Unbelieveable

I received a comment (copied below in its entirety) from someone who dared not even identify himself/herself. And considering the comment, I am not at all surprised. According to this person, I "have no right to comment on shows". Pardon me, but in America, everyone has a right to speak their piece. I do understand that there are people on the far left who do not believe that anyone with an opposing view should ever speak, but that is not how things are in this country.

The person also claimed I "never contribute anything to any shows." Of course, this just shows the writer's ignorance, since I do contribute. I sponsor classes at shows. I sponsor, organize and run the HotKarz Super Cruise. I provide organizers with Vehicle Safety cards (spectator code of conduct) at no cost whatever. I provide organizers with a place to find many normal classifications, a copy of the Standard Point System, and an outline to help in putting together a more successful show.

He also claims I look for "special treatment" - I do not. I park my car, then enjoy the show like everyone else.

I provide a venue for the car folks, themselves, to speak up and be heard, so organizers will get a feel for what the folks are thinking, so they can improve their shows.

I post and promote the shows, and the cruise-ins.

Now, since the writer of the comment decided to hide behind anonymity, I do not know what THEY contribute, but I seriously doubt they contribute much of any value.

This lowlife even went so far as to "dis" my daughters vehicle. The writer thinks nothing much was invested in it, and it does not belong in any shows - I guess he/she is not intelligent enough to realize there is over $40,000 invested in the PT Woody. Guess he also is unaware that it often wins in both judged and peer shows, so it would seem many do not see things his way. Wonder what he has invested in whatever it is he brings to shows!

That ignorant idiot is, by his own remarks, a bigot - unless a vehicle is a perfect specimen of an antique or classic, it is not deserving to be in shows. That only goes to show the worth of the writer's opinion, which is zero.

Look, I do not mind honest criticism (unlike the folks in Sanford and Belgrade). But I do mind bigotry, ignorance, stupidity and downright meanness.

If and when that clown should decide to identify himself and take "credit" for his letter, I would fairly bet that he or she is someone not worthy of anyone's concern. I would also bet he/she has some connection to Sanford :o)

So - and I know you are reading this - you should know that I have probably done more for shows in one season than you have done in your entire lifetime. And you should also know that I am not going to give a "pass" to any problems I find. And I have every right to publish this blog and website, as this is not communist China. My opinions may not be shared by all - nor do they need to be. However, it is rare that I insert opinion - normally, I simply state the facts. And some people simply cannot handle the facts. Well, that's too bad! Deal with it.

A full 96% of all mail, posts and comments I receive is positive and supportive. If and when that changes, then I will reconsider what I am doing. But for the time being, you and people like the Sanford Elks really need to understand a simple fact:

I will report on shows. I will say what I believe is good about them, and what I believe is not so good. I will report what others have to say, and give them a venue to speak for themselves. If a show is great, I will say so. If not, I will say so. And since I have been involved in over 400 shows in one capacity or another, over a span of 43 years and almost as many states, then I have reason to believe I know enough about shows to know what is good, and what is not so good.

I am not saying every show should be perfect. But I AM saying that if a show has obvious problems, the organizers should strive to work out those problems, for the benefit of all.

I have given some very good reviews here - there are many good shows. And there are some that did not warrant a good revue. And I have enough integrity to not give a good review that is not deserved. But in no case did I ever "dis" anyone. I simply state the facts. If a show allows class jumping, I WILL point that out. If it does not organize well, I WILL point that out. That is not being disrespectful, or mean. That is simply reporting the facts, so everyone - including the organizers - can spot things that they may want to address. After all, if you don't know it's broke, you can't fix it.

Some organizers have been running rough-shod over the participants for so long, they do not feel any need to satisfy anyone but themselves. They have no interest in improving. To those few, I would say that you have been put on notice - if you are not willing to address valid concerns of the participants whose money you covet, then those participants will stop coming to your show, and you will get NO money. They have every right to expect you to address their concerns. They are your customers. They are the people whose money you are after. If you want their money, you need to satisfy them. If you are not interested in providing the best show that you can, then maybe you need to find a new way to raise funds.

