[2007] CANCELLED : BRUSSELS CAR FREE DAY 22 /23 SEPTEMBER

[Damien Gillissen]

ello, I am Damien and I had spent saturday to the race of Amsterdam and I was Marshall cones in Paris slalom world cup. September 23 in Brussels it is the day without cars and on this occasion organizes a ballade cruising through the city with increase in tram, bus and free subway this day there .

we have organized this ballade for now 3 years to give him a new always festive dimension, we add saturday a session slalom and not a competition (too much difficult to create and one does not have experience for).


The session slalom will proceed in one of the most beautiful park of Brussels, "Le bois de la cambre" with the place "le carrefour des attelages", the place lends itself well to the slalom and idleness, picnic , freesbee session, cool and relaxed environment, not of pressure not of stopwatch just fun and sun, the activities on this place : style slam roller, roller dancer , slalom skateboarding(2 riders), freegolf practice(the morning) ,cavalier, freesbees , soccer ,rugby, jumbee/didjeridou session

The spot :

from : http://aiki.pingouin.be/?2003/06

will look at to organize saturdays evening a concert in a bar of the center of Brussels, for that I keep you informed.

Sunday it is day without cars, to 09:00 of the morning with the 19:00 all motor vehicle traffic is prohibited in the city (19 communes), except for, public transport, taxis, organizations first-aid and some vehicles with exemption, the play-ground makes 170 km2 .

OFFICIAL SITE FOR THE CAR FREE DAY : http://www.dimanchesansvoiture.irisnet.be/

Sorry for the bad english this is an automatic translation.

[Damien Gillissen]

A video from the spot with local crew of style slalom roller .
the spot is the road down in right at start of the video .


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2fg64p4ZvM

[Hans Lucas]

Great! I'll try to be there from Friday afternoon on and someone else (Bart) is also interested!
I like the idea of not having contests, just a slalom jam.
It's just a pity it's not a slalom demo in the center of Brussels on Sunday, but I can live with that.

Is it true that the trains and trams in Belgium are also free on that Sunday?

Are there any alternate plans in case of rain?

[Steve Hinzen]

Damien, big thankx for this useful information!

Some members of the GoG are interested in racing the streets of your city on that sunday. We might bring equipment likes cones, timer and ...fun!
Don't get me wrong. It's definitely fun to slalom in a park on saturday. But we don't want to miss the chance to race in the beautiful streets of your city on sunday!

Anybody else interested in meeting in Brussel? Do you dig it? Many streets! No cars for a whole day! And free transport between spots!

To everybody:
Brussel is only 2 hours by car from Cologne.
It's only 2 hours by car from Amsterdam. (Flavio, Bart, John,...)
It's only 3 hours by car from Paris. (Vinz, Fred, David, ...)
It's only some minutes by plane from London. (Paul, Sam, Martin, ...)

Damien, check your p.m., please.

[Hans Lucas]

Well, I just spoke with the Belgian Embessy and Belgian Tourist Office. They didn't want to confirm that public transport was going to be free that Sunday so I hope Damien is right. Just check that later.

But I'll be there anyway!

>Steve: Slalom on Saturday, cruising on Sunday. But feel free to put up some courses on Sunday and I'll join you with my slalom board! I'll also bring some DVDs, so if the weather turns out bad and someone can arrange a DVD player (laptop), then we can enjoy the 2007 PSWC and Hannover videos....

Oh and don't forget to add: many steep streets!

By the way, Amsterdam is also car-free on that day.

[Flavio Badenes]

Damien, big thankx for this useful information!

Some members of the GoG are interested in racing the streets of your city on that sunday. We might bring equipment likes cones, timer and ...fun!
Don't get me wrong. It's definitely fun to slalom in a park on saturday. But we don't want to miss the chance to race in the beautiful streets of your city on sunday!

Anybody else interested in meeting in Brussel? Do you dig it? Many streets! No cars for a whole day! And free transport between spots!

