art cars are stupid

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 12:47 pm

Art cars are stupid. Yes there have been some notable exceptions like La Contessa (now banned), Moby Dick, the Dragon and the Nebulous Entity, (and a few others). Most however, are simply crap.

Even though there are all kinds of rules regarding art cars, like the 5 mph rule, the vehicles must be "radically altered" rule, no one follows them, and no one enforces them. The Rangers say "It isn't our job". I knew someone that brought out a truck (largely left undecorated, and certainly not "radically altered") and drove it everywhere for the entire week and didn't even bother getting a sticker from the DMV! He wasn't stopped once. They probably thought he was on the staff or something because you know "The staff doesn’t have to decorate their cars, they're too busy putting this event together for YOU!

I heard the DMV was going to get stricter next year, but I've heard that for the last several years and haven't seen much of a change, I think if anything, it has gotten worse.

So how about a limit on the number of Art Cars allowed, like say 20? If you want to build an art car you submit your plans (just like when registering a theme camp) and the top 20 are chosen based on artistic merit, probability of actually being produced, and greatest value to the community. If your car isn't chosen you are free to volunteer and put your money behind one of the chosen entries, which would hopefully increase the quality of those art cars that we do see.

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 1:01 pm

And while we're on it, dance camps are stupid, too. can we limit those?

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 1:05 pm

And while we're on it, dance camps are stupid, too. can we limit those?

I agree, fortunately I know where they are and I can avoid those. I don't want to limit all art cars, just the ones that move.

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 1:27 pm

just the ones that move.

Then they're not art cars, are they?

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 1:45 pm

Then they're not art cars, are they?

Actually, yes, they are art cars. I mean I drive my car to Burning Man, and it sits there all week and it's still a car, and then I drive it home.

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 2:23 pm

But why not just call it a sculpture?

I think part of the point (theorectially) is that it does move.

I agree that a lot of art cars out there aren't really art. And I agree that it seems like the DMV keeps saying they're going to be strict and crack down but there doesn't appear to be a lot of evidence of that.

But I'm not sure having a juried selection process is the best answer.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 2:33 pm

But I'm not sure having a juried selection process is the best answer.

That was just one suggestion, and you're right it might not be the best answer. I was hoping that someone might have a better one and share it here.

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 2:54 pm

I think it has to start with the DMV actully following through and cracking down on their regulations. Then go from there.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 4:19 pm

I'm on the BM. MVD. list. It just come on line this week. There a few changes. I strongely suggest you contact then if your bringing a art car. They need a few people that understand art. I altered my electric chair to the point only the handle-bar and front wheel could be seen. This guy started telling me it was not changed enough. I had made it into a electric chair. Named it "The Passage Byond." (have a seat) The shit-for-brains couldn't tell the differance. I don't think a panel of judges is a good idea. Oh.. I groweled at him and said "give me a fucking sticker. Then the damn thing went tits up right after I got the sticker.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 6:44 pm

I think it has to start with the DMV actully following through and cracking down on their regulations. Then go from there.

I agree - in part.

The push this year - as I understand it - is that the message needs to get out that the vehicle problem is not just a DMV issue (approval) or a Ranger issue (enforcement) but a community issue.

Experience over the last few years has been that by far the majority of complaints, infractions, accidents and general disregard for the community comes from people who've slipped in through the gate with ATVs, scooters, golf carts, etc. and who've shown no inclination what so ever to towards putting something together that might even be marginally considered to have any 'artistic' merit.

Not really sure how that's gonna be pitched at the town hall meeting or how it's gonna be received but you can expect that something is gonna change. Chai's point which I think suggests radical alteration of a vehicle will probably play very much into what the approval criteria for next year.

quiet girl · Post by **quiet girl** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 6:59 pm

Perhaps what the DMV ought to do is establish a "Mutant Vehicle" patrol to moniter Art Cars out on the playa, much like the Rangers or Perimeter.

A few DMV art cars or altered golf carts designed to be recognizable as being from that department might deter random drivers out for a joyride in their default world vehicles. Aside from that, it would be a fun way for those DMV folks sitting at a single location all day a way to get out and see more of the playa.

