In a message dated 9/4/99 12:18:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time, tjsouz@epix.net
writes:
<<
Jan and I were taken by the number of little girls and boys that drooled
over the three-wheeler. We concluded that it attracts the little ones
because it's the same size as they are! There were a number of young
people in the 10 to 14 age bracket with very good questions about
operating controls, engine size, max. speed and cornering
characteristics. >>
I've found exactly the same thing. A local volunteer fire department way out
in the country (even farther out than me; Darlington Heights, Virginia; if
you've ever been there, you are part of a lucky and elite group) was holding
a fund-raising chicken barbeque. I rode over there (30 miles or so) in the
Morgan with my boy to get some chicken and found they were having a little
"antique, classic, and rod" car display. So we got a card and parked the
Morgan in the field with the others while we ate our chicken and threw darts
at balloons 5 for $1 and listened to the band. There were about 35 cars
there, ranging in age from Model A roadsters to a '98 Vette, and in type from
'53 Chevy convertibles to an actual Hemi Challenger (only MoPar experts need
speculate whether 'twas a clone or original), a '65 Vette 427, a TR6, a Stag,
and the Morgan.
All the kids loved the Morgan. It was just their size, and while most car
owners had their well-used "look but don't touch" signs in the windows, we
left the doors open and let the kids hop in and out and make vroom-vroom
sounds and let teenagers enjoy the novelty of sitting behind a RHD wheel and
speculate whether they would be able to shift with their left hands. The guy
with the Stag was the only one there who knew what it was, so I spent a happy
couple of hours explaining to people what it was and what it was like.
I think that the dimunitive size attracts kids too. The more we get them
out and show them and let people touch and feel and (if necessary ) drive
them, the more we are doing for the future of the hobby.
Lannis
|