Well I went to the Pate swap meet to see what I could find for my 56 nomad. I was like most people happy to be on the hunt for parts and found a few of the parts I needed. As I was looking I heard a man ask how much for some nos grill parts. The lady left there by here old man said $110 and the man replied would you take $100 the lady said NO. He place it back and walk a few steps away. I then picked it up and asked what the price was and that same idiot said I will buy it and gave her the money. Now my question if someone sets the part on the table and walks away and someone else has it in his hand, then the idiot decides to get it. What would you do? The lady seemed to be afraid that things could go bad but did not do anything, but take the idiots money. I was pissed off at the idiot and her for not doing the right thing. I thought of beating the shit out of him, but it would have been to easy. Robert
If you had it in your hands...I'd say you gave up too easy. But then again, " I thought of beating the shit out of him, but it would have been to easy." Spending the weekend in jail sucks...
I would be pissed, because your inquiring about it and the dick goes and basicaly swipes it from you. I think you should have said that you were buying it and that since you had it in your hand it was not his concern.
You had it in your hand after he put it down and walked, by rights it was yours IMO. Dickhead may have thought you were friends with the lady and working him, next time hold onto the part and ask the price after the other guy is futher down the isle.
I would have told him to "take a hike", he walked away and you picked it up and had it in your hand, it was your deal not his. I can say that because I have done just that in the exact same situation and I've been the seller in another situation just like that and the guy with the part in his hand got the part. Rule number 1, "Ya' snooze, ya' lose".
If I heard the price, I would have pulled out the money, given it her, then picked up the part. Then there couldn't be an argument. If I had been the seller, whoever put the cash in my hand first would have gotten the part.
Been there too. I've always thought it was common swap meet courtesy that if your hand is on the part, you get first dibs unless someone else offers more than you're willing to give for it.
You heard the price quoted to the jerk! why ask again?did you think the price would be lower for you? plop your money down ,get your part and get on down the road...aisle!
Yep, I've bought a number of things that way. I look and listen at the events and have heard things being talked about that I might have missed otherwise. When someone squeezes the best price on an item and walks away that I know is a good price, I wait till they are far enough away to be courteous, but requote the price to the seller and hand them the money. By not haggling over the price and then talking with them a bit, I've gotten other good deals from the people just from being nice without having to fight for the deal. More flies with sugar than vinegar does work..............
That is proper swap meet etiquette. You either handle it that way, or you go directly to the seller and hand him/her the money and say "I'll take it" as long as the other person has set the part down and walked away. However, the first party just setting the part down is not enough of a reason to butt into a negotiation. The first interested party needs to break away from the negotiation (walk away or step out of the vendors area) before you can move in. A little bit of patience goes a long way here. There have been numerous times where I have had to get a bit "physical" at swap meets over situations just like yours. If you walk away, then you are "out"...if you step into the next interested party's negotiation, then you should be prepared to suffer the consequences.
You did the right thing bro. The dudes a jerk because he could have said "You know what? On second thought I think I'll take it unless the man holding it wants it" or something like that. It's better to loose the part and handle the situation with class than the other way around. I've lost my temper in those situations and even though "I won" - I still didn't win... Next time tell him you'll flip him for it... -Ron
You screwed up and should have told him to buzz off - you had possession. OTOH, "beating the shit out of him" would be pretty stupid, not to mention expensive.
I'm a wuss and would just let it go. I was watching a guy inspecting a pair of chromed split Ford radius rods. After some haggling he layed them down and walked a way. I waited while he meandered down the row before I picked 'em up and asked how much? Damn if the vendor didn't yell down the row hey do you want these things? Of course he runs back up and and forks over the cash. He had his chance and walked away. I figured if I showed interest while he was still there that he would pony up. I certainly didn't expect the vendor to call him back! I was pissed but it just wasn't worth it to me to say anything.
That would piss me off as well. I have always had a probelm with letting stuff like that go. My friends have compared me to Marty McFly (Back to the Future) on one that one occasion. Usually turned out about as well ) Courtesy and class seem to be something you see less off lately.
I had a situation close to that but didn't give the guy a chance. these 2 guys were haggling over some big block Chevy M/T valve covers with some offy breathers. the breathers alone are worth 100 bucks on ebay. dude was asking $40.00. I waited and had my wallet out before the guy even set them all the way down. as soon as he took his hand off them I picked them up and told the seller I'd buy them for 40 bucks and handed the seller the cash, put them in my wagon and walked away. the other buyer just stood there with his mouth open. got 40 for the covers alone and sold the breathers for close to 100.00 I am a professional. don't try this at home
The idiot could have left there with the part or your foot in the crack of his ass. I say you both probably did "the right thing" by letting him have the part and avoiding the B.S. Some people are just assholes, nuff said.
Always easy to provide feedback in retrospect, but you played it wrong. Should have just handed her the cash if you knew what she wanted. Im a firm believer that the part isn't mine until the cash leaves my wallet. However, that was pretty poor ettiquette on his part. My dad once bought a car while another guy was test driving it, I thought dad was gonna be missing some teeth!
That is what I should have done to see how bad he wanted them. I just spit beer all over my screen I will keep that in mind next time. You are right I just got buck fever when I saw the parts. This place it GREAT! And I thank all of you for the info on (what would you do). I have learned all kinds of things here on the HAMB from how to work on hot rods. To also avoid going to jail and it worked. Bass is right I should have just got my money out and gone about my business.
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