Monday, 13 December 2010

Baltimore Drive

Clydell Brock's now infamous 'Double Touch' finish

The mean streets of Baltimore are probably not first place in the world you would look for parking expertise. In the state of Maryland, parking anywhere without a clear foot and a half of clearance at either end is illegal. But here in this most maligned of America's troubled inner cities the people have found a new way to find release from the chaotic brutality of their daily lives.

Former car thief and small-time drug dealer, Clydell, has been shot three times, (although one of those was a hunting accident) and has a rap sheet as long as his wheel base and tow bar combined. In our short acquaintance together he was happy to tell me that he too had shot at people. I was unsure as to whether on not this was simply bravado. In the culture of the ghetto, to have never pulled a gun in anger marks you out as weak and even though Clydell is mostly free the dark web of the concrete killing fields, it's unforgiving tendrils still pull at the core of him. He hopes to help others still trapped in the spiral of poverty and violence so so nearly saw him, and his obvious parking talent, become just another figure in an increasingly troubling set of statistics. In order to do this, like the bodhisattva of the Buddhist tradition, he must keep his connection to the street alive. I look at him across the Formica table of a greasy spoon, the smell of coffee and eggs in the air. In front of the back-lit wall mounted menu, he looks ridiculously solid, like a man carved of wood, eminently respectable in any circle of society.

"It's a f**ked up situation in the city... we try'na change that the best way we know how... " 

Clydell Brock takes troubled teens from the City's parole system and introduces them  to the semi-legal but stabilising world of competitive parking. In his languid Baltimore drone, he waxes lyrical about "a world away from the world, "This roll bar and glass... this is a metal cage, not designed to keep you, the menace, away from the street but to keep the street and all it's corruptive power, away from you.
On the weekdays, that's about the only time when we head out separate... but on a Sunday we ride together, we everywhere together, we making gaps, building spaces on spaces man, four cars in for three. rolling tight. like a unit."

Brock has been accused of inspiring street gangs not involved with his organisation into stealing cars and then dumping them in impossibly tight spots. So tight that the police cannot get them out again without using cranes. It is often cheaper and faster to hire the same group of kids responsible for the theft to get the cars back into the open, and as such has become a lucrative source of ghetto income.  Brock laughs when I put this to him.

"We ain't out here to hurt nobody... I mean we understand we breaking the law but. you know.. even the police break the law. And anyway man, parking cars be a hell of lot better than slinging rock right?"

With his infectious smile just a few feet away, I admit that I am forced to agree.

The famous Double Touch shot at the top of this article is probably the first time an image of tight parking has graced the sleeve of a hip hop album, or been featured on MTV. Brock tells me the story behind it.

"It ain't just the parking,  fact is that it's out front a crack house. Add to that that two days earlier the police came by and put up that sign telling us to respect the gap limit, but didn't do nothing about house they put it next to. They wanna clamp down on us because we easy, We ain't out there packing guns and dropping bodies, it's crazy. That shot there ain't about recreation, it's a political statement, that's why it got the reach that it got."

Brock's world of police crackdowns is a million miles away from official competitions and gentlemanly camaraderie of the UK scene but there is hope that we can bring the two together.  Before I leave I hand him four tickets to next years World Championships, I tell him that 100% awesome wants him and three of his best to be there.

Watch this space people, beacuse as Clydell Brock would put it, 

'The whole damn games about to change.' 


Monday, 25 October 2010

Family Values

Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the gaps of London






Parking Isn't meant to be exclusive, it's not a sport for young men, or old men, or even middle aged men. It's not for the rich, it's not for the poor. Its not for the good or the bad, it's a sport for everyone. Even those that find themselves temporarily lost in the foothills of redemption. 

What you are seeing in the pictures is living proof of that.


Timothy Carraway is a Family man and he drives a Family car. (Peugeot 206 Estate!) What at first looks like a bit of extra air at the back end is in fact a four inch tow-bar that Tim used to use to pull his Family Caravan. "I only get to see my kids on alternate weekends now,  but what with the child support cheques and everything else, I can't afford a second car so I have to make the most of what I have. It's important not to forget about the tow bar... or the kids. Life is all about balance"


"After my divorce, I found myself at a loose end in life. I felt like I had screwed everything up. I found myself just driving around aimlessly, enjoying the comfort of the radio and not wanting to go home to my two-room apartment having to face another long and lonely night in. I guess I was looking for something, something I could be a part of... That was when I met Gerry (Gerry Fawn) I noticed that he was cruising the same blocks, we kept seeing each other driving and eventually he pulled up beside and asked me if I was also "into parking". I mean I had no idea what he was talking about. I didn't have the faintest clue that I was talking to a British Record holder at that time, I didn't even know parking was a sport! 