To everybody:
Brussel is only 2 hours by car from Cologne.
It's only 2 hours by car from Amsterdam. (Flavio, Bart, John,...)
It's only 3 hours by car from Paris. (Vinz, Fred, David, ...)
It's only some minutes by plane from London. (Paul, Sam, Martin, ...)

Damien, check your p.m., please.

Oh yes let's race in Brussels!!! I does sound like a good idea.

[Michael Stride]

Thanks for keeping me informed by 'pm'.

Some may know I have close ties to Bruxelles, so this certainly interests me a lot. And I do have a great contact at the mayors office. My friend says it a great day. I hope to come.

[Damien Gillissen]

It is brilliant,

we have two very beautiful spots one for the tight and the special(Avenue Lloyd George 4 traffic lanes thus two different races at the same time) and the other one for the giant and the super giant (boulevard du souverain allocates of the station of boisfort and arrival place Wiener) with the tramway which goes back up riders in the top of the spot .

It would be in end September, 2008 during the weekend without cars, the boulevard of the sovereign is a big access road to Brussels where it is possible of closed that in the daytime there but the avenue Lloyd George is easily contournable by cars thus to close on Saturdays.

[Hans Lucas]

I've just added Damien's 2 locations to the Google Maps:
http://maps.google.nl/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&h ... .1157&z=13

Excellent plan to use the large boulevards!

[Donald Campbell]

damien:which one of the bigger streets has a slope?
something there with speed involved?

[Damien Gillissen]

Slalom session saturday 22 july 2007 :

t is the spot of the session (no race) of Saturday, September 22nd, 2007, but it is possible to go to see both spots that I selected for the competition in 2008 avenue Lloyd George and boulevard de l'empereur this is in the same zone of the city .

[Donald Campbell]

ok
which one has a slope?

[Damien Gillissen]

ok
which one has a slope?

Bois de La cambre : 2 parts a nice place for demo, initiation and funny moment in a very nice park .

1) flat 100 meters

2) 200 meters 3 or 4% 15 meters large

Avenue Lloyd George : 3% or 4% (trocadero style), +/-20 meters large , 200 meters long , parking area

Boulevard de l'empereur : +/-500 or 600 (to verify) meters long, +/- 5 to 6 % ,20 meters large and go up by tramway, at the finish a market with nice food (the sunday place Wiener).

[Donald Campbell]

Avenue Lloyd George looks really good on google maps
maybe we should all meet there?
most of us,correct me,all of us want to race.
no flatland please.

[Hans Lucas]

Avenue Lloyd George looks really good on google maps
maybe we should all meet there?
most of us,correct me,all of us want to race.
no flatland please.

I'd like to join slalom jams without a contest (note: I speak for myself).
Some other Dutch freestylers have shown interest to join the flatland possibilities in Brussels.
Maybe it's time for a poll? Or we use different avenues; so there are different flavours to choose from.

[Donald Campbell]

yeah that's cool no contest but a good sess.the G.O.G. crew won't travel long distance for flatland stuff,it's easy as it is.
you wanna have good racing then come and join us on a slope.
nobody here cares about freestyle.
and yes,i'm speaking for us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Damien Gillissen]

for the saturday 22 september:

- free slalom session in the Cambre 's wood ( 3%/4%)
- tight/ special
- two slopes
- starts ramps (maybe)

... it's a promotionnal event to developed the skate slalom in brussel...

saturday night:

-concert in a really nice bar in the center of brussel.

sunday:

big cruising in brussel... you ll could discover brussel in the ride way! at the program, cruising / downhill in the downtown landscapes...

if you have others questions don't esitate to contact us!

[Flavio Badenes]

@Don,
I will join you guys on the slopes. I am not traveling all the way to Brussels to go flat.

LET´S RACE LET´S RACE LET´S RACE !!!!!!!!!