If you put on a cheap show, or use poorly trained judges, or permit class jumping, then you have no one to blame but yourselves when I call it like it is. That's my job. You don't have to like it, but you do have to accept it, because I am here to stay!

And judging from the letters I get, that's the way most car folks want it.

Here is the anonymous letter - please feel free to let me - and him - know what you think by emailing me at ptwoodycrew@aol.com, or posting a comment below this blog entry:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post:
It's too bad you've turned this site into a personal mission to critcize people for their efforts. I would think a man as smart as you say you are you would understand people who put these shows on are doing the best they can. Personally I don't think you have any right to comment since you yourself have not or do not do anything for car shows in general. Your pathetic comments each week do nothing for so many people. Each week you pull your PT Woody into a show and expect special treatment when in fact your car is nothing short of a makeshift car out of the 50's want to be club. How much have you invested? My guess is not even close to what many of us have. You have no right to judge or critcize if you do not like the show stay the hell home just like you were told in Sanford. A lot of people certainly will never miss you. I'm willing to bet you will just delete this because it is your site but it is my two cents and I feel better. You really should use this site for good instead of judging.

Why Men Are Happier

Submitted by Ken Matthews:

WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED:

Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures?
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character. W
edding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

Free Lawn Tractor

You all know about the problems I have had with V & M Rentals of Gorham concerning the work they did on my Husqvarna lawn tractor. Thanks to all the rain, I have only used it 5 times since they gave it a "tune-up" etc.

Well, in spite of their "tune up", the motor blew today. Blew a hole right through the engine block.

So, here I sit, preparing to buy a new tractor - one that will never, ever be touched by V & M Rentals.

And anyone who has a desire or penchant for rebuilding such pieces of equipment, or could use it for parts may make arrangements to come pick this up and haul it off free. Otherwise, it gets parked out in the woods to disintegrate.

If you want this, email me at ptwoodycrew@aol.com. First come first served.

Bill

Spectator Code of Conduct

Many of you will be thrilled to learn that several shows have ordered our free "spectator code of conduct" cards to give to spectators at their shows. As a reminder, the cards simply say:

FOR THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLES
PLEASE...

No pets, skateboards, bicycles
If you brought children, control them
Do not touch or climb on vehicles
No Littering Thank You

It's nice to know that some organizers are taking the care and protection of your investment seriously. These show organizers are to be praised for taking that extra step on behalf of all entrants.

FYI, the shows that will be using these cards (so far) are:

Maine Oxy (all three shows in New England)
Yankee Cruisers DURHAM show
Franklin County show in Farmington
Two Trails Cruisers show in Windham
Bangor Wheels on the Waterfront Car Show

As I see it, any show whose organizers are willing to take extra steps to protect our cars are shows that we should strongly support. Perhaps someday, handing out spectator cards at shows will be the norm, rather than the exception.

If you are a show organizer, or know someone who is, please pass it on that these cards are absolutely free. All you have to do is email your request, quantity desired (in multiples of 50), and the address where you want them sent, along with the date of your show. It's that easy. Pass it on - we will all benefit.

Again, HotKarz will provide these cards at no cost - we even pay the postage. So there is no reason why every show should not be using them.

If I live long enough, perhaps I will discover a way to have HotKarz.com earn a few bucks to help cover these costs. Again, the idea of t-shirts comes to mind. Of course, if you own a business that would benefit from reaching almost 1000 dedicated car folks on a regular basis, you might consider advertising here - it's a great audience :o)

For those of you going to Togus, we hope you have a great time. Wish we could be there, but family committments in Connecticut prevent that.

The following weekend, we'll be having a hoot of a time at the Moose Festival. This is a truly great time, especially on Friday evening (Colebrook NH) and Saturday (Canaan VT). The festivities cover 4 towns, including Pittsburg & Columbia NH. If you think you may want to know more, go to the NH Show page, and check out the listing - and click on the 2 page flier. Perhaps we'll see some of y'all up there in the hinterlands. It's a long trip (183 miles from Limington), but worth every mile and minute.

Later!

