Summernats 2023 is welcome in the suburb of Watson as far as I'm concerned

"As a resident of Watson, I'm subjected to the worst aspects of Summernats every year," one fellow Watsonion wrote in a letter to the editor during the week, saying he felt "besieged in one's suburb by the crowds attending this event".

To people like that I say: lighten up. I've only been in the suburb for a couple of years and I love the weekend the 'Nats crowd rolls into town.

Don't get me wrong, I may now live nestled in the bosom of Mt Majura - in Upper Watson perhaps? - but 30 odd years in the inner north gives me enough 2602 cred to comment.

It's four days a year where we're slightly inconvenienced. It's time to get over it.

I have no interest in cars whatsoever, only that they get me from A to B in relative air-conditioned comfort, but I love everything about Summernats. People who have a passion are far and few between.

I can't understand why people get so worked up?

You're worried about the traffic changes and road closures? Anyone with commonsense has been going the back way into the city for months. No more getting caught in those 40km/h zones for me. It's much easier to take the winding path through the People's Republic of Ainslie to Limestone Avenue and into Braddon that way. Pick up some cheese from the IGA while you're in the area. It's a win win.

READ MORE SUMMERNATS STORIES:

You're worried about smoke haze from the burnouts? Can you not remember the summer of 2019/20 when the smoke haze was actually evil because half the country was burning and not just some rubber?

Sure, it can be slightly annoying if you're trying to hang out the washing but we've all invested in, I'm sure, given the recent wet weather, some nifty drying racks that turn the back bedroom into a laundromat.

And as for the environmental impact? Don't you dare let me find out you have an open fire and refuse to recycle your pizza boxes.

And the noise? The inner north loves a mysterious late night bang. Use your time wisely and try to determine what kind of car it is. Put a blanket out on the back lawn and pretend you're at the late night concerts - you must know the words to The Horses? There's some fireworks on Saturday night and if I can remember rightly last year it was actually a better show than the New Year's Eve ones by the lake.

It's like our own little Festival of 2602. (Actually that's not a bad idea. Who can I talk to about that?)

If I'm honest my main concern this year will be how the Dickson shopping precinct will cope. I loved being able to head to Woollies and grab the opportunity for a very personal little show and go, the car park full of vehicles as competitors dropped in to grab some more kombucha and avocados from the supermarket shelves.

But everyone in the neighbourhood knows that parking at Dickson has been a schmozzle for ages with all the development work going on.

Let's hope they all come to the Watson Supabarn.

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.