Our experiences with use of closed public roads for competitive rallying, over 13 years of the Classic Adelaide Rally in South Australia, include smiling residents happy to set up a barbie at their front gate to watch the fun - whingeing residents complaining about all these over-rich idiots destroying the community's peace for their own self-agrandisement - the supervising traffic cops on their motorcycles varying from sullen frustration at having been ordered to let it all happen to cheering on the chargers, and enthusing over the classics - and one memorable local farmer who stopped the longest and best stage (running past his property) by apparently discharging warning shots close above the heads of the nearest marshals' point. That caused a major drama, with the fuzz eventually sending in a SWAT team to winkle him out. I never did hear what happened there, but one of the marshals - noticeably paling despite his tan - explained to us that he was a Vietnam veteran and that he recognised high-velocity Kalashnikov discharges when he heard them...
We also encountered the Wicked Witch of Wooloomoloo who caught us up at a filling station and announced she was going to set the cops on us, we'd just gone past her at an 'undred mile an hour, and in any case we were surely too bloody old to be driving like that? Oh, and another thing, who do you blardy Poms think y'are, comin' over 'ere an' burnin' all our petrol?
Generally, I guess, it's all related to the pace of local life where the roads are to be closed. If it's slow, traffic light and life generally pretty - ahem - dull, then a bit of excitement might be very welcome. Here in Farnham we had the main through road closed last year for the Tour of Britain cycle race to swish through - more support and escort vehicles than squeaking Lycra astride competitive bikes - but as an event it provided great community fun. I believe the Olympic bike racing at Box Hill was less well received. It depends on how engaging the organisers prove to be, and how stuffy are the locals... I doubt there will be much consistency in how well applications are received. An interesting development, even so.
DCN
Doug, as an Adelaide resident the Classic Adelaide [which with modern cars was hardly classic!] was a dangerous event, killing and maiming competitors. And damaging more than the occasional fence, road sign, armco barrier etc etc too. A few of those roads would make great hillclimbs, Willunga Hill, Anstey Hill etc but even then are decidedly dangerous.
A few years back just going for a drive through the hills we had the frustration of closed roads from Maccelsfield to McLaren Vale. I actually followed you into Maccy control point and spent a little time there too. While it did not greatly worry us that day, just an amble through the hills it would annoy the hell out of regular motorists,, and that silly bloody bicycle race is even worse.As it jams up roads for far more time.
Competitor skill and car set up was often very poor. I watched the cars for an hour or so come up Anstey Hill, some were bloody quick [Jim Richards and Co] and many were just out of control [and a few crashed through the event too] Some of the cars were so stiffly sprung they just skittered every where. And some were just plain slow and hopeless, I saw a late model Ferrari in the 'Touring ' section almost punt another off on Anstey, he was so bloody slow! The second car had caught up 30 sec in about 2km.
But even the good guys do often crash. Often all in the same place.
Watch the Eric Bana film, about 3 cars had already crashed where he did. [No, Bana is not good, though not a total mug either, but the car was VERY wrong. Too stiff, too much power]
Targa Tas is worse than Adelaide where it is generally dry, I have driven most of those roads and have a LOT of resect for them. In those forests the road are seldom ever totally dry and will catch you out.
Edited by Lee Nicolle, 13 July 2014 - 00:34.