Hard Pressed

I have been hard pressed to find a "silver lining" to all this dismal wet weather. But I finally have found it!

As I squish my way across overgrown lawns too wet to be mowed, and pull the weeds that grow so quickly in such weather, I tried to come up with a bright spot. My tomatoes have drowned. The corn is 8 feet tall - but the ears are not growing (they need sun). Carrots rotted in the ground, the leach field is working too hard, the family is getting cabin fever, shows and cruises get washed out, the dogs don't want to go out to go pee in the rain...the list goes on (forever).

But as I said, I have found some small amount of silver lining. I had to dig deep, but I was determined. And here it is:

My property abuts the dirt road leading to Pequawket Lake. Every summer, the outta staters race their ATV's, dirt bikes, cars, trucks etc. past the house and down the lane, all hours of the day and night. And teen partiers at the lake leave around midnight, and often in as noisy a fashion as is humanly possible.

Well, the weather has kept them at bay! We have peace and quiet! And that, my friend, is nice.

The moral of the story: no matter how dark things may get in your life, there is always something to be thankful for. Like my pop used to say, "Don't complain about not having any shoes until you talk with the man who has no feet."

Damn! They say it's gonna rain again tomorrow!

'Nuff said.

Super Cruise

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the wonderful folks who helped make the annual HotKarz Super Cruise the success that it was. Several hundred people participated, and 108 vehicles received votes. That's a lot of participation.

Lest we forget, we should all make it a point to thank the cruise-in hosts that make the cruise-ins possible. The Super Cruise covered 15 different cruise locations, from Sanford and Shapleigh to the south, to Auburn and Lisbon Falls to the north.

And a special thanks to the Standish Kiwanis Club and Two Trails Fabulous '50's Diner for providing the venue for HotKarz to present the Super Cruise Awards.

For those who missed it, the winners were (from 1st to 6th):

1st Place - James & Connie Peacock, Dresden ME
2nd Place - Richard Levesque, Sebattus ME
3rd Place - Preacher Joe Malozzi, Lewiston ME
4th Place - Ralph & Ulla Stowell, Standish ME
5th Place - Charles Scribner, Falmouth ME
6th Place - Frank Burroughs, someplace "up north"

We congratulate the winners - it was no easy task, with so much participation.

But be on your toes next year - it may not be so easy. Now that folks know about it, there is apt to be more participation. And we may cover a wider geographical area (we already cover two or three counties). And we may hold balloting at all the cruises we attend each week for 12 weeks, which would nearly quadruple the number of votes cast. And the trophies will not only be larger, but also more plentiful - we expect to award the TOP TEN. We are considering ten trophies, all quite large and beautiful, all exactly the same, to be awarded to the TOP TEN Cruise Vehicles, which would be determined by the number of votes each vehicle receives. Let me know if you like (or don't like) that format. And the owner of any vehicle that earns at least 5 votes would also receive a free HotKarz t-shirt.

So, here's to next year. Assuming Maine does not get washed into the Atlantic before then, what with all the rain :o)

Yellowstone Revisited

I have received a rather testy comment from the owner of Yellowstone campground (posted below the Yellowstone entry, earlier), and she seems to believe that my comments were unfounded. So let me be PERFECTLY clear:

1) When we arrived, we WERE told the Elks had their "fingerprints" on the show and there was no way we would ever win anything there. That is a fact, to which there were witnesses. I did not say it was staff. Whether or not it was a "staff person" is not part of the issue.

2) She claims the judges were folks who build antique cars and race cars, and know them well. While this may be true, that does not qualify them to judge - there were several vehicles that were NOT antiques, including ours. People hooked on antiques would, by nature, have a bias in that direction. It's what they know. It's what they favor. And it does not qualify them to judge my car. The fact that the judges were "into" antiques might explain why they never even looked at our car. As an example, if you are a Camaro fanatic, you would likely swoon over the Camaros in a show, and may tend to ignore vehicles you have no interest in. Ever see a Ford guy swoon over a Chevy? It happens, but not often. That is human nature.

