Reader's Letter: Am I alone in thinking?

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There is nothing new in groups of photographers capturing images of top of the range cars and especially sports cars and performance uprated saloon cars.

We live in a free country, and I guess these photographers are the modern version of train spotters. Indeed, they have made our village famous in attracting car owners from far and wide who wish to be photographed. Alderley cannot be alone in this activity.

However, surely they are not entitled to put on a show of over revving, indeed often screaming their engines, backfiring crescendos whilst racing from the village to put on a show of bravado. (see Youtube : Best of Supercar and Tuner Car Sounds at Alderley Edge )

This hedonistic behaviour is now becoming a serious noise problem to those who shop or live in the vicinity or the A34, especially on weekends and bank holidays, adding unnecessary pollution for us all.

The decibel level must contravene the Public Spaces Protection Order. I am not a kill joy but this activity is for a designated race track not for our public highway.

Share your views via the comment box below.

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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Graham Peters
Tuesday 2nd June 2020 at 6:17 pm
I think there’s absolutely no harm in the ‘Car Spotters’ spending their weekends and free time looking for and taking ‘that’ shot of the latest & greatness car. The ‘Golden Triangle’ has enjoyed great prosperity and with it comes the cars. What other town, outside London or Knightsbridge has Aston Martin, Ferrari, McLaren, Rolls Royce & Porsche all within such a tight radius. What’s better for these young (& not so young) enthusiasts? Would you or they be better stuck in front of a gaming computer ??
This weekend saw multiple super cars ‘cruising’ through the town, it also unfortunately, attracted some tuned up ‘cooking cars’ with loud exhausts - big deal!! As long the drivers respect the law, there’s no harm in this - if the driving gets lairey, then the Police will have to step in.
Tracy Mellor
Tuesday 2nd June 2020 at 6:22 pm
Completely agree. We live on Fulshaw Park and the noise from these super cars backfiring and revving is akin to living on Silverstone. It is selfish and inconsiderate but moreover very dangerous. This is a residential area with many using this road to run, cycle etc.
A handful of residents reported the noise this weekend, it was that bad. But a couple of hours after reporting the noise could still be heard. Do we have to wait until somebody is killed before something is done about this?
Wayne Jaffe
Tuesday 2nd June 2020 at 8:15 pm
The biggest noise polluters are the motorcycles that throttle it from the Polar Ford roundabout towards Alderely Edge on the A34. They just scream massively, no chance of police doing anything about them.
Tracy Mellor
Tuesday 2nd June 2020 at 8:25 pm
They don’t respect the law Graham, they are excessively speeding!
Pete Taylor
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 7:54 am
@ Graham Peters- do you think that this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFPZeA4fsAM
is acceptable?
Jon Williams
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 8:58 am
I wonder if it's like that living in Monte Carlo
David Pugh
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 1:54 pm
Well said Graham. Killjoys comes to mind. Perhaps the complainers should move to the country.
Bob Bracegirdle
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 2:22 pm
Killjoys? People should go an live somewhere else? Why should normal people have their surroundings ruined?

You'd have got short shrift when I were a lad. Sound like tearaways to me.
Anna Meadmore
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 2:40 pm
The noise this weekend was terrible. We have to put up with it most Sunday afternoons, but this weekend was the worst we have heard. We are not in Alderley Edge village, nor backing on to the A34, but the volume is so high it carries a long way.
Simon Worthington
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 2:42 pm
Moan Moan Moan. Noise does not necessarily mean speed and our overworked plod would be on it like a shot if there were any accidents. How many moaners moved here to escape some not so well to do area. If you don't like the trappings of wealth do one. Apologies to anyone moaning who was born anywhere nearby!!
If they move to the country they will complain about the noise and smell of animals or church bells.
Graham Peters
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 2:44 pm
Pete - as ever the minority spoiling it for the majority. A Police presence will hopefully make the ‘boy racers’ be sensible through the village. That has to be stopped - could be done quite easily IF Cheshire East had the resources.
Their Facebook page shows they are aware of the recent shenanigans - they’ll no doubt take action....... mid-week, mid-morning or afternoon
and deploy a PCSO to monitor.
Jon Williams
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 2:48 pm
What counts as careless driving?
Our top 10 list contains examples of ‘careless driving’. The Highway Code defines this as:

Driving dangerously

Without due care and attention

Without reasonable consideration for other road users

Motoring lawyer Jeanette Miller says: "The penalty for careless driving is between three and nine points on your licence and a maximum fine of £5,000."

