I opened my car door to let some one look inside once and he jumped right in! I guess he thought I was inviting him. After he got out and I got in, I could smell the stale smell of cigarette smoke and body odor that had been lingering on his clothes. I felt sick that someone so dirty had been in my car.
I'm more careful now about showing it off.
When we were at the Farmer's Market in Prosser (at the Prosser, WA Rally last September) with our cars on display, there were a number of owners with their car doors open for people to look inside. My car doors were closed & locked. Terri (my wife) told me "You should open up your doors too, so that they can see inside!" Tinted windows, so......... Anyway, I felt bad because I'm thinking I should be more OPEN and TRUSTING, so I opened up the doors. Then I stood there and WATCHED while parents allowed their kids to jump in, play with whatever........ like it was a freakin' TOY! That's when I told my wife "See.....THAT'S why I didn't want the doors open to begin with!" :>( That's ALSO when I went back over, closed the doors and relocked the car!! :>) I truly think that those of us who are OLDER grew up in a different era where we had to work a lot harder for the things we wanted, and we learned to respect other people's property more. Some parents have passed that on, or at least attempted to, and others obviously haven't. Plus, I think it reached a point that kids were just GIVEN a lot more than we were when we were kids; they didn't have to EARN it by WORKING for it. So overall, I don't see the same respect concerning a LOT of different things that was pretty common in years past! :>( Just my two cents!
My smart sits in the garage covered with snow/slush/salt debris. That's cause I drive it. Am I worried about fingerprints???? Not.
So if I come over with a Louisville Slugger and practice my swing, no biggie? It's my car, and if I make it messy or damage it, no problem; I paid for the car, and I'm the one responsible for it. A stranger doesn't have the same rights with my private property - hence the private.
The fact that some people see this as even debatable explains a lot about what we're seeing out there.
My smart sits in the garage covered with snow/slush/salt debris. That's cause I drive it. Am I worried about fingerprints???? Not.
I'm going to walk away from this thread after this post.
It really isn't about fingerprints. It is about respecting private property. And, depending on what the offender has on his/her hands (sand, grit) or what they're wearing (metal clasps, zippers, etc) the damage might not just wipe off. bigcritter said:
Quote:
I truly think that those of us who are OLDER grew up in a different era where we had to work a lot harder for the things we wanted, and we learned to respect other people's property more. Some parents have passed that on, or at least attempted to, and others obviously haven't. Plus, I think it reached a point that kids were just GIVEN a lot more than we were when we were kids; they didn't have to EARN it by WORKING for it. So overall, I don't see the same respect concerning a LOT of different things that was pretty common in years past!
It's painfully obvious that some here have never previously had a vehicle that drew an extraordinary amount of attention. Damage goes with the territory. I've been keyed, dented, scratched, grocery-cart-hit, spat on, coffeed, etc etc. Friends who actively build and show cars report the same. It's a simple fact of life when you've got something that for whatever reason inspires the worst in people to come out. Deal with it, or buy a plain vanilla car no one cares about.
It's a simple fact of life when you've got something that for whatever reason inspires the worst in people to come out. Deal with it, or buy a plain vanilla car no one cares about.
I think the point of this discussion is that we don't have to just live with it. Previous generations learned to respect other peoples' property - why can't we expect the same from current and future generations, both of which constantly assure us they're wiser and more sophisticated in every way?
Why do we expect so little from people today? We're constantly adjusting our society so as not to inconveniece the lazy, the sloppy, the stupid, the undisciplined. We have all these catch-phrases that put down what used to be virtues - hardworking is now being a workaholic, neatness is being anal, being smart is geeky or nerdy, and now vandalism is just "the way people are."
No.
Turning things around, even a little, begins with not accepting such behavior, and letting people know it's wrong. Now, you kids get offa my lawn!
I think the point of this discussion is that we don't have to just live with it...........
.........We're constantly adjusting our society so as not to inconvenience the lazy, the sloppy, the stupid, the undisciplined. We have all these catch-phrases that put down what used to be virtues - hardworking is now being a workaholic, neatness is being anal, being smart is geeky or nerdy, and now vandalism is just "the way people are."
I wholeheartedly agree 110%!
for the record I've built plenty of show cars and if someone ever dented, coffied, shopping carted or did anything else intentionally it would most likely be the last time they'd ever do something of such a nature. I feel thankful that up/down in my neck of the woods if you do such a thing you should expect the worst to happen - that's just a fact of life here. Plenty of woods to bury the body in. Not too many people ever mess with other people's stuff.....so it's OK to drive a car that stands out.
I think the point of this discussion is that we don't have to just live with it....
...We're constantly adjusting our society so as not to inconveniece the lazy, the sloppy, the stupid, the undisciplined. We have all these catch-phrases that put down what used to be virtues - hardworking is now being a workaholic, neatness is being anal, being smart is geeky or nerdy, and now vandalism is just "the way people are."
No.
Mmmhmm. My smart got it's first scratch (on the tridion!) from a lookie loo. And I've only had it a month. I'm not horribly upset. For me, it's part of the break in process! (Well.. when I do it.)
My other car has more fine scratches than... eh.. most cars. (That's how I got it, I swear!) :P
Bum-bling bee, I wish more people were like you and those you speak up. I was by no means trying to defend those who do so but rather throwing my hands in the air because most are unlike you and those in your area. I haven't met anyone like those described that touch and feel with out asking first, but they are out there. I guess that you have to know where the line is. Probably at finger prints for me. Scratched and what not tolerated.
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smart - aka Smurf
1 - Kermit
3 - The Street Rod
4 - Split Window Vette
5 - The Veggie VW
Not too many people ever mess with other people's stuff.....so it's OK to drive a car that stands out.
Big Red
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