That Chai Guy has found Rangers that don't consider art cars as a part of their patrol is somewhat surprising; I was always under the impression that the departments worked together to make certain that the few rules we do have as a community are followed.

On a side note, I know that as DPW staff I am subject to being checked out by Rangers or even other departments any time I've had to bring a personal (read: not radically altered) vehicle out onto the playa so that they can make sure I'm actually supposed to be there.

For the eplaya record, I hate driving anything but a bicycle or a golf cart (sometimes that's even a hassle) on the playa. I'm sure a lot of other staffers agree.

Most of the time when you guys see one of us in a DPW truck that means we're off repairing or putting something together that requires 400lbs of tools to be drug along with us.

One suggestion for us would be to ask someone to dedicate their month or two to building a few radically altered DPW vehicles for us to use, but that might be difficult to do and to monitor, much more so than just handing out a few driving passes to let us get to work as quickly as possible.

KellY · Post by **KellY** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 7:13 pm

Hey Quiet Girl, maybe we need to decorate the jiggy lifts to be allowed to drive them on the playa, eh? We could cover them with David Best's castoffs and - no, wait, someone already does that.

So do the Deathguild Cars count as art cars? I just adore them. Got married on top of the one that molotoved, as some may remember me mentioning.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 7:39 pm

In 02 every one just jumped into a car and drove to where they were going. I notice right away that a lot of it stoped in 03. In 01 the outlaws that camped across the street from me, would get drunk and drive at all hours of the night. Thanks to then being so loud I'm alive today. Damn fool come close to backing over me. I woke in time to throw big beam of light at him. He stoped but just laughed at what he had come close to. I was real temped to ice pick every tire in there camp

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 7:58 pm

Early in the week in 2003 I was out at the man serving chai to some of the folks still working on putting the finishing touches on him. There was a guy working his ass off driving this forklift full of wood around when another guy (who also appeared to be staff and possibly from a certain dept. which I will not name because it would be pure speculation on my behalf). pulls up in his undecorated non-art car. Well the guy in the Forklift is a little pissed off because the guy in the car just jacked up his flow, but he's pretty cool about it and asks the guy to move his car. Well the guy in the car decides to be an asshole and throws his arms up like "No, YOU move", at this point the forklift guy looses it and the crowd starts begging the guy in the car to move because everyone has realized that the forklift guy is going to have an aneurysm or possibly kill the guy in the car (I was hoping for the latter). Finally the guy in the car realized that his life was in imminent danger and backed his car out of the way.

I see these as peripheral problems to the larger issue however which is that

A. Most art cars have very little art and way too much car.

b. When building a community from scratch, maybe a car culture is something to be avoided.

c. If you are going to have rules, maybe someone should enforce them.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 8:05 pm

Perhaps what the DMV ought to do is establish a "Mutant Vehicle" patrol to moniter Art Cars out on the playa, much like the Rangers or Perimeter.

Ouch. There's that most un-holy of suggestions again... "maybe the/they/someone else ought to..."

DMV folks have at best 20 volunteers dealing with vehicles (registration, documentation, approval process, etc.) while on the playa. They're taxed to the limit as far as their inter-departmental resources go. Rangers are in the same boat. Ditto DPW as you well know. The bottom line is that this is (and has been) a huge problem that's plagued the event since returning to the playa after Holupai(sp?) and one that obviously can't realistically be expected to be abated by a crew of volunteers. It's just NOT gonna happen given the numbers and the resources. Each department has specific tasks and obligations to the participants depending on what group they volunteer for. Suggestions that their 'mission' be further extended to deal with issues and problems specific to a group of participants that consciously choose to skirt the few rules and req's that BRC has established may sound like a good idea but in the end mean nothing if there's no realistic way of implementing

That Chai Guy has found Rangers that don't consider art cars as a part of their patrol is somewhat surprising; I was always under the impression that the departments worked together to make certain that the few rules we do have as a community are followed.

