General Forum Members Age?

[Okibi]

If you have a look at the average age of the attendees at a function such as a Sunday run, or a Nat Meet, I think you'd find the figures to be very different to the poll here

I suggest if you look at the figures from one of our club runs and Natmeet you'll see a dramatic difference.

[Garry]

Which poses the next question, where are all the 20-30yo's on club runs?

The MX5 driver age thing is an interesting one. You would expect there to be lots of older folk in MX5's. They have the financial ability to be able to afford to own a toy car for sunny weekends. The entry price for an MX5 has always been in the $30-50K range which would put off a lot of younger folk. They also dont have any kids so dont need a back seat. However, now that used NA's are available for $<10k there is an upsurge in the <25yo crowd as people can now afford to buy them for their first or second car. Having 2 seats is off putting to some however as they are seen as a selfish car with no room for their mates. So they aren't as popular with young people as some other models. Then as people get older there is a need for rear seats and a bigger boot as people start to have families so the MX5 makes way for something more family based.

[sliq]

Which poses the next question, where are all the 20-30yo's on club runs?

they come to the "unofficial" runs, not the club runs

[Mr Morlock]

Garry raises some good points about the obvious restrictions with MX5's and how this might affect certain age groups. Motorcycles have also drawn middle aged riders for the mlc and there may certainly be some connection with later model 5's for the same reason. I see a lot of lady drivers in the 30-50 age group but there is no science to my observations.
Crapweasel's perspective on forums is also an interesting one- who knows how is affects votes?

MX5 clubs may also not offer quite what younger people want or what they are attracted to. The social runs may be too slow and being single may distance them from mortgage payers and people moving away from a single life style . Of course if you cater for the younger set then the risk is there for the others to drift away from Club events. Clubs are more than just Natmeets.

[Alex]

Which poses the next question, where are all the 20-30yo's on club runs?

they come to the "unofficial" runs, not the club runs

+1
I'm still not a club member

[RG.net]

People that have half an idea about cars, and what the MX-5's are capable of, tend to sway past the whole 2 seater thing.

Still, i am quite suprised of this poll, i was expecting the general group to be alot more mature. As mentioned, none of us attend the club runs (i have a few times, when i went you could count the youngans that attended on one hand), dont know why though.

[psquire45]

well perhaps all us "younguns" should go to one of the club runs ?

[16bit]

25. there is more of us on the internets because we know how to use it.

[Red Dragon]

At the Victorian MX5 Club runs we usually get a good mixture from all age groups.

Us old buggers know about computers ( Green means ring - Red means hang up ) oops! that's my mobile phone.

[Okibi]

At the Victorian MX5 Club runs we usually get a good mixture from all age groups...

Same in W.A., I guess both Matty and I were Presidents at fairly young ages. Our clubs seem to cater more for the young and young at heart, yet I know there's still a cardigan element that don't see the benefit of designing events to also suit younger members. I bought this up at the Natmeet presidents meeting and was dismissed by the meeting chair, my comments were also omitted from the minutes of the meeting.

Many moons ago I had another state president that told me they deliberately tried to "get rid of younger drivers with loud stereos" from their events, i'm glad that club has been making drastic changes.

Personally I was very grateful for the support and guidance I had from the more senior members of our club when I joined, I only hope that I can provide the same for new members of our club.

I know my comments re the Natmeet Presidents meeting will piss some people off but it's a topic i'm passionate about and I hope that people with a similar passion get involved in the committees of their respective MX-5 clubs and help make sure that their feelings are known.

[Old Dude]

Okibi I agree with you, whether your old or young we drive these cars because we love what they are about, and to my way of thinking that should be what the clubs are about, bringing people together that have common interests.

So the musics a bit louder, turn down your hearing aid or drop back a few 100 meters and enjoy your car..!!!

Regards
Old Dude

[NMX516]

Often younger guys and girls don't attend club runs because they have other things on most weekends. Who wants to get home from a night on the town at 3am, and then have to be up at anything before approx mid day to go on a club run?! The unofficial runs are more popular with that age group because, amongst perhaps a few other reasons, they are at a time that suits better.

