Gumball Rally been called off ....

[Mk2Jo]

AFP - 2 hours 27 minutes agoLONDON (AFP) - Organisers called off a car rally involving celebrities and millionaires Thursday evening after two British drivers were arrested in Macedonia accused of being involved in a crash that claimed the life of a local man.

 

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Nicholas Morley and Matthew McConville, who were participants in the cross-border "Gumball 3000" rally, were detained at Macedonia's border with Albania late on Wednesday, a police spokesman told AFP.

 

Morley was the driver of a turbo Porsche 911 that had allegedly collided with a local car earlier the same evening, killing Vladimir Cepuloski, 67, and seriously injuring his wife near the southern town of Struga.

 

McConville was being held on suspicion of having tried to help Morley flee the former Yugoslav republic.

 

Following the news, rally organisers said that the event had been closed in Bratislava a day early because of the accident.

 

"As a sign of respect we have decided that this year's Gumball 3000 Rally will not travel any further and will end in Bratislava this evening," said Maximillion Cooper, the rally's founder, in a statement.

 

"As the organisers of the rally we feel that it should be stopped as a mark of respect to Vladimir Cepulyoski who died today after an accident involving one of the participating drivers."

 

The statement added: "This is the first time anything like this has happened in nine years of travelling through over 40 countries with thousands of drivers and it is with deep regret that I make this announcement."

 

Other participants in the Gumball rally included British celebrities such as the actor Orlando Bloom, best-known for his role in "Lord of the Rings," and Jay Kay, the lead singer of the pop group Jamiroquai.

 

The rally, which involved some 180 luxury cars, had entered Macedonia from Greece and was travelling towards Albania when the accident occurred.

[Burns]

it was bound to happen some time

[Jimsiss]

morley seems to be a really unlucky name

[orionmojo]

whoops!! prison aint nice in eastern europe!

[Daggle]

We had an Operation ready for them when they came through Kent, got 2 of them for speeding, but the Germans had a field day and stopped 50 cars, taking the keys of the owners.

 

Apparantly the Porsche owner tried to flee the scene in a mates BMW and was stopped just before they reached the border.

 

Hope he is having a fun time in the local jail getting to know Big Boris

[Jay_harrier]

As already said it was bound to happen, the bits of footage seen on the TV are only half of the story. A friend of mine works with the Mancunian nut who trashed the white Ferrari a few years back & behind the scenes was total lunacy only saved by buying their way out every situation.

[Doc]

Apple Pies ...... I take my baby in the car everyday and theres no place for rich wanks to put ordinary folks in danger like that .

 

That guy was loved by someone and his life taken by a hungover rich yob ! Hope he rots in jail.

[Tonys18t]

the whole Gumball media circus is and always has been the height of stupidity, i've said so for years, even though its not cool to say so.

 

anyone who has seen footage from this event will be under no illusion about the disproportinate number of complete morons that take part; speeding, reckless driving and generally being a complete ahole are glorified and made light of.

It seems to be OK to go to someone elses country and break the law, then make TV shows about it,

 

I like fast cars, mad partys and having a laugh as much as the next man, but this lot are just idiots pure and simple. a fcuking disgrace to car guys and people who enjoy cars as a hobby and passion.

 

I read some BS today about the organisers saying that they tell drivers to obey all local laws, give me a break, who is filming these plonkers when they break those very same laws and then making millions putting the crap on TV.

 

its all fun and games till someone gets killed,

[Slik 50]

It sad to hear about the loss of that old chap, but f*ck me I would love to take part in the gumball

[Tonys18t]

...his wife also died 10 minutes before the old boys funeral

[S2 Dee]

the whole Gumball media circus is and always has been the height of stupidity, i've said so for years, even though its not cool to say so.

 

anyone who has seen footage from this event will be under no illusion about the disproportinate number of complete morons that take part; speeding, reckless driving and generally being a complete ahole are glorified and made light of.

It seems to be OK to go to someone elses country and break the law, then make TV shows about it,

 

I like fast cars, mad partys and having a laugh as much as the next man, but this lot are just idiots pure and simple. a fcuking disgrace to car guys and people who enjoy cars as a hobby and passion.

 

I read some BS today about the organisers saying that they tell drivers to obey all local laws, give me a break, who is filming these plonkers when they break those very same laws and then making millions putting the crap on TV.