Chai's take on what he's experienced is a perception shared by a good number of folks - especially this past year. I don't know that there's anything that I can do to change that perception any more than I can change his experience on the playa this year. I will say for mysel as a Ranger that what came about around mid-week in the event was that vehicles and the complaints associated with them became such a problem that we realized very quickly that a 'triage' system for dealing with infractions needed to be implemented lest we be overwhelmed with having to focus exclusively with the one issue - to the detriment of other problems we found ourselves faced with. Often times that meant having to dismiss certain very valid, very real compailnts in lieu of something else going on that had precedence.

Dang.... I could go on about this but for now I'll let this stand as a partial response to an issue which I suspect will be chewed over more thoroughly as we get closer to the event.

I've go to shower. I've got a date.

Wind_Borne · Post by **Wind_Borne** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 8:09 pm

I appreciate Chai Guy's compaint. Last burn I was often hard-pressed to see any real art or creativity in many of the golf-carts running about the playa. And I was out-right annoyed a couple of times by plain old cars just driving around out there.

But the managerie of vehicles that appeared on the playa after the Man burned was wierd and wonderful; and I definitely want to encourage that. I want to see more art cars -- from big old articulated beasts to wee rolling tribbles. That stuff is so much fun.

I shudder at the thought of some jury deciding what is art! Juried selection is essntially a political and marketing process -- great art is never the primary goal or result. Juried selection discourages bold thinking and disheartens inspired artists.

To solve the problem, set a higher standard for art cars; then enforce it. I would propose the following criteria

- Sculptures that can move qualify as art cars.
- Vehicles that have had there form substantially modifed so as to become sculptural qualify as art cars.

- Vehicles that have been highly "worked" or adorned, representing substantial effort, may qualify as art cars (e.g., a caddy covered in 10,000 little mirrors).

- Vehicles that have only been painted or lightly adorned would NOT qualify as art cars (i.e., a few strips of cool neon or fringe does not make an art car).

Of course at some point it all comes down to judgement calls -- would a reasonable person consider a particular thing an art car. And that demands a certian honesty on the part of participants and those making the judgement calls. Honesty about this question:

Did you build this vehicle as an artistic expression, or just to get around the playa easily?

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 8:09 pm

Perhaps what the DMV ought to do is establish a "Mutant Vehicle" patrol to moniter Art Cars out on the playa, much like the Rangers or Perimeter.

Ouch. There's that most un-holy of suggestions again... "maybe the/they/someone else ought to..."

DMV folks have at best 20 volunteers dealing with vehicles (registration, documentation, approval process, etc.) while on the playa. They're taxed to the limit as far as their inter-departmental resources go. Rangers are in the same boat. Ditto DPW as you well know. The bottom line is that this is (and has been) a huge problem that's plagued the event since returning to the playa after Holupai(sp?) and one that obviously can't realistically be expected to be abated by a crew of volunteers. It's just NOT gonna happen given the numbers and the resources. Each department has specific tasks and obligations to the participants depending on what group they volunteer for. Suggestions that their 'mission' be further extended to deal with issues and problems specific to a group of participants that consciously choose to skirt the few rules and req's that BRC has established may sound like a good idea but in the end mean nothing if there's no realistic way of implementing

That Chai Guy has found Rangers that don't consider art cars as a part of their patrol is somewhat surprising; I was always under the impression that the departments worked together to make certain that the few rules we do have as a community are followed.

Chai's take on what he's experienced is a perception shared by a good number of folks - especially this past year. I don't know that there's anything that I can do to change that perception any more than I can change his experience on the playa this year. I will say for mysel as a Ranger that what came about around mid-week in the event was that vehicles and the complaints associated with them became such a problem that we realized very quickly that a 'triage' system for dealing with infractions needed to be implemented lest we be overwhelmed with having to focus exclusively with the one issue - to the detriment of other problems we found ourselves faced with. Often times that meant having to dismiss certain very valid, very real compailnts in lieu of something else going on that had precedence.

