Published: Wednesday, 17th June, 2009 12:34pm
Largs visitors won't come back to town
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I read with interest the letter from C E Evans regarding the apparent problem of "boy racers" driving through Largs sea front and felt compelled to comment on my personal experience whilst holidaying in Largs with my husband and children.
We came down from Stirling for a week"s holiday staying in a flat and I can quite honestly say that we will never return to Largs again.
On the first night we went with our children (one in a pram) for a walk along the seafront. When we reached the edge of the car park next to the toilets we were greeted by around 40 motorcyclists drinking and openly smoking marijuana and using disgusting language. When we walked past, two bikers drove over the pavement in front of my child in order to avoid going up to the barriers to get out. When my husband complained to them he was told where to go.
The noise from these bikes as they roared at incredible speeds through the car park (one or two even doing wheelies) and back along the main road was incredible. I actually thought that we had mistakenly stumbled into the Isle of Man TT. God knows how the people in the houses adjacent to the car park put up with it on a daily basis.
As Mr Evans alludes in his letter, I was under the impression that there was legislation in place regarding noisy exhaust systems/reckless driving/driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs and driving with helmets on that have such a dark tint that it would be illegal to use at dusk. It would appear, however, that Strathclyde Police Road Traffic Department thinks that hiding in the bushes on the approach to Fairlie with a laser speed gun to try to convict decent law-abiding motorists on their way to work on a Monday morning is of more importance.
A few nights later we were again out in the Main Street in Largs when a car with two youths passed by with the inevitable loud exhaust and thumping techno music and threw an empty plastic bottle out the window which narrowly missed the couple in front of us whilst shouting abuse from the windows. These young men then passed us by four more times whilst shouting abuse and gesticulating rude hand signs. Again the police were nowhere to be seen.
Finally to round off our week, on the morning of our departure we returned to our car parked next to Farmfoods in Boyd Street to find that our passenger side wing mirror had been kicked off during the night.
I had fond memories of holidaying in Largs with my own parents as a child and I had hoped to give my children the same enjoyable experiences that I had when I visited Largs. As it was we were glad to leave and get home away from the constant noise of racing cars and motorbikes roaring up and down the sea front to all hours of the night.
Sadly it appears that the same anti social behaviour that has become the norm and blights many other parts of Scotland has arrived in Largs.
Nicola Smith
Balfron, Stirlingshire.
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somerferg
(Unregistered User)
Jun 17 09 13:18
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I am saddened but not at all surprised at the comments in the above letter. The answer of course is for the police to do their job properly and of course for the people of Largs to work together to deal with this. Only tehn will Largs become attractive to families and holiday makers and unattrative to lowlifes such as those the writer refers to.
hazelkaye
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Jun 17 09 19:08
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Largs is rather a has-been of a place! It's an occasional day trip town (ie, the bus pass brigade - ME INCLUDED) but only for a few hours or so at most and not where you would choose for a week's holiday! Heaven help the seafront residents who have to put up with the relentless comings and goings of those ruining their day, every day (when & if the sun shines)!
linda kennedy
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Jun 17 09 19:15
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I am sorry the family had a bad experience in Largs.I have often walked on the prom when a lot of bikers have been there.The bikers have been drinking tea and haveing a chat,I have never seen them doing wheelies in the carpark and have always found them friendly.
