It’s that Autumn time when driving conditions change and drivers should be aware and consider the transformation of road surfaces and visibility. The roads are generally more slippery caused by the falling of leaves and foliage. The sun is lower, so a clean windscreen is necessary to avoid and restrictions in visibility. Ensure that your windscreen washer fluid is topped up and your wipers are efficient. Carry sunglasses in the glove box to mitigate low sun dazzle.
The days are shorter – getting darker earlier. The hours of darkness now encompass work rush hour timings which include cyclists that may not be wearing winter reflective attire yet! Appropriate vehicle lighting should be used for the conditions.
Classic Car Show
It’s November and the Classic Car Show at the NEC Birmingham is here again. Having not attended this show for some years – one factor being the annual incremental rise in the ticket prices, I was pleasantly surprised to find a very good turn-out of visitors and a comprehensive attendance of businesses and suppliers.
I paid £32 in advance online (which was subject to a £2 discount with a car club code I used) for the Sunday visit. On arrival just before 11:00, the remembrance two-minute silence was acknowledge by all and entry to the show ceased for the period. There were various hall entrances which helped with crowd control and queues. The availability of Lancaster Insurance sponsored show magazines supplied for the show had been exhausted so no guide for me.
The demographic of visitors was mainly gentlemen of a certain mature age (such as myself). Not many younger people in attendance which reflects the mature age of car enthusiasts interested in the classic car scene. This begs the question in 10 or 20 years time, will this show still exist? The vehicles displayed today may not be on the roads in future years – they may end up sitting in garages or storage with no enthusiastic owner to maintain them or take them out to shows.
I traversed all halls, inspected most cars on show, browsed the vehicle related wares for sale, took photographs and I observed vehicle clubs I did not know existed. There were numerous stalls to visit and a sit-down for 30 minutes was very welcomed in the Podcast booth where there was an interesting line-up of speakers and bloggers being interviewed.
Car acceleration noises were emitted from the hall where the regular Sporting Bears charity rides scheme was active. There was a satisfying queue of visitors funding their rides with their charity donations. The cars supplied were owners that volunteered their vehicles and time to drive contributors around an outside road circuit.
The automobilia sold by many businesses seemed to be keenly priced with prices marked to sell. I imagine that the traders would rather sell the stock rather than re-pack it and try again for a sale in the Spring when the car shows commence again.
Under bright lights, a shiny selection of cars were assembled in the Iconic Auctioneers pitch contained by a white picket fence. Entry to the auction was by catalogue which required a £10 fee. The auction bidding activity was audible from outside its contained area.
The cessation of this show was marked by a tannoy announcement at 5pm advising the show was now closed, followed by what sounded like, hundreds of vehicle horns which lasted for approximately two minutes. Most visitors stopped what they were doing, smiled and acknowledged this blast of horns.
Let’s hope there are many more years left in this enthusiasts show.