Dang.... I could go on about this but for now I'll let this stand as a partial response to an issue which I suspect will be chewed over more thoroughly as we get closer to the event.

I've go to shower. I've got a date.

Wind_Borne · Post by **Wind_Borne** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 8:21 pm

I liked the suggestion of art trucks for the staff vehicles. Or maybe just some quirky appendage, like the huge ants that used to adorn pest-control trucks. I can see it now... "Look, there's a ranger by the fence; I can see that huge Bob's Big Boy bobble-head from here!"

SED · Post by **SED** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 8:53 pm

Nothing to add to this thread, except that I'm paying attention.

And I'm a banana.

SED

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 9:17 pm

Hey Badger,

I totally hear you about the whole "they should do..." thing. If there are not enough volunteers, do you think it would be anathema to just start some sort of "art Car police" theme camp and do it our damn selves? Just go around harassing people whose art cars aren't art? Clearly we wouldn't have any real authority, but... you know, as a sort of, ahem, "performance art" and "radically free expressing" how we feel the art car situation is. Or would that be too vigilante?

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 9:36 pm

do you think it would be anathema to just start some sort of "art Car police" theme camp and do it our damn selves? Just go around harassing people whose art cars aren't art?

Now Ivy, I can't say that that's exactly what I had in mind but, well, that's exactly....

SED · Post by **SED** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 9:39 pm

Judging from the vicious treatment I got just trying to get my truck to its resting place on Thursday night, I'd say there asre plenty of vigilantes out there.

Guess I deserved it, though I don't know why people got so mad. I was just strung out and lost.

But anyway, just bring some eggs along and bomb 'em from the rear. That is, if you don't think it's an art car, decorate it.

And run.

quiet girl · Post by **quiet girl** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 9:50 pm

Sorry, Badger...I *should* know better than to spread the "Should"s around, and if I weren't already taxed to the end working for another illustrious (or is that infamous?) Burning Man dept., then I'd put my money where my mouth is on that front, get together a crew of people and make something cool for the DMV to use...hey...now that I think about it, what's really stopping me? I'm already on the playa earlier than most...maybe I *should* use the opportunity to put something together.

I'm going to contact DMV to make the suggestion and take the initiative if the idea flies. Do some of these guys have art vehicles of their own that could be used? I've never dipped my hand in this pot, or even had much use for the DMV (in fact, a friend of mine have had problems with their judgement of "art" a while back...heh,) but if helping the DMV will stop people from abusing the community, then I'd love to help. Maybe I could help start an "art car patrol" using some existing art cars (w/ the car's owner behind the wheel) that already have been "approved" for the playa. The driver could take along a DMV person for a "ride-along" of sorts and help keep the city safe from idiots that like to park under forklifts.

If I can convince the DMV to go along with the idea, I suppose the town meeting might be a good place to bring it up, or ask Marian or Andie to make a note in an upcoming JRS. Utilizing the Survival Guide, Greeters, Playa Info and the radio stations on the playa would be a great way to get the word out.

Thanks, Badger, for reminding me of how things get done around here.

Oh, and do any of you have any suggestions or comments on this matter?

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 10:41 pm

That is, if you don't think it's an art car, decorate it.

Heh heh heh...I like it! I don't mean eggs...I mean really decorate it.

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 10:44 pm

Maybe I could help start an "art car patrol" using some existing art cars (w/ the car's owner behind the wheel) that already have been "approved" for the playa

I think it would be totally cool and possible to get art car ("real" art car) drivers to voluntter for this sort of duty. I mean, if you're out crusing the playa anyway...? I dunno if it would have to be so organized as to "sign up for a shift (like a rnagerly sort of thing) when you check in with the DMV" or more like if you wanna be part of this, you're just always keeping your eyes out whenever you're cruising around. I think it has a lot of potential.

quiet girl · Post by **quiet girl** » Sat Dec 13, 2003 9:01 am

The only problem I forsee with letting art car drivers "police" the playa w/out DMV help is that it may be (intentionally or most likely unintentionally) abused. Loving and wanting to protect the city may make some people think they've got a right to scream at the top of their lungs at every poor soul in a non-mutant vehicle, and like the "costume/no costume" debate, this may piss off the wrong person, or even an innocent person on their way to work on their project...such as a tired member of DPW/Rangers/Perimeter etc. on their way to crash after working from sun-up to sun-down.

