Mike Lishego wrote:
>
> Jack Emery wrote:
> > Rick, I know what you are saying and you say it well. I agree with some of
> > your thoughts. If more people showed a fraction of your enthusiasm for
> > clubs then we would never have discussed the slow death of British car
> > clubs. They're not dead yet, just tired.
>
> When it comes to clubs dying and the lack of youth involved in the
>cars, I'd
> have to differ with most people's idea of why old Brit cars don't fly with
>'us kids.'
> The biggest barricade is education, not money. A old bondoville with chrome
>rims, a
> sound system, and a souped up engine costs about as much as a decent MGB.
>So, why do
> kids opt for the bondoville over an MGB? Nobody ever told us kids about the
>joys of
> LBC's. At car shows, I feel like I have to have grey hair to talk about a
>MGB 10
> years older than me. Nobody wants to tell me about the car in detail unless
>I tell
> them about my own MGB habit. Without somebody telling them about what makes
>an MG
> good, most kids see a little car with a little engine. For the same money,
>they can
> have a rough American V8 that'll smoke Mom's minivan. When they talk to
>garage
> owners, most of whom lack LBC knowledge, the mechanics preach American iron
>and speak
> of their limited knowledge of LBC's. Of course, the LBC knowledge always
>involves an
> Uncle's neighbor who knew a guy that had an MG once...The worst part is the
>mechanics
> are only telling the kid what he knows, and he knows American V8's.
> I'm not directly blaming anyone of ignoring the youth at car shows.
>I'm also
> not an expert about car clubs and the demographics of LBC ownership. I'm only
> speaking from personal experience. All of my friends love my MGB after they
>hear a
> little bit about the car and what it has. You oughta see the looks on
>people's faces
> when you tell 'em about wire wheels. So, if it happens that you're at Burger
>World in
> your MGA and a few kids are ogling your car when you come out, don't shoo 'em
>away.
> Talk with 'em a little bit and wow 'em with something that every other car
>doesn't
> have. In other words, don't complain about the problem without planning on
>doing
> something about it. Talking to kids who are interested in your car is one
>way to
> start...
> Don't get me wrong, I'm not preaching (or at least not trying to!)
>I'm just
> suggesting what could be done when seen from a young'uns perspective.
>Criticism is
> accepted, flames are too, but with less friendliness...
> Along the lines of educating young kids about LBC's, this is the same
> philosophy I used when writing my children's book. I tried to put some
>information
> for each car that would set the car apart from other cars that kids would see
>every
> day. Whether it worked or not is up for debate...I'm still not finished with
>the
> book, but I am working on it...I'll let everybody know when it's finally done
>and
> ready for shipping to publishers...
>
> Happy Holidays!
> --
> Michael S. Lishego
> St. Andrews Presbyterian College
> Elementary Education Major,
> English Minor, Class of 1999
> R.A. of Winston-Salem Hall
Very well said Mike!!
Rick
<http://home.ptd.net/~mgrick/council.html>
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