Well guys it happened today, just as I feared..........

[mtrain2000]

A few days ago we were discussing whether very young children should be at car show.

Today my father's church was putting on a show, and my father hasn't had the chance to see my car so me, and my wife drove down.

My wife, and I were sitting away from our car with my father at the registration tent.

I was keeping my eye on a young two, or three year old little girl. The little girl was running around the cars pushing her baby carriage [the one her mother pushed her around with]. I still don't know how the kid managed to keep from hitting a car with that thing.

Anyway, mom wasn't even trying to watch the kid, and yep, you guessed it the little girl started to run, and made a bee line straight for the HOT pipes on the Cobra.

Being a bit away from the car I yelled, "STOP", and ran towards her. To her credit the little one stopped. I noticed I now had the full attention of the whole car show

I smiled, and told the mother who was just standing there kinda spaced out, that the pipes were very hot, and proceeded to show her my not-yet healed calf where I got burned.

The mother said, of course, "thats dangerous!" to which my wife yelled, "you should do a better job watching your little girl".

Anyway, this was the first, and last time this car will be at any show. I couldn't enjoy the rest of the show as fear of this happening again. My father is nearly 80 years old so I couldn't put the responsibility on him to watch the car. So that was that.

Thanks to the OP for posting his experience, and everyone else, as I don't think I would have been aware of the hot pipe issue, and kids.

[601HP]

And I had a polar opposite experience yesterday, as compared with my Clash at Coffee and Cars thread of recent.

Quite a few Cobras and owners were gathered at a hotel parkiing lot. A father walked over to me and asked if I could take his daughter for a ride. I said sure. This well-mannered 6 year old gets in. We did the introductions, and kiddingly I asked if she wanted a slow or fast ride. She immediately replied "fast". So we went for a short but NOT fast ride. She and her parents were genuinely pleased! Her Dad tried to give me $5.00.

David

[Rick Parker]

Small kids regardless of the intent or purpose DO NOT belong in or around these cars. Don't even begin to mention car seats. These cars are dangerous and provide little protection if another car is at fault and impacts it. The seatbelts are not intended for a child. Think twice before putting a child in one. You would NEVER forgive yourself if something happened ou of your control.

[JerryD]

That's great advice. I'm asked all the time to give people rides. I just say that my insurance will not insure passengers. It's worked so far.

[LMH]

One of our local guys uses pads he puts on the sidepipes when they are hot to prevent someone from getting burned at a car show. He takes them off after the car has sat a while and the pipes are cool.
Larry

[BAsque1]

Originally Posted by mtrain2000

A few days ago we were discussing whether very young children should be at car show.

Today my father's church was putting on a show, and my father hasn't had the chance to see my car so me, and my wife drove down.

My wife, and I were sitting away from our car with my father at the registration tent.

I was keeping my eye on a young two, or three year old little girl. The little girl was running around the cars pushing her baby carriage [the one her mother pushed her around with]. I still don't know how the kid managed to keep from hitting a car with that thing.

Anyway, mom wasn't even trying to watch the kid, and yep, you guessed it the little girl started to run, and made a bee line straight for the HOT pipes on the Cobra.

Being a bit away from the car I yelled, "STOP", and ran towards her. To her credit the little one stopped. I noticed I now had the full attention of the whole car show

I smiled, and told the mother who was just standing there kinda spaced out, that the pipes were very hot, and proceeded to show her my not-yet healed calf where I got burned.

The mother said, of course, "thats dangerous!" to which my wife yelled, "you should do a better job watching your little girl".

Anyway, this was the first, and last time this car will be at any show. I couldn't enjoy the rest of the show as fear of this happening again. My father is nearly 80 years old so I couldn't put the responsibility on him to watch the car. So that was that.

Thanks to the OP for posting his experience, and everyone else, as I don't think I would have been aware of the hot pipe issue, and kids.

I hear your pain my Brother, I have tried the same approach whenever I show my car, there is a sign posted on the car and I am thinking the next thing is roped around it. People cannot use common sense
Basque1

[olddog]

Go to car shows where the only motivation for a person to go is that they are a car enthusiast. Gear head type shows are full of people who are just like us.

Ovoid car shows next to government housing projects, where people can walk to the show for something to do. There are people living there that do not make good choices. Even here most of the people will be respectful, but some will not be. Those who are not have no clue, and you are not going to enlighten them. If you try to, they will enjoy the drama and drag you to their level.

Ovoid car shows where non car related organizations are raising money for themselves. Churches could fall in this category. Again most of the people will be great, but the odds of running into a problem go up.

PS
I never walk away from the Cobra until the pipes have cooled off, if there are people around - especially young children.

[streetrod1927]

I had almost the same experience at a local town show (Massapequa, New York held in the street) with my 1927 Ford Streetrod. I backed into the spot and got out I was purposely staying near the car as the pipes were extremely hot. Low and behold a mother with her young daughter (maybe 2 or so) were walking towards my car and the little girl was nearing the car (engine exposed) with her hands ready to touch the shiny pipes. Instantly I grabbed the little girl as she was about to place her hand on the pipes. The mother looked at me as if I were about to run off with her child. She screamed for help, At that time the fellow next to me jumped in and said "mam, he just saved your child from a serious burn" You ought to thank him! I then explained to the mother, that car shows are for enjoying, and not touching, especially from children who do not know better. I went on to say that she should have been holding that child's hand and not allowing her to walk by herself, especially when cars were still coming in and such. I have also experienced the same issues with my cobra, despite the hot pipes warning signs!

