Car show boosters ask for more support

THE DALLES — Seven years after a crash sent three people to the hospital, organizers of Cruise the Gorge are hoping to get city officials in The Dalles to help them make the annual car show safer. Before approaching the city council, they stopped by the fire department, where they got a lukewarm reception.

Every year since 1993, the Mid-Columbia Car Club has hosted Cruise the Gorge. This summer showcase of classic cars is always well-attended, with a highlight being a Friday evening “Neon Cruise” along a downtown route, which draws large numbers of spectators to witness these classic cars in action.

In 2018, one of the drivers involved with the Neon Cruise decided to do a “burnout,” braking the car while accelerating, causing the tires to spin and smoke. This maneuver is illegal under state law and in violation of the event’s rules.

The driver lost control of his car and crashed into a nearby parked SUV. He and his passenger were taken to the hospital, as was a bystander hit by the SUV. The crash led to a lawsuit against the car club, The Dalles Main Street Program, and the city of The Dalles, which was settled for roughly $100,000.

Prior to this incident, the car club had arranged for the city to turn traffic lights to flashing yellow during the event. Event organizers say this assists with traffic flow and reduces the temptation for drivers stopped at red lights to rev into a drag race when the lights turn green. But in 2019, to reduce its liability, the city ended the practice of allowing flashing yellow traffic lights.

The car club now wants to bring the yellow lights back.

At the Oct. 20 meeting of Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue (MCFR) Board of Directors, car club member Steve Hudson said the club plans to present its case to The Dalles’ city council. He said if the club could secure the fire district’s assistance in staffing intersections during the event, that would “help advance the whole thing.”

Some members of the board had reservations.

Director Dick Schaffeld asked Hudson what exactly he wanted MCFR staff to do during the event, noting that the event operators can’t just tell MCFR employees “you need to go do this as a firefighter.”

Director Diana Bailey, however, pointed out that MCFR used to perform a similar service for the Wasco County Fair & Rodeo, where they had staff “manned and standby nearby” but not otherwise actively participating.

Fire Chief David Jensen said that MCFR likes to “have a presence” at major public events in the city, though he cautioned they “definitely would be limited” in how much they could do.

Directors Walter Denstedt and Mike Erland had a concern of a different nature.

“The fuel that some of these cars are burning is extra volatile,” Denstedt said, “and the cars are running extra hot because they’re not moving and staying cool.”

He went on to discuss the challenges and high costs of dealing with hydrocarbon fuel fires. “Once we have the right equipment, I would feel a lot better about sending our personnel to deal with a volatile hydrocarbon fire in a crowded area,” he said.

Ultimately, Chief Jensen said the district would deal with the request administratively and inform the club of its decision.

Whatever the fire district decides, the club will likely take their request for the city’s help in regulating traffic flow to the city council at an upcoming meeting.

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Swen Carlson is Uplift Local’s Community Editor in Oregon. He has lived in The Dalles for the past decade.  Read the full notes on the Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue District Board’s Oct. 20 meeting by Documenter Sherry Ann Romero Brunecz at columbia-gorge.documenters.org.