Auto shows and children.....

Don't mix. Just got back from the Detroit Auto Show. Today was the last day of the show which ran about nine days for the public viewing and I was there the last few hours. These cars have lived a lifetime in those few days. Cars are gouged, scratched, missing pieces, seats are torn and just generally beat to heck. I was sitting in a Fiat 500 when a small boy, maybe three or four years old hopped in the front passenger seat (don't know where his parents were) and started kicking the auto trans shifter as hard as he could. As I started to tell him to stop he reached over and pulled on it and the whole shifter head unit came off! In fact the whole atmosphere there today was like kids day at the zoo. They were everywhere. Climbing and pulling. I saw another kid climb on to the back of an Audi R9 and jump up and down holding on the the vent things on the side as the parents just watched. The only time I saw anyone get reprimanded was when a little boy climbed under the ropes and started touching the Lexus LF-A. Bad parenting. Pretty sad.

Auto shows and bad parents don't go together. As a matter of fact bad parents and life don't go together.

I took my two boys 8 and 12 in four antique stores yesterday. When they get out of the car they stick their hands in their pockets and leave them there unless given permission to do otherwise.

Agreed, its not the kids fault, its lazy parents.

We always enjoy going and taking the kids. Mine are 5 and 7, but we went when they were 3 and 5. We watch them pretty close, and they've never broken anything. People I've seen around here are pretty well-behaved.

Besides, these are corporate-owned cars that are at the show so the manufacturer can sell more cars. People should be free to climb around in them and see how they fit, IMO.

I might jokingly go on to argue that since I paid for the privilege to see these cars, that I'm entitled to beat on them just a little. Maybe even pry off a hood ornament to keep as a souvenir.

While uncontrolled children and parents not teaching respect for property (especially other peoples' cars) piss me off, I can't say that I "feel bad" for the manufacturers or their car show cars. I actually prefer that they get pulled at, picked at, and abused at shows. Because when I buy a car, I want to know that it can stand up to the 3-year-old that will be riding in the backseat....or a carload of drunken friends coming home from a football game....or me slamming things around on a snow day or track day.

If the shifter head falls off after being knocked around a bit....well, that's a car I'm not interested in owning......

I also get terribly annoyed at car shows when a car is parked there with a sign that says "please do not touch the vehicle" or something to that effect. Last show I was at had a black Continental GT sitting there with such a sign. I made a point to put a big sweaty handprint right in the middle of the hood. If you don't want me to touch your car, then don't bring it to a car show that I have to pay to get in to. Print out a big glossy poster to show me what it looks like, because that's just as useful to me as a car that I can't touch or get into.

I have the internet. I already know what your car looks like. The internet, however, cannot tell me if the seats are comfy, or if the doors shut with a quality "thud" or if the steering wheel is a good thickness. If I can't mess with it, I don't care if it's at the show.

My dad took me to car shows as a kid - I take my kids. It is how you foster a life-long obsession. I can only agree that irresponsible, rude people have no place there.

Try spending a few dozen hours watching over an FSAE car you have a couple thousand hours in..... Kids come flying out of no where and hop on a side pod while their parent just watches. I must admit it was all worth it though to talk to an 8 year old kid that asked questions about gear ratios and pressure gauges. He even raised his hand to ask a question. Being next to the Green Hornet booth made it a little more tolerable too :P

Whatever happened to the concept that you take better care of other peoples stuff than your own??? I just cannot imagine purposefully trying to damage or destroy any vehicle.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: My dad took me to car shows as a kid - I take my kids. It is how you foster a life-long obsession. I can only agree that irresponsible, rude people have no place there.

Of course. I was there with my son today and I too went every year with my Dad so I didn't mean to imply children don't belong there.............. I should have said Auto Shows and kids with irresponsible parents don't mix.

I've been taking my kids since they were 3 and 5. They're now 6 & 8 and we just went to the San Jose International Auto Show where my shop was displaying 18 cars, 2 of which were mine.

I did let my kids get in the cars that were open for "touching". But I can tell you, that if I caught you putting your sweaty hand on my FIVE and a half year long resto-modded 480+whp RB26DETT powered Datsun 240Z with a paint job that cost more than MANY new cars, I would beat you within an inch of your life and I don't care if you paid $20 to get in.

