Something to Think About at Car Events

This has been said before and needs to be said again..........

Where I live, there are two local car events held each month. One is at a fast food resturant, and the other is at a local high school. Both are free to car owners and the public. I have noticed that many of the car owners and spectators attending these events do not make purchases at the resturant/concession stand or buy 50/50 raffle tickets from the events organizer to support the event. The concession stand at the high school is run by the schools auto shop teacher and students in an effort to raise money for class projects.

I am noticing that more and more car owners appear to be attending these events strictly for their own benefit, and will not support the event in any way. It is actually funny to watch some car owners when the raffle tickets go on sale. They start the engine and haul ass like clock work!

Businesses who support our hobby need our support too. We should not be ungrateful. Buy at least a coffee or soda.

 

Good point and well said. We have a local meet on Sundays in Burtonsville, MD. However, that might be changing due to construction. Sometimes there is a vendor there selling breakfast. Nobody really organizes the meets so no 50/50s or anything of that nature.

I know we have a big show at UPS in October and you have to bring a can food or a dollar. Sad to see some people donating only ONE can or ONE dollar. It's a great show.

 

You bring up a good point, and a sad truth. While the economy does play a role, I do believe that it is important to support the companies and philanthropies that support you. WHile we are all being hurt by current economic issues, we do need to remember that a little giving and support goes a long way and if we all do our part we help to ensure that the hobby survives and that car people are seen as good people in general.

 

I hope a lot of people read this thread. We always buy the crap sold at these car meets.

Water, Soda's, raffle tickets, popcorn.... What do you spend $7.00 to $10.00? It's a bargain.

 

You should start at home and buy and Alliance Membership!

 

Agreed, have you gone to the movies of late?

Me and the fam (one kid and a wife) went to the movie to take my son to see night at the museum....hadnt been to the movies in a LONG time.

$50 for three tickets and a slushie was a bit steep for my blood....I'd much rather spend a 1/4 of that at a car show.

 

Everyone can fork out a buck for a 50/50, and they should you are right.
We always try to get a little something from our local show, especially in today's economy you have to share a teeny bit somewhere when you can.

Now the movies, HA! yup we went to see Star Trex, $50 bucks no prob' and popcorn and a soft drink $10 bucks... ouch!

 

$50.00 for movie? And people say shit is expensive in CA?
We went to see Star Trek at a real nice theatre here in Orange. $8.00 a ticket and a large Ice Tea was 5 bucks

 

Well said, a couple of real good cruises stoped because no one bought from them, they fork out for the extra help and what not and people were bringing their own food and drinks, cheap bastards!!

 

Bottom line, most everyone in this hobby is incredibly cheap, including me. Free shows are great, but by offering a free show you get the guy who comes from 2 towns over because the show in his town that night charges $3 for a parking spot. Why pay $3 when he can drive 25 miles and park for free? In my opinion the shop teacher should ask for a small donation $2-$3 just to cover some shop fees. If people don't want to pay let 'em park anyways and most likely they'll feel guilty as hell when they see everyone else dropping a few bucks in the hat. Unless they are completely shameless...

As for the drive-in/restaurant, do they give out awards? If they give out awards or gift certificates they should be collecting some dough as well. Just like building a car it costs something to put on a show. Advertising, extra staff hopefully for the extra business, awards, etc....What kind of Scrooge goes to drive-in/restaurant show and can't even pony up for a shake or a small soda?

Example: Rodder #1 says "Hey they used to have a great little free monthly show at Joe Bobs Drive-In, they still do that?
Rodder#2 "Nope, that was over with, like, a year ago"
Rodder #1 "Well I wonder why?!"

