Beach Hop: Hot cars, big crowds headed to Whangamata

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Fri, 25 Mar 2011 6:26p.m.

The Beach Hop Festival is a chance for car enthusiasts to put their prized machines on show

The Beach Hop Festival is a chance for car enthusiasts to put their prized machines on show

By Michael Morrah

Police have begun laying in wait for up to 100,000 hot rod enthusiasts heading to a festival on the Coromandel this weekend – their destination is Whangamata.

But police checkpoints have been set up to spot drivers – or vehicles – breaking the law.

The curves, the chrome and, of course, the horse power – the Beach Hop Festival is a chance for car enthusiasts to put their prized machines on show.

It's been running for 11 years but within the first seven minutes of police arriving, cars with classic problems were being ordered off the road.

Some were without warrants, others were just too noisy.

“Our police people on the checkpoints will be monitoring the drivers and passengers and make sure they are obeying the road rules,” says Inspector John Kelly.

Problem vehicles aside, last year police made 230 arrests – half were between 17 and 20 years old – and they have more trouble at this event than during the New Year period.

“Over the three main days we expect around 100,000 plus and on the peak day anything from 50 to 70,000 turn up at Whangamata,” Mr Kelly says.

The road in the area claimed the lives of three motorists earlier this year; alcohol was a factor and the 17-year-old driver who caused the crash was on a restricted licence.

“The roads are likely to be wet and slippery; be patient, obey the road rules and have a great weekend on peninsula,” Mr Kelly says.

Judging by excited look on the faces of most rolling into town, a great weekend is exactly what's planned.

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Comments

04 Apr 2011 06:03p.m.

Crage wrote:

Seems a lot of immature jealous cry-babies like posting on here - I didn't see too many saying they were actually there. I was - and drunken young dicks were the only problem. Don't like old buggers in old cars? - go elsewhere have have your own 'fun'.

28 Mar 2011 07:13p.m.

Kiwi wrote:

230 arrests of mainly overgrown kids at a beach town festival! Sounds like a legalised form of mass child abuse than professional Policing! The NZ Police need to rethink major event Policing strategy before the RWC otherwise they're likely to make complete fools of themselves! Whatever happened to proactive Policing and preventative Police presence?

28 Mar 2011 02:07p.m.

Dahoo wrote:

It's time you reporters got your "FACTS RIGHT FIRST" on a story before you present it, instead of making it up as you go along, and on top of that you report on something that "WAS NOT" relavant to the story. Let us know how many of the People, and cars that the police had problems that were registered for this event, to show the truth of "YOUR STORY", and report on those that weren't. REPORTERS THAT DON'T DO THEIR HOME WORK MAKE ME SICK. What do you expect, it's 3 NEWS again. So where's they follow up story with the "FACTS" "YOU CAN DO IT, SO WHY DON'T YOU ?????

28 Mar 2011 10:27a.m.

Reza Ali wrote:

Awesome Jason walsh and his nice blue chev, two thumbs up!

27 Mar 2011 10:26a.m.

Suspicious wrote:

In a political stunt to justify their existence the Police conveniently cite a case which was caused by an intoxicated local in a street legal vehicle and fail to provide a breakdown of the reasons for arrests in previous years or whether or not those arrested were registered Beach Hop car enthusiasts or just visitors. The Police of course are just paid puppets of the government in secure jobs and despite what they say really don't care about ordinary hard working people trying to have fun, road safety or a local community trying to survive economically by being innovative. Everyone knows that the road toll in NZ is caused by successive weak governments who are politically influenced by booze barons represented on the Business Roundtable and aided by useless and equally politically correct organisations like the ACC who do nothing procatively to improve the standard of driving of the young and inexperienced. Lets see some real Police statistics after this event so the public and the organisers are properly informed and a damn good event gets a chance to continue and improve untarnished by political correctness and Police bureaucracy!

26 Mar 2011 10:38a.m.

nigel wrote:

Sometimes I wish the police would just piss off!

26 Mar 2011 09:31a.m.

Ian wrote:

It not the over 50's that are the problem, 230 arrested last year, more then half were 17-20! It the young idiots that ruin a good event. If only you could restrict it to the genuine enthusiasts then the police wouldn't need such a presence

26 Mar 2011 09:15a.m.

stuart wrote:

what was with the young guys getting done for noise at the checkpoint and then old guys in cars twice as loud getting waved through the checkpoint? very unfair what happened to treating people equal? no wonder why young people disrespect the police, i reckon action needs to be taken, if your going to target noisy cars get them all not just young people

25 Mar 2011 10:47p.m.

Straight Laced wrote:

Whangamata this weekend is an obvious target for the NZ Police - maybe even the Armed Offenders or Terrorist Police Squads! Too noisy, brightly painted, obviously overpowered and "radically" too-low, mainly 1950's era classic cars (without seat belts goddammit)with dangerous "wings" and other appendages, (not to mention the mainly over 50's drivers), are an obvious "front" for hardened criminals and are a serious criminal and safety threat to law abiding NZ citizens and the nation (despite the obvious love, affection and money which has gone into restoring and preserving these vehicles)! Offenders should be punished to the full extent of the law!

25 Mar 2011 08:59p.m.

Jaffa wrote:

Quick - get hold of Auckland's Mayor Len Brown - this is a growth opportunity for Auckland City - a geriatric unit for the new Auckland Prison building - the only prominent building on the Auckland landscape in the past ten years!