General lack of respect for other peoples property

[Black Box]

This may not be a big deal to some people, but it really pissed me off.
I went to the car show at Mark's Auto Parts last night with my brother Mike and our friend Tom, who's got a sweet '68 350 4speed Camaro. What a great show....lotsa nice cars, and lotsa gawkers looking at the GN Quite a few hot girl walking around too!

We walk around and check out all the cars, then make our way back to our cars and chill out. Just sittin there smokin a butt, we notice a group of 7 younger kids (probably high schoolers) come over to our cars. They congregate around the GN and start talking, and Tom looks at me with this "WTF" face and says, "That fat kid is leaning on your ride!" So I walk up to them, and sure as hell, some fatso has his greasy palms on my fender and windshield washer bottle. I look the little prick right in the eye and say "Yo, mind your hands!", which bought an instant silence to the group. He removed his hands and looked at me, to which I just stared right back with this "I'm 'bout kick your ass" look. They all kind of wandered off, I know they had to be talkin smack under their breath but didn't say anything directly to Tom or Mike or I.

I guess my point is, what the hell is wrong with people? We spend hours upon hours modding, cleaning, polishing and waxing our cars and some bastard goes and nasties it up with greasy fingerprints. Where's the respect? I would never think of touching someone else's ride.

I'm glad I'm older and wiser than I once was. If not, I woulda probably pummelled all those kids into the ground.

Anyone had any similar experiences? Vent here. Was I overreacting? Please say so.

Sorry if I offended anyone. I had to vent.

Steve

 

[Raymond Bunch]

Yes your over reacting, take a chill pill

Just Joking

Yeah that would really chap my butt big time, and I have been known to correct knuckle heads because of things like this, even if it wasn't my car. Respect for other people's property is really laciking these day's

Vent on man, I fell ya......

 

[wlaukaitis]

I hear ya

When I go to car shows I don't even like to walk between them, If I have to lean over to look at something, I make sure my keys aren't swinging in the wind. I also tell my 4.5 year old son "Look, but NEVER touch".

 

[Pronto]

I like to walk away from my car and circle back to hear the comments of the people. Sometimes there are idiots that like to touch the car or don't pay attention to their zippers or pocket books but by far the most annoying is the teens that rollerblade around at one cruise that a few of my friends go to. Second is younger kids that aren't with an adult and run around. Usually though most people respect what they are near, not that my car is that great but still there is a certain level of protection that you feel you need to enforce. Some people put signs on the car. Don't know if that keeps them back or entices them to touch when your not looking just to be a goon.

 

[gn85]

Yah.. there is a lack of respect sometimes. Sometimes it's just ignorance and not knowing better.

A lot of times, people just think these cars are simply a form of transportation and not the result of someones hard work and dedication.

My car's not the 'show stopper' either, but I do like for people to respect what I've worked hard at.

Had a guy at e-town lean on my car. Was leaning on my hood while talking to a guy who owned a Corvette parked next to me. He was 'spoken to'.

Darn shame people don't have enough common sense.

 

[Black Box]

Thats cool, I kinda started to think I overreacted. But I guess someone has to teach respect.

And my car isn't even that clean (by my standards). Paint is cracking on the hood and trunk a little, and it needed to be waxed again. But hell, it's mine and I worked my ass off to get it, and to get it to the state its in now.

Steve

 

[wlaukaitis]

Let me say something about car owners

So I went to Bald Hill tonight and an AC Cobra Rolls up. I gotta admit I was curious as to if it was real. Seriously, how often do you see an AC Cobra cruising around town? SO since I didn;t ask my buddy did. The guy kinda snickered and said "yeah it's real, let me show you how you can tell" and he proceded to show us the various plaques in the car. What the hell do I know about AC Cobra's?

I guess what really irked me was a guy I had met a few weeks before who was chumming around wuth a '66 GTO owner. He starts laughing and saying "Ha, what do you know, you've got a Grand National......"