@My friends there in Brussels, the idea of having a get together to promote slalom skateboarding in Belgium will work a LOT BETTER if you guys show the REAL thing, that is a downhill slalom race with a few of the best skaters in the world today. Sincerly I am not kin of the flat slalom on the park. Slalom skateboarding is much more than that. Think about it......

[Donald Campbell]

ummm
well i can't resist this one...
hey hans:
first of all let's make sure you understand i have no beef with you,but....i'm wondering why you are trying to control where when and how things should happen?

who are you?
did you ever introduce you yourself to any of us?

do you race(and i mean RACE,not wiggling around somewhere).

see,if we decide to come to brussels,which is very likely to happen,we will make sure the session is good.our crew is one of the best in europe,so that's also a valid point for promoting anything coming out of this for damien.
people wanna see some action and we wanna have some action.we want to race,we don't want to talk about the old days or pretend to have done whatsoever.
we had folks such as you here in germany too and fact is,they didn't really contribute to the growth of anything.
all they did was talk,talk,talk(i'm doing the same right now,but for a reason).

and you know what?
they all vanished into thin air,as soon as slalom got more competitive and as soon as they had to find out that their "knowledge" was either very limited or outdated.this also refers to their skating ability in general.
this sport needs people who kick ass and who really put it on the line.
this is what might attract the younger generations.

so hey... stop demanding and implying.either come to race or shove it.

and yes,i am supertired of giving in to all the crap you wrote regarding so many different things such as contests(did you show up in paris?).

time to put it down hansi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Damien Gillissen]

Please do not fight.

Peace, Ride and rock'n & roll ,3 magics words for a good weekend .

For the riders which are not interested by the cruising of Sunday there is a bowl with a big skate area in the " square des ursulines " at 2 minutes from central station .

[Donald Campbell]

sorry damien no fighting intended

lucas always chimes in and tries to set things according to what he wants,then he either doesn't show up or doesn't skate.
as a matter of fact he also didn't really do anything for any event either.

but no worries,we'll come,some frenchmen might come too?(hey fred,vinzzzzz,guillaume,patrick,some brits(yeah),our buddies from holland,and a few others.
there is also a nicey nice little bowl i see,you'll get some action there too i think.

hey do you already have ramps?

let's hear about that,ok?
we can bring the timing!!!!!!!!!

[Steve Hinzen]

The bowl looks like a nice teaser, Damien.

Thank you for your invitation to the saturday session, but it's not shure if we make it that day. If so, we might be scouting the city for good streets to ride on sunday... But most of us (GoG) neither have the time (family and other duties) nor the money (for the hotel) to spent all weekend in Brussels. So we might arrive on Sunday morning. That's why I asked you for as much information as possible on the streets. We don't want to loose time on sunday with searching. We relay on your proposals. Thank you for the information you gave us so far, Damien.

We really want to get the max out of a car-free day.
Remember there are not many opportunities anywhere else to race a giant course under these conditions.
So if we find a good empty street, we will do it!

We will bring a timer and cones, set up a course and then it's on!

See you there! Steve.


@Luca:
action speaks louder than words.

[HUYNH BACH SAC Frédéric]

My friends !

So many occasions in september to race ( french championship, ESC, brussels... ).

I'll try to come ( depends on the birth of my daughter ! ) with the Gang of France.

See you there ?!

Fred.

[Carsten Pingel]

I will join too ! And after skating we will drink a nice cold DUVEL !

[Damien Gillissen]

I will join too ! And after skating we will drink a nice cold DUVEL !

Are your ready for 2004 different beers in one place ?

For Sunday, it is necessary to go into the city before 09:00 of the morning then the traffic(circulation) is totally forbidden, for 4 years the place of meeting is in front of the central station between 09:00 and 10:00.


Pirate a street, it is complicated enough, the police turns(shoots) in the city, there are very few cars, but there is all the same, buses taxis, the services of help and people with authorizations circulate, it is for that that I proposed a slalom on Saturdays in a park closed in the traffic(circulation) and on cruising Sunday.