 

its all fun and games till someone gets killed,

 

Well said.

[Slik 50]

People die every day in unfortunate accedents and no one gives a toss. I realy cant understand why this is any diffrent

[Tonys18t]

thats true enough mate, life is short, and death is all around.

 

but there are plenty of reasons why this effects us here on this forum for example, but also as car nuts in general.

 

The general public, the people who can effect how we go about our hobby with their votes, money, influence and whatnot, good, bad or indifferent will tar us all with the same brush, "lads with flash motors."

 

Gumballer, chavs at Ace cafe, fast and furious muppets or serious mk1 Escort owners with Cossie lumps who like to open her up on a track day, we are all the same to them, like it or not. they have the power to legislate our hobby out of existance. lord knows they are trying hard enough as it is.

 

when the public turn on their tellys and see the Gumball lot tearing through residenial streets and larking about on the motorway, their disgust will filter down to us, before you know it, you'll be "one of those bloody tearaways in the souped up motors that kill people." On the whole the general public dont put a lot of thought into this kind of thing, its all about mainstream media sensationalising the news and kneejerk reactions etc.

 

its up to us to police this scene or community or whatever you want to call it, by watching this show and supporting it for years people have quietly given the nod to the illegal antics.

[Daggle]

People die every day in unfortunate accedents and no one gives a toss. I realy cant understand why this is any diffrent

 

Because they are glorifying it..... check out the tv shows and websites

[Slik 50]

People die every day in unfortunate accedents and no one gives a toss. I realy cant understand why this is any diffrent

 

Because they are glorifying it..... check out the tv shows and websites

 

Glorifying what ?...... The death? Or the race its self?

 

I have just looked on the official website and all I can see is anything but glorification. I dont watch much TV but from what I have seen on the TV they arnt glorifying anything!

[Tonys18t]

Gloryfing driving like a twat in a modified car, have a look see what you think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Slik 50]

I dont feel they glorify anything any more then say The fast and the furious or Gone in sixty seconds.

[Tonys18t]

those are fiction, its not real, they are films about bad guys doing stupid stuff, thats the plot.

 

Gumball is an actual event on public roads that is put on telly.

[Slik 50]

It dosnt matter if they are fiction or not. They still influance people!

 

It dosnt have to be just films it could be rallying or watching drifting or any other form of motorsport.

 

The people on the gumball are no diffrent to people like me and you. They like fast cars and they like to race. You honestly cant tell me truthfully that you have never wanted to take part in somthing like the gumball ? or that you have never got the arse end out or spun a doughnut or gone way to fast around a corner and thought "phew maybee that was a bit to fast" every one do's it weather it be right or wrong.

[Tonys18t]

Im not saying films with fast cars being driving badly dosent influence people to do the same, it does. films like fast and furious have been one in the eye for people who care about cars. organised motorsport takes the illegal risk out of racing, no thrill for chavs, i think you'll find most people who are seriously into rallying or drag racing dont practise on the street.

 

you dont put the lives of innocent people at risk when your making a film, or racing on the track, Gumballers do. the Gumball cirus sends the message that its OK and cool to do what they do on public roads, the whole thing about "its a rally not a race" even police escorts in some cases, it all gives a nod and wink to the antics. the illegal undertones of the event and the illegal footage which is readily available makes this stuff look cool to people who dont know any better, the organisers get rich off the hype created by illegal activiy directly related to their event.

 

now, i think they are different to me, and i would hope you, because whereas most of us have been stupid behind the wheel once in a while, we know its wrong, stupid and illegal and dont make an event out of it, endangering other road users for profit. ... and truthfully, no, i wouldnt want to take part in the event, i grew out of being a muppet behind the wheel, most sensible people know right from wrong and grow out being chavs, i own a couple of cars with enough horsepower to scare the pants off me at weekends but street racing them is just childish and stupid.

[Slik 50]

I Truely, 100% understand what you are saying mate.

I was just trying to put across that they are tonnes of other influances that lead to simaler tragedies.

And as for people who are into drag racing dont do it on the streets. Can you tell me that you have never sat at a set of lights and nailed it when its turned green? not even once

[Tonys18t]

nailed it good and proper, but you grow out of it. lol.

[Slik 50]

nailed it good and proper, but you grow out of it. lol.

 

LMAO

Seems like a pretty cool site that wheel whores