Can I sit in your car?

mshmodela said:
Hey, all cool, all opinions are fine by me, Mitch is very helpful to me and others, he stated his opinion which was in no way disrespectful to any one person... just a view that differs...
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Everybody has their own personal opinion about their car and how they want people to act when their around it. Mitch always comes up with very good answers when someone ask a question. I talked to him on the private e-mail one evening and after talking to him I considered him top notch.....
 
Yes, this is an old thread..... However, something happened today that got me thinking about this old thread again, so I searched for it and found it. Then, re-read through it and still came up puzzled. So, asking you guys for your input.

Wife and I drove the 31 tudor (near fine-point quality, yet reliable daily driver, a solid #2 car) to the 4th of July festivities in a historic foothill town about 20 miles from home. Spent a lot of time last night waxing and detailing the car for its display with flags today. We showed up early, and parked in a primo spot right next to the outdoor seating area of the restaurant at the end of the parade route. Car was protected on side and rear, front facing the street which was blocked off for the festivities. With the restaurant staff watching over it, we walked to the firehouse fundraiser pancake breakfast at 0730 and walked around checking out the antiques and old time shops until the parade started at 1100 hrs. Decided not to be in the parade, but just watch instead. The car was in the best spot anyway, and didn't want to lose that spot to a hotrod or something. After the parade, we put our folding chairs back in the car and decided to sit in the crowded restaurant's outdoor seating area and enjoy a cold drink before heading home in the 98 degree heat. I noticed a LOT of hand prints all over the car, and several greasy body contact spots all around it (fenders and bumpers). Very perplexing. I almost thought we were being pranked with non-destructive 'vandalism'.

Once seated, and from our vantage point about 5 tables away from the fence and the car, we witnessed several people taking "selfies" with the Model A. Most of the people placed hands on the car for their selfies. None of the hand prints appears to be from youth, all appear adult size.

Is it just me? Or, is the "selfie generation" just absolutely out of control? It took almost 2 hours of waxing and polishing (and a little rubbing compound on some spots) tonight to remove all the hand prints and micro-scratches from the tudor. Our Model A has apparently appeared in more selfies than Kim Kardashian today. Why must everyone lay hands on the car to selfie with it? Am I just becoming an old grouch now?
 
Most people have their eyeballs in the ends of their fingers!
To the young "selfie" generation, our cars are not "real cars" anyway. I know because I have been told so by a couple of them. I think they regard them as a play thing anybody is entitles to play with like it is a public playground swing or slide or.... That is, it's just there for their amusement.
 
I spent this Sunday at the Berkshire Motor Show a charity event here in the UK. I made a conscious effort to allow youngsters to sit in the A. I drew the line at ice cream and other foodstuffs :) In all I probably had 10 youngsters sit in the car under parental supervision. I think I enjoyed it as much as they did, lot of "Chitty Bang Bang" references. Will do it again as I think it's very important to at least try and get the youngsters involved in the hobby. I think we may have lost a generation, but the younger element seem more interested in the older stuff. Only damage was a few fingerprints and not only from the kids!
 
Charlville said:
I spent this Sunday at the Berkshire Motor Show a charity event here in the UK. I made a conscious effort to allow youngsters to sit in the A. I drew the line at ice cream and other foodstuffs :) In all I probably had 10 youngsters sit in the car under parental supervision. I think I enjoyed it as much as they did, lot of "Chitty Bang Bang" references. Will do it again as I think it's very important to at least try and get the youngsters involved in the hobby. I think we may have lost a generation, but the younger element seem more interested in the older stuff. Only damage was a few fingerprints and not only from the kids!
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I agree Kevin, we always allow kids, both young and old sit in our car for pics, behind the wheel and in the rumble seat.....sometimes I think the older kids (adults) enjoy it more then the young ones...
 
Jon said:
A couple years a go we were at a restaurant and a family with 4 kids was leaving the same time we did. As we got near the car the kids got all excited and I told them they could get in and honk the horn. Each of them was carrying a nice big melting ice cream cone. The smiles on their faces was worth it all. That's why I bought the car!
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Cars especially mine and ice cream cones don't mix. Wash um dry um then ask me.
 
