Traffic at Concorso -- bad again

I towed my car and had even more problems due to the distance of the trailer parking. We didn't get any help, like a ride to the golf cart yard to get the trailer????

For the second year in a row HWY 68 didn't even have a event sign guiding people in , you just had to know the three flags set back off the road meant Concorso Italiano. Half the people I met missed the entrance and had to turn around. I could go on but I am sure they have heard it all before.

I think the site is beautiful , but it must pose many problems for the event coordinators. The small (very small) parking up top, the hillside, limited lower entrance combined with the parking, no trailer parking or loading near by, the fact that there are only two entrances just chokes it all down.

Then you have the combined traffic from CI and Laguna Seca.


It sure beats the airport though. I appreciate the setting and the grass.

 

Where is the 2nd entrance? The end of york is the only way in as far as I knew.

Frying a clutch on any lambo regardless of age is no fun. In leaving I felt I was forced to coast down york with the engine off. I think the question is more why exhibitors are mixed in with spectators.

-mick

 

I think if they stay at this location and don't improve the customer service they will continue to loose participants. Lets face it most of the really nice cars are owned by wealthy people who can show their cars elsewhere. They often have their cars transported and they need to be taken care of, so they come back next year.

We had a number of club members that had shown at Quail the past few years, but we talked them into coming to CI , they were annoyed because the people running the show didn't understand where to place there cars, so they sat there till CI could figure it out. CI had a year to prepare, they should know exactly where every car goes!!

The food was better, the lines at the beverage stands were short, so they have improved in areas, but they really need to focus on taking care of the people with rare expensive cars.

We had the judge come through early, half the cars had covers on them, they made their selection and left!!! Two of the cars that covers on them were legitimate contenders.

And what was with the winner of the show???? Did anyone else find it weird.

 

They really need to pursue the Pacific Grove golf course idea again....

-mick

 

I agree with Fred, As an exhibitor, we are the show we are the performer and therefor we should have special backstage rout.

 

He was involved with the activities @ the center stage. And I thought involved with the SP1 award.

-mick

 

I'm seeing an awful lot of whining here.

The entire Monterey Penninsula is overcrowded with events and participants/spectators during that week.

I've been several times, traffic goes with the territory. The two times I brought cars, we placed them the night before.

Being from "Flyover Country" I can't imagine how anything gets done there with the crush of humanity.

My recommendation is to move the whole thing somewhere else, far away from California.

 

This is true it's crowded and unlike blackhorse there are fewer traffic options, so they should just treat the entrants like gold. It's hard to be critical when people bend over backwards to make you feel wanted.

I have noticed that there are fewer vintage Ferrari's at this event every year.

 

Fred,
I have been attending CI since the early 90's. This year I decided not to go. IMO the event has just gone down hill since it's heyday when it was held at Quail. Looking through some of my old CI Quail videos I noticed how many cool old cars there were before. And nowadays a new car gets Best Of Show. Just not my cup of tea.

Was there a decent showing of vintage Lambo's/Ferrari's at all this year? Photo's did not look like it.

 

Fred:

I feel your pain, and you raise some excellent issues.

I often wonder if organizers truly realize that the classic cars are the stars that make their shows possible and everything should be done to make their attendance easy, safe and without damage to the car's mechanicals. It costs quite a bit to maintain and repair these automotive jewels and attendees are not compensated in any way. From an owners standpoint, its just not worth attending an event that is fraught with traffic and hilly obstacles.

Another point you make that is SO true is that it is so tiring seeing the same old cars year after year. Boring! In fact shows should allow only one appearance in say 5 years to allow other cars to show and keep the events fresh for the public with new cars. Whenever I have showed cars, I have made a conscious effort NOT to bring that same car again to that show again for the aforementioned reasons.

 

Except this show is not just another car show. It has been (and continues to be) the central part of the "ANNUAL LAMBORGHINI NATIONAL MEET" of the Lamborghini Club of America. As a club member, I don't think there should be any restrictions on what car you bring so as to join in.

-mick

 

Completely understand. And the fact that it is the Annual Lamborghini National Meet with members showing their cars each year is why the same cars show up every year. I'm not saying that is good or bad, I'm saying its a bit boring. Many people like to go to a show and see something new, something that has not been seen in years, a barn find restored, something other than the same-old-same-old. But I suppose its better than no show at all.

 

I have to agree with Joe here...I hate to say it, but it really is just getting pretty boring..I am having second thoughts about coming ALL the way down next year..it seems the SAME cars..and of late, just being taken over by a ton of newer Murcie and G cars...which are great yes, but they can be seen just about any day and anywhere...nothing that you have to wait a year for and go 1500 miles to see.

I am also (maybe my age LOL) getting a bit tired of getting up at the crack of dawn to race over and get set on a crowed feild with, yes I agree, LOUSY drive in entrance and exits. Then sit around till 10am, when the gates open and if we are lucky the fog "starts" to lift. Spend all day just to sit in traffic for 2 hours plus to get out.

I was ALSO as Fred, really dis-appointed to see that they did not have a traffic director at the hwy exit..I mean come on, it was so stupid to let 5-8 cars go at a time on a light while hundreds were all backed up the hill..not to mention the exit half way down the hill of "spectature" vehicles joining the crowd of cars..

I would think you could splurg for an "off-duty" CHP Motor Bike Officer to direct traffic for 60-90 mintues at the hiway to get it on an even flow. The last few years, each weekend has been the BEST weather weekend in Seattle and I have missed it.....thinking I wont miss it next year.

 

I assume you are referring to the situation on the way out which was an unnecessary disaster but the way in was even more amazing to me. There were in fact multiple cops stationed at the York Rd/Hwy 68 intersection. They did nothing to ease traffic flow which seemed like an obvious and easy thing for them to do - but instead they chose to conduct radar based speed enforcement to keep themselves busy.

-mick

 

YEP, I saw that as well on the way in, I counted THREE of them at the intersection doing NOTHING to allow cars to turn left, other than wait for the light cycle...which allowed like three to four cars at a time...what a joke..

 

Mick I did a little checking and there are in fact some prestigious events where if you show your car one year, you cannot show it for the following two, for example. This is for the exact same reason I was alluding to: keeping the show fresh & interesting. If exhibitors & the public lose interest, the show is over.

 

Understood.

But lets face it, as important as the socializing aspect is, the success of the show ultimately depends on the cars.

That's why certain shows have prudently required a different field each year. There are lots of Club events that take place which are more about the people than the cars to satisfy the socializing aspect.

Oh well, this is one of those things that not everyone will ever agree on, but I know for me, seeing the same old cars every year gets old, and clearly people (and some event organizers) agree and also think this is an issue.

 

There were CHP Officers at the bottom of the hill and they did very little. I did see them turn a 60 foot car hauler away. I am sure they were hired with good intentions , but cops don't like to direct traffic they like big pension plans) If anything they slowed the traffic down.

I asked them if they knew anything about the off site trailer parking being closed (which it was for a period of time) and they said they heard about it , but knew nothing because those were federal police closing the yard down. I sat in line for an hour just to get my trailer then had to figure out how to get back in to get the car?? I finally gave up, left my car on the green and came back at 9:00 PM .

Next year I am going to bring a car I can drive straight into the event. After the show is over I will leave with someone else and come back after dinner to pick up the car, a lot less hassle.