people suffered minor injuries.

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Footage from the meet was shared on social media and showed a blue Mazda MX5 skidding when trying to come off the roundabout and veering into onlookers rather than taking one of the exit roads. There was also footage of a youth being put into the back of a police van – highlighting the perils when meet-ups go wrong. He has been bailed until April 28 with police ‘continuing’ with their enquiries.

A car meet up Picture: Adobe StockA car meet up Picture: Adobe Stock
A car meet up Picture: Adobe Stock

Just a week before the incident, police declared a car meet had ‘gone wrong’ after a 16-year-old girl was rushed to hospital at the Morrisons car park in Lakesmere Road, Waterlooville. A Fiat 500 was in collision with pedestrians, with Hampshire Roads Policing Unit tweeting: ‘A car meet that has gone wrong. One in hospital with serious injuries after being hit by a vehicle at Morrisons.’

While the injury was ‘serious’, fortunately it was not life threatening and only involved damage to her knee. However, those angry with car meets have said the incidents were accidents ‘waiting to happen’ and have questioned why more has not been done by the authorities to stop them before such injuries. They say these accidents must be a spur for change before someone is killed.

Police and crime commissioner Donna Jones has now delivered a warning to those involved. ‘These car meets are incredibly dangerous and causing communities serious concern. The behaviour is completely unacceptable. People have been seriously injured, it has to stop,’ she said.

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‘These large scale car meets are arranged by young people aged from 17 to 25 years. The noise and disturbance they are causing, not to mention the illegality of racing on public roads, is highly dangerous and multiple young people have been injured.

LLP car meet are highlighting how their car meet is different from any other

Pictured:  Craig Longman with his Volkswagen Beetle at Tesco carpark, Havant on Wednesday 1st February 2023

Picture: Habibur RahmanLLP car meet are highlighting how their car meet is different from any other

Pictured:  Craig Longman with his Volkswagen Beetle at Tesco carpark, Havant on Wednesday 1st February 2023

Picture: Habibur Rahman
LLP car meet are highlighting how their car meet is different from any other Pictured: Craig Longman with his Volkswagen Beetle at Tesco carpark, Havant on Wednesday 1st February 2023 Picture: Habibur Rahman

‘That’s why I’m asking parents of young drivers and friends of young drivers, to speak to their children, to find out where they are, what they are doing and to take responsibility for putting an end to this dangerous and criminal behaviour.

‘If your child is attending these events, contributing to the anti-social behaviour and driving a vehicle dangerously, you can expect them to be arrested. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have launched a special operation called Operation Chromium. The police need information to prevent car racing taking place and bring to justice those that organise them. If you have information please contact the police quoting Op Chromium.’

Posting on social media, locals made their feelings clear about the anti-social meets. One said: ‘It has taken this unfortunate event to happen before something will get done about these nuisance groups of car drivers. They are loud, disruptive and dangerous and should have been stopped before this event unfortunately happened. Hampshire constabulary failed the public again.’

LLP car meet are highlighting how their car meet is different from any other

Pictured:  Gary Nelson with his kitted Ford Focus ST at Tesco carpark, Havant on Wednesday 1st February 2023

Picture: Habibur RahmanLLP car meet are highlighting how their car meet is different from any other

Pictured:  Gary Nelson with his kitted Ford Focus ST at Tesco carpark, Havant on Wednesday 1st February 2023

Picture: Habibur Rahman
LLP car meet are highlighting how their car meet is different from any other Pictured: Gary Nelson with his kitted Ford Focus ST at Tesco carpark, Havant on Wednesday 1st February 2023 Picture: Habibur Rahman
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Another wrote: ‘Another predictable and completely avoidable accident that occurs so often when these idiots get together.’

Deafening noise from late night screeching, disruption and anti-social behaviour along with the smell of burnt rubber, have all been cited as by-products of car meets leaving locals weary and frustrated. Meets where racing has occurred are known to have taken place in a variety of places across Portsmouth and surrounding areas in recent months.

It is far from an issue just for the local region with serious issues reported across the county and beyond. Dispersal orders had to be issued in Southampton last year by police to crack down on street racing and noise. Around 100 cars descended to a car meet in the Sainsbury’s car park in Broadcut, Fareham, last year. A large group of around 250 cars packed out another Sainsbury's car park in Winchester last year prompting neighbours to complain of loud revving noises and anti-social driving in the roads nearby.

