Club Arnage

Hi everyone.

This is my first post since I returned, sorry didn't make it up to the shampoo bar, sounds like you had a riot. Post friday food poisoning, and apparently its not very safe to ride a mini moto in the dark with no lights. Who would have thought.

Anyway does anyone know why the ACO had concreted over and fenced off a large section of Karting Nord that used to be for camping. Instead it was empty and had only about a dozen caravans in there. Whilst the rest of us were left to fight over what little turf remained.

This caused everyone else to be a little bit too close together. As a result tempers frayed at times. Now I think we may just have been unlucky but the people who camped behind us really failed to get into the Le Mans spirit. We were intimidated into putting out our camp fire on the Sunday night as the smoke happened to be blowing in there direction. Now i don't mind doing stuff if I am asked nicely, but this guy waltzed over asked, i said i would put it out. However i obviously wasn't moving fast enough for him and his cronies as they proceeded to march on to our site and douse the flames. They were also prime suspects for the nail that appeared in the back tire of the mini moto after friday night. If you come to Le Mans and then complain about the noise then you shouldn't bother.
They eventually bit off more they could chew when they caught one of the lads from the big green bus having a piss round the back of there tents. They got all aggressive again, but this lad and his mates were wasted and it all kicked off. Great to see the campsite nazis get there come uppance.

Apart from that it was great fun.

Roll on 2005

Jay

Hi Jay,

We too shared the delights of Karting Nord this year but had a bit of a result.  As you said there was not enough room to swing a gazeebo this year.  However, after some nifty discussion with the Danes we were provided with a space right in the middle of the area they had roped off.  Then enjoyed the hospitality of their Eurovision style bands and cold beer from the massive beer tent.

Darren

Mark - so that was YOU cruising round for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours...........lol - i thought it might have been.  

Anyway - Karting Nord - OK site,  would have preferred MB or Bleu, but only because it is what I know.....we had a good bunch around us, and the caravans were directly behind us,  so they made a good toilet in the evening time, although a little public in the day time!  :o

Jay,

      Not sure whether you mean the Karting Nord campsite itself or the camping that was happening within the bounds of the karting track?   If the former, then the only area I can think of that you mean is the area where the Audi Saturday night concert happened last year, and it was probably left vacant as at some point a concert was bing talked about but never materialised - otherwise there wasn't a patch of concrete or grass in sight come Friday.   Wherever you were, it sounds like an unfortunate experience - we've been on Karting nord for the last 4 years and never had any bother - just a great time,

Mark

Got  a feeling that you are on the right button there Mark.
Our pals the Checkmates were on Karting rather that Nord.
They also had the company of some 400 members of the Porche Club UK all trying to pitch up on the area the size of a fag paper with no allowance for there vehicles ( well done ACO).
Nothing wrong with Karting Nord, top site even though Wesnesday seems to be getting a bit late if you want a prime position if catering for a lot of people.
Looks like a Tueday arrival for me next year.
Rusty
Dambusters rule !!

No it wasn't the compound up at the Karting paddock, that was Airtrack i think. There was a large concrete expanse fenced in up near the track with formula nouvelle decouverte posters on a locked gate. That wasn't there last year because we camped up there last year and it was definetaly grass and part of the main campsite.

The porsche owners club did look like they had been squeezed onto a postage stamp.

Did anyone see the rather nasty dog that was guarding the other Airtrack compound where they were showing the football. It nearly bit my mates tackle off.

Jay

This is the second year we have been on Karting Nord (the last time was 2001). I know the tarmaced area you mean, it has taken away alot of space and track viewing area, but no idea why this has happend. Also what has happend to the bank you used to stand on at the side of the track?? it is no flat and the view ain't as good.

Contemplating on Karting Nord for 2005. We did enjoy it this year our neigbours were Some Firemen one side, the other side some police with a cracking White Jag and behind some Rugby lads so superb atmosphere!!. Before we been to Houx Annex and Bleu. Houx annex had more space and both had good atmospheres. At least Karting Nord and Bleu have showers!!

