Hanging out a car shows is a fun part of the hobby. 99% of people at the show are there for the same reason you are, which is to hang out, oogle cool cars, bench race wacky ideas, and enjoy the atmosphere. Then there is the other 1% which is there to act like numb-skulls. At the cruise we attended last night, there was a group of diesel truck owners, mostly older 7.3L Powerstroke and Cummins engined trucks all lined up in one area. As one of these guys was leaving and essentially idling through the crowd, he was blasting soot at people out of the big exhaust pipe at the rear of the truck. This was super lame and annoying. When people were leaving the show, one of those diesel powered dweebs decided to fog bank the whole exit road with a hard launch and massive column of soot. The nice cars behind him all had to wait for the junk to settle.
Dolls on fenders are always annoying, stuffed animals or cartoon characters mocked up in the driver’s seat make us cringe, people who park their lawn chairs directly in front of their cars so no one can actually look at it, unlifted hoods, etc, make us shrug. This massive show was reportedly threatened due to the fact that guys were doing massive burnouts when leaving on what is essentially a highway. That’s pretty annoying. If a couple of morons who need to lay patch on the way out of a car show that has more than 2,000 other cars involved causes the deal to end, we’ll find a stake, some hay, and some gasoline to fix them up.
It is show season, undoubtedly you have been at car shows or cruises already this year. What annoys you at car shows? What do people do that drives you up a wall?
Question: What is the most annoying thing that people do at car shows?
Crying baby dolls are the worst. After that, it’s people who sit RIGHT by their car. Oh, and showing any car you just bought off the showroom floor.
People whining that car X or car Y shouldn’t be in the show or “Car Z should have won a trophy, but didn’t.” I mean really, who cares?
I enjoy cruise nights or show and shines much more than actual car shows.
For me the worst is whatever blocks my view of the car whether it be dolls, plaques, trophies or the owner’s fat ass. I’m here to see the car, not your pile of junk.
That being said, I don’t mind unlifted hoods, in fact depending on the car I prefer the hood down so I can see the lines of the car.
Agree with you on unlifted hoods. If the engine is not something unusual (or just not as finished looking as the outside), keeping the hood down and letting people admire the finished lines of the car can make more sense.
Yup, I usually leave my hood down, There’s nothing special under there, just a clean vortec. That being said, I never go to shows, just cruises and show-n-shines.
Got to be the stupid burnout contests. A more useless waste of time I can’t imagine.
Well, O.K., if I ever went to a lowrider event, the bouncing thing makes no sense to me, either.
Also alcohol, and girls in revealing attire, and cars with open headers….. They should get rid of all that stuff. Totally ruins the family atmsophere.
When and where are these shows!!!?
I took my slightly ragged but hard running ’68 Camaro to a local car show to hang out with a couple of friends that did have nice cars and one of the spectators (white trash looking, definately not a participant) told me he used to have a camaro just like mine, only ‘nicer’. I asked him where it was, he said he sold it in the ’80’s and I told him it just really didn’t count any more than, did it?
Burnouts on the way out, yes, always a problem, because then the cops have to come around and watch the rest of us leave, and some of us might have, um, equipment issues (low front axles, other “custom touches”). The rest of your list, I go along with. People who touch the cars of others annoy me as well. But the people who actually get into the car and have their picure taken tops my list. More than once I have seen people get into a ragtop for a family photo while the owner has wandered off.
The fact that we have to PAY and the spectators get in for free! All that $ we put into them doesnt count I guess
I’m with you on this.. latest show wanted $30 for participants.. I wouldn’t have minded coming to park and let others see the car, but not for 30 bucks. I can see if they are raising money for charity or something, that’s different.
Cry babies, Betty Boop, drive in trays with fake food. Most of all the lousy 50’s & 60’s music they play over and over. My friends and I attend the “Grand Run” in Pigeon Forge Tennessee every year for 15 years now. It seems like no one crusies their cars anymore and I feel like Im at the Diesel Truck Nationals instead. It’s more about me & the guys getting out for a couple days than it is as a car show now.
1. Guys who wanna yak too much. People who really know their stuff…or just have good manners…will look the whole thing over, nod with a smile, maybe ask some pertinant question and move on. The others, after having searched you out, will have either of two lines they’ll embark on and not let go of: The classicly stupid “I had one just like that” (no f’n way on this one, dude) or “Why didn’t you/why did you…” often in a challenging or even downright confrontational way. When I hear it start I cringe, maybe try to avoid it or hide, if it’s gone on more than a couple minutes I start getting rude back. Really, that mess makes show no fun for me.
2. Touchers. They really are out there, and are the reason for all the dumb-ass “no touching” signs having to be displayed. Some guys cannot stop themselves from touching, fondling, leaning, brushing against, or even sitting on the fender of some car they admire. I once actually was yelling at a kid to stop touching my car when asking and then demanding didn’t work, his father yelled at him for it, still he hung around and when he thought that neither me or his dad were watching, he started touching at it again. I actually know a couple of these people, it’s bizarre how they have this irrational thing they have to do and WILL NOT stop.
