What has happened to the SMACS???
 

Not heard from you guys for a while, whats going on? have you disbanded??????

I think everyone is very busy at the moment, so it has all gone quiet. A bit frustrating when you see the WYIOC getting bigger and bigger!

Off out tomorrow night to the WYIOC meet (well, if you cannot beat them - join them ;) ) and a fun run home, but not heard of anything else happening.

How are things your end?

ahem...what are the SMACS???:D

Or do you mean WAS?

I think, (correct me if i'm wrong) South Manchester and Cheshire Subarus?

Unbelievable! What has happened is that people turn up at the various meets during the month, then don't bother coming again. Between myself and supertouring, we've organised enough drives over the last few months to keep any petrol head happy, but it gets a bit annoying when people don't bother turning up, or say they're coming and then don't bother.
After seeing what is going on in other counties bordering ours, it is dissapointing to see such a low turnout on every meet. On the other hand, after speaking to trev from the lads group, I'm glad we're still a very small outfit. (especially after the recent troubles with the wyioc run-outs :()
Our hardcore membership is still there, and that is the way I personally like it.
I know super is getting tired of planning the weekends to wales, to see only a handful of cars turnup. I'm getting pevved off with arranging meets midweek and sundays, to have only 2 or 3 cars turnup.
So chief, the smacs are alive and well, and to show your concern, give nev a shove, and get him to come out in his scooby :)
Our trip to curborough was a case in point, where we struggled to get 10 people on the track, and 1 of my m8's from work made up the numbers! Our christmas do's are a joke, and we've given up that particular event!
So if your worried about us, turnup and support us :)
chris.

Well said!

A quick search on google!

Stochastic Modelling and Analysis of Communication systems
St. Mary's Academy Charter School

:) nice one super, I've calmed down a bit now! :)
chris.

Was i right?

Judging by the way things are for the mid cheshire arm of the SMACS its crazy at work at the moment (still there now) which means I struggle to get to meets of late. That is no disrespect to the guys organising the runs, etc, but I've barely driven my car anywhere since I got it, let alone been to any meets recently.

Aside from that my CTR drivers seat is playing up and needs to be fixed before I go on any serious run outs, hopefully that will be resolved this weekend. I know Steel is also mad busy with work at the moment which is probably why you havent seen him for a bit.

I am hoping to become a bit more of an attender later in the summer in preparation for Curborough 2!!

Good to hear from you beefy, and I know like a lot of the members of the smacs, we are for the most part very busy people. I like the fact, most of the time, that we don't always turn up in great numbers. It would be boring if we saw each other every week for regular runs, and we'd soon run out of places to drive too :)
Maybe it's time we had a go at organising a proper meeting place, with food and a descent carpark, for regular monthly meets?
I'll see how it looks at the wyioc with super and mad tomorrow night, were going to gate crash thier party :)
chris.

Bought time i got a response - i thought you'd all been kidnapped by aliens or something!!!!!

What i meant to say was 'Bowt time'

chief, there have been 10, count them, 10, posts in the last 2 months directly related to the smacs. Can you explain how that means we've "all been kidnapped by aliens or something"?
FFS!
If your that worried, how about turning up for a meet or something? :)
chris.

Bl**dy hell Chris thats a rant and half. :)

Ask your self why do you get low turnouts????

the thing is people have Jobs, nagging wives, trips to B&Q blah blah - and in the case of me not a decent car to attend with other wise i would come to a lot more meets.

I cant compare to the LADS, WYSIOC etc because i have never been to one of there meets - i'm sure you have Chris so you will be able to see how they do things differently.

As you said having a big club brings its own problems so bigger is not always better!!!!

Not trying to throw the cat amongst the pigeons its just that a few months ago post's would always appear on here for runs out and now it seems to have a dried to a trickle - maybe have it as a performance car club not just Scoobies (hasn't beefy got a CTR)

To be honest Chris i felt really out of place when i turned up in my Audi that time, although i would have struggled keeping with you lot on the twisties! especially Super with his STi (and his new found b*lls:) )

So come on guys do some more meets, no excuses with these summer evenings, Chris i know you get frustrated and it probably seems as though only you and Super show any willing but these things are never easy because when you do get it right it is f**king brill for examle when we all went to Wales!!!!

And anyone else reading this in the South Manchester area come on you only have to put up with Chris's rabbitting on over the two way radios (its a laugh if nothing else):D :D :D

cheeky bugger :)
and so you should, with that luxo barge! :)
like I said, 10 meets in the last 2 months, give or take 1 or 2! :)
the 2 way radios I bought by the way, only super has bothered to get some of his own! :(
chris.

Oh hello Chris - that Luxo barge was great i miss it lots:cry:

have a look at WYIOC they have their own forum and badges! cool eh

Why dont you have a set meet time every month with a sprinkling of meets in between. Do it on a weekend (preferbly Sunday) then hopefully folk are not working or taking the missus to buy kitchen taps from B&Q

And Chris one other thing FFS get your p*cker up lad dont be so down with it!
if you call them they will come!:)

P*ss poor, trying to sell my house so i can downsize and hopefully afford a decent car!! instead of the piece of s*** that i have to put up with!

Biggest problem, and I am serious, is that only myself and cw actually organise anything. No one else does - not even a run out! (Execpt Andy and Curborough - best not forget that or I will be banned).

In WYIOC and others there are many members organising things. This means it is not left to a few to organise, it is spread evenly over the club members. This therefore offers a wider diversity of activities and as each member suddenly realises how hard it is to sort these things out, there is more impitus for everyone to attend each activity.

