Cars And Coffee Canceled: Why Popular Events Shutdown

So, your favorite Cars And Coffee canceled.  Maybe you’ve been attending the event for a long time.  Or perhaps you just recently stumbled upon the perfect one for you.  Because the location, time, date or cars are the best fits for your liking.  However long you’ve been attending.  And whatever reason you liked it.  It’s almost certain that the cars and coffee canceled for one reason: knuckleheads!

Specifically, C&Cs are canceled because of stupid behavior carried out by knuckleheads.  And this includes but is not limited to the following.  Engine revving, burnouts, loud music, loud crowds, and general hot-dogging behind the wheel or around coveted cars.  In short, you have to act with common sense at these events!

What Are Cars And Coffee Events?

First, what exactly are Cars and Coffee events?  They’re informal weekend morning car meet-ups.  The events are as simple as the name suggests.  People with different types of cars show up and park.  They get out and stand near their car.  And they enjoy conversation with other car guys and gals.  That’s it.

You don’t have to own a cool car to attend.  In fact, you can walk or take the bus to get there.  They’re free and barely organized.  And that’s why, when they get big and popular it’s both cool and concerning at the same time.

Location, Location, Location

So, take Crystal Cove in Newport Beach, California as a perfect example.  Crystal Cove is a fancy strip mall along a beautiful strip of Pacific Coast Highway.  The view of the ocean from the parking lot is gorgeous.  And a group of car guys organized an event there a few times.

But each time the Crystal Cove Cars And Coffee canceled.  Why?  Because it gets too big and both business owners and people complain.  And actually, for good reasons.

Who Causes Cars And Coffee Cancelations?

But, who’s going to complain?  The people that go there want to be there.  Plus, the business owners get, in some cases, hundreds of potential customers.  And those are customers that might not ever come to that business’s parking lot for any other reason.

Crystal Cove Cars And Coffee Canceled: ‘Text Book’ Reasons

Each time the Crystal Cove Cars And Coffee gets more popular and grows.  More and more people attend.  And the coffee shop in the strip mall loves it.  Because it gets more business the morning of the C&C than it has the entire week combined.  So that business is actually good with the crowds.

And many of the other businesses aren’t even open when the events take place.  So they might not care at all.  For instance, a clothing boutique that doesn’t open until late morning.  Those owners typically wouldn’t have a problem with a car meet taking place from 7 AM to 9 AM.  In fact, that type of business might benefit from the crowds.  As it opens up just as the car meet is winding down.  So what’s the problem?

Crowds, Claims, And Neighbors

In the case of Crystal Cove Cars And Coffee being canceled, it comes down to crowds and moreover, potential claims.  Insurance claims that is.

Crowds Of People

First the problem with crowds.  The Crystal Cove Cars And Coffee canceled because of stupid behavior by knuckleheads for sure.  But also, the crowds got so big that there was nowhere for people to park.  Shoppers who wanted to simply go to the strip mall’s grocery store had to do laps in the parking lot.  And because of all the people they were very slow and frustrating laps – so, I’m told.

Prospective Insurance Claims

This is where the knuckleheads’ behavior is really spot-lighted.  Maybe the crowds could be dealt with.  But what happens if a knucklehead exercising stupid behavior hurts himself.  Or worse, what happens if they hurt someone else?  Who gets sued?  Crystal Cove – that’s who.  (More than likely.  I’m not an attorney and don’t even play one on TV.)

Neighbors

Finally, almost every canceled cars and coffee event has some residential (or business) neighbors somewhere that complain.  Because they are inconvenienced in some way they get loud about their opposition to the event.  Maybe it’s due to traffic being backed up to get in or out of the event.  Or because of the increased noise of crowds, engines or music.  Maybe it’s because of… whatever.

Not In My Back Yard!  NIMBY’s are everywhere.

Cars And Coffee Canceled: Understandable Reasons

So, it makes sense.  Because when you consider the issues surrounding what causes the cancelation of cars and coffee events.  Nobody wants anyone to get hurt.  And nobody wants to wind up in court.  Especially because of some knuckleheads’ stupid behavior!

How-To Behave And *NOT* Get Canceled

In case you missed it, at the top of this post I linked to my Cars And Coffee Ultimate Guide.  Because it includes additional guidelines on how to attend the events.

And here’s a reminder to share with any potential knuckleheads you might know.  (I definitely know some myself – we all know them.)

1. No Engine Revving: No matter how cool it sounds.  Don’t do it.
2. No Jamming Tunes: Shut your system down.  Whether it’s Run DMC, Pavarotti, or Taylor Swift.  Nobody wants to hear it.
3. No Burnouts: Tires are expensive anyway.  Don’t light them up.  Because doing so will cancel your favorite cars and coffee.
4. No Donuts: In case this one is unclear.  The only donuts at cars and coffee events are the ones you dip in your cup of joe.
5. No Speeding:  Pedal off the metal on your way in and out.  Cops are well aware of cars and coffee events.  And even if you want a ticket – go get it somewhere else.

Cars And Coffee Events Still Happening

And there’s plenty of cars and coffee events still happening – all around the world.  Especially here in Southern California.

Donut Derelicts at Adams Coffee Shop in Huntington Beach is probably where it all started.  I think I still need to update my History of Cars and Coffee article and podcast I did with Barry Meguiar.

And I’m not 100% certain because Cars And Coffee events are informal car meets.  Hardly organized.  But great fun.  So Respect The Legacy!