And why should you care?
When my son, Joe, said he was going to a car meet on a Saturday night, I didn’t have a clue. I soon understood what he meant when he shot a video of a meet he went to. Since then, I have learned so much from him and thought others might want to know what this concept is also.
After perusing the internet, I found there was not a clear cut definition of car meet. There are many unspoken/spoken rules and hilarious commentary’s about car meets going into the complexity of what they can be. I’ve concluded that it is a grassroots group that organizes themselves and others to meet at a specific location and time to discuss anything automotive. What I have gathered from Joe, is that first, someone (a car enthusiast) finds a large meeting space or parking lot. Nine times out of ten it will be pavement because we don’t want to dirty our vehicles. I have found that car meet locations and times are generally word-of-mouth. After word gets out, people just show up and park their vehicles. They typically walk around, stand by their vehicles or film video/take pictures, all the while interacting with each other about their love of cars. I know it sounds simple, but it is far from that, especially at the night meets. Some people decide to show off their incredible ability to smoke their tires or waste precious tread depending on which way you look at it. They will occasionally rev their engines to let others hear the crackle and pop and sometimes see flames eject out of the rear.
Eventually, with the harmonious sound of loud engines and squealing tires, police will show up. Depending on the area, they can be cool with what is going down, but sometimes that is not the case. The police may tell you to disband. At that point, if it is still early in the evening, you are left with a few choices. You can call it a night and go home, or you can join the mass of people who will decide to meet up at another location until the cops shut it down again and the cycle continues till the early morning. Some may choose to meet up for a late night snack. If you are fortunate enough to attend one of these post meet gatherings, you will learn even more about your local car scene the people who drive it.
Car meets are indeed a coveted event sought out by car enthusiasts on a weekly basis. What a wonderful way for people to come together with a common interest and love. Plus, it keeps my Joe busy and as a parent, you gotta love that.