Just having a regular meeting place will not solve the problem. We dont need forums or badges, we need the members to get involved and support the club.

Christ cw, you've got me on the soapbox now!

(This is no way targetted at any one person, it is a general comment to all)

Just an example of a few things that have been suggested this year alone:
smacs bbq (had one at mine last year, and I think super and andy turned up)
smacs games night (supers suggestion, still yet to take shape, as the thread has dried up through lack of response)
smacs games night at madscientists house (as above)
smacs run-out last week (actually suggested by "agressive" who isn't even an official smacs member :) but got only 2 or 3 responses)
smacs to curborough (organized by andy, and dissapointing turnout, with as mentioned before, 1 lad from my works, and cheesy from south yorks group)
Numerous runs out on wednesday/sunday nights, with excellent routes, all planned and sometime recced beforehand, by me and super, max turnout, 6 cars.
I know what your saying about the club chief, but tbh, as super points out, the onus is left to a very small core of us to organize everything. It's only when you organise your first route, get everyones promise of attendance, then only 1 or 2 turn up on the night, that you realise what a thankless task it is.
I don't want to put you down, but you've hit a nerve with your comments, and tbh, seeing what a great job the lads, wyioc, cumbrian, tyne tees and westmids scooby clubs are up to at the nbo on sunday has made me realise we could so much more. But as super says, this takes more than 2/3 people can manage with our busy lives.

If we were to introduce a regular meeting time and place (I've already done this once, first wednesday of the month @ the h&h) regular runs out, and other club activities (we do all that now) do you think that we'd be better attended?
On the minus side to that, we've had the misfortune of having some right nobs come out on our runs, who shouldn't be driving a shopping trolley, nevermind a scooby, and in a big club, how do you police that behaviour?
Get yourself over the lads meet, your a lancashire lad anyway, see what you think of the group, and report back the plus and minus points of having a big club to run. Be sure to have a chat to trev while your there, and ask him how much of his free time does he give for the group. :)
See you soon m8,
Have a good one.
chris.

I know how difficult it is to organize stuff. i am the official xmas do organizer at work and i wont do it anymore due to all the s*** and the whinging and moaning off work collegues, i'm not going there, that do was cr*p blah, blah so in a way although only once a year i know on a smaller scale how frustrating it is.

Just you wait until i get a decent motor i'll be a pain in the ar*e and you wont be able to get rid of me!

Changing the subject - have you sold your Scoob yet?

Chris, Super. Hope you don't mind me putting my oar in?

I'm really looking forward to meeting you both (?) tomorrow night and I'd be happy to impart any knowledge or wisdom about us. But to be honest, I feel you both have tons of passion and commitment and that SMACS is in good hands if some of that rubs off....

The only thing I can say is that we were lucky in getting a core set of people together initially that just clicked, giving off a good feel good factor.. We've had people come and go ourselves as we weren't right for them, but we've stayed away from changing the club to suit any one member, so this keeps the club pared down to those who like the way it is, rather than the club trying to be everything to everyone, which is difficult and would inevitably split the club into 'cliques'.. it's just 'drifted' along with subtle changes that have happened rather than being planned..

The meet tomorrow is a relatively small Mid month meet as we look for another venue.. as we've drifted away with comments about the other place not being right.. part of the reason for that location was to move closer to you (SMACS) and the South Yorks guys as we feel that forging links to other clubs adds variety and keeps us from getting stale..

Likewise we're planning to pay a visit to the Hull lads to repay the compliment in them coming to see us in May.. SMACS were next :D

I'm not sure what 'recent troubles' you had with one of the runs, but it's all part of a learning process that just moves the club along.. we wouldn't analyse it to the point of stamping it out unless it was a particular issue that kept recurring.. we've not had that yet.. thankfully as the relaxed atmosphere seems to mellow things..

Not sure if this helps, and feel free to tell me to shove this where the sun don't shine... :D Either way, I'll be looking to meet up and buy you a pint.. (that's the individual you.. not the Royal club 'you'... :D)

Cheers mate..
Al

I dont think Curborough was a bad show I think that it was unfortunate that alot of people had work commitments on that day. The one in September is now well over subscribed with 8 reserves.


I have not been around as much as I would have liked due to the fire in January and also racecar work being so busy ask Sue if you dont believe me!

One of the main reasons I like the Smacs is its small friendly "club"


PS Dai you have got your own back now I missed 1 of your organised events (sorry I did not come to wales) and you have now backed out on 2 of mine. LOL

PS youcould have told me about your trip over to the WYIOC meet I would have come, but Sue is now going out and I have to look after the little ones

must admit this did put me off a bit the last drive I went on we had one of these!

If you want to race me try Curborough, the road is not the place! (sorry little rant over)

I dont understand your point!

In one breath you are saying there are not enough people turning up and in the other You are saying small is good!

:freak3:

You must be bitter if you are counting!

The visit tomorrow was me only initally, but I thought I would ring Mad and see if he was keen as I want to see how his car goes. I know CW is on lates, and I could not honestly be arse putting it on here. This is how I feel about it at the moment.

Would be good to see you out soon.

Lets put this one to bed - before we all get too excited?

LOL:)

alan c, thanks for your excellent input. We too started with a core of top blokes, all of whome I'm pleased to call my m8's, but you seem to have grown where we've been stuck. :)
It's also nice that you're hopefully moving your meets closer to us, as one of the best runs I've been on was early last year with the south yorks lot, about 25 scoobys in convoy, all behaving themselves :)
I'm on nights this week, so I wont be able to hang around too long tomorrow night, but I'm sure we'll have time for a chat,
chris.