In the weeks that followed Gerry taught me some of the basics and that was it. I was a new man after that, I felt like I was part of something again.


In a way I think Gerry kind of saved my life. I just wish I could have said it to him before he died.

Gerry taught me to see myself, not as the driver of the vehicle but as the fulcrum, a calm centre around which the world turns. When I get it right I can leave my body and problems behind for a few minutes and go somewhere else, only to return to find my tires perpendicular to the pavement and not more that 3 inches away. These are the good days, it is important to remember them"


Rest is peace Gerry. Rest in peace.







Monday, 18 October 2010

A Rainy Day in Heaven

 
No loss of focus

Do you remember those movies back in the fifties when they used to put Vaseline on the screen to make the starlets look better. No camera-tricks were needed to make this shot of Darren Caulwells trademark green Rover look any better! 

One of the things that sets our sport apart against all other forms of motor sport is that performance is not significantly affected by adverse weather.  Darren spotted this gap in Clifton in Bristol and made the most of it. He said that he was particularly pleased to do it outside of a running and cycling shop, making a mockery of the idea that it's not worth owning a car due to the fact that it's impossible to park. 

Still no slope though Darren... We're just saying.

Sunday, 26 September 2010

Bags of Courage

 Bradley Harrold claims the spoils at the Kia sponsored 'Park'n'Ride' Festival in Majorca


The great thing about park-off events is that everyone uses the same car and the whole thing is done in-front of a crowd. There can be no talk of modifications, or flankers being brought in after the fact. "I once had someone accuse me of using a crane!" said Bradley who took first place in the adjusted reverse at the 2010 'Kia Park'n'Ride'. Bradley lead the line for British drivers with Darren Caulwell, having a torrid time, complaining of a migraine and forced into fifth in the Men's Single Reverse when he lost points for clipping.

Bradley is pictured in his trademark sock-less sneakers with his winnings: several Kia branded garments and a few delicious goody bags from a local supermarket.

Talking about the relative merits of the Adjusted over the Single Reverse, Bradley was quite the diplomat. "They are both crowd pleaser's, the Adjusted makes for better pictures, you have a full ten minutes to move in and out, you can even switch things up, try a completely different line if you need to, in the single though it's all about that one fluid movement. While its not my drug of choice I can see that there is a certain simplistic natural beauty to it, that and it's so much faster, you can see ten guys pull in in under an hour and then you still have the rest of the day."

Speaking of the rest of the day it was a mixed one for the Brits  with the French Drivers, Juliene La Roche, and Tierry Absalonne  driving well above their usual standard and taking first and second respectively in the Perpendicular and Single Reverse and La Roche adding a silver to his roster in the Adjusted Reverse.



Wednesday, 15 September 2010

Royal Flush


 
'Some day's you just get it right.'

'I felt good that morning. The sun was shining, conditions were perfect. I was driving around for just  seven minutes before I spotted this hole and my heart started beating like steam-train. Not only is it a bare 5cm longer than the car itself, (leaving just 2.5cm of wiggle at either end) the gap holds the extra pressure of being flanked by a Mercedes S400 and Toyota Mr2 Spyder. Not the kind of thing to take on if you value your no-claims bonus.

Judging by the rich guy cars and affluent housing in the area, the owners of these two high price pieces of machinery couldn't have been far away, any slip on the clutch here could easily have lead so some  serious physical, as well as financial pain. 

There was no way that I wasn't going to give it a try. I knew, as soon as I saw it that it was a once in a life time gap.'
These are the words of Darren Caulwell, At just 31 years old, Darren is a young driver, new to the sport, but already making waves with some super-sick reverses. The two pics above were all it took to lift him above the run of the mill and earn him some special recognition from 100% Awesome. 

In fact, the shots are so impressive that when they first started making the rounds a lot of people accused Darren of faking the reverse by bringing in the two flankers after the fact. Some even suggested that he had had his own car modified so that the front wheels would turn a full 90. None of which is true.

It's a shame that when new-blood comes on the scene the first thoughts of the old guard are to suspect foul play. Having seen the boy in action myself, and met his charming mother who he lives with, I can personally guarantee that this is not the case. 

He has a perfect sense of position and his clutch control is exemplary. 

These are exciting times for Parking, someone young and charismatic like Caulwell could really ignite the public imagination and take our sport to a whole new level. 

