I already voiced my opinion to Dan with regards to the awkwardness of the situation back in the boro event. There is so much cliquey-ness and concern that x other person turned up to the event. I work in retail currently, and I generally love people and interacting with them, even if I've never met them before, but I just can't find myself openly talking or interacting with these morons. The atmosphere and being able to openly talk to people is really the part. You get to learn about vehicles and discuss what we all have a passion for and unites us, transport and logistics. I tend to stay out of the way of people generally because of the stories I hear. I think the problem is the people and their attitudes to one another. The drama about the vehicles being new/old is pure theater and nothing but a representation of the issue at hand. I hope to very soon be a driver and turn up to these events and do my best to interact and cut the nonsense out, but I gather it's a situation that will pass with time. Nothing else anybody can do except sit and watch, hoping the morons develop a sense of what's appropriate and what isn't. Can't exactly ban specific groups of people from events or force attitudes upon people.

I remember at the Stockton Open day, it was very fluid and the drivers there were able to shine their light onto all interested parties, young and old. I spent a few hours there and spent hours going back and forth, but still felt it was worth it in the end even without much to do, which I couldn't say for the boro event. I think quantity of vehicles does matter, but that depends on how the people are going to be received with their vehicles, so ultimately stems from poor attitudes rather than the cost to be in any one given place with a bus. You'd pay the money to drive a bus to a venue if it was good crack, I don't think it's a matter of whether other preservationists are sending their vehicles out.

The family events seem to do the best for good crack and displays, perhaps if there were more events with this "bus fair" theme it would be targeting a wider audience and hopefully would drown out those who cause the issues in the first place? Don't know where I'm going with this, but that's my tuppence of the day.