LAWFUL CAR MEETS

The roundabout in Portfield Road where the Mazda came off the road and hit some spectators at the car meetThe roundabout in Portfield Road where the Mazda came off the road and hit some spectators at the car meet
The roundabout in Portfield Road where the Mazda came off the road and hit some spectators at the car meet

Despite the troubles, there is another side to car meets - the legitimate ones that do not involve the law being broken. But there is an increasing weariness on the part of organisers of static car meets who believe they are being ‘tarred with the same brush’ as meet-ups that see souped up cars drag racing and drifting.

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Mike Wake, who organises Low, Loud and Proud (LLP) static car meets, said their events are safe and enjoyable and are strictly supervised and attended by people of all ages. ‘Our events are properly done. We have people in high vis jackets and people on radios at entrances and exits. If we think it is going to be busy we go to the police and say what is happening.

‘Police tell us car meets are not illegal, it is only when they become anti-social and dangerous. There is no law to say you can’t hold them.’

He said all car meets get ‘tarred with the same brush’ but said LLP ‘chooses to be a safe and static’ meet. ‘People drive in and switch off their engines and end up chatting about cars for hours. There is no drag racing or drifting. We are not into that,’ Mike said.

‘We police the event and do it because we love it. We make sure no one plays up. Everyone respects the rules. It is a passion for me that has always been there. I’d rather spend my money on cars than go to the pub. I’m a petrol head.’

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Whilst currently hosting events at the Tesco superstore in Havant on Wednesday evenings, Mike admitted there are challenges in finding places where landowners grant permission. The 43-year-old said he had been ‘rejected’ by Portsmouth City Council over proposals and from private landowners. ‘You can’t get permission,’ he said. Meanwhile letters to MPs just get ‘pushed back’.

LLP car meet are highlighting how their car meet is different from any other

Pictured:  Comittee members of LLP at the car meet at Tesco carpark, Havant on Wednesday 1st February 2023

Picture: Habibur RahmanLLP car meet are highlighting how their car meet is different from any other

Pictured:  Comittee members of LLP at the car meet at Tesco carpark, Havant on Wednesday 1st February 2023

Picture: Habibur Rahman
LLP car meet are highlighting how their car meet is different from any other Pictured: Comittee members of LLP at the car meet at Tesco carpark, Havant on Wednesday 1st February 2023 Picture: Habibur Rahman

Mike, whose car meet has 900 members, said they have a wide variety of cars attending the events - with a £500,000 Rolls-Royce a notable attendee recently. He has encouraged people to go along to see how their meet-ups run.

Craig Longman, who organises static car meets under the name South Coast Cars, said incidents like last weekend ‘tarnished the car scene’ with him considering giving up as an organiser because of a rise in anti-social behaviour at other events.

Meanwhile, police have said they launched a special operation at the start of the year to tackle dangerous meet-ups. ‘We take the issue of dangerous driving at car meets seriously. It endangers the lives of those behind the wheel, anyone watching and the general public. It is not worth the risk and we will do all we can to stop more people getting hurt,’ a police spokesman said.

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‘We know that car meets have a significant impact on local communities, through dangerous driving and excessive noise. At the start of last year, we launched Operation Chromium as a response to unauthorised car meets, looking at how we gather intelligence, on such incidents and our response to them.

‘To be clear, if you drive dangerously, you could end up losing your licence, fined, or even arrested and imprisoned. As well as investigating any criminal matters, other options available to us include seizing vehicles, notifying insurance companies of any car modifications we find and issuing penalty notices.

‘We also review incidents and reports of anti-social or dangerous driving linked to car meetings, including any mobile phone footage, footage from dash cams and CCTV, and body-worn video footage from officers, to identify offences.

‘People can also report vehicle crime through Hants SNAP, which is a police initiative aimed at dealing with alleged road traffic offences www.hampshire.police.uk/police-forces/hampshire-constabulary/areas/hants-snap/hantsnap/hants-snap---report-an-incident/

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‘Throughout last year, where hotspots have been identified, we have worked with landowners and local authorities to see what environmental changes can be made, such as the installation of cameras and barriers.’

Police confirmed car meets in themselves are not necessarily illegal. But, for example, if someone drives dangerously that could be a criminal offence. Equally there may be other motoring issues that would constitute offences, such as a lack of insurance. Other considerations, such as obstructing the highway or criminal damage, can also amount to being criminal.