Gotta agree on the music. All that old 50’s doo wop stuff is really tired.
and if you get parked by the speakers you’re in for a longggg day.
Drive around the car show with the headers or cutouts open.
What ISN’T annoying at car shows these days? I go out of my way to find the cruise nights that AREN’T populated by stuffy old people in lawnchairs, 50s music, and all that crap. It makes it hard, but thankfully there’s one local cruise night here that caters to real car guys… They rules? If you love your car, show up, park it, and show it off. That’s it. Even including dumb-looking ricerockets or 100% stock Model Ts. Let everyone show off, as long as it’s done with fun and respect in mind.
My peeves? The 50s music is a start….
– So are those stupid stuffed child dolls they lean on their car (or for that matter such stupid accessories cluttering up the car)…
– Idiots who do burnouts and smokeshows, or repeated engine starts and revs–I mean, if it’s something really ridiculous like a blown hemi on open headers and you wanna give it a few squirts to show off, fine, but repeatedly firing up your Honda Civic to blast people with your 5″ tip? Grow up.
– Car audio morons blasting their boom-tss “music.” This is not a concert, or a car audio “contest.” Turn it down, DudeBro.
– Turning down specific cars by age or by make. Like I mentioned above, if you love your car, you should be allowed in the show, even if it’s a friggin’ ’86 Tempo. Let people laugh at you or completely ignore your car if they want, but if you want to show it off, show it off. Three of us used to go to cruise nights with our B-Body GMs (94 9c1 caprice, 95 9c1 Caprice, 95 Impala SS)… We all loved our cars, and they clean up real nice and they always draw a crowd at the cruise night we normally go to. We decided to try the “big” cruise night at Canadian Tire for once, and we were turned down immediately at the gate, saying the show was for 80-earlier cars only… That was dumb enough, except when we noticed a cluster of C5 Corvettes, and another cluster of late model Mustangs parked there! They replied “well that’s different.” We told them where they could stick it and never went back.
– Lawnchair quarterbacks are probably my biggest peeve. The old crotchety bastards who park their 1955 Whatever (it’s always a 50 cars), set up a lawn chair beside it, and then proceed to not move an inch the entire night, chatting only with their wife and/or close friends, while making sure no one goes NEAR their car. WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE, if you’re not going to show an interest in the cars?
Agreed; I’ve been turned away in my 87 Buick Grand National by some half-wit.
Maybe car shows period? Don’t rev, don’t burnout, Don’t DO anything….
I can’t understand why a ton of money isn’t saved and people just bring model cars to display instead. Then there won’t be any of these issues to worry about.
woops, that should read “it’s always a 50s car”… (We need an edit option!)
My car show pet peeves are idiots with loud stereos playing against the car shows music, idiots who don’t have a car/ truck entered but nitpick your or another persons ride while they drive crap, undisiplined,rude people who have no respect for other peoples pride and joy.
Parents who do not control their children. Grrrrrrrr
Tribute or clone cars.
that hurts.
agreed, nothing wrong with a tribute or clone as long as they aren’t trying to pass it off as the real thing.
I get upset with the people that think they should have won this or that. Then they berate the other person’s car and what is all wrong with it. Cruise-nights only for me.
as a photographer do you really want my opinion, I’ve got rants that could go for days
I agree with Loren. I hate people who lean on my car. Its not a lawn chair a-hole. Lean on your own crap.
Cars that are covered with crap, signs, dolls, cutesy crap. I came to see cars, not a diarama. Dorks who park lawn chairs for the same reason. One guy asked me why I didnt take a pic of his car. I said I couldnt because some fat guy is sitting in front of it.
The dorks who cruise the fairgrounds with those electric exhaust cut outs open. If their car didnt sound cool through the exhaust, it will sound like crap with open headers.
The dudes who put a blower on their junk and cant get it tuned so it doesnt have constant blower surge. These are always the guys who start their car every five minutes to show how bad their tuning skills are.
Idiots who bring thier new cars to car shows, if I wanted to see a new car I’d go to a dealership,not a show.
Idiots who bring old junk to car shows. If I wanted to see old junk, I’d go to a junkyard.
Now, with that absurdity out of the way, get rid of the spectators and all the old men who spend the entire day pi$$ing and moaning about various cars because they’re “too new”, “an import”, “not a chevrolet”, etc., and we’ll be getting somewhere.
24″ chrome wheels on a rusty rat rod…love it!
Cryin dolls- suck. Surging blowers- find someone who can tune it. But people who can’t stop touching- I once told my father (who I both feared and respected more than anyone on this planet) to take his foot off the step on my pickup. You can bet I will tell people to look but don’t touch.
