I had an extremely disappointing experience with the staff at the 2016 NSRA show in Essex Junction VT today. We had initially driven to the host hotel in Burlington to register my truck for the show. We got to the fairgrounds about 4 PM, the place closes up at around 5 for the day but I wanted on the filed so I could look around a bit. I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP... We get to the grounds, there's a sign that says street rodder's entrance. The show staff waved me past it and directed me down a long drive. I could see more staff up at an intersection of this drive with another one but the only signage I saw said spectator parking. I get to the next attendant and as he waves me down the road that says spectator parking, I ask where the access for show trucks is. "Everyone has to go down here" were his exact words. So, I go, only to find no access to the show field. On my way out of this area, I see another parking area and gate with an attendant. I pull up and ask if there is access tot he show field from this gate. "No, I'm sorry he says, this is only access to the swap meet." "Where is the show car access?" I ask. The guy looks at me and says "I have no idea, but you could try gate 'B". So, off I head to the end of the drive and encounter the same idiot who sent me down this road. "Where's gate B?" I ask. "There is no gate B" he says. "Well" I ask, Where do the show cars enter?" "I don't know" he says. Well if he didn't know, why did he send me down the long driveway in the first place? With that, I asked him of this was his first day on the job, punched the gas and left a fair amount of gravel in the air. Next I encounter yet another attendant that waves me in to a driveway near a building. This guy was very bright and cheery. "Hi!" he says," You can park right here or over there if you want." I explain that I'm not interested in parking and that I had just paid money to be able to put the truck on the field and that's what I wanted to do. "Where is the show car entrance?" I ask. He replies that he doesn't know but that I could try down at the main entrance where I came in. So now I back out of that space and head for the "Street Rodder entrance". When I get there, the first guy who started my adventure stops me and asks me where I'm going. I tell him that I want to go into the rodders entrance. "You need a sticker" he proclaims. I tell him I have one and point to the NSRA registration sticker on my right windshield, exactly where I was instructed to apply it by the staff at the host hotel. He sort of stares at it and squints a little "Is that one of ours?" he asks. "No, I print them myself just for time like this" I say. So he works his way around to the passenger side of the truck and squints at the sticker some more. "Got your badges?" he asks us. We show the badges and he says "Well, then you're all set! have a great day". As one of my buddies at work always says, "You can't make this stuff up!"
so, are these guys hired by the Fairgrounds or are they NSRA Staff? some shows have volunteers from local car club to help out. was there a event info/map of fairgrounds in registration packet? need to find important NSRA guy and make him aware of the problem that you had. not a good way to strat off the weekend.
At the Nats North it was always a volunteer car club. There should have been a map in your packet that showed the entrance points. Never been to this event, but many other NSRA events in the past.
I had the map, I saw the entrance, they wouldn't let me in. They waved me past the entrance and then the fun began. There were hundreds of other cars on that field, I guess I just didn't look like the type of guy who does car shows?
in all the years I was going there we never had a problem, either coming from the campground to the main entrance or coming in from the main road. I think the parking attendants for spectators are hired by the fairgrounds but NSRA people are by the main entrance. if you had a map, how did you get lost. it's pretty cut and dry how to get in.
It's good to see reading and comprehension are still scraping the bottom of the barrel here on the HAMB. I didn't get lost, the guy at the Rodder entrance waved me off and sent me elsewhere.
But, I'm sure you'll always remember this show! (What my wife and I always say when our travels turn to shit)
What's the big deal? You got a little disoriented / confused/ mis- directed/ wrong directions - call it what you will- Relax!- you are at a car show (could be worse- you could be at work )-don't get bent out of shape- enjoy/ laugh at the experience and have a good time. Don't sweat the small stuff - and remember- it's all small stuff!
Stuff like that is frustrating, hopefully you were all set for the next day and had a good time. If You are ever behind me at the Big Y or Stop & Shop in Walpole, I'm gonna pull out a sack of pennies and start counting them out, (just to mess with you).
Same way it was when the NSRA came to Vancouver , WA a few years ago. Nobody at the NSRA booth wanted to hear about it and the next year only half as many people showed up for their show. They had signed a multi year contract with the fairgrounds but never returned for a third show. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Maturity and patience when things go astray are also useful personality traits........ Frustrating experience?.......sure.....but so what? you were there at the 'last minute' and lost very little. If this is the worst thing that has happened in your life to date, you are very fortunate. Ray
The Powers that control the National Rod Association seem to have forgotten or flat out don't care about the membership that made them as big as they are . When they announced they were abandoning their pre 48 cut off and decided that the members were not important enough to ask their opinion only told it's members this is the way it will be indicated to me all they were interested in was bringing in more and newer cars while growing their bottom line. What they didn't think about and again probably care about was guys like me and our car club.Tri-City Rod & Custom,we were a Charter Member of NSRA ~ 33 members in 1972 when we all joined, today none of us are members. I credit the NSRA for helping grow the hot rod hobby but their idea of raising the cut off has alienated me and many others,in 2016 any vehicle manufactured before 1986 are allowed in their events.HRP
You just didn't have a high dollar street rod , muscle car, RR or whatever. All kidding aside, the local club (Tampa Nights) handles that and the check-in here in Tampa.They do a good job, but have been hosting the event since the beginning. I have also been to Louisville for the main one but that was back in the late '80's- early '90's with no problems I guess I've changed, but I hate shows now days and only go to buy or sell something, and don't like the build styles nor the opening up of the post '48 that they had to do to continue to make the big money
Well said, Danny. It's all about the $$ these days, and keeping the cash cow alive. Sounds like the VT event was a classic "Who's on first?", minus Lou and Bud.
I attended the Burlington event a few years ago and found the staff excellent and was really amazed at the friendliness of the towns people. I know that all events depend on local clubs for help and sometimes you may encounter some bumps in the road. I myself have gotten off on the wrong foot at times and then things seem to spiral downhill from there.
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