[Flavio Badenes]

Hi Damien,
I understand what your point is, but then my next question will be: What would be the point of closing the streets for traffic then?
In all different cities of the world the streets are closed for traffic once in a while so that the citzens can use them for activities that are not possible if the cars are there.They idea is to create more space to people.People can use that space for fun.
We would like to use that space for a little race, that is all. I am pretty much sure there will be kids playing football, cycling, roller-blading and skateboarding too. A few cones and a timing system will make little difference, as long as we keep it cool and with your help find a nice little suitable place .
By the way that is a killer bowl, it makes me wish I was more current with my bowl riding...

[Donald Campbell]

wow...
this is getting a bit confusing here.so we are not talking about car free streets?
local transportation is on all the time,right?
given the fact that taxis are allowed all the streets are uninteresting,because there will be A LOT of taxis there when we have a car free day.also buses and trams will have a faster rotation during that day too.speeding cops are also uncool to say the least.


let's get this to the point:only the park is car free,is that what it is?

more information would have shortened this discussion by far.

[Flavio Badenes]

This is my idea of what will happen:

The park. This place is always closed to traffic.
Streets: Trams will run, buses will run, cops will hopefully stay at bay.
Lots of free space to skate, maybe lots of people walking in some places but....certainlly a nice long street hiden somewhere in the center of the city where we can set up a nice course. This is certainlly not too much to ask for.
Damien, is my assumption correct?

[Damien Gillissen]

A little list of all activities in the city this weekend from last year and this is the same for this year :

http://www.dimanchesansvoiture.irisnet. ... vites.html

The speed for the cars with a circulation authorization is limited at 30 km/h (bus ,taxi,police,...)

In October, I shall begin to organize (authorizations, files, sponsoring...) a true competition slalom on 2 days, but for this year it is not possible, there are already far too many activities in the city, the time to have authorizations, an insurance(assurance), ambulance.... I prefer to wait and to make that much rather than half, it is for that that this year it is bare cool session. I am going to post photos before this evening or tomorrow of the spots, friends slalom roller of the " bois de la cambre " are interested also to make a slalom roller + a disco roller (and rock&roll ) moreover, that maybe super nice in more that would make live the place.

The road in the park is closed all weekends .

[Flavio Badenes]

A little list of all activities in the city this weekend from last year and this is the same for this year :

http://www.dimanchesansvoiture.irisnet. ... vites.html

The speed for the cars with a circulation authorization is limited at 30 km/h (bus ,taxi,police,...)

In October, I shall begin to organize (authorizations, files, sponsoring...) a true competition slalom on 2 days, but for this year it is not possible, there are already far too many activities in the city, the time to have authorizations, an insurance(assurance), ambulance.... I prefer to wait and to make that much rather than half, it is for that that this year it is bare cool session. I am going to post photos before this evening or tomorrow of the spots, friends slalom roller of the " bois de la cambre " are interested also to make a slalom roller + a disco roller (and rock&roll ) moreover, that maybe super nice in more that would make live the place.

The road in the park is closed all weekends .

Ok, I promisse this is my last try:

Damien if we get together, then we place the time system and the cones on a nice hill, then have our little race. What can go wrong? What are the risks?
Let's say that instead of a skateboard we would have a ball, the we decided to get 22 people together on Sunday and have a football match, all we would need would be the two goals. we would place the two goals on opposite sides of a certain street and play soccer. No permits, no insurance no hassles.
Just a few skaters enjoying the car free Sunday in Brussels their own way. Another group of skaters will probably go downhill somewhere else, these guys will most probably not bear a permit neither...

[Damien Gillissen]

A video realized by rollers during the day without cars 2005 between 00:25 and 00:50 it is the boulevard of the sovereign with to the left the tramway which goes back up(raises) .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPnrag8kGio

[Flavio Badenes]

It does look like a nice spot.

[Michael Stride]

I am defiantely looking forward to this one.

Donald, it would be nice to see you on neutral territory!

