The Facebook event that attracted headlines across the country started out as a joke between friends. ‘Bring Back Chap Laps’ caused commotion on one of the busiest streets in Melbourne.
The car meet, on the 19th of July, attracted a crowd of over 600 – according to the ‘check-in’ feature online.
‘Bring Back Chap Laps’, organised by Ash Fox and Ethan Penman was condemned online in what the pair say is an unfair assessment of the night.
“I think that night people just got a bit carried away (…) getting on the break and really ripping it up, (…) it was a lot more tame than what the media has released,” Penman said.
‘Chap Laps’ refers to driving up and down a street — usually Chapel Street while revving the engine.
Over the days after the event, media outlets have described ‘chaos’ that unfolded on Chapel Street.
The videos featured crowds watching as drivers occupied Chapel Street.
Onlookers on the 19th varied, with many families present.
The pair expressed interest in hosting a second event focused on educating younger generations on cars, with the idea that community led events would bring people into the area and support local businesses.
“It’s still going to be on a Saturday night, but we’re gonna organise it for about 5:30-6:00PM, people can bring their families down (…) if people want to go to Chapel Street after that, it’s entirely on them.” Fox said.
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