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with 'SWINDON NEWS'
8:15am Monday 10th September 2007
CAR enthusiast Sara Jeapes says she has been victimised by the new dispersal order launched in Swindon town centre labelling her a boy racer.
Car club founder Sara Jeapes, of Top Secret Cruising, says she is sick and tired of being tarred with the same brush as irresponsible and anti-social drivers.
On Friday the Adver reported that police had issued a dispersal order covering the whole of the town centre in a bid to combat rough sleepers, motoring menaces and pushy salesmen.
It is the first time in Swindon a neighbourhood policing team has been given such an order for their whole patch and means they have the power to move on groups of more than two people who are causing harassment, alarm or distress. The town centre order is the 27th to be put in place in Swindon since they were introduced in 2004.
The first was brought in on March 1, 2004, in Stratton.
Under the order, the Wyvern Theatre car park, where Sara and her friends meet to discuss their cars, has now been locked after business hours.
But Sara, who also runs her club's website topsecretcruising.co.uk, says the club doesn't welcome irresponsible motorists.
She said: "This dispersal order is doing nothing more than putting cars onto the streets searching for somewhere else to socialise.
"I can understand that there are people that speed around and burn rubber but I am certainly not one of them and don't think I should suffer because of an idiot in a car. Surely being in one place the police would know we are there and behaviour would be easier to police'?"
The office worker says that she and her friends use their spare time to meet up and talk about their cars, not to upset local residents living nearby.
"It's not a bad hobby - bad for my wallet maybe - but I believe it stops some young people from getting into things like burglary and mugging and gives them a meaning and a life."
Sara also argues that her club's presence in the car park helps reassure some drivers.
She said: "We have seen some shady characters looking from car to car before, but the fact that we are there stops them from getting away with anything.
"If we see anything that looks dodgy, we are usually first to call the police. We have even had one resident thank us for sticking around because it means her car is under our watchful eyes - it's a shame not everyone feels the same."
GraemeLeighfield, Swindon says...
9:23am Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
9:25am Mon 10 Sep 07
Al Smith wrote:its only a name - a name we are currently changing to reflect our views.
She is founder of Top Secret Cruising - isn't cruising exactly what she say's she isn't doing?
Andy_C, Swindon says...
9:25am Mon 10 Sep 07
adam, Swindon says...
9:28am Mon 10 Sep 07
Voice of Reason, The Parks says...
9:38am Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
9:47am Mon 10 Sep 07
missey, Surrey says...
9:55am Mon 10 Sep 07
Voice of Reason, The Parks says...
10:34am Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
10:53am Mon 10 Sep 07
Voice of Reason wrote:Hey!
Can you do me a favour Crackerz, I have a 16 year old son he thinks I stress the word thinks he knows about cars. All I hear is how he is gonna get this car fitted with nos etc he is not as clued up as he thinks. I would love to bring him to meet you guys one time so he can see how you improve a car properly without becoming one of those idiots with sh1te car with a stupid exhaust bought from Halfords. Not sure how I can contact you without it being public to find out pls let me know cheers..x
Voice of Reason, The Parks says...
10:56am Mon 10 Sep 07
Beaker you Muppet!, swindon says...
10:57am Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
11:07am Mon 10 Sep 07
Beaker you Muppet!, swindon says...
11:13am Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
11:21am Mon 10 Sep 07
Mr Blackberry, Oxford says...
11:21am Mon 10 Sep 07
VW, Swindon says...
11:58am Mon 10 Sep 07
VW, Swindon says...
12:00pm Mon 10 Sep 07
swindonian01, Swindon says...
12:07pm Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
12:15pm Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
12:16pm Mon 10 Sep 07
csb, Swindon says...
12:26pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Voice of Reason, The Parks says...
1:01pm Mon 10 Sep 07
GetAJob, Swindon says...
1:26pm Mon 10 Sep 07
GetAJob, Swindon says...
1:26pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam, Swindon says...
1:36pm Mon 10 Sep 07
StFc, Swindon says...
1:36pm Mon 10 Sep 07
cartmanzx, swindon says...
1:39pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam, Swindon says...
1:55pm Mon 10 Sep 07
"I can understand that there are people that speed around and burn rubber but I am certainly not one of them and don't think I should suffer because of an idiot in a car".
adam, Swindon says...
2:07pm Mon 10 Sep 07
IF YOU LOT REMEMBER A WHILE BACK ON ITV'S TREVOR MCDONAULD TONIGHT THERE WAS A PROGRAMME ABOUT BOY RACERS AND HOW THEY CLOSED ROAD AND KILLED PEOPLE BY RACING AROUND
swindonman, swindon says...
2:16pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam, Swindon says...
2:20pm Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
2:21pm Mon 10 Sep 07
swindonman wrote:not by any of us they haven't. There would have been uproar.
I work for the ambulance service and friday and saturday nights getting down fleet street to emergency calls is a nightmare due to all the idiots in there modified cars who feel the impulse to drive down to john street car park and then drive back to flemming way they repeat this loads of time through out the night people have been knocked down loads of times. The sooner they shut off fleet street at weekends to non emergency vehicles the better.