I do agree that parents that don't "manage" their kids are a blight on society. Much to my wife's dismay, I reprimanded several other kids during the show in San Jose when they were doing stupid things. I got one thank you and an apology from the parent who was legitimately distracted and a dirty look from another irresponsible parent. My "If you won't discipline him I will!" comment wasn't well received!

My kids are both well behaved and closely monitored to ensure there are no "infractions" during a car show. I teach them to respect other people's property just like they would want others to respect their property.

I went with my dad and my grandpa to the auto show from ages ~7-13. Then Grandpa started going during the week when kids were in school. But since 13, I've only missed one auto show with my dad (last years) due to snow.

And while it isn't fun to watch and is a look into bad parenting, it is interesting to see which cars hold up to the abuse by the end of the show and which ones are junked.

ww wrote: I did let my kids get in the cars that were open for "touching". But I can tell you, that if I caught you putting your sweaty hand on my FIVE and a half year long resto-modded 480+whp RB26DETT powered Datsun 240Z with a paint job that cost more than MANY new cars, I would beat you within an inch of your life and I don't care if you paid $20 to get in.

Although I agree with you, I think you are confusing a "car show" (owner built cars, usually older, never any touching) with an "auto show" (new cars only, all manufacturer demo's, so you can touch them and generally check out the new year's models).

Feedyurhed wrote: Bad parenting. Pretty sad.

Having been in retail forever, I can say that this is the new way of parenting. No such thing as "no" or "wrong" for about 75%of the population.

Sucks that it ruined your auto show experience.

RXBeetle wrote: Try spending a few dozen hours watching over an FSAE car you have a couple thousand hours in..... Kids come flying out of no where and hop on a side pod while their parent just watches. I must admit it was all worth it though to talk to an 8 year old kid that asked questions about gear ratios and pressure gauges. He even raised his hand to ask a question. Being next to the Green Hornet booth made it a little more tolerable too :P

yeah, I'd say its different with custom builds and other displays. My comments were regarding cars that manufacturers are selling to the public. Like the Fiat 500 mentioned above.

Javelin wrote:

ww wrote: I did let my kids get in the cars that were open for "touching". But I can tell you, that if I caught you putting your sweaty hand on my FIVE and a half year long resto-modded 480+whp RB26DETT powered Datsun 240Z with a paint job that cost more than MANY new cars, I would beat you within an inch of your life and I don't care if you paid $20 to get in.

Although I agree with you, I think you are confusing a "car show" (owner built cars, usually older, never any touching) with an "auto show" (new cars only, all manufacturer demo's, so you can touch them and generally check out the new year's models).

This. I go to meets, vintage car shows, etc all the time. Obviously I'm not going to mess with peoples' custom cars or PERSONALLY-OWNED cars (like your 240). I do not consider a manufacturer-owned current-model car, which is used ONLY for display purposes at car shows, to be in that same category.

Same reason that I have no trouble hopping the rope and walking across the grass at my workplace (which says "don't walk on grass" for no apparent reason), since it is the direct route to the door to the building. But I'm not going to walk through your lawn as a shortcut to get someplace.

Sorry if I'm not going to "respect" a manufacturer production demo at a car show. I know full well that any of those at a car show have been touched/messed with plenty, so I'm not going to feel bad doing the same. At the same time, placing my hand against the paint of that car did not damage it (if it did, the paint really sucks) and I didn't key it or anything. It was just in jest knowing that some tightwad would probably run out 10 seconds later and re-polish it....I would not intentionally do actual damage to any car, no matter who or what company owns it....

irish44j wrote: I do not consider a manufacturer-owned current-model car, which is used ONLY for display purposes at car shows, to be in that same category.

You probably do know this, but after the autoshows they repair the tears and clean the coffee spills and those cars go to a showroom floor.

Javelin wrote:

ww wrote: I did let my kids get in the cars that were open for "touching". But I can tell you, that if I caught you putting your sweaty hand on my FIVE and a half year long resto-modded 480+whp RB26DETT powered Datsun 240Z with a paint job that cost more than MANY new cars, I would beat you within an inch of your life and I don't care if you paid $20 to get in.

Although I agree with you, I think you are confusing a "car show" (owner built cars, usually older, never any touching) with an "auto show" (new cars only, all manufacturer demo's, so you can touch them and generally check out the new year's models).