So I walk up and say "If I had a car like this I wouldn't bring it to this hell hole! And Mr. AC Cobra says "Well you don't so you don't have to worry about it"

I was thinking about what I should have said when I first walked up

1. "HEY I got one of those!"
2. I saw 2 of those last week, one at 7-11 and one at Home Depot"
3. "Where did you get the kit from?"

I just don't know what the problem was, I have never seen a "real" one and like I said before with the possibility of it being real I didn't want to get close enough to find out.

I wouldn't bring a $500,000 car to a car show without a 6 foot high fence with razor wire on top.

Forgive me for my limited knowledge of rare Caroll Shelby colletor cars.

 

[TurboRegal84]

I love it when people at shows decide to lean on your car with the back of their Jeans agenst the paint. I had a fellow GN owner just lean on my GNX at a show do just that.

I had no problem with it....after all I bought a $35,000 GNX as a butt rest for the general public.

I don't get many people like that, but when some people own the same type of car they think its ok if they just treat it as their own....

Over all most people are ok, and have a great deal of respect for other peoples property!

 

[Terry_H]

I can see your side of this scenerio, but those kids probably haven't been to a lot of car shows nor understood the work and preparation involved to get a car in show condition. Remember, you said it was only one kid that was at fault, but you lambasted the entire group. The "fatso" remarks makes me wonder how long ago it was since you were a kid.

They were obviously impressed with your car. You could have been a little more friendly while still getting your message across. They could be future Turbo Buick owners.

 

[John Larkin]

It's called basic courtesy. Children do not come equipped with this knowledge. It is either taught to them or not, period; it was taught to me. I am not tolerant of this sort of thing beyond school age. They would hear the same from me in a similar situation. It's not wrong stand up for yourself. The Golden Rule still holds true.

 

[Red Regal T]

People who would actually lean on your car are stupid or senile. I guess it happens from time to time, but not often. Usually, about 8 to 12 Turbo cars show up at our cruise every Saturday nite in Largo, Fl. It's your typical cruise at a BK with all kinds of classic muscle cars. Back in the day, 99% of the cruisers did all their own work and you couldn't buy all these ready made restoration parts. I usually don't bother to look at the other people's over valued rides. It's become a money game. "Look how much money I have". I want to forget all I ever knew about carbeurators and 5mpg rides. I drive the best you can get without spending $75K. A TURBO BUICK!

You only have a GN while I have my 7 mpg, high 14 second, (bondo-bucket) GTO.

 

[gn85]

Originally posted by Terry_H
I can see your side of this scenerio, but those kids probably haven't been to a lot of car shows nor understood the work and preparation involved to get a car in show condition. Remember, you said it was only one kid that was at fault, but you lambasted the entire group. The "fatso" remarks makes me wonder how long ago it was since you were a kid.

They were obviously impressed with your car. You could have been a little more friendly while still getting your message across. They could be future Turbo Buick owners.

Actually, it sounds like he only spoke to one kid and not the whole group. Furthermore, it sounds like he only said one thing which wasn't all that rude considering the situation. I'm sure more colorful language could have easily been used.

You may be right, and they may not have 'known' better. And that's a shame, because I know my parents always taught me better when it came to how to treat others property. My father also has a street rod that he used to take to shows all the time. He taught me very well, how to handle car shows.

Hopefully after this experience they may learn from it. If not, at least they may grow up to have a nice car and then remember back when they didn't know better. Learn from their mistakes.

 

[FlyinGN]

some people at shows are not car people and really don't have a clue. I see it all the time. Thats why I choose carefully the shows I take my GN to..
Thats why my 10 year old Son is taught properly what and what NOT to to at shows..

 

[fitz3820]

People just don't have respect.

My GN is no show car by any means but my wife and I went to get ice cream at a local stand and I came back to the lot and there was a huge fat lady leaning on the fender.

I had to use the line from the movie "Gumball Rally" and just look at her and say "wrong" and motion her to get off the car.

