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Posted on Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 11:46 a.m.

Ann Arbor's annual shopping cart race rolls down Main Street

By Daniel Brenner

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Around a hundred people showed up to participate in a shopping cart race in downtown Ann Arbor on Tuesday night. The annual shopping cart race marks the end of Punk Week, a week-long summer event that has been taking place for several years.

Participants rode decorated carts, bicycles and skateboards down N. Main St. during the annual race.

AnnArbor.com photographer Daniel Brenner captured these images:

Comments

Caveat Emptor

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 12:31 a.m.

The only police presence was one patrol car which arrived at normal speed, after the race had concluded. The officer politely asked the participants with horns to stop playing (reasonable, given the hour) and the request was honored. There were a few drivers who gunned their engines and raced past the crowd, but for the most part the entire event amounted to some harmless fun on a summer night. I detect some sour grapes in this comment thread from those who have become too addled and bitter to appreciate a good time -- especially when others are having it -- but that's pretty much par for the course among commenters on this site.

Hmm

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 2:57 p.m.

If you're talking about me with your bitter comment you are also an obtuse reader. I was NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR RACE. I don't care about your race, have at it! I do care about getting hit by a car driving 70 mph in a 40 mph zone though. THINK PLEASE!

Tom Whitaker

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 9:37 p.m.

Where do they get the shopping carts?

Wolf's Bane

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 11:47 p.m.

They steal them!!! Pft.

Jon Wax

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 8:08 p.m.

... punks? pffff lol looks more like "Hipsters Gone Wild!" Peace

Hmm

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 2:54 p.m.

Jon is saying they're not punks they're hipsters. You do know what a hipster is right Eric? Would you say a hipster is a part of the "punk" scene? Furthermore he was making a joke hence the "lol". I didn't think it was really that hard to get what he was trying to say

Eric

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 8:56 p.m.

Or a diverse group of people having fun for the sake of fun.

Third Coast

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 7:22 p.m.

Absolutely gutted that I missed homeless week again.

Hmm

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 5:56 p.m.

Ah so according to the caption in the last photo, that's why A2PD was drivingdown Huron doing like 60-70 mph with their lights and sirens off last night. So he could help control the crowd at the cart race. Good to know that if they had caused an accident and killed somebody, at least it was for a worthy reason.

Hmm

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 8 p.m.

I saw them recklessly driving like that around the same time the cart race was finishing up, so my facetious comment was about them driving at break neck speed to get to traffic control situation. As in they were putting everyone's live at risk so they could basically go tell people to go home. For all I know they could have been going to a murder or a robbery which would definitely have been a reason to speed like that, but if it was just for traffic control then that was uneccessary and extremely dangerous.

Hmm

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 7:51 p.m.

The portion of my comment referring to the cart race as being A2PD's destination was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongue-in-cheek The portion of my comment that was about the officers speeding without using their lights or sirens was to be taken seriously. I hope that clears it up for you Eric and anyone else that thinks I was talking down on the cart races.

Eric

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 6:39 p.m.

What do police driving irresponsibly down a different street have to do with with this anyway?

Hmm

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 2:51 p.m.

Amanda Zee you're obtuse. First of all no one is complaining about your precious race. I could care less about the race. My issue is the fact that the police are flying down the street at speeds that could potentially injure or kill someone and they do not have on any warning lights or sirens. That is all I was getting at. If they are going to an urgent call and they need to get there ASAP then I feel they should at the very least have their lights on, but preferably lights and sirens to alert people that they are coming. If someone pulls out of their driveway and gets broadsided by a police cruiser doing well over the speed limit what are you going to say then? Please use your brain the next time you are commenting and calling people "ignorant".

Bear

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 8:29 p.m.

Yeah, what Zee said!

Bear

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 8:27 p.m.

Actually, there was no police car 'controlling' the crowd. One showed up for a minute or two and then left. The crowd policed itself and FYI, there were people mitigating traffic at intersections and using flashlights and hand signals to warn drivers of approaching carts. Your comments are fictitious and irresponsible and diametrically opposite of the facts. In fact, police are made aware of the race and haven't had to use a lot of manpower to 'control' it for a couple of years now. Your argument is both snooty and false.

Amanda Zee

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 8:24 p.m.

1. You have no idea if that was the reason, and indeed if it was, the officer made the decision to do that, not the race participants. 2. In years past, the police have been given good advance notice about the race, and have even blocked off a short section of the road to allow it to happen without incident. 3. Most of the spectators and participants show up for the race and leave after it's over. I've rarely if ever heard of any problems. 4. Try to be a little less ignorant and critical of something you know nothing about... a fun, long-standing tradition enjoyed by many types of people, in cooperation with the police and local businesses.

Hmm

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 7:18 p.m.

60-70 mph with no lights or sirens on..think about that for one min

Eric

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 6:24 p.m.

Haha! Totally!

StopCrying

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 6:20 p.m.

Serious gang activity I imagine..

Eric

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 6:03 p.m.

Unruly whippersnappers out for blood!

Eric

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 5:29 p.m.

The shopping cart race is a tradition (in it's 15th year) that predates Punk Week, which attracted a fair amount of transient youth. The people participating in this race live, work and go to school in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

Wolf's Bane

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 11:46 p.m.

Shopping cart races have been going on since 1987 when Shakey Jake decided to let one rip.

thehawk

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 5:27 p.m.

Shopping cart race? Punk Week? A little background would have been nice. As has been noted before, why do we only hear about this kind of stuff after the fact?

Wolf's Bane

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 11:46 p.m.

Punk Week starts next week with a sit-in and chicken eating orgy at the corner of Ashely and Liberty... Yahoo.

Billy

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 7:53 p.m.

Like home invasions that occurred on Monday being reported on Wednesday?

EyeHeartA2

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 5:10 p.m.

Guess this means I'll be getting asked for a lot of spare change so they can "leave town".

EyeHeartA2

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 12:37 a.m.

The assumption is based on prior years. Glad you cleaned up your act this year.

Bear

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 8:22 p.m.

wrong... those involved in the shopping cart race are all locals who have lived here for years and some for all of their life. Nice assumption w/o facts though.

StopCrying

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 4:02 p.m.

Are the dirties back in town again?

StopCrying

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 1:43 a.m.

Woah, negative votes and an angry bear! I didn't expect the dirties to be using computers but clearly I was ASKING if they were back because this was roughly the time they arrived last year. Clearly I am not up on my punk knowledge.

EyeHeartA2

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 12:36 a.m.

"Punk week has been run out of town." so...um....I guess that means you DO know what he is talking about then?

Bear

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 8:20 p.m.

you don't know what you're talking about. Punk week has been run out of town.

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