I attended the hamburge n.y. Swapmeet today ,after a hour and a half drive. I was excited for the first swapmeet of the the year as was any body who works on rods in this part of the country.And the place was packed. Let me first say if your selling flea market crap you shouldn't set up at an auto swapmeet there is a place for you to pedal you junk. Secondly if you run into you buddy have the common courtisy to step aside and let those of us that want to lookat the parts to do so not just stand and block the way. Every ten feet I had to stop and wait for people who were just bull shitting to move if your dealing. With a vendor that's one thing but if not MOVE.
Often the standard thing at swaps now. Wait until you get run over by drunks on those Jazzy scooters when you are dodging the yackers. But I do have friends who I only see at one or the other swap *eet now that I don't hit a rod trot every weekend like I did 25 years ago. And I usually stop to visit for a few.
There is some other phraseology that works of polite doesn't. 48 is right. I usually buy something at a swap meet but it is also as big a social gathering to me as the local cruise nite. I do agree with the flea market bangles but that is entirely up to the promoter I suppose.
get an old 6 volt dry cell type flashlight, remove the light, install 6 volt horn in its place. "excuse me, I wanna look at that part." (blank stare) HOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKKK. "thanks for moving!"
Please don't get me wrong I have no problem with people socializing its just that they shouldn't do it at the vendors tables that blocks the items they want to sell and us fromseeing the items for sale and generaly blocks the flow of traffic
Don't bring your damn dogs!!! Even though all the swap meets I got to specifically state "NO DOGS ALLOWED ON GROUNDS" some vendors must sneak Fido in with them. I assume it's the vendors unless the gate guards are doing a crappy job and allowing people to waltz in with their dogs. I am not the litigious type but if I ever get bit by a dog brought to a swapmeet I'll sue the pants off the owner. I wouldn't blame the dog, the swap meets I usually go to are in the hot months with 80°+ temps, little shade, little water sources and shoulder to shoulder people. What moron thinks it's a good idea to bring a dog to an event like this?
......I need a cane to help me walk.......something about a old guy with a cane just makes them move( must be the fear of getting hit).......about the flea market stuff......shows should have all those vendors together in one spot....
X2 on the dogs. I've seen the little critters with thier tongues hanging out and panting so hard you'd think they were about to pass out. Also, how about the little guys walking on ashpalt so hot it's about to start bubbling and their owners just clog along not paying any attention as to how hot the pavement is. I'm sure they are left at home while the owners go out for dinner or shopping, why can't they leave them at home with a bowl of water and a blanket to lay on instead of jerking them around all day in the heat? Frank
I spent most of the day yesterday dealing with inconsiderate bastards at the swap in Wichita. I wanted to get one of those airhorns like on a boat and blast the shit out of some groups!
This has never been a problem for me. "Excuse me I need to get through," always works. I have never had to resort to, "Get the fuck out of my way."
I only drove 10 minutes to get there and it's always the same at this swap. It's too much stuff in to small a space. The second building wasn't as bad but unless you were willing to push people out of the way (after trying the polite approach) it was real hard to see things. Best place to hang out without being in the way was either in front of the hot wheels guy or the 8x10 color photo copy movie poster / car picture guy, not many people in that isle. Sadly the place is starting to get too many yard sale/ flea market crap vendors.
I was there too, it was PACKED, found a perfect original deuce grille and trim, Mallory Mag from my pal Paul, a great old lic plate frame from my buddy Rusty Truck and a couple other odds and ends. Had a whole crew of friends along too. We stopped and talked in the aisles at times, sure hope we didn't offend you. Out of probably 60+ vendors I only noticed 1 or 2 that were selling anything non-auto related. I have no complaints about the attendees or the vendors, GREAT swap this year!
Amen to that! Beyond being a liability, it's not cute and it is dangerous for the pet. Folks don't realize that dogs can't sweat-they only lose heat by panting. No water,temps too hot and they're being constricted by the fools lugging them around. A dog's normal temp is 100-102.5 and the hotter it is, the harder it is for them to get a decent heat differential to lose that excess body heat. I'm always afraid that some poor dog will collapse from hyperthermia and I will have try to help without the proper equipment and medications-then they'll sue when the pooch dies from their idiocy. What a fun day for all. Please leave the dogs at home! 5window,DVM
I totally agre leave dogs and little kids at home, im in a wheelchair and talk about rude people, fuck! I am tryin to look at parts and most of the swap apots you have to go into to see everything which i cant, and you have these assholes that have to bullshit in front of everyones spaces, and i ask them to please move and they look at me like im in their way, unbelievable! I have a electric scooter and i leave it at home and bring my manual one so i dont piss people off, people have some respect for chrissakes!
I hate it when the dousches with the big ass jacked up wagons just stop right in front of you and leave the wagons right in the way. Pull your sh!t to the side and park it. You wouldn't just stop and leave your car in the middle of the street would you?
