Well, it's Silly Season again!
Well, it's that time again, the rednecks have returned to Bathurst again for that annual festival of burning rubber and oily engines. The silly season that is the Bathurst 1000 is on again and it's been forecasted to be a big one - something like 180,000 people to attend over the 4 days.
What the politicians and the commentators fail to mention is that the local townspeople of Bathurst tend to get strangled and scared away this week due to the influx of 'different' people. While I know most people that attend the Mountain Epic are well behaved, it's the select group of race-goers that really do ruin it for everyone, including the locals.
It's impossible to go and do your weekly shopping this week due to the sheer number of people swarming Coles and Woolies for their eskies, BBQ meat and soft drink (then move on to the bottle-o for their 1 slab of beer).
While I avoid the Bathurst CBD like the plague, I do get involved most years, having been a flag marshal, time keeper and volunteer previously. This year, I'm just helping the Bathurst Light Car Club out, volunteering to help man the parking lot on Saturday morning, making sure people park in an orderly fashion. It's an easy job and get a 4 day ticket out of it. *grin*
My office at Uni is also within ear shot of the mountain so, I get to hear the beasts rip up the tarmac from my desk.
What the politicians and the commentators fail to mention is that the local townspeople of Bathurst tend to get strangled and scared away this week due to the influx of 'different' people. While I know most people that attend the Mountain Epic are well behaved, it's the select group of race-goers that really do ruin it for everyone, including the locals.
It's impossible to go and do your weekly shopping this week due to the sheer number of people swarming Coles and Woolies for their eskies, BBQ meat and soft drink (then move on to the bottle-o for their 1 slab of beer).
While I avoid the Bathurst CBD like the plague, I do get involved most years, having been a flag marshal, time keeper and volunteer previously. This year, I'm just helping the Bathurst Light Car Club out, volunteering to help man the parking lot on Saturday morning, making sure people park in an orderly fashion. It's an easy job and get a 4 day ticket out of it. *grin*
My office at Uni is also within ear shot of the mountain so, I get to hear the beasts rip up the tarmac from my desk.