Clash at Coffee and Cars

[REAL 1]

Originally Posted by cgwitt

Hey cool guy! I take my COBRA to car show 3 to 4 times a year and I let kids climb in while their parents take photos. They get their little hands all over my machine and with a little bit of elbow work – my machine cleans right up. I spend about $800 bucks a year having it detailed and its garaged most of the time except when I'm out on a COBRA run with my buddies. Most of us have replica COBRAS and some of us have grand children. Yep I do! If I was there while you were whining about your car because a 2 ½ year touched it, you would probably found your butt in a local dumpster. Nous Defions and De Opresso Liber cool guy and if you want to get together some time – give me a jingle.

If you like letting other people's kids climb all over your car, Try the local Romp Around, you'll love it!

You sound like a real " hands on" kinda guy spending $800 a year on "detailing". Are those runs off road?

Enjoy!

[601HP]

This thread has generated a wide magin of opinions and responses.

Some folks don't have an issue with the subject, others share commonality in an opinion.

I added a POLL as a quick tool to evaluate your stance, and it provides anonymity if you don't care to post a response to the thread.

David

[Jerry Clayton]

how about adding-Only show your car at REAL car shows such as the ISRA??????????

ISCA

www.theisca.com

[blykins]

Don't need a poll.

If I pull *my* Cobra into a car show and a 2 year old is hopping around near *my* hot sidepipes, then I will express my opinion and I dare ANYONE to throw my butt into a dumpster. Period.

[JWilly]

The fingerprints of a curious kid on my car do not bother me. A spray bottle of detailer and a rag takes care of that. AND I routinely let curious kids sit in my car.

The out-of-control, rowdy kids do bother me and I try to protect my car from those..but fortunately, that is not often a problem. As someone else said, my biggest concern is a kid getting too close to hot pipes.

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by cgwitt

Hey cool guy! I take my COBRA to car show 3 to 4 times a year and I let kids climb in while their parents take photos. They get their little hands all over my machine and with a little bit of elbow work – my machine cleans right up. I spend about $800 bucks a year having it detailed and its garaged most of the time except when I'm out on a COBRA run with my buddies. Most of us have replica COBRAS and some of us have grand children. Yep I do! If I was there while you were whining about your car because a 2 ½ year touched it, you would probably found your butt in a local dumpster. Nous Defions and De Opresso Liber cool guy and if you want to get together some time – give me a jingle.

Why is it that some morons feel the need to make threats of violence on these forums?

Who Dares Wins.

[JBCOBRA]

I walked back to my to find some guy taking pictures of his boogie makers in my car standing on the seats.
I asked him if it was his car? He said no. I said that's right. Now get the kids the hell out of My car!

[avanti-176]

Originally Posted by cgwitt

If I was there while you were whining about your car because a 2 ½ year touched it, you would probably found your butt in a local dumpster. Nous Defions and De Opresso Liber cool guy and if you want to get together some time – give me a jingle.

Uh oh! Looks like you just got threatened by a Special Forces/Mercenary badass. Probably ought to be shaking in your shoes, packing up your ClubCobra account and leaving the internets.

Fortunately, not a single special forces guy that I know(and I know a bunch) would even consider some sort of internet thuggery. They don't make threats unless they fully intend to back them up, right then and there. So I am guessing we got a wannabe here.

[OnyxRider]

Originally Posted by avanti-176

Uh oh! Looks like you just got threatened by a Special Forces/Mercenary badass. Probably ought to be shaking in your shoes, packing up your ClubCobra account and leaving the internets.

Fortunately, not a single special forces guy that I know(and I know a bunch) would even consider some sort of internet thuggery. They don't make threats unless they fully intend to back them up, right then and there. So I am guessing we got a wannabe here.

You know I'm so jealous of the guy that posted that latin quote, is it latin right?

We never had a saying in Naval Special Warfare Command. All we had was our insignia. An eagle holding a trident, a US Navy anchor, and a cocked flintlock pistol. Each one has a meaning.

I have children too and as I stated before it's a reflection on the parent.

Look at this one the girl was only seven years old and died. Just imagine a two year old not being supervised properly by it's parents.

Senseless: 7-Year-Old Girl Dies After Being Struck By Bouncing Car During Hydraulics Demonstration :: allURB AKA The Urban Agenda: 24/7

[saturnkk]

Originally Posted by cgwitt

Hey cool guy! I take my COBRA to car show 3 to 4 times a year and I let kids climb in while their parents take photos. They get their little hands all over my machine and with a little bit of elbow work – my machine cleans right up. I spend about $800 bucks a year having it detailed and its garaged most of the time except when I'm out on a COBRA run with my buddies. Most of us have replica COBRAS and some of us have grand children. Yep I do! If I was there while you were whining about your car because a 2 ½ year touched it, you would probably found your butt in a local dumpster. Nous Defions and De Opresso Liber cool guy and if you want to get together some time – give me a jingle.