Cheeky Monkey
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Jun 18 09 19:48
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This is a joke thats all i can say largs is great there are bikers but you can't say largs is the only place and there are no drug abuse and i know thats a lie the sea front is good even try the Pencil thats a good beach too there are no wheelies from bikers neither not to mention largs has good shops from clothes to art and a good sweet shop called the candy box with sweets that will take you to yuor childhood like MB bars then there nardinies Ice_-cream is to die for if you don't like it fine but don't make up loads of lies about it and no a don't live in largs
Hannah H
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Jun 18 09 20:15
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Largs is a g ood place and some times things do happen but they happen not in just largs.I am sorry that u and ur family had to put up with this I have seen the bikers but i have never seen them drinking they always had tea or coffee i think you should give largs another chance mabey it will be better ps i have to agree with the comment above from Cheeky Monkey
largonian
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Jun 19 09 10:07
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comment 3308 is very true....what has the community council done on the past years since they got the station restored......do not talk either about the group called initiaitive who seem to love spending op money etc
shonkey man
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Jun 21 09 22:42
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With reference to ms smiths comment re WE BIKERS. Myself and my partner are both bikers and like 99% of all bikers who frequent Largs on a regular basis are responsible adults/parents and good law abiding citizens. I like all my friends would Never put the public at risk by driving under the influence of LEGAL OR ILLEGAL substances, my licence is to valuable to throw away by a silly act such as you believe you saw. A large majority of us BIKERS are parents TOO! AND GRANDPARENTS and,speaking personnaly i would NEVER allow anybody to drive under the influence. Its people like YOU who TAR us with the same brush that you so sadly believe when you watch a movies.
littleangel
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Jun 21 09 23:00
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re the original letter.......If what you say was true why did you not report this to the police at the time and if not why not????? I would have reported it straight away and I'm one of the bikers you speak about. I do not tolerate drug taking nor drink driving and I visit Largs a couple of times a week and I have never witnessed any drink driving nor drug taking from fellow bikers. Perhaps you should have an asbo on yourself for making false statements and upsetting inocent bikers who are law abiding, hard working, road tax payers, council tax payers and who spend a great deal of money in the local shops on a daily basis and have good relationships with shop owners and business people. Like car driver there are some who push the boundaries so should I put you into the same bracket as the car driver you also slated????? Why not look past the bike and see the person who drives it!!!!!
Debbie Konrad
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Jun 23 09 02:29
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As a former resident of Largs now living in the USA, I visit Largs 3-4 times a year to visit my mother who still lives there. I have to disagree with the \"visitors who won\'t come back to town\" on a number of points. I have actually noticed an increased police presence during my last few visits, both foot and vehicle patrol which is good to see. I walk along the sea front frequently and have never encountered any foul mouthed, drunk, drug taking bikers. I LOVE Largs and \"coming home\" to the beautiful scenery, shops and cafes that Largs offers. Are there empty shop sites and buildings that could use a face lift? Yes!! But on a positive note it is wonderful to see Nardini\'s open again and I am sure in time and a better economy The Largs council will do its best to fill vacant sites. Too bad that the family didn\'t experience anything positive in Largs during their weeks stay. I spend an average of 10 weeks a year in Largs and as stated above have never experienced any of the situations that they faced in only a week. Maybe some exaggerations in the original letter????
Caz
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Jun 23 09 12:46
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Having lived in Largs all my life, i moved away a few years ago and have recently returned. While I agree Largs has deteriorated with drugs and violence i feel i simply must object strongly to this letter - i feel that this copuple hav ben unfortunate as i have always found the bikers who appear at Largs seafront every summer to be nice people and have never witnessed them taking drugs or drinking openly and i have certainly never witnessed them using any more obscene language than a normal person - i think they have been zoned in on for the fact that they are bikers. If you dont wish to return to Largs then dont however you will be deprived of the good things it has to offer. Lets be honest - the problems we face as residents of Largs are the same as every other area of the country with violence, drugs and disrespect and lets be fair - we cant blame it all on teenagers and young adults - ive seen plently of the older generation cause problems too.
canon
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Jun 24 09 08:39
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I VISIT LARGS ALMOST EVERY DAY ON MY BIKE AND HAVE NEVER WITNESSED ANY OF THE BIKERS SMOKING DRUGS OR DRINKING ALCOHOL IF I DID I WOULD REPORT IT STRAIGHT AWAY TO THE POLICE ,WHO ARE JUST A SHORT WALK FROM THE CAR PARK WHICH JUST HAPPENS TO BE ROUND THE CORNER FROM WHERE THE STORY TELLER WAS STAYING WHY DID THEY NOT REPORT IT ON THE WAY BACK???MAYBE BECAUSE IT WAS A FANTASY IN THERE HEAD EH??
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