The DO NOT TOUCH!!! Guy

Does anyone else out there get annoyed with the guy that has so many DO NOT TOUCH!! signs in his windows that you can't even see the interior of his car. This same guy usually sits directly behind his car and never leaves, as if he is on guard duty or something. You can catch this guy screaming at people for getting to close or breathing on his car and if you happen to ask him something about his car, His answers are short and to the point as if you are wasting his time or you are beneath him. This same character usually doesn't build his car,probably why he can't discuss much about it. I have been going to shows and car events since a child,so I understand car show ediquette,But I also understand that when you are bringing your car to a public venue you need to understand that you always have the liability of someone touching your car. These type of people don't annoy as much anymore as I just laugh at them know as realize they don't get enjoy their cars as they spend more time on the trailer than on the road,and even with all their DO NOT TOUCH signs these people end up having the most mishaps and accidents regarding their paint jobs. Just my rant for the day...anyone else feel the same?

 

I am more annoyed by the @$$hole who opens your car door, sits in your car and starts playing with your air ride controls. Yep, it happened. Not to mention he opened the pass side and let his 8 year old kid in so he could jump up and down on my seats. I wasn't by my car lucky, otherwise he would have been in the hospital. My girlfriend was however and she was a little more kind than I would have been.

So I don't mind the don't touch signs that much really, because they are needed.

 

I don't blame "him", I wouldn't want you by my car either.

Its kinda pointless to talk about just worry about your car.

 

there called " GOLD CHAINERS"

 

Maybe a different sign, like "you can touch it, but if you're an ass, you're gonna get tazered" or something.

 

Both sides of that street have pot holes.

 

When ya put all those signs on, it`s a challenge....see if you can put a thumb print on before getting caught!

 

While I don't think being short or curt with people is acceptable, I do understand trying to keep people away, to a certain extent.
When we used to put our race cars on display at various Mopar dealers, we'd bring them home to find people had dropped apple core's down the injector stacks, coins, trash, etc.
Back then we assumed people were taught and knew you didn't touch other people's stuff, and that you looked with your eyes and not your hands. A quaint notion at best. Only civilized people think that way.
Look at the nature of people in general today. Rail Roads have had to armourized their train cars to prevent kids from randomly shooting new cars as they are transported by rail. Look at a box car, anywhere. Graffitti is vandalism, plain and simple. Art? Bullshit. It's art if you buy the medium you are about to paint on.
Airport vandalism rose to an unbelievable level until recent years where the fed's have mandated fences ( and what a shame for good, intersted kids to see and learn about flying).
So the bottom line is anyone with any ammount of money, time, or pride in the efforts they put in a car, or anything else, would be a fool to expect people to treat it with respect and care. It is just too high a risk for some.
Having said that, I'd still never put a "do not touch" sign on anything of mine, and would simply watch people as they move around it. If I saw a youngster or anyone else show an interest, I'd open the door and let them look. Maybe even let a kid sit in it.
It's a tough call Felix37, and while it does take away from the usually wonderful time car guys usually have with each other, how awesome the way people from all economic and social backgrounds get along, etc, in the end, the individual has to take whatever precautions makes them comfortable.

 

WZJUNK has lettered in the back window of his truck

"It's ok to touch this truck"

 

For the most part the guys that place Do Not Touch signs in their cars don't have cars I bother to look at in the first place. I do think it is very impressive to see a really well built or restored car arrive and park at an event and see the owner close the door and walk away to start looking at other cars.

 

About the same as a "Wet Paint" sign

 

Yes I do. A friend of mine is exactly the person you describe. When he was first building (or should I say having it done) he was raving about the new car trailer he just bought. I listened for a while, then told him "please don't be that guy". He looked shocked, then asked what I meant. I then explained that type of person that I hope I never become, the one who trailers his car in a trailer with the car painted on it, sets up the car as if it's the Grand Nationals, complete with stuffed toys, a fake cheese burger and custom-painted signs. Then this person sits near the car all day in chairs the same color as the car, while he and the wife wear matching clothes with the car on it. Hey, I'm not perfect, nor is my car, and while I am proud of it and happily answer any questions others might have, I don't go to shows to see other's reaction to my car or guard it all day. I set up my car, my son and I wipe it off if it was a long or wet drive, then I might return a couple times throughout the day to throw those irritating flyers people drop inside. Over the last 35 years I've kinda gotten over the anxiety of fearing someone might touch my car or that it might get a rock chip. It's a car for cryin' out loud! It's insured, and if it get's damaged, since I painted it once, I'll bet that if the worst happened I could do it again. Touch it if it makes you happy, just don't let your dog piss on my wheels and we'll be fine.

 

hahahahahahahaha

 

Those people don't really bother me. He may or may not be a jerk but, I can't blame the guy for not wanting everyone crawling all over his car. A lot of people have huge amounts of money and time tied up in paint work, etc. They don't deserve to have scratches and ice cream drippings all over their cars or god forbid dog paw prints on the doors and fenders. Things are going to happen, that's inevitable, but as "specialty" car owners and aficianados we owe it to the general public to educate them that there is a protocol when they are around someone's car at a show or cruise event. I don't touch other peoples cars no matter if they have a $20,000 paint job or if the car is in primer with rusty rockers. Some people build their cars to drive the heck out of them in any weather at anytime while others build cars that are better than museum quality ( I guess that would be called concours). Both schools of thought are okay but both deserve to be respected.......Just my rant....Don.