Everyone else......damn it would have been good to have slalomed with Belgians when I lived there! I do know Yves (?) who runs the skate shop, and we used to skate near where that skatepark is now.

As I said I have the best contacts with the mayors office, and Id love to do a race at the Atomium site one day. I think that could be arranged. Sure, its not the Eifell tower, but hey ho, silver balls are nice too!

[Steve Hinzen]

Cars or not, on the video I see only about 5 or 6 cars in total (driving very slowly) which seems alright for me. Me and a bunch of GoGs are still planning to come on Sunday. Remember we will have no car neither to drive around and check the streets. We will bring as much equipment (cones, timer etc.) as we can carry in our rucksacks to be mobil. The thing is on. See you there!

[Damien Gillissen]

I make a big tour cruising in the city, me take advantage of streets and of boulevards, where usually it is impossible to roll it longboard .

I do not why understand to make a slalom on Sundays without cars, while it is possible to make him(it) on Saturdays on nice park , there is a playground of 170 km2 with very can of cars, descents everywhere, boulevards of streets, a cruising enormous is possible, the purpose is not to make of the downhill for full speed, but to cruise without being afraid of cars.

[Damien Gillissen]

I cancel the organization of the slalom and the concert on Saturday and Sundays you make what you want .

[Carsten Pingel]

upps !

[Donald Campbell]

that's bad sport here damien.
a couple of folks show interest in pushing your scene and all of a sudden you cancel the whole thing whatever it was anyway?
care to explain?

[Damien Gillissen]

You are free to organize your event as you want, me what I made(did) it was to please but if that does not please, no problems if you make better.

DO IT YOURSELF

[Michael Stride]

Damien, I am disapointed that you have cancelled this. I can understand why youd want to skate the streets, but a slalom event/get together/outlaw event would have been fabulous!

No real organization needed, just the enthusiasm to set a date and a location.

As for permits, well just so you know I have the BEST contacts with the mayors office. If you ever need permissions or the right people to contact I can, and will help. And thats with the mayor himself. Direct OK.

What would help is to have someone who lives in Bruxelles to be a contact. Take pictures of the site, get local skaters to know about it.

I really want to do some slalom in Bruxelles. And I dont really need any excuse to go.

Uncancel it!!!!!!

[Steve Hinzen]

Damien, You wrote "Do it yourself"

..well, that's allright for me and some other GoGs I talked to yesterday. We still want to come to Bruxelles. And EVERYBODY is invited to join us!

The date is fixed, no big organisation needed. We will agree on a street and a daytime where we all meet on that particular sunday. The rest will follow more or less spontanious and on an "outlaw" basis. We are not going to ask for any permission. We just want to race on an empty street. Therefore, some hints for potential streets as you gave us already, Damien, are always appreciated. You are the local. You and your friends are always welcome to join us that day. Meeting on a street with a skateboard under your feet is the better alternative to meeting virtually in an ISSA-forum...

"La rue est à nous!"

So this is my idea for the day:
We all meet at the most promising spot and if it looks good we set up a course and run it. If it's fun we set up the timer and will agree on a race format. (push start because we will have no car-acess for bringing a ramp). If the spot isn't as good as maybe Damien told us we rip his head off, hehe! No worries, Damien, just joking! In that case we move on and find another spot...

Everybody should be ready to bring only as much equipment as he can carry. This will allready turn out as a challenge of it's own for some of us.

Maybe at the end of the day we have tested/raced two or three different spots and finish the day on the terrace of a local brewerie and dream about what a great (official) race could be held on the beautiful streets of Bruxelles next year...

A suivre!

[Michael Stride]

Excellent.
tot zeins!

I hope to take pictures of the location sugested shortly.

[Hans Lucas]

Today I heard of the Belgian Tourist Office that all busses, trams and subways of the largest Brussels public transport company (the MIVB) will be FREE on Sept 23rd! (see their website)

And the predicted weather forescasts for this weekend are be pretty good.