04/13/2022
As car show season is finally upon us, here is a little reminder of some car show etiquette. (copied from an unidentified online site).
While most people who attend car shows are kind and considerate, a small percentage are not. They will do things that annoy or insult car owners, belittle their hard work or even damage their vehicles. No one wants scratches on the car they spent HOURS polishing to a high gloss. The trouble is, most of us have said or done something that qualifies as being rude without realizing it or meaning to. So, give the following a look and make sure you're NOT "That person".
Don't touch the cars.
Seriously....DON'T TOUCH THE CARS. Just don't do it. Don't lean on it. Don't reach out and put your hands on it. Don't accidently brush it with your coat or bag as you walk by. Don't back into it while your trying to take a photo of another car. Don't rub against it as your trying to squeeze between two cars. Don't touch unless you're naked. Zippers, snaps, buckles, rivets, watches, even fingernails can and will scratch paint. Seriously.....DON'T TOUCH THE CARS.
Mind Your Children
Bringing a kid to a car show is a wonderful thing but your kids are YOUR responsibility. They shouldn't ever touch cars, throw toys that hit cars, sit in cars, sneeze on cars, stick their heads into cars and drip snot on the seats, along with what ever else kids can think to do. Some owners don't mind kids sitting in the cars but make sure they don't have any candy, sodas or anything else that can damage an interior. Make sure their hands are clean.
Don't Talk Trash
You just spotted a terrible show car. It's sloppy, it's ugly, it's not even clean. You roll your eyes, make snide comments, chuckle, tell your buddy what's wrong with it, and move on. Here's the thing....someone in the world loves that car like a member of the family. They don't see the problems, the dirt or the fact that it's downright hideous. They see a beautiful machine worth of endless attention and they don't need or want your disrespect. Think about how you would feel if your car was the subject of such comments. Not everyone can afford a show car or be able to spend $40, 50 or $60,000+ to have one built. They buy something they can afford and do their best with the money they have. They bought it to practice, to learn. It may have a far less than perfect paint job but they didn't send it to some professional body shop, they did it themselves. Next time they will do better. Maybe someday you will be going to THEM for a paint job.
Watch For Lenses!
Tough to shoot photos when there is always someone in the way. There are always automotive photographers at car shows, always someone that wants to get a picture of some nice ride. Some are there for fun and some are earning a living, news paper, magazine, etc. Don't just ignore the photographers because you want a better look. Be polite and look around often and check that your aren't messing up someone's shot. Just as importantly, don't walk into
someone else's shot. This is more true now with the high quality cameras built into phones so pay attention to your surroundings. I see this a lot and deal with it a lot myself. It's not easy getting a clean shot.
Be Considerate Of Others
If your showing your car, don't crank your stereo. Some people enjoy the music already playing by the DJ or announcer. They also want to listen to any information, door price give aways , contests, problems, etc. that might come across the PA system. If your blaring your bazillion watt stereo, no one can hear it.
Pick Up Your Trash
Don't just leave nasty rags, empty cleaner or detail spray bottles, soda cans, water bottles, etc. Someone has to clean up after the event. Most times it's the person that had to get there two
hours early to set things up. They are hot, tired and ready to go home, also.
Very important....no matter what you think of the other cars, remember that a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears have gone into them. In the end, we all share a passion for cars. We
are all the same at the core. A little common sense and courtesy goes a long way to helping everyone enjoy the show. Hope to see you there.........................
True story, Last year my wife and I were at the Dayton Concourse D'Elegance preview party at Carillon park. As we walked around looking at the amazing cars on display, we came upon a pristine 1949 Rolls Royce Convertible with a lady sitting in the front seat in a sequin gown while her husband was taking her picture. An elderly man scurried across the grass toward the car screaming "What are you doing? Get out of my car!!" I couldn't believe someone at this level of a car show was ignorant enough to help themselves to a half million dollar museum car, but I guess some people really do not have any respect for other people's property.