Darren favours a Rover 200 it's an unconventional choice as it doesn't have the greatest turning circle in the world and has quite a long wheel base.
It's cheap, it's got great bumpers and the open turning circle actually suites the long wheelbase, it's a slower curve but if the positioning is right then it doesn't matter; I find that you can always wiggle in. Because of the size of the car, it's true that sometimes I have to drive past holes that a pro in a Nissan Micra would fit into easily. But the pay off is that I tend to find that the gaps that a regular Joe in IQ or Smart Car leaves behind, make ideal super-tights for me and my Rover which would be much too wide to consider challenging enough in a smaller vehicle.
It's out of the box thinking like that that has made him the rising star he is today.

As for the Pics above. It's certainly tight and even, the wheels are straight and it's definitely flush with the line, But lets face it Darren, there is no slope to speak of and road is extremely wide. We at 100% would like to see how you would handle this same gap on a one-lane urban side-street with a 35 degree slope. Pull that off and we'll really be impressed.



PS. Darren is currently looking for a sponsor, so if you are into parking and want to get in on the next big thing... get in touch and 100% Awesome will set something up.

CaliFITication

Home of the Brave
America isn't known for it's parking. Sadly the excess of space and the proliferation of garages and 'lots' makes it a nearly impossibility to find a challenge worthy of a full blooded parking enthusiast. Most of the Pic's and vids that you see from the states are from artificially created and sometimes even pre-measured gaps. While it makes for an impressive photograph, for me, pre-measurement takes the fun out of our sport. 

In the world of parking half the battle is finding the opportunity to shine.  The perfect gap is out there, but it is up to you to go and find it.  

In pre-measured  parking, where is the glorious realisation that yes, what you are attempting to do is possible, that you were correct in your original assessment and you will not have to pull out and start your search anew?

Being sure of the length of your vehicle and your ability to control it, should be the name of the game. 

I've decided to run this pic today because I know that it is a genuine 'organic' gap  and one with it's fair share of historical significance.  Outside the Bank of America outlet on Poca Road In Santa Rosa California, There is a short-stop, three car line that really only has enough room for 2 and 2/3rds of a vehicle. It has been a popular break since the mid 1980's. 

Because it's outside a bank, there is a constant demand for spaces as well as a fast turnover of drivers. As a result you get a lot of variety in a short space of time and just to spice things up a little, every job you pull has a time limit: you have to work faster than the desk jockeys inside the bank or one of your flankers could well disappear before you are able to finish.

Felix Maude, (The dude in the black T-shirt) used to come by as a boy, just to watch the greats at play, pioneers like DJ Piotrowski and Michael Millington who, in clapped out Camero's without the aid of powersteering, could pull no-look-back reverses in under a minute, leaving just fractions of an inch of air at both ends... .

Standing on the shoulders of giants, Felix has worked hard to keep the US organic scene alive in extremely difficult circumstances and we at 100% Awesome would like to recognise that fact.  

As for the picture... It's a great park job Felix, we salute you. That said, it could be a little more even and next time you might want to straighten the front wheel before you run outside with your camera.




Tuesday, 14 September 2010

No.2 Slot

 
Sweet Jesus! 

This isn't the greatest gap the world, there is no slope, it's uneven and you could probably get a bus into the air off the front end but we at 100% Awesome love it and what we love about this reverse is the story behind it. 

This is a student area near the Whiteladies Road in Bristol, it's prime spot for super-tight gaps especially between rush hours when you have shoppers, students and office workers all competing for the same patch of turf. According to his email, Carl Nougat, had pretty much given up the hunt and was putting his Peugeot into a disappointing 8 meter drive-in, when a Smart Car pulled out of the line leaving this "more interesting" sized hole. 

Sadly before he could get out of his space, a beautiful 19 year old student switched on her indicator and started making a few attempts. After she repeatedly failed, Carl, ever the gentleman, stepped in... offering his easy spot in exchange for the challenge of spot number 2.

"You'll never make it," said the grateful student... but make it he did! 

Apparently the girl was so impressed by his feather-light clutch-control that she hung around to watch and even gave him a round of applause when he was done. ( Reportedly jumping up and down in a tight top and short plaid skirt.) Carl said it was a dream come true. 

Unfortunately the Student (who refused to have her name or image used on this blog) later revealed that she had a boyfriend. On a happier note she did tell chivalrous Carl that he could be number two on her list, should she ever break up with her boyfriend.

'It ain't no thing' said Carl playing it cool, 'I'm second on a lot of girl's lists'

I think this little story proves beyond any doubt that there is no better feeling in the world than being watched by and attractive girl as the front end of your car swings into a perfect line with the car in front and your rear bumper draws level, just a millimetre away from the car behind. 

It's positively beatific.