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"As long as there are politicians, devotees of the hot rod sport may look forward to being pot-shotted at in one area or another. This observation is brought on by recent bills anounced in a few states aimed at banning hot rodder's from the streets.
In the eyes of thier originators, these bills were undoubtedly designed as possible solutions for what they consider a major problem -- the hot rods.
However in the opinion of those who have been concerned with the development of hot rods as a legitimate sports activity, the legislators who propose restrictive measures against such things as the "improvement of one's automobile's performance over that which the factory originally produced" are way off base.
That there is a "problem" in some areas, we readily agree, and that there are problem drivers in ,all, areas we are constantly aware of. But we have never gone along with the false belief that prohibitive legislation against an entire way of life could produce the corrective results needed for a faulty few.
In spite of claims to the contrary, owners of true hot rods are seldom involved in highway accidents. Due to the habitual mis-use of the term "hot rod" in newspaper acounts, many accidents have been incorrectly attributed to hot rodders. A check of police files in any given area will produce evidence to substantiate these claims.
Much emphasis has been placed on the danger of "souping-up" yesterday's automobile, but little concern is given the fact that Mr. Average Citizen (who seldom posesses either the alertness or appreciation of the automoblie that most rodders are endowed with) can purchase more horsepower on the showroom floor (with no qualifications required) than most hot rodders even hope for. What he does with all this unleashed power can be seen in the nations daily highway casualty reports, yet the hot rodder is singled out as the one whom Mr. Average Citizen needs to be protected from.
In areas where restrictive hot rod bills have been presented there have usually been ensuing investigations. In all such cases, to our kinowledge, the resultant facts have revealed previously hidden detail which point out the constructive and beneficial aspects of an organized hot rod sport-thus resulting in a new recognition of the merits in taking a progressive, cooperative attitude towards the hot rods.
Perhaps in a round-about way the "anti-hot rod" politicans are our best friends. At any rate, they have been responsible for causing many of us to get up on our feet to defend a sport in which we have the confidence. This, of course, is exactly what hot rodders have been most lacking in : The initiative to make known our "better" side.
But todays hot rodders are gradually banding together into an organization that has become international in scope. Their motto "DEDICATED TO SAFETY" is a pledge which we believe they are ready to back up. - WP"
A good friend of mine has a job where he goes in and cleans out foreclosed homes of all the stuff that the prior owners leave.. and so I'm trying to make a few extra bucks this weekend and I'm helping him clean out this old house that apparently had been empty and locked up since probably '97 and it was a time capsule from 30 or so yrs ago... One of the cooler thing I came across was a mint condition (almost) 1953 Hot Rod mag... the April edition... and this was Wally Park's editorial that month...
Wow. almost sounds like today in allot of ways. I thought it was a good read and wanted to share.
In the eyes of thier originators, these bills were undoubtedly designed as possible solutions for what they consider a major problem -- the hot rods.
However in the opinion of those who have been concerned with the development of hot rods as a legitimate sports activity, the legislators who propose restrictive measures against such things as the "improvement of one's automobile's performance over that which the factory originally produced" are way off base.
That there is a "problem" in some areas, we readily agree, and that there are problem drivers in ,all, areas we are constantly aware of. But we have never gone along with the false belief that prohibitive legislation against an entire way of life could produce the corrective results needed for a faulty few.
In spite of claims to the contrary, owners of true hot rods are seldom involved in highway accidents. Due to the habitual mis-use of the term "hot rod" in newspaper acounts, many accidents have been incorrectly attributed to hot rodders. A check of police files in any given area will produce evidence to substantiate these claims.
Much emphasis has been placed on the danger of "souping-up" yesterday's automobile, but little concern is given the fact that Mr. Average Citizen (who seldom posesses either the alertness or appreciation of the automoblie that most rodders are endowed with) can purchase more horsepower on the showroom floor (with no qualifications required) than most hot rodders even hope for. What he does with all this unleashed power can be seen in the nations daily highway casualty reports, yet the hot rodder is singled out as the one whom Mr. Average Citizen needs to be protected from.
In areas where restrictive hot rod bills have been presented there have usually been ensuing investigations. In all such cases, to our kinowledge, the resultant facts have revealed previously hidden detail which point out the constructive and beneficial aspects of an organized hot rod sport-thus resulting in a new recognition of the merits in taking a progressive, cooperative attitude towards the hot rods.
Perhaps in a round-about way the "anti-hot rod" politicans are our best friends. At any rate, they have been responsible for causing many of us to get up on our feet to defend a sport in which we have the confidence. This, of course, is exactly what hot rodders have been most lacking in : The initiative to make known our "better" side.
But todays hot rodders are gradually banding together into an organization that has become international in scope. Their motto "DEDICATED TO SAFETY" is a pledge which we believe they are ready to back up. - WP"
A good friend of mine has a job where he goes in and cleans out foreclosed homes of all the stuff that the prior owners leave.. and so I'm trying to make a few extra bucks this weekend and I'm helping him clean out this old house that apparently had been empty and locked up since probably '97 and it was a time capsule from 30 or so yrs ago... One of the cooler thing I came across was a mint condition (almost) 1953 Hot Rod mag... the April edition... and this was Wally Park's editorial that month...
Wow. almost sounds like today in allot of ways. I thought it was a good read and wanted to share.
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