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
2:24pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam wrote:no thats not what he saying lol. our 'meets' are open to all but bad behaviour is frowned upon and very rare.
So when car meets are not properly organised there is the potential for roads being closed and people being killed? YES? Then they need to be properly organised!! Youre contradicting yourself. I know that you say youre a club that does not condone this behaviour but your events are not organised and anyone can turn up.
mc, swindon says...
2:36pm Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
2:41pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam, Swindon says...
2:45pm Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
2:53pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam, Swindon says...
2:56pm Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
2:58pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam, Swindon says...
3:04pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Grimaldi, The Big Top says...
3:08pm Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz, swindon, wiltshire says...
3:10pm Mon 10 Sep 07
GraemeLeighfield, Swindon says...
3:12pm Mon 10 Sep 07
mush1234, swindon says...
3:17pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam, Swindon says...
3:20pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Chris, says...
3:26pm Mon 10 Sep 07
crackerz wrote:Why don't you actually DRIVE your cars or join a proper car club with regular meetings and shock - Public Liability Insurance.
where exactly can we pay to go 6 nights a week where our cars can be with us?
Grimaldi, The Big Top says...
3:29pm Mon 10 Sep 07
mush1234 wrote:Excellent spelling and use of grammar there Mush. Well done!
i hear your gonna take over mataland car park now,you lot are as bad as the pikies,you get moved on go to anther spot,leaving you mcdonalds bags and other rubbish in these car parks why dont you go up to the ridgeway out of the way and it would be a nice drive for you lot.
Voice of Reason, The Parks says...
3:39pm Mon 10 Sep 07
mush1234, swindon says...
3:39pm Mon 10 Sep 07
cartmanzx, swindon says...
3:45pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Grimaldi, The Big Top says...
3:46pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Voice of Reason, The Parks says...
3:53pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Grimaldi, The Big Top says...
3:59pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Mellish, Hounslow says...
4:01pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Voice of Reason, The Parks says...
4:06pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Chris, says...
4:09pm Mon 10 Sep 07
mush1234 wrote:I am the only Chris. I was hear first.
cheers gimbo thanks for that ,chris are you the old chris h or are you a new chris
Mr Blackberry, Oxford says...
4:09pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Mellish, Hounslow says...
4:17pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Voice of Reason wrote:Now you're just turning the discussion into talking about yourself...as always.
So people really are small minded. I dont really care what you think anyhow.And as the said girl in question is only 22 years old I dont chase girls not long out of school, no disrespect meant to crackerz. I am happily married have been for 18 years I am an adult unlike yourselves
adam, Swindon says...
4:31pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Mr Blackberry, Oxford says...
4:39pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam wrote:You havent fallen asleep already have you? :-/
zzzzzzzzzzz
Beaker you Muppet!, swindon says...
4:54pm Mon 10 Sep 07
adam wrote:well Adam what small minded and very judgemental comments, if they have legal cars with road tax, insurance ect and it is a public place they they have paid to meet, the police have not "just" issued a dispersal order against this club, its for the whole of the town centre because of the nuisence from beggers salesmen skaters ect ect, if you had bothered to read the article you would know this, as for you earlier comments of Football grounds are accountable for their idiots and Local pubs are accountable for their idiots is just laughable, how can crackers be accountable for people that have nothing to do with her club, she has already stated that idiots are not tolerated and frowned apon in her club, you are clearly a keyboard warror with nothing better to do than make ill informed comments about something you clearly know nothing about and people you clearly know nothing about.
This is going nowhere You dont pay to be there. If you did pay to be somewhere, nobody can/would complain. Nobody cares how much you like your car or what is deemed as excessive. The fact that the police have issued a dispersal order against you means that you are a nuisance to the public . Just do it by the book and then youre ok, and we can get on with our lives.
adam, Swindon says...
4:58pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Voice of Reason, The Parks says...
5:01pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Beaker you Muppet!, swindon says...
5:06pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Chris, says...
5:11pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Beaker you Muppet! wrote:And of course, boy and girl racers causing distress, alarm and harressment.
adam wrote: This is going nowhere You dont pay to be there. If you did pay to be somewhere, nobody can/would complain. Nobody cares how much you like your car or what is deemed as excessive. The fact that the police have issued a dispersal order against you means that you are a nuisance to the public . Just do it by the book and then youre ok, and we can get on with our lives.well Adam what small minded and very judgemental comments, if they have legal cars with road tax, insurance ect and it is a public place they they have paid to meet, the police have not "just" issued a dispersal order against this club, its for the whole of the town centre because of the nuisence from beggers salesmen skaters ect ect, if you had bothered to read the article you would know this, as for you earlier comments of Football grounds are accountable for their idiots and Local pubs are accountable for their idiots is just laughable, how can crackers be accountable for people that have nothing to do with her club, she has already stated that idiots are not tolerated and frowned apon in her club, you are clearly a keyboard warror with nothing better to do than make ill informed comments about something you clearly know nothing about and people you clearly know nothing about.
Beaker you Muppet!, swindon says...
5:21pm Mon 10 Sep 07
Al Smith, Swindon, UK says...
9:11am Mon 10 Sep 07