From: Ronzo (rojoha@attbi.com)
Date: Mon Dec 30 2002 - 06:08:48 PST
While the thread is interesting, face it, we are a dying breed.
Where is a teenager these days going to get the support he needs to get
into a 'mechanical mindset'? We as collectors of 'Green stuff', both
mechanical and electrical, are looked at with bewilderment by our neighbors.
The average family with teenagers today has parents in their mid-thirties
who grew up in the beginning of the anti pollution device era, hence were
not able to watch their parental units 'tinker' with their cars. The cars
they have accsess to now cannot be played with because they either won't
run, or won't pass inspection. And to a teenager who is given the choice of
tweeking or driving, guess what they will pick.
Most neighbors will drop a dime to the authorities in a heartbeat when
the 'unregistered' car shows up in the driveway on jackstands to be
restored, can't have property values being affected, now can we?
Most public schools have dropped shop classes....want to work with
electricity or sheetmetal, ya gotta make the decision in eighth grade to go
to a vocational school.
How is a kid these days supposed to be able to go to school, come home
with 3 hours of home work, maybe participate in an after school sport ( if
the school even offers them), and hold down a job to earn the money to buy
the tools that his dad never bought in the first place AND afford a non
running green wreck plus buy the parts for something that might be running
and legally registered in a year ?
When was the last time you drove down the street and actually had a
group of kids (7 to 12 years old) run up to look at the 'Army Truck'? For
that matter, think about the last time you even SAW an unescorted group of
kids playing outside like we did 40 years ago. With BB guns or 22's, riding
bikes all day or fishing. Leaving the house after breakfast and showing back
up at suppertime. Nowadays, a warning flag, call the cops, Columbine
response or an AMBER alert for sure.
If we want to get new blood into the hobby, maybe we have to do what the
HAM community used to do with their 'Elmers'. But then again, even the Hams
are worried about their future since their numbers are dropping. Tubes and
transistors are giving way to 20 year old 'chip' equipment, not exactly
tinker friendly.
We as a hobbiests, be it electronic, vehicular or 'Hot Rod', "green" or
metal flake, are being regulated out of existance by do gooders, NIMBYs, and
politicians nose led by special intrest groups who push through feel good
legislation to get old iron off the road, because it's old, and therefore
dirty, dangerous or non compliant.
If you think our days aren't numbered, put your money where your mouth
is and bet me we won't see the demill provisions pop up again attached to
some bill this year or next.
Or run a rally weekend WITHOUT vendors and see how much public show up
to view our displayed machines or even our own fellow hobbiests, who really
have no reason to come 100 miles to look at your restored machine, but will
if they can only get a chance to get that part they need to finish their
project.
And ending on that sour note, I wish you all a happy and prospeous New
Year.
Ronzo
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