Here's the answer, Joe Bob lost money cause you guys were too cheap to buy anything! He offered a free show hoping you could crack open your wallet and spend a few bucks on his food. Instead you showed up, took up 2 spots with your car and lawn chairs and were too busy being a blow-ass, tight wad to buy anything! Sure it was a cool show and they gave away some gift certificates but filling a parking lot with cars full a people who ate before they came leaves less spots for those who just want to eat! See my point? Sorry to go off the deep end here but I'm tired of over hearing guys bitch about petty amounts, under $10, to get into a show. Especially when proceeds help a charity, school, church or their club. Don't want to pay, go hang out somewhere else!

 

We usually can get great deals on local produced maple syrup at our local events and I buy it at every event.

 

Sad but true, our club used to do a cruise two sundays a month at a neat 50s style place good food and cheap, 50/50, door prizes, games for the kids and prizes for them. Only the club and maybe a few would eat and take part in the 50/50, we caught people pulling out coolers and setting them next to their chairs, food and drinks in them when ask to put them away or leave we where rhe bad guys, call SOBs and anything else you could think of so after two seasons we stopped it. Yes sad but true.

 

I always enjoy these type but only have about one a yr to go to..

I have never paid any attention to those that pay and those that do not, I just put my money in a jar, get me a dog and drink and go look at the rides..

I usually give as much to these as I do any other show..

hard to believe that anyone with a ride would not want to give something,

heck, just start making the folks register for a small fee..
problem solved.

 

I can see paying a little to participate,but honestly, the food that they sell at most of these things is so unhealthy it makes me sick.I can't eat the cheap dogs and funnel cakes.If you are going to call it food,make it edible.I usually end up with just a soda until I can get something that will stay down.

 

We have a local show here put on by an Italian Rest. called Brunetti's,
point well taken on the food ? .. This rest' kicks out tons of food to the hungry cruisers and you have a to go box to take home, he also gives away two $25 Gift Certificates, so our area locals support it real well. It almost
seems the car locals make it there saturday night dinner outting, so this one works out great for everyone, they have a DJ too each week.
But this is a win win for everyone, We even won a gift cert' last year and took friends out to dinner on it with us, it was great!

Everyone pony up your buck next time! Or there will be no where to cruise to

 

I was a member of the car club that puts on the Washington Square Mall (Indianapolis) Cruise In every Friday night April through October. This Cruise In has been going on since the early 90s in this same general location. Moved a few times due to construction. The mall charges an annual fee of over $1000 and is trying to up it again. The club pays for the water and electric used in the old bank drive through that is used for storage and the rest room. The club is required by the mall (and common sense) to provide liability insurance . The fund raiser has been the once a year car show that was rained out 2 years in a row. This years show was moved downtown and was successful in the turnout, but cleared little cash.

Thats what the club which is less than 10 active couples puts up with to provide the FREE cruise in.

The 50/50 does OK, but does not provide enough cash flow to support the show. Vendors are allowed for a fee which some try to wiggle out of or fail to pay. This could be the last year for the Cruise In because the mall wants more $$. Insurance goes up and so on. The club needs more members to help and better participation ($$) from the guests-participants-whatever.

 

the Asphalt Angels here in VA have less than a dozen members and do a sow a year - it's pretty clear we all love the events so support is imperative.

 

I wonder if the guy who drives 25 miles to the show to park free realizes he pays about $8-$10 in gas to save $3? Maybe more, depending on what milage he gets, I figured conservatively.


It wouldn't kill guys to support the swap vendors either, I've gone to shows and set up to sell and not even paid for the spot. The Shelby Club All Ford show two out of the three times I went to it, has been like that, it was so bad the first year I skipped a couple, went last year did ok, went this year and I doubt I'll ever go back. I don't expect to get rich or anything, but if I pay $20 for a spot it would be nice to sell $40 of stuff so that after gas and buying food at the show I at least break even, or even can buy something from one of the other vendors.

Which I always plan to try to support the shows I go to by buying lunch there at least.



The solution on vendors trying not to pay is make them pay or they don't set up, every show I've been to collects the spot money at the gate - just don't charge them an arm and a leg, the cheaper it is for them to set up, the more will come to the show. The Street Rod club used to have a show and it was free to set up in the swap meet and they always had a ton of people for it. But for some reason 2 or 3 years back they stopped having their show, which is why I went back to that all Ford show again, to make up for it.


