Are Car Shows More Exciting When They're Over?

I have been going to car-related events for almost 15 years now. I have been lucky enough to attend big trade shows like SEMA, Essen Motor Show, Tokyo Auto Salon, and many motorsport-focused happenings. The following statement comes from someone obsessed with driving: I believe car shows are better when they're over. And I'll tell you why.

During these events, every participant must follow the rules: no revving of your engine, no burnouts, and no exceeding the show-floor speed limit. And they make perfect sense, given that you can have thousands of people strolling around to feast their eyes on all the exciting vehicles gathered for the event. And that reminds me of something Vin Diesel said in the first installment of the Fast and the Furious series: "You can't detail a car with the cover on."

Now, the connection I'm making here is that you can truly enjoy seeing a fast car without witnessing it going through the gears at wide-open-throttle. That might only sometimes be the case for lesser-powered vehicles or stance cars but think about all the events that are aimed at JDM machines, Muscle Cars, or Supercars.

A tuned Mazda RX-7 is beautiful, but people nowadays want to get close to the action. They want to see a live burnout or flames coming out of the exhaust. They want to see sketchy drifting on the side of the road and launches. But nobody wants to see people getting hurt or cars getting damaged. So it would be best to always be on high alert when a car show is over.

People have gotten used to taking out their phones or cameras and asking drivers to "do some tricks." And it only takes a little for them to respond. This is part of why Mustang drivers have such a bad reputation and why there are so many jokes about them crashing as soon as they leave the scene. If you're a spectator at such an event, try to maintain a safe distance from any car. Stay away from walking down the road, especially if that's where everyone is showing off.

Regarding high-powered vehicles, particularly ones with RWD, drivers can quickly lose control and, God forbid, hit someone. The safest way for drivers and spectators to enjoy the whole thing is to head over to the racetrack. Otherwise, event organizers should take better action to coordinate cars safely leaving the site. For years, I've been seeing this kind of video from events in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US.

Strangely enough, drivers are more responsible in Japan. Sure, there is the occasional illegal street drifting scene, but spectators are usually tucked away behind safety barriers and on high alert at all times. I'm not trying to be a wise guy here, but these are all things you should consider if you've never been to a car show before.

If you want the whole experience, visit the racetrack. If you will attend such an event anyway, try to avoid trouble! Until then, this video might show you how big of a JDM scene Italy has. And if you have been following my previous stories, you might remember an interview with a certain RX-7 owner who had several Japanese cars in his garage. That's how big the phenomenon has become. The question is: how long will it last before something new comes along?