(Photos: Speedhunters/Matthew Everingham) You would think that it’s just a quick jibe, a line that is meant to be nothing more than some good-natured ribbing. You would think that what you’re hearing back and forth is similar to sibling rivalry, or the kind of quips that you’ll hear the the local DAV between the jarheads, the grunts, the squids, the fly-boys and the puddle pirates. You would think that in the realm of automotive addiction, in all of it’s facets, that there is some kind of unifying bond that can bring even the most distant of groups together for one reason or another.
Lord, how wrong you would be.
The only car show I’ve ever won a trophy at, I had a gentleman walk up to me and in matter-of-fact tones inform me that a car show was going on and that it wasn’t cool that my car was parked where a show car should be. At another, after my 1973 Chevelle was allowed in and I parked where I was told to, only then did the show organizers realize that a GM product was parked inside of a Mopar show. The organizers were pretty decent about it, simply asking me to park anywhere besides the show grounds. The people on the grounds, however…you would’ve thought that I had walked right up to their sweet grandmother and stuck my middle finger right in her face. Those examples from my own background are in-person deals, where there are consequences for what you say and do. Welcome to the Internet, where anyone can shoot their mouth off at will and all you can do is sit there, boil over and maybe have a chat with a moderator about what was said. In the nearly twenty years I’ve participated online in anything gearhead related, I’m convinced that any kind of respect and humanity have been quickly falling by the wayside.
I have strong feelings on what is considered “good” and “bad” in the realm of the automotive hobby. I feel that people on the whole are quick to slam what they perceive is wrong, and will do so with the fervor of a nun with a ruler…present your knuckles if you suggest an LS swap because that’s the “easy way”. Expect personal messages from people who either believe they are actually encouraging you to do the right thing or who want to pressure you into doing the right thing, like I’ve seen on other forums when the flock doesn’t agree with the individual. One day I hope to understand better than I do now. One day I hope that I’ll have more to offer on how to deal with the backlash besides resorting to the tried-and-true “f*ck ’em” mentality. Meantime, take a look at Matt Everingham’s perspective over on Speedhunters…it’s a good piece that captures what my flu-fogged mind is trying to get across at the moment. 
Once I actually had a Guy ask me to move my car so his buddy could park there. Or the well sponsored show that one of the judges won.
What always stuck out in my memory was me and a buddy, each with 9c1 Caprices that we took good care of and kept in good shape, hot rodding around one day and pulling into the Canadian Tire cruise night, only to be told our cars weren’t allowed, and that the show was only for pre-80 cars. I then glanced over and pointed at the row of fox-body and SN95 Mustangs, and the other row of C5 Corvettes. The guy at the gate said “oh well those are still muscle cars, they’re an exception.” Never went back there again, as fans or otherwise. Thankfully another cruise night across the city had the rule “IF YOU LOVE YOUR CAR, BRING IT TO THIS CRUISE NIGHT.” Imports, ricers, euro-cars, muscle, hot rod, you name it. It was excellent. Lotus Esprit turbo parked next to a ’32 highboy, y’know?
If I had a dollar for every cruise night browser who walked right past the C2 Corvette or ’69 Camaro parked beside me, to gawk at my 9c1 or my Buick Roadmaster WB4 wagon, I’d be a rich man.
There will always be lawnchair warrior idiots. Most are old guys, yes, but some are young too. I try to ignore them, but it’s difficult now that I’ve moved to cottage country–the median age is about 90, and car cruises are the same ol’ same ol’ now.
I was getting gas one night, and a guy stops to look at my little truck. He’s looking, and looking, and he says, “these aren’t the right wheels to have on this truck, they’re just wrong.” I’ve got American Torque Thrusts on radial T/A tires on my ’80 Arrow V8 pickup. Whatever. Chevy guy, so I don’t take it too hard…:)