Ride ‘N’ Drive 2016 Car Show |04 August 2016

Some of the cars in the show

A third car show was organised here in Seychelles on Saturday July 30 at the NSC Hall (ex SMB Hall) at Roche Caïman. It was held under the banner ‘Ride ‘N’ Drive 2016 Car Show’.

Like its predecessors, the 2016 show was designed as a platform for car owners to register their vehicles in order to put them on display for the public to come and admire.

As usual such an event attracted a large number of not only car enthusiasts but also people who simply wanted to have a good time admiring the gleaming well-polished cars that were on display.

The Ride N Drive 2016 Car Show was however not the third installment of the SMC (Seychelles Modified Cars) Association car show but it was basically attempting to give the public an event similar to those organised by the SMC, which was first held on Sunday May 11, 2014, followed by a second one on Sunday August 1 last year.

Steve Nibourette, the person currently running the SMC, informed Seychelles NATION that they were in no way associated with the Ride N Drive 2016 Car Show. He said the SMC as yet has no plans for a car show for this year. Members are yet to come up with a next car show by the SMC.

People still consider the first SMC car show in 2014 to be the most successful of the lot. Firstly they say that it was the one with the largest number of cars on display, and also the one with the most number of highly modified cars. The quality of modified vehicles that were on display in 2014 was exceptional and the number of people who came to watch the show on that day was staggering.

This year we saw Hedson Mathieu return to the show but with another Subaru, and showing off his car’s powerful engine. People were impressed and delighted with the car’s well-tuned engine, which kept spitting fire out of its exhaust on cue, as Hedson continuously raved its engine. Apparently the cyclist’s love for sports doesn’t stop only at cycling.

The event attracted a reasonable number of spectators but not as many as the first two shows. A possible reason for the modest turn-out was maybe due to the sheer number of activities scheduled on Saturday, political and otherwise. Some feel that it wasn’t as heavily promoted as the ones before it, and that it should not have been held in the run up to an election. Nevertheless, I felt it was an ideal event that allowed people to mingle and enjoy their Saturday among beautifully painted cars and amid the loud roar of engines.

We hope that the tradition will continue and we look forward to next year’s event which we hope will be even better than the first SMC car show.

We also have to take a few minutes to think about all those we have lost over the years in car accidents and ask that we all learn to respect the law, drive sensibly and protect yourself and other road users.

K. B.