Car Show Rant

gene giambona · #1 (**permalink**) 04-26-2009, 07:42 PM

I went to the Dream Machines car show today and witnessed a frustrating event. While my friend and I were walking down one of the many rows of vehicles, we stopped to look at a pair of Cobras. The unlucky owner of one Cobra was sitting in a portable chair behind his car when a lady walked by with her dog on a leash. For some unknown reason, the dog decided to jump up on the trunklid of the car and left some nice claw marks on the clear coat.

The lady quickly said sorry and walked away while we all looked at the damage in disbelief. I'm sure a detailer could buff it out, but why did this nice guy have to be a victim?

I've been to several shows now and witnessed cars damaged by unsecured portable pop tents that were blown into cars by the wind, people with bicycles that decide to place the bike between them and the car they are viewing, and unsupervised children climbing onto vehicles.

What ever happened to car show Etiquette???

MaSnaka · #2 (**permalink**) 04-26-2009, 08:11 PM

Nothing is sacred. Although most people respect the cars proper, I once saw a dad let his little kid stand up on the side pipes to get a better look into the cobra. I was standing there talking to the owner of the car and we could not believe what we just saw. Bummer about the dog and scratches.

John

4pipes · #3 (**permalink**) 04-26-2009, 08:16 PM

Well, at least it's not about arms and legs.

We do have to understand that these things can happen a car shows. I used to have a Ferrari and I was displaying it at an annual Concorso event near Pebble Beach. My wife and I were sitting right behind the car when a man and his son were admiring our car. The kid had a camera around his neck and when he leaned over to look into the car.....bam! The camera struck the car. I never did remove the mark, it was car show patina.

An hour later an older man came around and commented how nice my car was and how he had never seen that model......I looked up and it was Bob Bondurant. Kinda made the day a lot more satisfying.

Got the Bug · #4 (**permalink**) 04-26-2009, 08:46 PM

We had a similar experience at the car show in downtown Mountain View last summer. Luckily, we didn't leave with any damage (a guy pounded on my fender and asked out loud if it was fiberglass, some kid smeared ice cream on Scott's car, another kid used Chuck's sidepipe as a ladder to look inside the cockpit of the car).

One of the challenges of events like the Dream Machines show is that there are a lot of non-car people there. I'm always surprised and amazed when I go to the Good Guys car shows in Pleasanton and people have the utmost respect for the cars. The other thing is that pets have a time and a place...and cars shows aren't any place for pets.

In the end, the cars were made to be driven. Hopefully the scratches can be buffed out.

RedBarchetta · #5 (**permalink**) 04-26-2009, 08:52 PM

I was at the John Force car show yesterday (John liked the Cobra...even shook my hand!) and some couple brought not 1 but 5 freakin' greyhounds with them. And I also saw a couple other poodle dogs. People are stupid. I would have ripped that lady a new one and embarrassed her off the lot if that had happened to me.

D-CEL · #6 (**permalink**) 04-26-2009, 09:14 PM

I love dogs, but who the !@#$%^ brings a GOSH DARN dog to a car show?
I was at a local event in socal, when a retard allowed his dog to jump up on the front passenger fender of CSX 3026!!! As he drug the dog off the fender it left several scratch. I about died. the dogs owner said "I'm sorry" and walked away. Fortunately, the scratches rubbed out. I did offer to the Cobras owner to kill the dog and its owner. He declined.
So today Im at the same event (Super Car Sunday,@ Village Coffee Roasters in Calabasas Ca.) and who is there, but the same freakin SOB and his dog!!! standing between another couple of cobras!!
I had to walk away, i wanted to choke him out!!
He needs his A-- kicked so he understands!!
DONT BRING YOUR FREAKIN DOG TO A CAR SHOW IF YOU CANT CONTROL IT!!

Thank you, imm feeling better now
Jason

tkb289 · #7 (**permalink**) 04-26-2009, 10:05 PM

I think you guys hit the nail on the head with the comments above.

A car show with car the general public is a different event that a car show attended by car enthusiasts. It seems that a lot of people (both kids and adults) think a car at a show is like going to the park and climbing on an old fire truck buried in the sand. However for the most part, when car enthusiasts, and kids of car enthusiasts, go to a show, they keep their hands in their pockets and a bit more distance, just to be sure they don't touch anything.

I recall some years ago taking one of my kids to the historic races at Laguna Seca and stopping to look at a vintage racer. We kept a respectable distance, but spent some time looking at the car. The owner came over and asked my son, if he wanted to sit in the car, which he gladly did. I got a great picture of my then 10 year old sitting in a very nice car. Not sure who had the bigger smile, my son, myself or the owner. A great experience indeed.

boblyon1 · #8 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 12:06 AM

I was at the Mountain View "show" last summer. In addition to what was said above, I also saw an old geezer (who looked almost like a street person) lean over to peer into Chuck's cockpit - with a lit cigarette dangling over the seat! I can't believe the stupidity and lack of common sense shown by some of the public.

Randy Rosenberg · #9 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 10:30 AM

For all of the reasons above (and a few more), I don't register for car shows any more...

RedBarchetta · #10 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkb289

I recall some years ago taking one of my kids to the historic races at Laguna Seca and stopping to look at a vintage racer. We kept a respectable distance, but spent some time looking at the car. The owner came over and asked my son, if he wanted to sit in the car, which he gladly did. I got a great picture of my then 10 year old sitting in a very nice car. Not sure who had the bigger smile, my son, myself or the owner. A great experience indeed.

