Recently a group of locals got so heated at the traffic Monterey Car Week might impose upon roads used to battle the Soberanes Fire they started a Change.org petition to suspend the event.
"Help us fight the #1 wild fire in the nation," it reads. "Support our petition to Stop Car Week!"
"This influx of cars and visitors will further tax Highway 1 and significantly reduce the hotel rooms that fire fighters and evacuees need while the fire is burning," it reads. "We are reaching out to ask you to add your name to our petition to move these events out of the Monterey Peninsula this year or to postpone them until after the fire is out."
Many who took a second to think about the "proposal" realized how difficult it would be to reroute thousands of transport vans, vehicles and events that bring the area millions of dollars in visitor revenue.
Others thought about how nice it would be to avoid traffic so bad it once took me two-plus hours to get from Carmel Valley to Seaside, with no accidents choking things up.
Some familiar with the Tour d'Elegance tour that happens the Thursday of Car Week realized it travels down to Ripplewood in Big Sur proper, which doesn't seem too bright given conditions.
Fortunately local officials get those things, at least on some level.
Tomorrow Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau and 10 community partners like Supervisor Dave Potter and Concours d'Elegance spokesperson Kandace Hawkinson are calling a media advisory to release “Your Guide to Navigating Car Week 2016.”
It will include information on road closures, shuttle schedule and traffic tips to help inform residents as well as visitors.
Representatives will also speak about the impact of the Soberanes fire. Media will be provided with the guide, daily map images of events and a link to the MCCVB’s interactive Car Week map.
An adjusted Tour d'Elegance is also promised.
The one currently up on the Concours website cuts right through the heart of Big Sur and Carmel Valley.
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