Rules of Car Show Etiquette

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BE RESPECTFUL!

Look, but dont touch (without permission, that is). No collector wants a well intentioned, but overly enthusiastic, show-goer smudging or scratching their beautiful paint job.

Avoid wearing a lot of jewelry on your arms and hands. Rings, watches, and bracelets can easily scratch a car. It’s also possible to accidentally scratch a car with belt buckles, zippers, and buttons.

Do not to eat or drink around the cars on display. No one wants to worry about sticky sodas or greasy, ketchup-laden burgers landing on or around their precious car.

No Smoking! Cigarette smoke is a stubborn, difficult odor to remove from car upholstery. Aside from the odor, a stray hot ash could do serious damage to upholstery.

Keep your pets at home!

Bikes, Skateboards and Strollers are a scary thing to see near someone’s pride and joy. Strollers are sometimes necessary but remember to keep them as far from display vehicles as possible. Bikes and Skateboards should be kept away from show vehicle areas.

Keep an eye on your children. By all means, bring them with you and share the hobby with them, but teach them to be careful as they enjoy the thrill and atmosphere of attending a show. By following your example, they’ll soon grow to be conscientious enthusiasts themselves.

Feel free to ask questions! People love to talk about their cars and you might catch an interesting story or tip.

Don't start telling the owner what they did wrong or what you would have done different. It all goes back to the respect thing.

Anyone got any more to add?

 

Shit, I was taught most of this before I was 8. Good list.

 

NO PETS dogs could care less about car shows, don't bring them. They can't chase them and expensive wide whites are not there to be peed on.

 

Work with friends to develop a shorthand to say what you want to say about a vehicle, but don't because the owner may be nearby.

For example, a few friends and I use the phrase: "How'd he do that?" to indicate a rather puzzling bit of work that we really want to criticize?"

What's your shorthand?

 

A BIG sign at the gate stating Respect Others Property. Same w/ the show flyers. DO NOT LITTER! It is lazy ass, and drives up man hrs/$ to clean up. Drinking booze. Do you really NEED a buzz? Isn't the show/drive/cruise enough? The sheeple need to be led by the hand, it's time to improve the mentality.

 

Please be respectful of vendors. Especially if it is a handmade item they sell. If you don't like the materials or price no one is FORCING you to buy. So keep it to yourself, or do it your way and sell your own! Also, if it's hot, please don't park your ass in the shade of my tent so customers can't get by. Bring your own shade because I'm trying to sell my shit, not shade your rude dumb ass who doesn't want to buy anything!

 

All of the old heads know these rules, they haven't changed in the 40+ years I've been Hot rodding. The sport has changed and with it the "that doesn't apply to me" crowd has come out. You can only try to teach the dumb asses. This post is a start!

 

Sad, but true.

 

Very true. There is quite the generation of entitled little brats out there. Hopefully the majority of the younger hot rodders have been taught respect by respectful parents. I find it's the "tourists" that seem to ignore the rules most often.

 

Respect is not a normal thing these days.The real car guys respect each other but the general public doesn"t care..The cars are there to be admired not to dump your expert opinion on about how it was done.Keep opinions to yourself .

 

Very true. When I took my truck to it's first event in 1973 you didn't worry about having your vehicles or property bothered and cleaning up the area around your car was a matter of course that you just did. In those days I don't think the spectators had to be reminded to use the trash cans very often and few had to be reminded not to touch the cars.

Now days you get too many people who never were told no or taught any manners or how to act by their parents some of who feel that their parents were way too strict in their upbringing. Not to say that a few of the old farts can't be obnoxious or a pain in the butt either.

I've always felt that if you go to an event be it a car show or rod run, boat club event or buddy's backyard barbecue you are responsible for those you take with you and their actions. No matter if it is your kids, their friends, your parents or your best buddy from way back they need to know how to act and what is expected of them before you take them along with you.
I have one relative that I won't tell where I am going with my rods or with my boat as she can always manage to make an ass out of herself no matter where she goes. Sometimes if someone might be a problem or cause you embarrassment or run the possibility of getting your ass in a fight it's best to not invite them along or even tell them where you are going.

 

I have one thing to add. You are a really smart guy.

 

I was taught to put my hands behind my back while looking at cars, or suffer the wrath from my dad.

At the age of 16, I still do the same.

Learning respect from a young age is the key, like others have said "car guys" have that respect for other peoples stuff. Most of the time.

 

The only thing I would suggest changing is

Look, but dont touch (without permission, that is). No collector wants a well intentioned, but overly enthusiastic, show-goer smudging or scratching their beautiful paint job.

This should read

Look, but dont touch (without permission, that is). No owner wants a well intentioned, but overly enthusiastic, show-goer smudging or scratching their property.

It takes opinion (beautiful paint) out and goes back to not touching what isn't yours.

 

Did we really need another one of these threads? If you hate car shows and the people who attend them then you and your precious should stay home.