Ask any die-hard v-dubber about their favourite show and they'll probably give you a handful of events that have been just right; where all the variables have been perfect - the planets were all aligned - so to speak...
Deva Dubs 2013 was looking to be such an event; the all important weather forecast was for wall-to-wall sunshine with light winds, the location - a showground by the river just a few minutes walk from town, a great mix of vehicles on show - the usual German metal mixed up with some great American cars which makes the show field a refreshing change from the usual format. The usual mix of camping friends all excited at the prospect of a great couple of days chilling-out, eating well, drinking well and creating the memories for the next time you are asked about your favourite show.
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| Packed and ready to roll, two wheels and four |
The quest for show-perfection had begun. The journey down was fine if a little warm, but who's complaining? Our camping plot (that a few early-arriving friends had bagged) was surprisingly large with plenty of space to spread out without feeling like being camped on top of one another.
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| All the hours of cleaning certainly pay-off under bright sunshine |
Friday night was pretty much perfect; lamb kebabs, a few shandys, a wonderful sunset and subsequent stargazing lead to a great night's sleep - the showground fell pretty much silent shortly after midnight.
Saturday dawned a little cloudy but with the warmth of the day came the glorious sunshine. After a lazy start we headed along the riverside walk into Shrewsbury to sample a few of the town's finer ale-houses and stock up on provisions.
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| Have we gone back in time? |
Bathed in sunshine, Shrewsbury looked like a place worthy of further exploration. As time was ticking on we headed back to the showground ready for more barbecue and to sample the party atmosphere that Deva Dubs has become renowned for.
But at the end of Saturday night things went a little downhill - and this is where, for me, the planets fell out of alignment...
I'll admit I'm no spring chicken. At the age of 39 I've done my fair share of partying, but have also learnt when to stop; hangovers are harder to recover from and there's too much to see at the show on Sunday to be lying in the van with a pounding head. I also need a good night's sleep.
Nobody would be so naiive as to attend a Volkswagen show without thinking their would be a little noise intrusion from those campers that are having a good time. Many shows, Deva included, have a designated Family (or quiet) Camping area where there is a loud music curfew of 10pm. These areas tend to fill up really quickly and in this instance we were camped in 'General' camping which has a similar curfew on sound systems and stereos at midnight. As it says on the Deva Dubs website - this isn't Bug Jam!
So why at almost 3.30am am I still lying awake listening to a group of inconsiderate campers screaming at one another and shouting over the top of loud music? I vividly remember 3.30am as that was the time on the clock when I was about to get dressed and find either security or organising staff to do something about the situation. At that point someone with the same thoughts as me must have done exactly the same as I could hear the group being told enough was enough and it was time to call it a day.
Given the time I think security went in fairly serious as I could clearly hear them saying turn it off or we'll throw you off site. This was then met with 'you can't throw us off site, we've had a drink, it's your duty of care, you can't throw us off site, we know the law'.
Thankfully the music stopped at this point. But the shouting continued for another half an hour or so about how they couldn't be thrown off site, duty of care, we know the law, etc, etc.
And this got me thinking - what's the point of a noise curfew if it can't be controlled? It really annoys me that some people; fellow show-goers with a common interest, should behave in such a manner with complete disregard for those around them and the rules of the show.
What could or should be done in such an occasion? They can't be moved as vehicle movements would be far too dangerous around tents etc. They can't be walked out of the show and left at the roadside. Could registration numbers be taken and then be asked to leave first-thing the next day? Excluded from buying tickets for next year's event?
It's always a small minority that causes these issues but it's now me, the regular punter, that is thinking twice about attending in future - and not just this show, any weekend show - would it be easier to camp close-by at a campsite and then visit for the day on the Sunday? It means missing out on many great elements that go in to making those perfect-show memories, but if there are many more of these negative experiences I'll call it a day on VW shows.
Anyway, rant over. It was a great show, just not as perfect as it could have been.
Sunday dawned and the sunshine certainly helped with my lack of sleep - as did a nice curry lunch from one of the food vendors - yet another plus point of this show over others. A meander around the show field and those great American cars rubbing shoulders with Volkswagens really is a refreshing format. It's great to see vehicles from a different 'scene' to see how others modify, restore and care for their vehicles.
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| Size difference is just one of many contrasts. |
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| Some awesome German metalwork on display |
So the quest for the perfect show goes on - it will happen, it's happened before - maybe that's what keeps us all going. I tip my hat to all the show organisers; you've one hell of a job to do and doubt you get the thanks you really deserve, it's such a shame you have to deal with those that have no respect for their camping neighbours.
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| Perfection? Almost. |