Kenny B

It was removed the year before last - rumour at the time was that more hospitality units would extend down there, but they did not materialise either this year or last.   The removal was probably because it was one of the few places around the circuit that you could get a decent view without buying an entrance ticket

What a load of Cr*p, its gits like you that can damped the Le Mans spirt - my 4th year and never seen such a buch of tossers - luckily you are the exception.
 - we were unfortunatly close to you and you pi**ed off the whole site by burning alsorts of crap and stinking out the whole site. The fire got out of hand and nearly took out your White van and the silver Nissan (would have been good) it certanly melted one tent - hope it was yours. The lads put it out when one of you numskulls were going to put tyres on it - lucky realy cos it realy would have kicked off then - what you probably did'nt know was that there were several groups of blokes about to come over and do the same and a few who were intent on giving you a hiding for being a abunch of Tw*ts and spoiling it for everybody else.

As for the tosser in the Nissan doing dohnuts and creating huge dust clouds again Pi**ing off everybody - well done what a W*nker - obviously got a half inch dick.

If you think that anybody was impressed, think again and then think twice about coming next year - you were the only bunch who were out of the Le Mans spirit.

Now doesn't that just go to show that there are two sides to every story.


Anyway, you've both had your say so let's leave it there eh?


With no intent to pass judgement on the above story, "having a larf" is one thing, but being totally inconsiderate is completely out of order. The father on MB who let his brats ride quad bikes around on busy thoroughfares where expensive machinery was parked was, IMO, inconsiderate. Highlighted when one of the kids drove into the back of a parked beemer. And I saw a fight nearly start outside MB on Friday afternoon when someone politely suggested that a father should stop his kid super soaking a guy in a brand new open top Aston which had white leather...

As Smokie says, some of the high jinx's can get out of hand very quicky, with results that bring shame on us.
two cases I saw out side the houx annexe site very clearly highlight this.
While it is accepted that most areas will have some form of burnout area, on the annexe site this is a roundabout that gives much fun to the gathered campers.
What winds me up, and I am sure the rest of you, is the reaction buy the 'organiser' when someone does not want to play ball.

This year a German golf was stopped and when the guy said no, he was squited in face with a water pistol, then some joker thought it was a good idea to walk alongside the car holding the wing mirror arguring with the driver, finally the guy trips and falls under the cars wheel leaving his ankle trapped under the car. lucky for him the damage seemed minor and the car drove away, but not before someone hand tried to kick it ???

The 2nd incendent was when the police drove round, again a water pistol was shot through an open window, the police reaction was to stop and chase the guy, while this was going on some idiots thought it wise to start throwing beer bottles at the van :'( . suprisingly the police drove of without reacting, and we wonder why we get 'picked on' on the drive down!

Hmmm.  Not normally given to having a rant, and not really trying to now, BUT............If the guy who had the yank police car on Beasejour this year, happens to read this.. "Just a little too much use of the siren there old chap!"  Know what I mean?

And a genaral comment about Beasejour............It was extremely dusty this year, and people insisted on stiring it up even more with wheel spins etc.  A tad inconsiderate IMHO.

In some ways I'm suprised that in general so many people can be so tollerant of each other when they are crammed togeth in such a small area.

Some things may seem funny and can be even funnier when your loaded with a few beers.   But some people don't want to  take part that's their choice.  We should respect that.  

This year I saw a number of Cars on BJ covered in dust and some Jerk had written four letter words in the dust. It would not have bothered me on my car since it's a company car.  However,  On a TVR, Porsche etc as in this case it's not in the slightest bit funny.

t.

Bring it on, Andy Z.
Come on, tell these folks what miserable, kill-joy bastards thay all are, you little prankster, you!

There's an interesting thread on Pistonheads about the decline in 'quality' of attendees at Le Mans, which is a bit snotty and self important in places, but the fact remains that the race weekend is now a drinking, carousing venue destination, like Dublin, Hamburg and Prague.

My view remains the same. Do as you will, but accept the consequences if your idea of a laugh injures or offends those around you.

