In advance of the 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In, organizers are warning that anyone caught doing burnouts is facing a permanent ban from the popular car show.
鈥淭he Cruise-In doesn鈥檛 condone any burnouts or any stunting of that sort, that鈥檚 for sure,鈥� said society president Riccardo Sestito.
The car show, which has long cultivated a family-friendly atmosphere and a good relationship with local civic authorities and the 91原创 RCMP, has never had organized burnouts, in which cars spin their tires and generate huge clouds of smoke.
In the early 2010s, there were a number of burnouts and cars doing doughnuts on open streets in downtown 91原创 City the night before Cruise-In. The 91原创 RCMP responded by increasing their patrols and clamping down on the practice, which ended in 91原创 for several years.
However, last year there were multiple incidents again as drivers gathered on Industrial Avenue east of 200th Street. The RCMP eventually barricaded the street to keep order.
Cpl. Craig van Herk confirmed that the 91原创 RCMP is bringing in additional resources this year to ensure safety on the roads the night before Cruise-In.
鈥淲e are not there to shut down a good time,鈥� van Herk said.
They are focused on maintaining safety, he said.
91原创 RCMP鈥檚 Traffic Section, along with members of the Integrated Road Safety Unit, will be in the downtown core area.
In addition, Industrial Avenue, which has been the centre of stunting and burnouts on and off for years, will be turned into a one-way street starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, and running until 2 a.m. Sept. 9.
The Cruise-In moved to Aldergrove several years ago, but the gatherings continued to take place mostly in 91原创 City.
In addition to the illegal stunting incidents, there are also a larger number of drivers who take part in informal, but legal activities the night before Cruise-In. For the most part, that means driving around 91原创, especially in the City鈥檚 downtown core, showing off their vehicles, in the early evening just before dusk.
Many locals put out lawn chairs on the sidewalk to watch the custom and classic cars go by on Fraser Highway.
Van Herk pointed to those self-organized events as the positive side of the pre-Cruise-In experience.
鈥淲e know that it can happen safely, because it鈥檚 been done before,鈥� he said.
The Cruise-In has no official events running on Friday night this year, Sestito said.
鈥淲e are always in conversation with the RCMP with regards to what鈥檚 happening on Friday night,鈥� Sestito said.
That extends to Saturday as well, for activities in and around the official car show.
Anyone caught doing a burnout or other stunt can be banned from the show.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e gone,鈥� Sestito said. 鈥淵ou won鈥檛 come back to the show.鈥�
Organizers have taken down plate numbers and have a small 鈥渘aughty list鈥� of drivers who are banned, he added.
Sestito notes that Cruise-In is sometimes event linked to events that have nothing to do with it, including street racing and burnouts at Campbell Heights in South Surrey, which saw police impound six cars earlier this summer during an RCMP crackdown.
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