Hot Rods People. They're the worst...

One of things I'm trying to do in my retirement is being more tolerant of stupid people, or at least tolerate the foolish questions and comments from them. We've all gotten comments from "non-car guys" at shows, and I try to give them a pass because they usually think that they're being complimentary, and they don't know sometimes what they're looking at.
Other times though it's "experts" who are just rude, and those people have oftentimes gotten under my skin and ruined my day. You know, they guy who walks up and says something like, "I hope you didn't put a Chevy engine in that...", or "That car is so low it's illegal, you can't drive that on the street." These are actual comments I've gotten, I'm sure you've all gotten similar experiences.
The other day I got one that made me proud of my response. I had driven to the local Publix grocery store and was getting out of the car when a guy walked up and said, "Nice car! Is that a '29?"
Thinking this conversation was going to go well, I said, "Yes it is, thanks."
He came back with, "That's not a '29, I used to have one. It's the wrong body style."
Instead of being offended or arguing with the guy, I shrugged and said, "Well, you're the expert.", and walked away into the store.
It was a head shaker.

 

Take your compliment as a win and call it quits.
Remember as a kid having contests on peeing distances. It’s all a male thing.

 

Your response was good. My response " hmmm... the VIN # says it`s a 29 "

 

I get good comments when I'm out. Haven't had the "is that a dune buggy?" yet, but know it could happen.
I'm not a club guy, and have a fairly low opinion of the average person, but have made a conscious effort to have positive interactions here and in real life.
Let the uninformed stuff bother you and they haven't won, but you have lost. I know I'm really dumb in some stuff, and can unintentionally sound like a fool in some things. That happens to everyone, and they could be misinformed, having a bad day or trying to provoke. How you handle it is up to you.

https://mindfulzen.co/things-not-bother-you/

 

I was at a Cars & Coffee recently and my car has a flathead with Offenhauser heads on it. An "expert" was showing this young lad around and when they came to mine he told the boy, "That's one of those Offenhauser engines they used to race at Indy." Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

 

There's really only two things I dislike about people. Being around them & talking to them.

 

Great response.

 

Other than buying from or selling to I avoid people.

 

I used to have a very low tolerance for stupidity, rudeness, and general lack of manners & respect. I'm much younger now....

 

Guess its all in the perception. For me, I'm just flattered that someone would take a moment or two to comment--right, wrong, dumb, whatever. The alternative is a walk by with no notice nor caring whatsoever. I don't do shows anymore but on occasion do walk one, love to see the little kids look at one and the owner says "want to sit in it?" Kid is so nervous or scared but the reaction is priceless-a memory made that will live longer than the owner.

 

Humans are just a weird species.

 

Clearly.... My 29 never had that (Duvall) windshield..
They are among us..

 

My Mercury is Nailhead powered (322). I was on my way to a poker run, and stopped at a NAPA a couple hundred miles away just to pick up a couple quarts of oil and some other "just in case" items I had forgotten at home. Working that day was a younger guy, probably mid 20s, and the another fella around 40. Kid says "Wow, what kind of car is that?" and I told him it was a '49 Mercury, chopped, shaved, yadayada, and asked if he wanted to come see under the hood. Both of them come out, and I pop the hood. 40 year old pipes up "Oh, I thought this car was cool until I saw you put a Chevy in it." I inform him it's not a Chevy engine, and he should look again. He does the requisite "Yes it is! The distributor is in the back. Fords are in the front." I ask him where a small block Mopar has the distributor? How about a big block Mopar? And what about an Oldsmobile, are they on the side? Cadillac underneath? Buick, where are they?....Didn't even want to blow his mind about Y-block Fords having the distributor in the back, I think he would've popped an internal circuit breaker.

 

I like people. Not all of them are as smart as we wish they were when it comes to cars, especially modified cars. So, I try to find another subject we're both interested in & go from there ...

 

Dumbass had a 29 Plymouth if he had anything at all.

I used to get it all the time with the 55 olds- “I had one just like it, but it was a a Dodge”. I must have heard, “I had one just like it” 100 times, and exactly one person knew it was an Oldsmobile in the first place, and actually had one like it. THAT guy was a riot… I wished I had more time to talk to him.

 

Over a decade ago I was at a weekly cruise here when 4 guys walked up to look at my old Austin. I'd just got it on the road then and it was still in it's original black paint. One guy began to tell me how he'd seen the old "Anglia" run at Woodburn Dragstrip back in the 60's. I told him that wasn't possible because it was an all stock flathead 4 banger a year ago, and it wasn't an Anglia, it's an Austin.
He said it must have been a similar Anglia, even if it wasn't this Anglia. I again told him it wasn't an Anglia, and told him I had the title and registration to prove it. He told me he didn't care what my title said, he knew it was an Anglia. His friends were embarrassed and began to walk away. I walked back to my chair, but he followed still trying to convince me I didn't know what I owned. I just ignored him and started talking to my friends who were there with me until he finally walked away.
Just another example of "you can't fix stupid".

 

Iam not a fan of owners placing signs with details about their ride next to them at shows. but, guess that it solves some of the problems listed above.

 

my favorite saying is the human race is an experiment that failed.

 

Ah yes...the sexual intellectuals.

 

When I have encountered people who try to nitpick my car when I am out, I just
listen and then ask them what kind of car do they have?...Same reply, 100% of the time,
"I don't have one"

No wonder aliens lock their doors when they fly by earth....

 

I went to a German car show once...Those folks are the wurst.

 

Please feel free to delete this moderators if inappropriate.


Larry

 

Kids get, and always have, an automatic pass. There are no stupid questions from a kid, there are however, stupid and rude comments from adults, who should have some basic concept of social norms and etiquette.

 

You guys have thin skins.

Most people can’t identify a car, let alone an engine that’s likely older than they are. Why would you expect different?

I don’t know what kind of chip is in my laptop, either. Why does that make me a dumbass?

 

I was getting gas in my white ‘64 Comet wagon when a guy comes up to talk cars.
Him- “Nice car - what year is it?”
Me -‘64 Comet.
“My parents had one just like it”.
Really! A ‘64?
“No it was a ‘60”.
A ‘60 Comet?
“No, it was a Chevy and it was blue.”

Not many know what they are looking at.

 

Here’s one that was the exception to the usual mouth breathing dumbassery.

I was getting some gas one day in my 32 Tudor.
The guy at the adjacent pump walks over and asks “That’s a 32, isn’t it?”
I looked up and saw that he looked to be an old guy, like me.
Then he says, “I can tell by the radiator shell, and the gas tank out back. And you kept the flathead!”
“I used to have one just like it when I was young“.
You could see he was enjoying a flash back to some memorable time in his past.
He walked all around it, taking it in. Thanked me and drove off.
Made my day that there was at least one other person who appreciated it.

 

I frequently get asked what year my Studebaker is,

Several people have told me it’s supposed to have a flathead and the yblock couldn’t be original.

One guy asked if I’m the original owner (born in the 80’s)

a local guy and his wife who own a similar car compiled a list of all the things “wrong” with my wagon.

One lady was very indignant that in 1954, Ford stole this colour from her ‘57chevy.

 

You're much better off having an unknown chip in your laptop, rather than having one on your shoulder.

 

Hmmmm . . . Bratwurst! With mustard and sauerkraut, please!