Courtesy applies to the vendor too. Put prices on your stuff. If you don't put prices on your crap don't get offended when I offer what I think the part is worth to me but less than what you think it's worth. Also, I realize you're there to have fun and look around but you have a table set up to sell stuff, be there to answer questions or leave some one behind with the knowledge and authority to accept offers. I hate going up to a table, seeing something I want only to have the guy behind the table tell me the seller will be back in an hour. In an hour I'll be on the other side of the swap meet and I'll probably have spent the money on something else. Also, at the larger swap meets it's nearly impossible to remember where the vendor was located when you go back to look for him. Also if you mistake iron oxide for gold and think your rusty junk is worth a small fortune put it in the back of the stall near where your at so you don't have to bitch at everyone that picks it up to inspect it.
I have an electric scooter and a-holes grab stuff right in front of you over your shoulder before you can eyeball it. I run over more toes these days <grin>
they are the same jack wipes that stand in door ways, wile the rest of us are trying to get in or out of where ever they are deciding to act like human anchors,blocking the entrances..
As much as I dislike some minor things at swap meets, I love them, so I can easily overlook such things. Life's too short to get worked up about people visiting in the wrong place, or not moving to another spot to visit. Now dogs I can handle, but yapping dogs that bark at every passerby drive me nuts, so I just move on past thaose booths.
John its been a couple fo years since I have done a cane full time. But I still take one when I'm going to around people I don't know. Mine is more for balance than anything else. A few years ago we bought some tires at the Shrine's Swap meet, actually wheels mounted with tires 4 of them. I started towards the truck with one wheel and my cane and the missus with another four young guys ran up snagged all the tires and headed for our truck with them. One of them said you're the folks in the big ugly power wagon right? And off they went. When we got there they were sitting on the tail gate grinning. What do we owe ya? " Not a damned thing Pops we all might get crippled some day." Doesn't always happen that way but its damned nice when it does.
The "power bullshitters" were out in force at Turlock, always amazes me that folks can't find anywhere except in front of parts displays to stand and BS- and BS- and BS... And there's always the guys who want to tell the vendor at length about the one he has at home just like that one, or used to have, or heard about- while you're trying to ask about something else. Again, onandonandon, oblivious to all the folks who are actually thinking about buying something. Gotta agree about the dogs and small children, too, got stuck behind a double-wide stroller/soccer mom on cell phone in one of the crowded barns- those 3'+ wide strollers should be illegal in general LOL. At least they can't run over me like the soccer mom/cell phone/ Suburban combos that like to merge on top of me and my Indian I take a hand cart with me, with a big milk crate wire-tied to it for parts, and if I get something big, cut the ties and pull off the crate, or use some bungies. When I stop to look at something, I set the cart out of the way, and don't drag it through the vendor's displays- works pretty good, easy to drag around, and courteous to others There's one Bozo that hits the NorCal meets, sells but vultures everyone elses' stuff on the way in, always hanging over the side of the truck before you get the tailgate down, wears overalls and drags his zipper up & down the side of your truck- he doesn't climb on my truck anymore
It always seems like I am the one that has to turn sideways so someone can walk through.... My kindness usually lasts about 1 hour every year at the first swapmeet then its game on!!! If you see someone headed in your path can you at least act like your getting out of the way!!! And no I am not talking about some person carrying something heavy out to the parking lot,I am talking about the asshole that just assumes your gonna move for him. If you have gotten one of my heavy shoulders you know what I mean!!!!
I set up and sold at the swapmeet today. I have no problems in telling a group of bullshiters to move so customers can look at my stuff but shit as far as just saying excuse me doesn"t get it anymore ,elbow your way right through them.I have been called rude before but don"t mean nothing to me. As far as putting a price on all your stuff,why don"t you try that with all the stuff,you ain"t shopping at Walmart. The comment about leaving the kids at home,I think the kids are better off walking around at the swapmeet learning what parts are and how they work. Better off there than at home playing video games.If all you are looking for at a swapmeet is it to be your way,stay at home and order from speedy bill. I enjoy myself at the swapmeet buying or selling.Putting up with alittle bullshit is part of it .
Excuse Me! That's too nice. You have to plan ahead. Here is my secret to having a great time at a swap meet. Get about 4 different types of beans, slice an onion, run it under ice cold water so it takes the bite out of it, put in a can of tomato sauce with garlic and basil. Cook this up in a pot at noon on a Saturday, put it in the fridge and have a hearty meal of it on Saturday nite, add some chilis, have a few cold brews. Enjoy yourself. Then on Sunday go to your swap meet. You will notice that any time you pause a gift will present itself. It is a good idea to sort of move along as too many gifts are not appreciated by some. Not too many guys are going to stay there and receive too many gifts and so the line will move along. Try not to smile or laugh, it's tough I know, and hey if you get caught, well just say excuse me. In a big crowd like that it can be a real hoot, literally.
I've been buying and selling at swap meets for 45 years now and never had a proplem getting BS conversationalists out of my way. Maybe the two wheel cart with the milk crate helps, but it had never been a problem as some of you have mentioned. Local Sunday swap meet is a NO PETS event, if the spot one you left in your car they annonce your license plate number, and you are told to LEAVE. You get five minutes before the cops & a wrecker arrive, very simple. Three months till Rhinebeck, wish there was a swap meet sooner.
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