What's your number?

[tcrist]

Well, I am not going to read the whole thread, so if this answer was already posted, sorry.

The guy removes the child’s hands from the first and then removed them again from the second. It would look to me like he was trying to do the right thing.

Yes, the child should have been taught better (mine were and they taught theirs also), BUT, at least the guy was trying.

After seeing that the guy was trying and somewhat succeeding you just had to say something, anyway. Then you get upset because he got upset with you.

It looks to me that you were trying to be a wise a$$ and just had to mouth off. Trying to look big in front of everyone at the expense of what was probably a very upset and embarrassed father.

[Dangerous Doug]

Wow, some of the responses here surprise me. I, too, am one of those magnanimous Cobra owners that invites people to sit in my Cobra for a quick photo op. However, I am also a father who has trained my son to keep his hands off other people's cars at car shows or even in mere parking lots.

That father at the car show needed to be called out. He was letting a 2-1/2 year-old walk freely a a car show? He needed some schooling. Sure, he was embarrassed and miffed, but hopefully he learned that some people don't want their car touched---and it's the owner' prerogative.

I wasn't there to catch the tone, but I would have been visibly annoyed with the dad, myself. If HE wasn't a dick, he would have apologized and tried to diffuse the situation. He was at fault.

And, really, threatening to toss someone into a dumpster? Another example of someone who should apologize and diffuse. Sheesh!

DD

[DanEC]

Well - after reading all of this back and forth I'm convinced I voted correctly for the - I avoid public showings to preclude such issues - category. I have sympathy for the guys and gals who like to see classic and custom cars and have kids to shepard around and who do try to manage them. But, I have also seen my share of complete idiots and assholes of all types at car shows and cruise night who are completely irresponsible and even destructive. I've found that I want to participate less and less in such shows and prefer to just go and be a spectator myself. I don't have my old cars and replica to garner public attention with anyway - they are for self appreciation.

[601HP]

It looks to me that you were trying to be a wise a$$ and just had to mouth off. Trying to look big in front of everyone at the expense of what was probably a very upset and embarrassed father.


The 2 Cobras were parked at the end of a row of cars, and that row was sparsely populated.

The parent, his son and we two car owners were the only folks in the area. Neither of us raised our voices during the short verbal exchange. Neither displayed anger, but mutual annoyance was evident.

No one else was within earshot. It was no one else's business, especially not a knuckle-dragging Neanderthal chest-thumping dumpster-chucking cretin (post #35). I don't "grandstand."

The little event wasn't anywhere near as adrenaline-pumping as your speculative and embellished version would have it.

I'm now reminded of a line from the movie STRIPES, when Sgt. Hulka looks over and says "Lighten up Francis."

David

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by 601HP

knuckle-dragging Neanderthal chest-thumping dumpster-chucking cretin (post #35).

Brilliant!

[tcrist]

Speculative, maybe, embellished, I doubt it.

That is what is great about the internet and forums. You can post only a bit of what actually is happening and let everyone else fill in the blanks as they see the scenario play out. Then you can tell them that they are speculative.

[jr289]

Kids were "jumping" on a "kit car" not an original, right?

[DougD]

Wow. Some of your responses explain to me exactly why this happened. There are a lot of people out there the just don't give a damn about someone else's property.

Any parent who lets a 2 1/2 year old run free at a car show is one of these. No 2 1/2 year old is responsible for himself. The parent is. Period.

I raised my kids to be respectful of others and their property. Until they moved out of the house as young adults, I felt like they were my responsibility. Had the kid been mine, I would have told him that touching was off limits, and had he continued, we would have left the show and he would know exactly why. And I would have apologized to the car's owner.

Having said that, I frequently let kids sit in my cars at shows. I am always hovering nearby. If I see a kid who is respectful and curious, I ask him/her if they'd like to sit in the car (after asking the usually nearby parent if it's OK). They are typically surprised, but usually consent after a few seconds. I belt them in, let them wear my race helmet, etc. The smiles are priceless, and hopefully another car guy or gal is hatched. And maybe a future Prius sale will be a new Ford instead!

I'm not a veteran, but anyone who wants to try to kick me into a dumpster is welcome to try. Send me a PM for an appointment...

[Al G]

Originally Posted by jr289

Kids were "jumping" on a "kit car" not an original, right?

Kit car or original is irrelevant. It's about respecting someone else's property.

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by Al G

Kit car or original is irrelevant. It's about respecting someone else's property.

Exactly. I found a kid sitting on the front seat of my car one time with his mother taking pictures. I about had a heart attack. I would never get in somebody's car without permission. She didn't see an issue until I asked where she lived as I wanted to watch some TV.

Had she asked, it would not have been an issue. After all, it is MY PROPERTY!