Oh yeah - gn85 isn't kidding about leanig on his car - I was at E-Town w/my GN and from a distance he thought I was leaning on his car. He sent his girl-friend (wife?) to talk to me about it.

When she saw I wasn't leaning on it everything was fine - at first I thought she was going to break my arm or something.

 

[Black Box]

Terry,
I see your point and perhaps the "fatso" comment was a bit much. Its been a long time since I was a kid. Think 18-20 years. Not that age matters, because my comment didn't really have to do with maturity. Its more related to political correctness, which I never have practiced, or bought into. The kid was fat, what more can I say. He didn't seem to have much respect for himself (dressed like a damn slob), much less my car. I didn't say he may not have been a nice guy otherwise, but I lost all respect for him when he disrespected my car and I.

And like Chris said, I only spoke directly to the one kid, not the entire group.

Steve

 

[Black Box]

Originally posted byfitz3820
I had to use the line from the movie "Gumball Rally" and just look at her and say "wrong" and motion her to get off the car.

Mark, that's hilarious. I woulda paid to see that!

 

[DCEPTCN]

I was at a local car show last August. Not to show my car, but because Hagerty is one of the insurance companies I'm authorized to sell, so I have to attend these shows for work purposes (which really stinks). Anyway, I drove my GN there that day and, at the request of those directing the show, parked it near the other cars. Later, it was several groups of people who talked me into putting the hood up. My car is not exactly what I consider 'show quality', but alot of folks seemed to appreciate it. I was standing back a little bit, so they probably didn't know that it was mine, and this woman with a gigantor caboose (refer to Bill And Teds' Bogus Journey.....'Station') and some guy with her walk by and she says, 'Look at this one' and laughs.........just another retard who doesn't realize that a car is something special unless (like every other there) it is a crappy 20's or 30's car. I was going to give her some sort of quip when I realized that she is a customer of mine so I had to bite my lip. Later, some 4 year old takes his Hotwheels/Matchbox car and runs it down the side of my GN. I delicately ushered the kid away, and then his mother reacts to me like I'm some child-hating monster.

This is just one more group of people to add to my list of 'Those Who Oughtta Be Lobotomized With A Letter-opener.'

 

[SinistrV6]

Originally posted by DCEPTCN
just another retard who doesn't realize that a car is something special unless (like every other there) it is a crappy 20's or 30's car.

Hey!

Mostly, I've seen this from "non-car people". I took a buddy of mine to a big show in Northern CA years ago. He thought I was nuts when I punched him in the arm and told him to get his size 12's off the running boards of this beautiful '53 Chevy truck.
"It's just a car, man!" was his response.

 

[murphster]

Originally posted by Black Box
I look the little prick right in the eye and say "Yo, mind your hands!", which bought an instant silence to the group. He removed his hands and looked at me, to which I just stared right back with this "I'm 'bout kick your ass" look.

I think that was a little too much. You could have just said "Do you mind?" with a little forceful tone rather than looking at the kid like you were going to kick his ass.

Sure, you were pissed, but geez. If I had been watching and seen that, doubt I'd come up and start talking to you because I'd think you were an a**. If the kid talked back to you, thats another thing. And I'm sure at the time you couldn't tell if it was done purposely(lack of respect) or just not paying attention. The goal is to make the kid pay more attention to what he's doing, not make him feel like crap.

Anyway, getting angry like that just makes you look bad. Much better to wait until they walked away and THEN call them whatever you want behind their back... much more courteous.

Just my opinion.

 

[DCEPTCN]

Originally posted by SinistrV6
Hey!

Mostly, I've seen this from "non-car people". I took a buddy of mine to a big show in Northern CA years ago. He thought I was nuts when I punched him in the arm and told him to get his size 12's off the running boards of this beautiful '53 Chevy truck.
"It's just a car, man!" was his response.

Exactly the guy I knew would respond to that! You know what I mean.