An ancient ford has been closed after millions of people from around the world tuned in to TikTok to watch videos of drivers’ cars drifting away in the flood waters.
Crowds were also drawn off screen, with hundreds descending on the Little Rufford ford in Nottinghamshire to watch cars drive through or even get stuck in the river.
Councilor Neil Clarke led the council’s decision to close the ford last month after fire and police services were unable to cope with people entering the now-famous country lane.
Mr Clarke said of the December closure: “We know Rufford Ford has become popular with locals and people afar, but we cannot stress enough that dangerous driving cannot continue in the area due to safety concerns Endangered by motorists and pedestrians.
An ancient ford has been closed after millions of people from around the world tuned in to TikTok to watch videos of drivers’ cars drifting away in the flood waters
“The closure has been implemented with immediate effect and will be in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the foreseeable future.”
People came to Nottinghamshire to try to drive through the ford and often got stuck there, requiring fire brigade to help them out of their predicament and police to ensure the safety of spectators at the sides of the ford to ensure.
Rufford Ford crosses Rainworth Water, a small river east of Mansfield. It is believed to have been used in various forms for more than 1,000 years.
In dry weather, the river crosses the road as a small trickle that is easy to cross.
But after a lot of rain it gets several feet deep and up to 30 feet (nine meters) wide, and the intersection hardly resembles a road.
This used to be a local concern, but since local teenager Ben Gregory uploaded compilation videos of people driving through the ford, which were posted on Youtube and later TikTok, the crossing has gained international notoriety.
Crowds were also drawn off screen, with hundreds descending on the Little Rufford ford in Nottinghamshire to watch cars drive through or even get stuck in the river
Councilor Neil Clarke led the council’s decision to close the ford last month after fire and police services were unable to cope with people entering the now-famous country lane
Mr Clarke said of the December closure: “We know Rufford Ford has become popular with locals and people afar, but we cannot stress enough that dangerous driving cannot continue in the area due to safety concerns Endangered by motorists and pedestrians’
While Ben was quickly topping 100,000 views in 2020, other Youtubers saw the potential, like 50-year-old Midlifecrisis101x, who likes to be addressed by just his username.
He told The Guardian: “You don’t want people to win. What they want to do is look at idiots and say, “I’m having a really bad day, but he’s having a worse one.”
Capturing a car failure can take hours, hundreds of crossings, to find a Youtube-worthy, glee-inducing person driving through the ford, splashing or swimming through a lot of water.
Spending so much time filming a short clip isn’t necessarily a bad thing for midlifecrisis101x: “It’s relaxing – it’s like fishing.” Instead of fishing, this is about cars.
As for motivating those crossing the river out of curiosity rather than necessity, he believes there is a deep “bloodthirst” on the part of drivers who want to drive a vehicle worth tens of thousands of pounds through a flooded ford.
Global interest in Rufford quickly became elusive, especially after the videos gained popularity on TikTok, where algorithm-driven recommendations brought millions of new viewers to Ford content.
Midlifecrisis101x told The Guardian: “TikTok is attracting a more excitable audience who want instant entertainment, they want 15 to 20 seconds of adrenaline pumping consumption.
“The energetic people came to Rufford Ford. Originally it was fishing for cars, and then TikTok brought more energy — and not in a good way.”
The City Council said: “The closure has been introduced with immediate effect and will be in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the foreseeable future.”
People came to Nottinghamshire to try to drive through the ford and often got stuck there, requiring fire brigade to help them out of their predicament and police to ensure the safety of spectators at the sides of the ford to ensure
Rufford Ford crosses Rainworth Water, a small river east of Mansfield. In dry weather, the river crosses the road as a small trickle that is easy to cross. But after a lot of rain it gets several feet deep and up to 30 feet (nine meters) wide, and the intersection hardly resembles a road
Mr Clarke told The Guardian the council had complaints that it was “spoiling everyone’s fun”, adding that people don’t realize the danger and risk the ford poses. “Very quickly, things like this can turn into tragedy,” he said
In one of the popular TikToks, the rider of a motorcycle crashes while crossing the ford and catapults him off his bike
Large crowds poured onto the narrow, tree-lined country lane, bringing their families to spend a day cheering on motorists attempting to cross the road.
Nottinghamshire Police have had to divert more officers into the area to manage the count.
After the closure, the council said it was due to an increase in incidents in the area.
Inspector Matthew Ward, district commander for the area, said: “We regret this as a result […] a closure of Rufford Ford to all vehicular traffic will be effective immediately for security reasons.
“Increasingly dangerous and irresponsible driving in the place that puts vehicle occupants and bystanders at significant risk.”
Mr Clarke told The Guardian the council had complaints that it was “spoiling everyone’s fun”, adding that people don’t realize the danger and risk the ford poses.
“Very quickly, things like this can turn into tragedy,” he said.
In one of the popular TikToks, the rider of a motorcycle crashes while crossing the ford and catapults him off his bike.
For now, locals will have to wait while the council decides what to do with the accidentally famous crossroads.
Clarke said a replacement bridge is out of the question given the council’s budget, but traffic calming measures could be put in place once the ford is open again.
This used to be a local concern, but since local teenager Ben Gregory uploaded compilation videos of people driving through the ford, which were posted on Youtube and later TikTok, the crossing has gained international notoriety
For now, locals will have to wait while the council decides what to do with the accidentally famous crossroads
Clarke said a replacement bridge is out of the question given the council’s budget, but traffic calming measures could be put in place once the ford is open again