So, Simon, are you saying that Careless Driving is o.k. now
Pete Taylor
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 2:55 pm
David Pugh and Simon Worthington: did you watch the clip I posted this morning, before you made your comments?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFPZeA4fsAM

Do you think this is acceptable?
Randal MacRandal
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 3:21 pm
So A34 / Alderley Edge gets its share of "racing car" noise too. I live near Morley Green and thought the A538 through the airport tunnels was the renowned Monaco GP and IoM TT testing ground. It has been well policed and must be a favourite statistic and revenue booster for Cheshire East police. However, most of the drag-racing fraternity know to first complete a quick recce to the Valley Lodge roundabout and back.
Why there isn't a permanent camera there, mid-tunnel, is a mystery.
Gary Chaplin
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 3:44 pm
Live and let live. This was the first weekend that people were allowed out more freely, and the young lads taking pictures of cars were out.... It is a pastime for them. These lads are so passionate, I get snapped in my car and if possible pull over so they can have a better look, or my 11yr old daughter will wave for their photos. It's harmless.

Likewise those that have nice cars were able to be out more freely on a beautiful dry sunny day (or like me got out on their bike ;-) ). They don't race through Alderley Edge village and yes they might rev their engine to appease the young lads, like guys did 40 years ago when I was their age.

Any dual carriageway will get engine noise, the flasher the car, the noisier the engine. 2 or 3 seconds every now and again. If you think that is Silverstone, then I suggest heading down there when any race is on and see what noise really is.

As with all things, you'll get the exception, but on the whole it is good spirited fun that only gets objections from the killjoys. If this coronavirus pandemic has taught us one thing, it is tolerance and to enjoy life rather than find reasons to moan.

Our community and your blood pressure will be a calmer place if slack is cut all round.
Roy Simpson
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 3:56 pm
David Pugh / Simon Worthington, Please make a note this the country. Alderley Edge is a village !
David Pugh
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 4:08 pm
Yes Gary and Simon totally agree with you. Some people just seem to be jealous of younger people having fun. The young kids have been taking photographs in Alderley for a few years now and are totally harmless. Perhaps the complainers have only just moved here or perhaps have become too old to remember the crazy things that they did when they were younger. I enjoy the spectacle. Incidentally I am not a young person but an OAP of 70 years. Carry on lads
David Pugh
Wednesday 3rd June 2020 at 4:10 pm
Bob Bracegirdle perhaps you could define “short shrift”?
Alan Brough
Thursday 4th June 2020 at 7:29 am
@ Gary Chaplin,

You DID look at the video that Pete Taylor linked to (above)?

We're not just talking about a bit of "harmless" fun here.

Oulton Park circuit is only about 15 miles away - that's about five minutes the way that some of these guys drive - treat yourself to a track day and invite the photo-boys to join you....problem solved!
Gary Chaplin
Thursday 4th June 2020 at 8:12 am
@ Alan, yes I did, and some of the antics are dreadful. But, as I said, it is the exception, and mostly a product of lockdown. Look back at the videos that automatically play from earlier in the year, and previous years, and they are almost entirely harmless.

This minority will spoil it for the others....don't be an even worse minority yourself and become a killjoy.

We all sit and want teenagers to be doing something better than sitting on screens and/or being 'up to no good', that is what these guys do. They are polite, helpful when needed and entertaining themselves.

I reiterate, live and let live. This 'release from lockdown' will be a blip then return to normal. Maybe Cllr Browne will be uncharacteristically helpful and get a PCSO there next weekend to have a polite word with the worse culprits. Polite conversation will go a lot further than perceptively miserable old men moaning about noise and 'youths' seeking to cease all notion of fun.

As for the Oulton Park comment, it really is crass and I'm afraid paints you as part of the problem, not the solution.
Simon Worthington
Thursday 4th June 2020 at 8:51 am
I am not condoning speeding or dangerous driving. It may be the country but the smell
of farms has long gone from AE.
A few here beginning to sound Cornish!!
Mark Goldsmith
Thursday 4th June 2020 at 10:18 am
I saw one of these cars driving through Wilmslow yesterday.

It wasn't one of the outrageously expensive super cars but was a heavily customised street car with a deliberately loud, spluttering exhaust. It wasn't speeding and was driving perfectly safely but it was still creating lots of "look at me" noise with the potential to create far, far more. But across the top of the windscreen in big, wide letters it said ANTISOCIAL

It's hard to disagree with that really.

It seems to me that being a bit antisocial is a key part of their counterculture. Therefore, they can't complain when they get the reaction from mainstream society that some of them set out to achieve.

