Local area meetings vary enormously. I set up the MG Owners Club meeting in my local patch in 1978, and ran it for 22 years, twice a month, and no subs. I stuck it for that long because nobody else would do it. There were times when it became cliquey - no doubt about that. There were times when we had factions at war with each other. It seems inevitable that this happens in car clubs and probably in all clubs. I packed that in in 2000, and it's still going, but I suspect the members have changed significantly.
On the other hand I tried more than once to get involved with the local MG Car Club meeting, but this was mission impossible. It was very cliquey, quite snobby, and nobody showed much interest in new attendees, so in the end I stopped trying.
I did however join the V8 Register within MGCC, and became technical rep for a number of years. The V8 Register Committee meetings were very enjoyable (most of the time), and at the annual Silverstone meeting we had a large marquee. This was really a club within a club.
The Gilbern Owners Club was small in numbers, but the regions were large and as I mentioned earlier, their Sunday lunch meetings were excellent and we were made welcome from the start.
Most Morgan natter leaders attend the NCM, and they are a decent bunch of people, all trying to do their best for the club. But sometimes you just won't gell with your local meeting. And I know from past experience that new members to the MG meetings only really became part of the proceedings after attending an 'outing' or two.
I think at our ages we are far less tolerant of others, and that makes it harder to compromise in any way, but while ever I have a Morgan I will pay my subs to MSCC. I'm having too much fun (most of the time) not to!
Obviously I know the MSCC top table well, after so many years 'in the frame'. All I will say is that when I'm blue-arsed-flying at the MOG event, I don't have time to chat until it's all done and dusted, so might appear to be 'disengaged'.