3) The absolute, indisputable fact is that the judges did NOT give our car a glance - and I was not the only one to notice that, or mention it. Perhaps they were Elks members, or friends of Elks - or perhaps they just don't waste their time with cars that are not antiques. Whatever the reason, they snubbed us, and that is a fact. The reason is of no consequence - no vehicle should ever be snubbed.

As I said before, it was a good show. But we WERE told the Elks had a hand in it, either directly or indirectly, and were WERE told our vehicle would be ignored, and our vehicle WAS ignored, completely. Coincidence? Perhaps. The owner may want to believe otherwise, and that is her choice, but we were not the only ones to notice, or mention it.

Therefore, there was nothing dishonest or incorrect in my review of the Yellowstone show. But if the owner is unaware of what is going on in her own show, or turns a blind eye to it, then there really is no point in discussing it further. But next year she may want to consider judges that do not have any such obvious bias, or at least have the integrity to advertise it as a show for antiques, if those are the judges being used.

As most of our readers know, our car normally takes 1st or 2nd, even in the biggest shows, where there are 500+ vehicles. Yet, in a field of about 30 vehicles at Yellowstone, our vehicle was not "qualified" to win one of the 20 awards. I could be wrong, but it seems there is something wrong with that picture.

That's fine - we do not go for awards. But if we do earn one, we feel it is only fair to get it.

Absolutely, they can run their show however they wish. But at least they should be honest about the kind of show they are running, and the type of judges they are using. If the judges are all antique fanatics, don't have them judging new cars. Otherwise, you are just begging for favoritism and bias. I write self-help books. But that does not qualify me to judge novels, or poetry.

As I clearly stated in the earlier post and review, the show was quite good. And it was. And we encouraged others to go next year. Apparently, the owner found no solice in that, and decided only to vent about issues that existed that she is blind to, or chooses to ignore.

Alas! When the venerable Elks said we were "Banned in Sanford", I guess the owner of Yellowstone was simply unaware. But if she is going to run a show, perhaps she should become more aware of what is going on so as to insure fairness to all. Being ignorant of an issue does nothing to resolve the issue.

As far as I am concerned, this is no longer up for discussion. The facts speak for themselves.

Finis

New Letters

Just to letcha know, readers have already begun posting letters on both the Kiwanis show and the Litchfield show. If you have been to either (or any show, for that matter), feel free to get your own letter posted.

And if you are a show organizer, please feel free to comment on the letters - we will insert your comments into the letters to which they pertain, so all readers can be updated as to any changes you are planning or rebuttals.

Everyone, play nice :o)

Another "Split Decision"

Today we attended the Kiwanis Show in Standish - their first show, so we knew there would be "wrinkles". We just hope they will iron some of them out for next year's show.

But there were also some very good points about this show. So, allow me to expound on the pros and cons.

Let's tackle the cons, first. The classes were not very well thought out - a lot of great cars had no classification, and ended up in classes that simply were not appropriate. To make matters worse, there was no enforcement of classes. Enforcement would be difficult because of problem #1 - the classes were not adequate. And, as usual, Special Interest ended up taking the brunt of the mis-classing. But there were other instances of vehicles registering in the wrong class - it almost makes one wonder if some folks even know what their car is.

One other problem - everyone was allowed to vote their own class. This often results in a "tilting" of the voting. Not a huge problem, but it is one that should be addressed.

On the pro side, I could get very used to free food. The burgers, dogs, chips and soda were free to all. That, alone, was worth the $5 to get in. Also, the organizers had their classes all outlined and set up, so folks knew where to go. The location, at the beach, was very pleasant and relaxing. And the hosts (Kiwanis Club and Two Trails Diner) were the best - gracious and friendly.

Hopefully, the great folks who run this show will gain experience from this year's experience, and make the appropriate changes for next year.

Good (and free) food, good music, great hosts, and pretty good weather all combined to ensure we will be back next year.

The new gallery is up, as is the new Winner's Circle. And a new "Funny" pic is now available.

As a side note, HotKarz presented the awards for the 1st Annual Super Cruise. We are posting the winners (with pix), and we are also posting this complete list of all votes cast for all the vehicles.

And now it is time to figure out where we will go next...