Our club runs are these days well attended, but amongst the group there are often folks who just want to dawdle along and admire the scenery, when others want to just go for a drive. Attend a few runs where the pace of some attendees is bordering on pedestrian, coupled with the run 'rules' of no overtaking, and the novelty very quickly wears off for those out for a good old fashioned drive on some fun roads. We used to split groups on club runs into "faster" and "slower" but that got quashed because it was seen as encouraging speeding in the faster group. The point of that idea was missed entirely, and now we all have to go as slowly as the slowest car, even if that means 20km/hr under the speed limit.... End of mini rant, as you were

[Old Dude]

Your kidding if I go for a drive its to enjoy the cars handling, if I wanted to drive 20kph below the speed limit I would have bought a CAMRY

I don't see a problem if someone wants to drive slow and enjoy the scenery but they should definately be at the very back of the convoy!

Old Dude

[mx52nv]

Our club runs are these days well attended, but amongst the group there are often folks who just want to dawdle along and admire the scenery, when others want to just go for a drive. Attend a few runs where the pace of some attendees is bordering on pedestrian, coupled with the run 'rules' of no overtaking, and the novelty very quickly wears off for those out for a good old fashioned drive on some fun roads. We used to split groups on club runs into "faster" and "slower" but that got quashed because it was seen as encouraging speeding in the faster group. The point of that idea was missed entirely, and now we all have to go as slowly as the slowest car, even if that means 20km/hr under the speed limit.... End of mini rant, as you were

I am so glad that our club has done away with convoy rules a long time ago. Now we have a few regroup points on the way to the final destination. People drive at whatever pace they prefer. We advocate safe driving and always remind members of the fact that they are representing the club to the general public.

That said - some club members consider that I am the "hoon" of the club.

[Jeo]

Let me preface by saying I'm both 22 and a self confessed ricer.

I'll admit I was a little skeptical about joining the club as it certainly had an aura of cardigan about it. The first run that I went on before I joined had no less than 38 speed bumps (I counted) and we would have only hit the speed limit once or twice. I was not impressed.
At our last stop, a guy who would have been in his early 30s pulled me aside and explained that this is not our normal monthly run and that I shouldn't judge the club by this. The next month's run was totally different (more what I expected originally) and I really enjoyed it.

My girlfriend and I have since been on a few runs, make it to coffee and lies when we can and I've attended two shows with the club. I've only ever seen two other people under 25 on a club event ever (daffy and his significant other) and guess what, I still have fun. While the driving is normally pretty good, the conversation before, during and after has always been good fun. I try to say hello to everyone and I spend a day socialising with people that I never would have otherwise (interesting people at that). Yes I cop plenty for being a lout with big wheels, holes in his bonnet and jeans that are on the ground, but by the same token I give plenty back to the old fuddy duddies who all drive identical cars at the pace of a camry.
Sorry, I'm going on a rant here but I don't get concourse. I mean I understand the concept, just not the logic of a competition based on who can keep their car the same-est.

The pre-noon start times are often a bit rough, but you get over it fairly quickly if the run is worth it.

So I'ma run with what I normally say at this point, join the freaking club! Young and old, awesome and stock; its good fun for all involved. The more the merrier. Another cliche. etc, etc

Having said that, I'm still at uni which means I work weekends. That makes it hard to get on runs so I make sure I go when ever I can. I'd assume that there are a few others in a similar boat.
As for the natmeet, there isn't a chance in hell I could afford to take the better part of a week off work (no leave as a casual) only to spend a fair chunk of money traveling across the country.

And the two seats thing, thats a selling point. I don't need more seats, I don't have kids and my friends better have cars. Or to put it another way, I don't care how you're getting there, the mrs and I are going in my car. You also get great lines like I would drive tonight but then I'd only be able to take one person, me going designated driver just doesn't make sense, you'd better drive mr accord owner. Like almost everyone here I'd imagine, there has been one or two times where a third seat would have been incredibly useful, but most of the time its more than enough.
I bought a motorbike as my first from of transportation. One of the advantages that I (and my parents) saw was that I didn't have to give people lifts, ever.