So, it is up to them to drive a fine line between being mavericks creating a minor annoyance that can be tolerated to becoming a major public irritant or danger that is actively deterred. And while I accept it may be a small minority causing these problems, most of our laws were created because a small minority spoilt it for the rest.
Alan Brough
Thursday 4th June 2020 at 10:22 pm
@Gary,

I don’t think folk have any problem with the photo-kids or the responsible drivers - lets be honest, there’s much to appreciate in great engineering and design.

What we object to is the exponential increase in dangerous, show-off driving that has characterised recent weekends in (particularly) Alderley Edge to the point that you can be sitting in a garden 2 miles away and you’re subjected to pretty much constant amplified exhaust roaring and popping throughout the day and evening.

Completely unnecessary and wrong,

Most classic and sports car clubs organise track days for their members to let-off steam at places like Oulton Park, why on earth would you consider that “crass?”
Tony Haluradivth
Friday 5th June 2020 at 6:15 am
It is not tolerated in Monaco as Police there (outside of GP season) crack down with and Iron clad (or white gloved fist) to deal with speeders and inconsiderate noise makers. Secondly , "trappings of wealth" sometimes means showing off ill gotten illegal gains. Not all those cars are acquired honestly. Police in Cheshire last year caught 2 young scummy drug barons (thankfully) both had a collection of supercars which were used on the London road race track at times. Further 2 years ago sitting outside one of our restaurants on a balmy Christmas season evening myself and daughter witnessed a brazen drug deal going on from a top of the range BMW. A yob with "wife beater" vest had sat there on double yellows for half an hour (with engine on) to keep him warm with said "wife beater" handing out Xmas drug wraps to 2 clients. Christmas snow delivered by Santa in his Super car ....so stylish. They can keep their trappings of wealth and ill gotten gains and show off around old bomb sites for all I care. This is not jealousy to complain about the horrendous noise it is complaining about yobbery and selfishness. Also the residents and council from Kensington and Chelsea are taking action against the idiots in super cars now. It is hard for the Met Police as many of the yobs are spoilt young men from the Emirates and hide behind fake diplomatic immunity. They are not allowed to speed around the streets of Doha, Bahrain and Dubai in such fashion but they think it is ok to fly their trash to London and do the same. Hopefully this year at least one upside from this hateful pandemic will be better sleep for folks in the borough of K and C.
Mark Russell
Friday 5th June 2020 at 5:07 pm
I’m not sure there is any dangerous driving going on there? The merc slipped on the wet surface it happens with powerful cars. They are only having fun and the drug dealing correlation is a nonsense. Not all nice cars have drivers that are drug dealers. And I’m sure there’s plenty of drivers of nice cars who are fraudsters, bankers etc around here. I drive a nice car, I’ve earnt it and work hard to maintain it.

What is worrying is all the actual crime that goes on, we all see it and know about it, but the police seem blind to it?

All this Car stuff is at the bottom end of what’s wrong around here, but the police don’t deal with the serious stuff either. I’d love to know what the pcc thinks about all what goes on around here. Only time I hear what he thinks is when another massive waste of money has been made and he’s passing blame.
Tony Haluradivth
Saturday 6th June 2020 at 6:53 am
The drug dealing correlation is not a nonsense it is a fact (obviously not in all cases) but there is a connection. Open your eyes I hope the Police now make random drug testing for Motorists as prevalent and hard hitting as their anti Drink driving campaigns
David Pugh
Saturday 6th June 2020 at 1:38 pm
How sad to see Alderley flooded with police monitoring young lads taking photographs. This is presumably in response to the small minded killjoys complaints as seen on here. Surely the police are better employed fighting real crime instead of wasting precious time monitoring these youths who are doing no harm whatsoever.
Pete Taylor
Saturday 6th June 2020 at 4:37 pm
@David Pugh, I cannot see a single comment criticising the lads with cameras either on this site, on Alderley.com or on BBC NW TV news; what I do see are complaints about noise and dangerous driving. I would suggest that was why the Police were there.

You appear to have totally missed the point.
David Pugh
Sunday 7th June 2020 at 9:07 am
Pete Taylor as you will see from my previous posts I have not missed the point. The police were not monitoring super car movement but were all standing with the youths taking photographs. What a waste of resource 4 police officers and 2 police cars all because of complaints from a few small minded idiots like you. Ridiculous.
Mark Russell
Sunday 7th June 2020 at 9:18 am
Tony. Drug testing is now done when police turn up to a road collision or they believe the driver is on drugs. Laws changed a while ago.
Tony Haluradivth
Sunday 7th June 2020 at 1:32 pm
Thanks Mark but I hope Police , when they do random breathalysers over the Xmas period include the drug tests also.