You can’t act like an idiot because you have a cool, lifted, shiny truck. To prove the point, the mayor of Daytona Beach does not want to see the return of the huge Daytona Beach Truck Meet. As you can imagine, this year’s truck event was a bacchanal of loud, obnoxious, drunken mobs partying into the late-night hours.  

The Daytona Truck Meet has become a huge congregation of lifted trucks and tens of thousands

Over the years, the Truck Meet has become a huge congregation of lifted trucks and tens of thousands of participants. Not all of the bad behavior comes from truck owners nor are the idiots the owners causing lots of problems for Daytona Beach officials. But you know what they say about “birds of a feather.”

The bad eggs get labeled truck participants. So, the easy solution for future events is to cancel them all. Mayor Derrick Henry told Fox35 News he doesn’t want the event back in his city. He describes loud, obnoxious participants combined with excessive traffic and reckless driving. 

“Most annoying are the horns and the music that keep our beachside residents awake,” he said. “I would rather not see the event here in Daytona Beach,” he flatly states. Though the event is confined to Daytona International Speedway, the problems arise after it’s over.

Crowds invade the city and bad behavior ramps up as the night progresses

That’s when the crowds invade the city and bad behavior ramps up as the night progresses. Being fresh in everyone’s minds from just finishing up its three-day run on June 13, certain incidents are unforgettable. Like the crash of the “Banana Ram.”

Driven by YouTuber Ryan Mayer, it was hit by a car, rolling it into the sand dunes. Needless to say, the Banana was totaled. Mayer says on Instagram that a woman tried to pass him at over 110 mph causing the crash. 

Of course, alcohol played a role in many incidents. Lots of truck owners met up in parking lots imbibing. Multiply that by whatever number below 40,000 you wish to choose and it was not a great scene. At 67,000 Daytona Beach residents, the event is bordering on doubling the city’s population for its three-day run. 

Passengers illegally in truck beds and Carolina Squats limit visibility

Passengers riding illegally in truck beds and Carolina Squat trucks with their limited forward visibility were some observations. The proliferation of Confederate flags displayed a definite lack of even a shred of decorum. Many were vocal that it is past the time to do away with the racist symbol. 

It is a tourist town with other events like Daytona Bike Week. The residents know everyone comes for a party. But shouldn’t the organizers do more to tamp down the most egregious? 

And maybe the city should enforce the laws it probably already has in the books? There is a limit that most participants can hit without becoming dangerous or beyond obnoxious. Many residents have already said they can tolerate some noise and good fun. Let’s hope there is a compromise somewhere in the middle and the event comes back for 2022.