We were camped next to a great bunch of guys, who were rowdy, but easy going. They even asked us not to put plastic rubbish in the dumpster on their pitch, so it wouldn't stink out the area when they ignited it. There's thoughtful.

Its ironic how people mingle.

It took a few days and the thought of Footie on the TV to keep the peace with our neighbours this year. They were upset with our generator, but at the same time so was I . We exchanged beers and comments and both decided that the genny was knackered and way to loud ( something to change next year )

The water pistol got a little out of hand this year, with idiots spraying water into the faces of drivers whiklst they were doing their best with expensive material to entertain the crowd. I sprayed people, they sprayed me, fair play. But maybe a few people need to chill a little next year.

As for the camping thingy, beer, closeness, heat etc etc, i think we all should pat oursleves on our backs for keeping things chilled.

The SPS crew had a small game of footy this year in MB, and neighbours either joined in, watched or enjoyed our half time refreshments with us.

My new lot were intoruced into Le Mans ritualls this year, and shall be present next year. They arent really into the racing, but love the atmosphere and watched more racing than i did !

Hopefully those of us who take new people down, will train those to get into the spirit .

The key = Offer a drink to everyone at every oppertunity, it gives a warm ( preferably chiiled beer )welcome, things go well after that .

We witnested the Karting Nord bomfire and are not suppriseId that Lasarth got so wound up - we were seriously complating having a "word" as we were down wind, when the fire got damped down.

It says a huge amount about the good will of the majority of Le Maners and I think Team Cannon Ball should be greatful of their neighors tollerance and perphaps take heed next year.

Water pistols outside Bleu got very out of hand on Friday.

Squiting people who do their best to perform does not encourage them to come back again and entertain you. Why not only squirt the cars that don't perform, they usually are sensible enough to have their windows shut anyway.

Most dangerous antic was a biker being squirted in the eyes while trying to do a rolling burnout. >:(

Biggest t*sser of the weekend was the guy seen p*ssing into his water pistol cos he had run out of water, deserves to be held down whilst anybody who wants to p*sses on him.

Can I just clarify that we were not responsible for the said bonfire, I agree that it did get totally out of hand. We were camped opposite. Our fire was a tiny in comparison.
I was not objecting, however, to being asked to put out the fire, more the aggresive manner in which we were asked.

It may have had something to do with the campsite being overcrowded, full of tired drunk pissed people. Tempers were bound to fray. Losing the football and us flying the Saltire probably didn't help

The Le Mans atmosphere is fantastic and the high spirited antics, occasionally go to far, but the weekend wouldn't be the same with out them.

I does not matter where you camp, you will always have to put up with antics of your neighbours, it is just the fact of camping at Le Mans.

I can think instances spring to mind such as the Kareoke that went on very late on the Wednesday night (not appriciated after the long drive) but instead of arguing with them, I laughed along with them. The spirit of the camp sites is totally different to anything else. Yes Laddishness fuelled by Alcohol will create moments of stupidity but after a few years you just learn to step back and say "This would only happen in Le Mans"

Yes I agree and, yes we were pulled up for it, and yes we apoligised. But unfortunatly had no beer on board to offer, sorry.

I do agree with Tom D-G - who was an top chap next door to us, as were the french couple on the other side - that the stuff writen in the dust on the cars was not funny for the owners, I shoukd think in some case still readable today!

As for the police siren I never heard that......................  

I think he was mainly up the back end, but I'm not really sure.

Is that were the siren ended................................

Can't be sure.  He was moving around quite a bit!

Police siren was near us at the back of BSJ, I actually found it funny the first time.
Was attached to a USA patrol car.

Know what you mean Simes.  Gets a bit wearing in the early hours though.  For me anyway.  ::)

Gordon Bennett!!!
I thought Maison Blanche was bad!

H

All this chit chat makes me realise we had a damned civilised time in Houx Annexe, sing songs around the camp fire, toasted muffins and a fine cup of Earl Grey.

Splendid.

Was that the best china you cut your hand on then Steve??? ;D

Yeah, finest Royal bloody Doulton too (special edition shaped like a beer bottle  ;D )

It makes Interior Musee sound just brill........