 

Its all about respect of other peoples property and generally people are good to ask if they can look closer. I race with a number of friends and you can make a kids day if they have their picture taken in a dragster . All of my friends offer it if they see a kid that wants to touch but knows they can't , it makes our day as well .
Good old fashion manners never go out of style! Rob.

 

If a car has a "do not touch" sign, it's probably not even worth looking at, and the owner isn't worth talking to.

 

I have seen cars get damaged so many times at car shows. I have seen a kid pull and pull and pull on a hood pin until it broke on a show car. My father has had people sit on the hood of his car with their jeans and scratch the shit out of it. I have seen people throw their kids on motorcycles only to have them knocked down. I personally don't put those signs on my car, but I can see why some people might. For the most part people don't have respect for other peoples property.

 

I don't mind the signs, what bothers me is when there is a sign and some a$$hole lets his 50 f'n kids climb all over the car while he talks "sports and the god ol high school days" with a dumb ass friend.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jjN-H62U64
Exactly!

 

I know that guy! He always leaning on my stuff.

 

Unless it is a real Exotic or super cool ride, I pass those things by and so do my kids. It has just become a form of habit, I hate drama and usually those are filled with it. There are plenty of other rides out there to drool over and trailer queens are not them. just my opinion, but those are like A$$holes we all have one.

 

Oh do I know a person. He owns two original Cobra's and don't get near them or be the guy parking next to him. Now granted there aluminum bodied but he acts like it's alum. foil. "Oh Oh don't touch, Oh Oh your getting to close with your car, Say I would like it if you moved your car over for more space between mine". Leave them home will ya.

 

There is a "gold chainer" at my cruise night that will get up and give an owly look to any child that comes within five feet of his cars. This is the same guy that gives me crap for straying from the "Only 50s music at cruise nights".

 

We have a guy here that has two Cobra replicas, a roadster and a Daytona coupe. He has let kids sit in them for pics and really doesn't mind the ones that want to touch them. Cool guy.

 

i totally understand this, I have on many occasions seen this as well. I know for certain it is not their ride and I ask them about it politely, then when the dipStick says oh no we just wanna take pics, I put on my AH hat and commence to let them know what douche bags they are, and if they really want a pic with the car, just ask the owner, 9 out of 10 will be happy to open it up and let them sit in it, not on it, in it. I remember being at a show a couple of years ago and there was a gorgeous '40 Ford with painted running boards(not a bright idea, but not my ride) some ding bat had both kids on them and they were scratching it up with the rocks in their shoes, I didn't even say a word to the parents, I leaned into the kids and told them, "I bet the paint they just ruined cost more than their mommy and daddy make in a year", The father then took the kids and left.

I have seen the coins and food, even panties dropped into cars at shows and dealerships. When I worked at a Ford Dealership we always had cars in and out for displays or special events, and it never failed. No matter how cool we were with ppl some dipstick is still gonna think he is cool. Karma is a bit** my friends.

 

Reminds me of a car show, I went too awhile back.
There was guy with a sharp 55 chev sitting in a row of tri fives.
And as you could figure there was plenty of "do not touch" signs among the tri five guys.

Anyway him and me were sitting behind the cars, just talking and a Dad with his two little girls, maybe 7 and 10 years of age, came through looking at the cars.

And you could tell he had read them the riot act, before they ever got to the car show, because when the girls would look at the cars, they would stay way back, with there arms behind themselves and try to tiptoe up enough to see inside the cars, without getting too close.

And when they came up to the guys car, that I was talking to, the Dad reminded the girls "reminder Dont Get Too Close".
The guy I was talking too got up went over to his Sharp 55 and opened the door and told the little girls to get in and look it over.
The Smiles on the little girls made my day.
And he then told the Dad that "when the day comes that my car is to good of a kid to touch or sit down in, thats the day I get rid of my car"!!!

 

...a sign is the first line of defense against unruly children and their irresponsible parents. The children can't read and parents usually refuse to enforce the meaning of the sign. I don't blame anybody for trying to keep their ride from being another persons toy. It's his investment and viewing public usually gets in free.

...long live the sign.

....we now return you to regular programming.

 

we let kids sit in our cars at the car shows

 

i can see why someone would put up a sign , i've had my share of problems at show myself ...kids using the front fenders of a model A as a slide as the parents watched , and people opening up the door and getting in , opening hoods etc

BUT...i'm also convinced that "do not touch" signs do absolutely no good. in fact , i think it attracts more people to mess with your car. i haven't put one a car since the 1985 Street Rod Nationals when i came back and found a father and young son just abusing my `29 pickup. i told the father that not only did they mistreat my hot rod , that there was a greater tragedy....that even with all the tax money we spent on education that neither him or his son learned to read. i asked him to reimburse the state for the money we wasted on his education

it's the parents responsibility to educate young children how to act at car shows and keep them under control