This was one of those shows that not only displayed new cars from the manufacturers but also had numerous local "vendors" showing off their work which were predominately customer cars.

I recognize the difference between a car show and an auto show, I just try to teach my kids to be respectful of other people's property. I did let my kids jump in the cars and pretend they were driving, but they were never rough with the goods and they know that I would be very disappointed if they treated the cars poorly.

WW

irish44j wrote: It was just in jest knowing that some tightwad would probably run out 10 seconds later and re-polish it....I would not intentionally do actual damage to any car, no matter who or what company owns it....

This visual made me reconsider your point. I nearly giggled thinking about the intern with the cotton diaper and spray can of Zep waiting outside visual range ready to pounce on that smudge like a ball boy at Wimbledon!

totally reminds me of something I saw at the Chicago auto show once. I saw 2 kids jumping up and sliding down the hood of an NSX on their bellies. Remember that this show is in the winter, so they were wearing their winter jackets, the kind with metal zippers.

At age 50 i still find myself automatically using 'Antique store hands" clasped behind my back.......just like my mother taught me.

Just like I taught mine!

Bruce

I have attended the Chicago Auto Show my whole life. It is well known that people steal stuff from the interior.

I think people feel they paid $11 so they can do whatever they want. You can sit in the high end cars after you talk to one of the salesman and he hangs with you.

irish44j wrote: While uncontrolled children and parents not teaching respect for property (especially other peoples' cars) piss me off, I can't say that I "feel bad" for the manufacturers or their car show cars. I actually prefer that they get pulled at, picked at, and abused at shows. Because when I buy a car, I want to know that it can stand up to the 3-year-old that will be riding in the backseat....or a carload of drunken friends coming home from a football game....or me slamming things around on a snow day or track day. If the shifter head falls off after being knocked around a bit....well, that's a car I'm not interested in owning...... I also get terribly annoyed at car shows when a car is parked there with a sign that says "please do not touch the vehicle" or something to that effect. Last show I was at had a black Continental GT sitting there with such a sign. I made a point to put a big sweaty handprint right in the middle of the hood. If you don't want me to touch your car, then don't bring it to a car show that I have to pay to get in to. Print out a big glossy poster to show me what it looks like, because that's just as useful to me as a car that I can't touch or get into. I have the internet. I already know what your car looks like. The internet, however, cannot tell me if the seats are comfy, or if the doors shut with a quality "thud" or if the steering wheel is a good thickness. If I can't mess with it, I don't care if it's at the show.

So you are planning for your kids to be kicking the shifter? And then planning on them jumping on the back of your car? Or find it perfectly acceptable when your friends get unruly in your car? You want to make sure that your back seats are puke tolerant?

And you don't feel bad that it's a "big company" when it comes to valdalism?

But if that show car was built by one person, and owned by one person, you would not put your hand print on the hood?

Just asking.

I've been fortunate enough to never bear witness to that kind of bad parenting, the Richmond Auto Show is generally very mild mannered, with not a whole awful lot of kids. sure, we don't get nearly the same range of manufacturers and new stuff as the Detroit Auto Show, but we also don't get as many examples of horrible parenting like that, so it's much more tolerable. I do get rather irritated at those "do not touch" signs, though. I think the worst example of that was Dodge had a new Challenger, a current production model I could have gone to my local Dodge stealership and bought if I hated myself, on a rotating platform, cordoned off so that people couldn't touch it. right across the way was a pre-production 2010 Camaro that Chevrolet was letting people sit in and look around and open the hood and trunk and climb all around. Dodge did kind of make a stupid with that one.

The only problem I had as a kid at the Auto Show was getting lost. I used to wander off a lot so my mom had a set of dog tags made with my name, address and phone number on them. My dad took me to the old NY Coloseum when I was about 7. I wandered off while he was getting some smokes and ended up at the Datsun booth. The young ladies at the booth kept me there while they made announcements for my dad to find me. One good thing to come out of it was he got so fed up trying to find me and a pack of Marlboros that he quit smoking.

In reply to RXBeetle:

Who's the guy on the far left? I talked to him for about 15 minutes on Friday night, about CVTs, lack of roll damping with monoshock suspensions, and the general lightness of FSAE cars these days.