Petrol & Caffeine – Why “Cars & Coffee” go together so well

An audience of automotive aroma.

2020 has thrown a spanner in the works for many car lovers with the ability for public gatherings being removed or extremely limited due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, in some places, we are starting to see an easing of such restrictions and automotive aficionados are now returning to their regular meeting spots for an overdue catchup and perusing session. Still, I don’t think “Covid Cars & Coffee” is a name that’ll stick!

Cars and Coffee, two things Italians do well. Photo by Martyn Foster.

The Perth variant of Classic Cars & Coffee will run this Sunday at its usual place at UWA between 9:30-11:30am and is likely to draw a bumper crowd despite the weather looking a bit iffy. I have been to many of these over the years and they’re fantastic to go to, not just for petrolheads, but plenty of young families attend as well.

Combined with the return of the above monthly event and a recent article on Speedhunters, “The Simple Joys of a Car-Centric Sunday”, formed the basis for this week’s entry and got me thinking why these things are so important to the modern motoring enthusiast and why we’ve missed them.

I do love a Lancia and the Stratos is the most iconic of them all. Photo by Martyn Foster.

Social interactions have changed dramatically this year, so it is amazing just to be able to get out, go for a drive and be amongst fellow humans with a keen interest in motoring. As with any group or community, it is imperative to have face-to-face contact with like-minded people, especially with more niche-oriented interests, of which I believe cars (and even motorcycles) have become over the years.

The old and the new, Porsche style. Photo by Martyn Foster.

These events usually bring out a variety of vehicles, from the old to the new, the classic to the exotic, 4 cylinders to 12 cylinders. As a result, there is a veritable feast, with something that is bound to attract the eye for everyone. It is an octane overload into the ethanol ether.

These events rely on a healthy respect between the police and the enthusiasts. Photo by Martyn Foster.

As with any motoring-related event, there needs to be a healthy respect between the people and the police. Car enthusiasts just want to indulge in their passion and don’t want to feel targeted and treated like public enemy number one, and the police don’t want to deal with idiots who have no concern for the letter of the law and safety for others. Generally, there is a friendly respect and reciprocal relationship between the two.

All in all, “Cars & Coffee” brings together people of all ages and car interests in a harmonious and productive manner with genuinely positive outcomes and I’m so glad these events are slowly returning. See you there!

"Hello, is it me you're looking for?" - Photo by Martyn Foster.