Asheville News

Patton Avenue cruisers are gone

Jason Sandford April 5, 2009

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

I said it last month and I’ll say it again, because I think this is a huge story: The cruisers on Patton Avenue are gone.

I noticed again this weekend that the long lines of parading vehicles just aren’t there on Patton. And I thought for sure, with prom season starting up, that I’d see the kids back out. But they’re gone. I’m fascinated by what’s happened here, because as far as I know, the cruisers weren’t legislated out of existence. They appear to have simply disappeared of their own volition. How does that happen after 30 some years (or more)?

Every weekend, I could always count on roadsters, racing engines, squealing tires and at least one giant Confederate flag flying from a truck along Patton Avenue from about 10 p.m. onward. Some redneck Asheville version of American Graffiti played out each and every night.

Now it’s simply gone. Amazing.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Asheville newspaper columnist will be coming to you via video

Time for the Block House Steeple Chase in Tryon

6 Comments

Chad Nesbitt April 6, 2009

Ash,

That and the Mall.

Hey, got another one for you. Sheriff Buck Lyda’s son (Tate) and I were coming from a night at the Asheville Motor Speedway to meet some friends at the go cart track in Oteen. We were in my 66 Mustang and I passed a Highway Patrolman on Tunnel Rd.. I was doing 80 MPH. The patrolman turned around and pulled us over at the go cart track.

My best friend Tate told the officer, "Uh, sir. My daddy is the sheriff of Buncombe County and my friends daddy is a NC State Rep.. Do you think we could work something out here?" The patrolman replied, "I don’t give a God Damn who your daddy’s are. Get out of the f#@*ing car and spread’em."

Tate and I were frisked while our friends looked on laughing.
He wrote me out a ticket and told me he would be looking for me.
"Slow The F#@% Down", he said,
"And by the way, tell your daddy’s I’m a Libertarian."

……..Damn those Libertarians.

Reply
kel April 6, 2009

Gas has been more expensive in the past year or more than it is now, and it didn’t stop the kids then. So, why stop now?

I always thought it was silly and never participated, but I’d be sorry to see it go. It’s an event you count on happening around town on the weekend, kinda like the drum circle.

Reply
Ash April 6, 2009

Chad, back in the day, i cruised Patton many a night with a six pack and a posse looking for some trouble. So the Biltmore Grand Theater is the new hangout for teens?

SSB, the photo is a badly cropped movie still. i’ll try to fix.

Reply
SSB April 6, 2009

Was the photo for this article taken in Asheville? I can’t place it…

Reply
Chad Nesbitt April 6, 2009

I was a cruiser. Drover a 1974 "Brady Bunch" station wagon. It had a 454 and I kept it to the floor. It beat everything on Patton. Then I went to a 1966 Mustang. Now that was cool. It was motorcycles from there.

I stold my moms Mercedes 450sl one night and raced everybody on Patton until Chief Beaver pulled me over in an unmarked. That was the only time my last name came in handy. Ha, Ha! Ok liberals go ahead and criticize. LOL!

But seriously, we heard if the cops saw you in line more than twice you got in some kind of trouble. I see a lot of kids hanging out at Ingles Erwin Hills on Leicester Hwy late at night. My employees say there are a bunch at Weaverville Plaza in Weaverville.

I think it’s sad. Cruising was cool. My daughter says when it gets warmer more people will be out for Tasty Freeze on Patton.
Until then it’s the Biltmore Grand Theater.

Reply
b.c.w. April 5, 2009

i say good riddance… if you had anywhere to be on the weekend evenings you were stuck FOREVER behind these idiots. besides, gas is too expensive these days to cruise and suck it up like there’s an endless supply of it. perhaps these kids finally realized that times have changed and that wasting gas and putting unnecessary wear and tear on your car isn’t cool. or they got bored… this is the ‘attention deficit’ generation, no?

Reply