On the other hand, If there's a DMV person and/or DMV-advised art car driver on board, (folks having a specific interest in being non-confrontational for the sake of the community and just want the offender to get off the playa,) a few hundred screaming matches might be avoided and we can keep the citizens of Black Rock City happy for another year!

Potentially, this kind of thing would be most needed Thursday--Saturday, when most of the sculptures are up (this means fewer people driving non-mutant vehicles to do construction and thus lessening the confusion) and we're a crowd thirty-thousand strong.

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Sat Dec 13, 2003 10:40 am

I can totally see how it would liekly be abused. That why I was saying maybe you have to sign up for a shift...maybe do a little greeter-type training...? Trying to limit the strees on the "actual" DMV people since there seem to be few and they already have a lot to do.

Maybe I'm ignorant, but about the rangers, DPW, etc vehicles: I personally don't care if those are decorated or not (some people will probably disagree with this) but couldn't they have a visible sticker or licesne of some sort so as to be identified?

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Sat Dec 13, 2003 11:43 am

To solve the problem, set a higher standard for art cars; then enforce it. I would propose the following criteria

- Sculptures that can move qualify as art cars.
- Vehicles that have had there form substantially modifed so as to become sculptural qualify as art cars.

- Vehicles that have been highly "worked" or adorned, representing substantial effort, may qualify as art cars (e.g., a caddy covered in 10,000 little mirrors).

- Vehicles that have only been painted or lightly adorned would NOT qualify as art cars (i.e., a few strips of cool neon or fringe does not make an art car).

Wind Borne,

Sounds like you've been listening in on the discussions that are currently taking place within DMV. All of the points you listed are being looked at and I'll add seem to be at the top of the list of how best to evaluate and license cars. That's very intuitive of you. I just hope it's an indication of how other participants are starting to look at the problem(s).

Maybe I'm ignorant, but about the rangers, DPW, etc vehicles: I personally don't care if those are decorated or not (some people will probably disagree with this) but couldn't they have a visible sticker or licesne of some sort so as to be identified?

Ivy,

This (staff sticker thing) was done last year with some degree of effectiveness. It had its shortcomings but will definitely be done again next year. I agree with your take on not decorating staff carts, etc. Someone either here or in another similar folder was whining pretty loudly about staff not decorating their vehicles and how <sniff, sniff> awful it was that it went against the idea of <sniff> what art cars should be - or something resembling that line of thought... What the poster failed to consider is that when most of the playa volunteers hit BRC - usually just before the event - that they have little time to set up camp, get organized and then start the work of putting the City together. I'm sure this is the case with DPW, greeters and especially Rangers. Every Ranger I know that arrived early had little time to consider doing anything other than getting ready for the crush of people come Monday morning.

Zulegoona · Post by **Zulegoona** » Sat Dec 13, 2003 6:59 pm

Does anyone have any idea of about how many ( approved undecorated/ non art ) vehicles there might be. I certainly don't have the resources to take on even minimal ornamentation of a fleet of cars but if say a group of people were to take on the project what would they be looking at in numbers?

Booker · Post by **Booker** » Sat Dec 13, 2003 8:42 pm

Background:

http://oldbbs.burningman.com/index.cgi? ... .eeded18/0

"Let's Ride! Walking sucks when you're drunk, especially in the heat. I hate walking." (attempt to recruit partners in an art car venture):
http://oldbbs.burningman.com/index.cgi? ... .eedfa57/0

I'm with Chai Guy: Fewer cars on the playa is a good idea. Some provision needs to be made for participants with genuine impairments to mobility (assuming that DMV could somehow determine that). I like the idea of citizen monitoring and intervention, a la Ivy, although the potential for confrontations is obvious. Especially if the patrols carried ice picks, as I woud surely be tempted to do.