[Tommy]

What follows is not advice. It is merely what I do.
When I arrive where I suspect naive people may get too close (e.g., a cruise-in), I set up my folding chair nearby and monitor things until the sidepipes have cooled enough to not be dangerous. Sooner or later I'll wander off to register or see the other cars. If some moron lets their unruly child scratch my car or leave sticky handprints on it, that's the price I pay for bringing my car to a public place and leaving it unguarded. Should they know better? Yes. But as I know some will be irresponsible, the ultimate decision to participate or not is mine. ... BTW, I routinely allow well behaved children to sit in my car.

[tcrist]

I have a question for you Tommy.

If you have a well behaved child sitting in your car and maybe another waiting, then an unruley child wants to set in it, do you let them, or do you tell the unruley child that because they cant behave, they are not allowed to?

Believe me, I am NOT trying to start an argument, just interested.

BTW, I like and am impressed that you call them children and not kids like most.

Children are children, Kids are baby goats. Just something that I get from growing up on a farm I guess. Just one of my MANY pet pieves.

[Bill Bess]

Great stories and experiences from car shows. Usually I park so there is plenty of room between my car and the cars on both sides. After I get set up I put out the signs the state "Don't Touch" and then I monitor the foot traffic at least until the pipes cool down.
The biggest problems are people feeling the fender wells to determine if it metal of fiberglass, ....then here it comes..."Is it real?"
The other day two guys were having fun feeling the fender wells and both looked at each other and said..."it's a real one" and walked off.
I know its a real cobra, even with a fiberglass body , go figure!

[streetrod1927]

That is why we have Cobra's, Streetrods, etc. and they are spectators and such!

[tcrist]

I was taught that if it is not yours, don't touch it. I taught my boys that from day one and they both have taught their children that, from day one also.

The trouble is that some people think that it is their right to touch anything they want. It is just the way some people are and it is just getting worse.

Car shows? I will go to them but will never participate in one again.

[crenbbf]

Don't you have somthing like this your side of the pond?

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...ATt1m3Mh7e4Vow

drastically reduces external of exhausts

cheers

[REAL 1]

This pretty much puts to life what I previously said on the previous thread on this subject based on my approximately 20 years around these cars and having gone to show after show years ago.

Finally realized no matter how much you talk about what parents "should do" there are too many that don't and don't care.

While I certainly don't want to see any child hurt, if they burn themselves on my side pipes it is the parents fault for not watching/supervisiong their children appropriately at a car show. I shouldn't have to "child proof" my Shelby so they can enjoy it at a car show. However, you can rest assured if that child got burned that parent is going to blame you.

However, pipes cool off within 10 to 15 minutes so that is not an ongoing concern but used more as an excuse to keep kids away.

Long and short of it. My concern is for my property first. As far as I'm concerned if their kid gets burned that's their problem, however, I am realistic enough to understand they will likely or certainly try and make it my problem too which is why I avoid shows for the most part today and am very selective as to which shows I bring it too.

Secondly, my car is not an amusement ride. There are carnivals for that. The only kids that go in my Cobra are my kids.

[GRUF78]

Amen brother.

Couldn't have said it any better myself.

After having raised 4 kids and having taught them the value of someone else' property; if they got burned on someone's car my response would be, "you won't do that again, will you...."

Works every time....

GRUFF

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by tcrist

I have a question for you Tommy.

If you have a well behaved child sitting in your car and maybe another waiting, then an unruley child wants to set in it, do you let them, or do you tell the unruley child that because they cant behave, they are not allowed to?.

Terry,
I can't recall that situation having arisen in the past. Young children usually travel with their parents, and I wouldn't make the offer to one if another in the group was an obvious problem. But, I don't have trouble telling people things they don't want to hear. So, I'd likely turn away the unruly child with something vague like, "That's all for now." If the child's parent challenged me, I'd just say, "It's my car and I decide who gets to sit in it."

[kevins2]

My car got mauled and it's still in my garage with no engine yet! Had some friends over for dinner and, of course, they both wanted to see the Cobra so we went out to the garage. Within seconds, they were running their hands up and down the fenders - she had a ring on but fortunately didn't scratch the car. At one point, he leaned on the car with his hand and left a complete and detailed palm print. And then the best part. He opened the trunk (without asking) so I walked quickly back there. He tried to close it and it wouldn't close so he started forcing it down. I actually yelled "No, no!!! - lift it up to release the latch. I didn't wait for him to do that and took hold of the trunk lid and closed it myself.

Unbelievable. I wasn't concerned about the finger prints - they cleaned right off with detailer spray. But I would never touch someone's car let alone maul it like that and try to force a trunk closed.

My opinion of this particular friend dropped a few points that evening.

[mdross1]

Yup have to agree about those side pipes we had a big block 69 Vette with them besides the noise they were a pain when taking the car to any family function. Our Harleys over the years has tattooed a few who learned the hard way about hot exhaust.

[MaSnaka]

I was at a show yesterday and saw this mom (nice looking but that did not sway my judgment) pointing the gauges out on another Cobra's dash to her son of about 10 years old. Leaning in and being careful not to touch. I asked her if she had a camera and if so would she like to take a picture of her son sitting in my car. I did not have to twist his arm and the smile on his face sitting strapped into my seat holding the steering wheel was priceless. I then asked if he would like to start it up and take his mom for a spin around the parking lot and he got this serious look on his face and said "no that would be illegal". I tell ya there may be a few bad apples out there but there are plenty of good ones too. The dream has to start somewhere, why not when you see a deserving youngster help encourage it. I hate to say it but a lot of you sound like grouchy old men. But then I haven't had all the bad experiences you have had with ice cream and sticky fingers and such.

John