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Tunnel Running is a term used by motor enthusiasts for the pastime of visiting and driving through tunnels, especially in groups and recreationally. At times convoys of over 200 cars have driven through tunnels in this manner.
The activity originated the UK, and emphasises acoustic enjoyment of the unusual echoes produced, rather than speed.
Background
Tunnel Running as a hobby, interest, or activity, became known under that title at some point during 2000 - 2007. The term can be found used in newsgroups dated January 2006 with an unrelated precedent usage in 2004 in the context of the the attack on the Death Star at the finale of the first Star Wars movie. Enthusiasts emphasise participation and shared enjoyment over competition.
History
The Tunnel Run started as a car meeting by TVR owners in London. After one particular meeting a small group decided to drive in a convoy around London. As a city, London has many tunnels, which gave rise to an enjoyment element. Semi-regular meetings followed, often at night or pre-dawn to avoid congestion, and at times including upwards of 200 cars. Other runs have visited in areas such as Wales and the south coast, or travelled overseas to Paris.
On such runs, route and logistic information is often provided by the organisers, themselves enthusiasts. The run to Paris caused a minor traffic jam near the Eiffel tower as locals stopped to take pictures, but whilst the police were quickly in attendance their action was for the most part limited to curiosity and chatting with Tunnelers. All cars returned to the UK, with organisers noting that not one speeding ticket or untoward incident had occurred on the journey.
Organisation
Members and vehicles
Whilst it is not imperative to have a particular type of car in order to attend (i.e there are no guidelines), an attendee's car tends to be one of the following:
- A recognised high performance vehicle;
- A recognised classic vehicle;
- A vehicle considered to be unique enough to attract interest (i.e. rare/modified/import/prototype etc).
The criteria for drivers is stated by the organisers to be one of maturity. The runs are organised within a restricted Internet forum to prevent them from being gatecrashed by unwanted parties who may drive dangerously and bring the London Tunnel Run into disrepute. To date this has not happened.
International aspects
There are a number of international groups who bring a selection of vehicles over to the UK and join in the runs. In 2007 a Dutch contingency joined in on more than one occasion, arriving on a Saturday morning to be met by a number of the UK Tunnel Runners. Both times they completed a run that afternoon as well as a run early on the Sunday morning with the London Tunnellers.
Safety issues
The original London group has active relations with the Metropolitan Police Service to make sure that inconvenience to the general public is kept to a minimum. Many copycat runs have been created by other internet forums. To combat this the London Tunnel Runners now inform the police of every run that they have planned, to enable the police to deal with genuine complaints in case those are made.
London Tunnel Run in the Media
The programme "Vroom Vroom" on mainstream satellite channel Sky One carried a report on the tunnel run where presenter Emma Parker Bowles was invited to join the run. Youtube videos available here.
Islington Gazette article ran an article on a noise complaint caused by cars attributed to a tunnel run. Article here.
An article in Rides Magazine (USA) in the May/June 2006 edition.
A video of a Tunnel Run can be seen here.
Article and gallery in Channel 4's 4car website available here.