I enjoy being asked and often let those that do ask sit in my 1928A roadster. As long as there nothing they are wearing can mess the car up,the hardist part for me is if they are just too big to really fit,say NO with out them being insulted. But if they just try to get in with out asking,at that point I say NO
 
No one in the rumble, kids can get in the front and ladies from 24 to 104 yrs old, Auburn redheads preferred but not required but must be able to get in and out without assistance in a reasonable time.

Fingerprints can be wiped off...scratches are a different story from rings, shoes, bags, etc etc.


and.....it 'is' nice to be asked!!!!
 
Where's Dusty with his Beautiful green Coupe?
Look at his post in reply #6.
His last posting was 2 years ago when he seemed to just suddenly vanish.
 
Thank you for taking the time to reply, guys.

Charlville, Nabco, Captndan, Dana, and all.. Please see post #20. Here's a shortcut https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showpost.php?p=881684&postcount=20

Like you, I do allow and encourage respectful kids to sit in the car. That wasn't the point of my wandering rant.

My rant was about having adult size oily handprints on nearly every body panel, hood, bumpers, fenders, glass, and obvious signs of arms and legs on and across flawlessly painted and polished fenders, including some scratches from what was likely jewelry. Luckily, none of the scratches went all the way through the color coat and were able to be removed with compound, polish, and wax.

While sitting in a position to watch the car more closely, we witnessed several people leaning on the car or 'hugging' it to get their selfies. Most of the offenders were older than my wife and I.

Just trying to figure out why people think they can do that to someone else's car. I think Synchro909 may have the answer.
 
P.S. said:
Thank you for taking the time to reply, guys.

Charlville, Nabco, Captndan, Dana, and all.. Please see post #20. Here's a shortcut https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showpost.php?p=881684&postcount=20

Like you, I do allow and encourage respectful kids to sit in the car. That wasn't the point of my wandering rant.

My rant was about having adult size oily handprints on nearly every body panel, hood, bumpers, fenders, glass, and obvious signs of arms and legs on and across flawlessly painted and polished fenders, including some scratches from what was likely jewelry. Luckily, none of the scratches went all the way through the color coat and were able to be removed with compound, polish, and wax.

While sitting in a position to watch the car more closely, we witnessed several people leaning on the car or 'hugging' it to get their selfies. Most of the offenders were older than my wife and I.

Just trying to figure out why people think they can do that to someone else's car. I think Synchro909 may have the answer.
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I get it now, I guess I wouldn't be happy if the car was just sitting there and people started touching it....like stated earlier "nice to be asked"
 
I had not seen this topic before. I read all and am now "up to speed". Thanks. I have had only good experiences with the public. I have lots of photos of kids in the A. I hardly ever leave BluLulu out of my sight. I enjoy chatting with visitors. I usually dress "in period" as well. Maybeso, it's part of being a retired U.S. History teacher. This is my favorite photo of folks enjoying the roadster. I am a firm believer in, "You are the caretaker, do it your way". Russ
 

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As I've recently acquired my Model A and it doesn't run yet I haven't taken it to any shows. My Grandpa had a small sign in the window that says, "Look, Linger, and Reminisce, but Please Do not Touch" This is when he was going shows back in the 80s.

I was out on my old Honda Cl350 and had stop for lunch, I was sitting inside and could see the bike. A woman was walking with her 5ish year old that kept reaching out trying to touch the bike. She kept him away from the bike until he jerk his hand out of hers and he ran over and grabbed the still very hot exhaust header. He screamed in pain and turned to mother looking for sympathy. She snatched up him by the wrist and smacked his butt all the way back to the car, probably to take him to the emergency room for the second degree burns to his hands. I was expecting her to come in yelling at me but she didn't.
 
Nothing like grabbing the steering wheel at the end of a hot day when the kid that was sitting there was eating a chocolate ice cream cone. ARRRGH !
 
Yes if I like the way the kids are acting and they seem interested I ask if they want to set in our car.

One time at the Ford 100 years celebration I came back to the car and a man was sitting on my rear fender. I had just got through restoring the car that year. I do not want to repeat what I said, but he got off the fender. Some people have no respect for other peoples property.
 
I enjoy letting the kids sit in my Huckster, and they all jump when i tell them to honk the horn, always startled at the aoogah sound. What i do have on my rear window is a sign that says "My last tailgater bought me this car". Another thread for that one....look real close at the model A...while driving.
 
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