Good for that owner! On Saturday I actually had a father/daughter FOLLOW ME HOME from the John Force show! Didn't even realize it until I pulled up on the driveway. Nice guy and his 6 year old daughter (as well as he) were just smitten with the car (they apparently oogled all over it at the show when I had stepped away). Well, we both step out of our cars and I offer to him to have the little girl not only sit in the car, but what if I take her for a gingerly ride around the block? I will never forget the look on her face when I had her strapped in and fired up the car. Priceless.

We drove around the block, never exceeding 3,000 rpm nor 20 mph, but she had a smile on her from ear to ear. Told the Dad to come back next week and then it would be his turn.

That's what these cars are all about. Too bad we have a couple bad eggs that don't get it and bring Rover with them. I had more fun making that little girl's day for those 5 minutes than the 2 hours I spent at the show.

-Dean

RodKnock · #11 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

People are stupid.

Never a more truthful statement can be made.

Had a party a few weeks back and was showing someone my car in the garage. This person leaned over the interior with their half-full cup of coffee teetering on the brink of spilling while checking out the car.

RodKnock · #12 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 11:09 AM

I would like to add that I'm in that same category of "people are stupid."

Not car show etiquette, mind you, but yesterday I was called for FIVE offsides in my soccer game. FIVE!

Ron61 · #13 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 11:34 AM

It might help if you talked to the organizers of the shows about some of this. We got bicycles, skateboards, and dogs banned from some of the shows around here. Also anyone damaging a car or letting their kid do so has the information taken by security so the owner can then have them billed for the repairs to the paint or whatever. But nothing is ever going to stop all of the stupidity.

Ron

Slick61 · #14 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 12:11 PM

just too many inconsiderate, unaware people...

it's one of the reasons I only show my car maybe once a year... if that. I'm always a nervous wreck the whole time & feel like I have to stand guard 24/7... which gets boring. Because of that, I typically don't get to enjoy the rest of the show.

Of course, the other reason is that I didn't buy my car to show it. I bought it because I enjoy the car. I was not prepared for the amount of attention it generates when out on the road... it takes some getting used to.

... and then the cheapskate in me kicks in... why am I paying $40 (or whatever) for other people to come look at my car??? Shouldn't they be paying ME??? I could care less about getting it judged.

I guess that's why I just prefer the casual get-togethers.

I thought about hitting SuperCar Sunday, but did enough driving to/from Knott's on Saturday. That, and the fact that I am NOT a morning person. And I try not to irritate the neighbors with early morning warmups too often.

well... there's MY tyrade...

Ron61 · #15 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 12:20 PM

Slick61,

Those are the main reasons that I quit entering any of my cars in shows years ago. The last show I entered was Kool April Nights several years ago when I still had my Cobra and they put it inside on the stage with security and the only people allowed up there were ones that had cars on stage. That really made it nice as I was able to go out and look at all of the other cars and not have to worry about mine. They are only allowed to have 2300 cars at the show now due to parking space, and I was surprised at the number that showed up this year with the economy being down.They had over 2,000 cars on the Friday night cruise. Now when I go to a show it is just to look and not have to stay in those crowds all day.

Ron

CBattaglia · #16 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RodKnock

I would like to add that I'm in that same category of "people are stupid."

Not car show etiquette, mind you, but yesterday I was called for FIVE offsides in my soccer game. FIVE!

So was it a bad ref? OR... are you getting slower and trying to cheat a bit??

Tugboat · #17 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 01:48 PM

I went to the Housto Astro pre game car show yesterday. My cobra is in the garage with clutch issues so I took the daily driver, the 05 GT, and can you believe this lady sat on the headlight? Really, I gave her permission. Even paid for her to do it. Now have a pretty interesting professional picture of the car. My wife wasn't to happy but the 16 yr old son has admired the picture many times. Some car shows are wonderful and then there are the ones you do not go back too. I really enjoy showing the cars and letting people sit in them for a picture if they really seem to enjoy the car.

Larry

RodKnock · #18 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBattaglia

So was it a bad ref? OR... are you getting slower and trying to cheat a bit??

I'm certainly faster than most, otherwise I wouldn't be playing right forward, but my offsides IQ meter was running a little low yesterday. A couple were bad calls and a couple were stupidity. I need some time to heal my wounds, both physically and to my ego. The defender playing left halfback was called twice for fouls (against me) and was almost thrown out of the game. Maybe I was subconsciously trying to get away from him as quickly as I could.

Back to the thread.

At the Palo Alto Concours, they let people get right up close to some very, very expensive cars, but yet, I haven't seen anyone get or be stupid. Hearing what happened in Mountain View last year and then hearing what started this thread, makes me very hesitant to show my car anywhere.

PANAVIA · #19 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 11:10 PM

I am so done with humans. -- I am going to go debug SkyNet and get that thing online.

Steve

289fia_cobra · #20 (**permalink**) 04-30-2009, 02:31 PM

^^^
Forget skynet, call in the Borg! They're perfect and will make the stupid people pefect too!

It's for threads like this I decided my car would be a driver, and never enter it into a show. Like Tim's experience, I had went to the "Mervyn's Plaza/Boston Market" hot rod gathering in Santa Clara (every Wed.) and it's been going on for a while so people have developed the etiquette of hands off, and watch your kids/dogs/dangling camera issues.

But I allowed some kids into my car when they couldn't keep their eyes off of it among the dueces, GTO's, etc. I just said "Hey, wanna climb in and get pictures?" I think the kids liked it but the parents LOVED IT! For me, I enjoy the car enough when I drive it and I do like to share experiences whenever I can. That to me, is part of the whole package.