I probably should add that I bring like Hot Wheels cars and some other cheap toys so that people can buy something from me that only costs a buck or so. I'm wondering if it's a lost cause, though, this year, I've lost count of the number of parents who tell their kids they have enough of those at home. Spending one dollar to support a vendor is going to kill you?

 

I always buy 50/50 tickets, have a bunch in my wallet from Bowling Green. Learned my lesson 30 years ago when I won a complete Model A rolling chassis with drive line at the Delaware Street Rods picnic. Sold it for a grand at the Street Rod Nationals in St Paul, and have been reinvesting the profits in more tickets ever since.

 

I always try to support those that do things I enjoy, and withold from those I don't. It's called voting with your dollars, and you will never see me with a pro sports shirt on, but I do have a lot of car themed ones. I also never bring in my own food or drink. As stated, the shops that offer the parking lot can expect fewer civilian sales due to the crowd, so the least we can do is cover normal sales.

 

Yep .. support those who are supporting your habit. We had a weekly cruise at the local Hardee's last year. Folx would show up, park their cars and go eat ... at Taco Hell, Denny's ... but not Hardee's. Guess where we don't have a cruise this year ... Wanna guess who stepped up to host a cruise? Nobody!

 

I always buy something when I attend any car related show. If I can't spread a $20 bill around to help the infrasctructure of the show, I may as well stay home.

 

Well now! boy am I feelin cheap right about now. how many of you boys along with m'self have bought a membership yet to help support the H.A.M.B. hhhmmmm

 

My family also tries to shop duing the week in Anoka ( put on a large cruise night every Saturday all summer ) in stead of Elk River where we live. When we do go to Anoka for any thing usually have a car club jacket or shirt on to show the store owners where their customers come from.
And if you have not made it to Anoka Minnesota for the Saturday night cruises you should, a great mix of cars, and it is big enough to park so you can not hear the DJ.

jim h

 

While handing out flyers for the Shakedown the other day at a local show I had some jerk toss the flyer back at me bitching that it was $25 to come bring his car. He said he doesn't pay to show his car and leaves a show if he is asked to pay. He "spent too much on his car to pay to show it". Someone told me he bought it and didn't build it himself...not to mention it is a 80's custom and kind of ugly. I told him politely that insurance, advertising and other things make it hard to put on a free show and that $25 got you in for two days for two people and chances at a $2500 engine that we are building out of donations and our own pockets. Not to mention we have 7 bands and have to pay for the grounds. Good shows are not free and $5, $10 or even $25 for a show is cheap compared to a lot of other venues.

That is why the traditional shows are so popular, most of us "get it" and aren't whiners or complainers.

I saw the guy at Back to the Fifties two weeks later which is $30 to get in, food is outrageously expensive and hotels are $125-150 per night. I am sure he didn't get in for free.

 

And sometimes it pays off to buy a 50/50 ticket like this past weekend,,I didn't win but my pal that bought a ticket after me did,,,78 bucks. HRP

 

got one cruise in here where the prices go up during the cruise. really peeves me. I have not bought anything there since then. We've been giving discount tickets and/or BBQ to anyone that brings a car to one of our cruises.

 

Bottom line is the economy sucks for everyone, but if you don't grease the wheel a little it's all gonna come to a grinding halt. Spend 10 bucks, it won't break or kill ya.

 

If you don't have cars, you don't attract crowds of $pectator$.

Is it really so bad a guy brings out his car and doesn't spend money? He's still advancing the overall goal of attracting consumers.

 

I've found a few places around here that have car things, I go to them even when there isn't an event.
A few years ago a big ice cream company (wont say name to keep from trouble if so) dropped a ton of ice cream at a show we were at and gave it away free. I now buy their product most of the time, even though it costs a bit more.