Touchers! Old and young. I’ve trained my kids from the time they could walk to not touch other peoples cars. I don’t care what it is. Don’t touch it. To go with that, scooters and bikes. If my kids are riding around our driveway, they stay away from the one’s I care about or ask me to move them. Why on earth would parents let their kids ride around cars that may have paint jobs that cost tens of thousands of dollars? Finally, nitpickers. If you don’t like it, keep on walking. I have a friend who’s a painter. He likes to loudly point out every flaw in the nicer cars at the shows. We don’t go to shows together anymore.
Hot Rodding is about having fun and being loud and doing burnouts thats how its supposed to be!!!!!!!!! Anyone who complains about burnouts, or open headers, or anything clearly aint a true hot rodder. Sure im not into diesel trucks but those guys were just tryin to have a little fun. Hot roddin aint a family thing, its bout havin a car that you love and i aint afraid to go fast in. I dont care if people touch my car its just a car. And thoose dont touch stickers piss me off more than anything else in there world. if you dont want people to touch your car leave in the garage! Car shows are getting way to expensive these day though, i went one were they charged 10 bucks a person (not a car) and there were maybe ten cars in the whole show (5 of which were late model mustangs, AHHHHH) charge the spectators not the show participants. An charging over five bucks is ridiculous for any car event in my opinion.
1. Children racing minibikes/quads.
2. Showing off new cars.
3. Audio systems louder then the engine.
4. Burnouts on grass (specially when wet)
I think you struck a chord with your topic today Brian –
parents letting their younger children touch the cars and smear their F’n finger prints all over your nicely detailed car !!!! is my only complaint . i’ve been going to car shows/cruises with my 72 camaro since 1999 and have accumulated 17 trophies over this time period and have no complaints
to the people hear who hate open headers have you ever been to an open header cruise ??? .nothing sound more awesome than hearing high compression motors with large cams cackling away . also the occasional 4k rpm rev to clean the plugs is fine by me
this will be my 4th year at the famous route 66 rendezvous in san bernardino ca and the 2.5 mile cruise route is awesome cruising around open header .alot of people swarm to nice sounding cars wanting pics of these cars
People that bring brand new cars. Why not just show us your bank statement?
People who had the “very same car” BUT not exactly like it, it was a four door… and not the same wheels… or the same engine… and not the same interior… oh and not the same year either and a different color BUT it was the same car! But his was better.
He had an 80’s Nova/Corolla
People who bring their dogs on leashes. The type of guy who does that usually brings a pit or a rottweiler or other dog that isn’t know for it mild demeanor. Leave them home.
I’m all for burnout contests (not random tire burning where it’s not safe) and loud pipes, even scantily clad women. That’s not really taking away from a family atmosphere unless it gets out of hand. I went to Carlsle for P&S last week, and saw all of that. I had a great time, even spent a pair of tires in a contest (where I was not well received, because it’s a KIA.) I really was almost turned away from BassPro the other night too. I have a lot of work into my car and I showed up with it clean, who are you to keep me out? I think people just need to be respectful. I didn’t rev my car to the limiter or turn my music waaay up, and I would NEVER touch another car. Just be respectful, and have fun. As a side-note, wouldn’t it be beneficial if the music were broadcast and the audio guys had to tune to it? They get to show off, and the show needs less equipment, win-win.
People who complain about late-model cars at car shows. To me if you don’t like cars of all kinds, you are not a true car guy. I like anything from T-buckets to the new ZR1 Corvettes, etc. I say the more the merrier.
It’s all good, I don’t get annoyed at car shows very often.
People who dont watch their kids ! I can deal with most anything else.
my all time car show ENDER was when some ones grandma told me “i lost my virginity in a wagon just like yours”…………..dont feel good…..going home……….done
Just got back from cruisin OC.
If your car is too precious for a 6 year old to put a finger print on it then leave it at home. I do have a nicely painted “finished” car and short of a kid keying it I don’t have a problem with a kid touching the car, or sitting in it and playing with the shifter. I had 4 kids all under 10 sit in the trunk of my car for hours this weekend watching the cars cruise by. Get kids involved, don’t yell at em for touching your door handle. And while I’m at it, drive the thing don’t trailer it. If it’s too delicate/loud/hot to handle traffic and a 3 hour drive it’s not a street car.
There are alwas one or two guys that show up late in nasty rat rods with open pipes that cruise around until they find a spot right in the way of everybody. Then they start up and cruise around and leave early.
5. Any kind of stuffed dolls, angel hair, mirror squares, and other junk.
4. Displays that had more time spent on than the vehicle, especially with items from the gardening dept. or the dollar store.
3. Fingerprint gremlins, that just finished consuming a jelly donut or caramel something.
2. Bolt-on/Stick-on/Vinyl-covering Experts telling me how much they spent
1. Guys who brought the car like that and have no clue on the construction history.
drinking is a turn off to me
cant stand someone walking or talking with a beer in his hand