That same old comment

Dan Herrick

Dan Herrick

PCS Life Member - Upstate Chapter President
As I was driving my 70 Ambulance to a Cruize-in today, this guy in a white van (US Mail) with the driver on the wrong side (right side) which of course puts him right by my window. He shouts out to me, "You like Ghosts?"
I played dumb and ask, "What do you mean."
He replies "Your driving a car just like the Ghosts Buster Car and its the same year a seventy."
"Sorry sir but the Ghosts Buster Car was a 59 Miller Meter combination and by the way how is it to work for UPS?"
For some reason he got all upset and drove off, did I get the year wrong for the GB car? :071:
 
Now that I'm out and about with my Lifeliner, I'm getting the same comments. "Hey your ambulance is just like the Ghostbusters!"

I've started with, "You sound like a car guy"...which ususally gets a "You bet!". I then say, "For a car guy, you should know the difference between a 1959 Cadillac and a 1973 Cadillac then"

Sometimes it's a good teaching moment...sometimes not so much.

I'll have to remember your line Dan...just insert some other title/job/service/provider/car/etc.
 
As we have no doubt discussed in these forums, people really say some strange things. The funny part is they are so sure of themselves about what they are saying, no matter how wrong their information is.

I love your comments Dan! Keep up the good work!
 
Bill Marcy said:
As we have no doubt discussed in these forums, people really say some strange things.
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I agree. Was at a car show last year with my limo and a lady walked by and said to her husband, "Eww, look, a HEARSE!!", and quickly ran by. Now how in the world does my car look like a hearse? And just where would you put a casket, on the roof?
 
I personally welcome any comments a person makes about my car(s) because they are showing interest on some level. Ghostbusters is probably most people's only exposure to a car based ambulance. Who knows, the guy who asked me if I ever though about painting my car white and making it a Ghostbusters car might not know how else to start a conversation about a hearse.

I asked someone recently how his kids were adjusting socially to homeschooling being that they aren't seeing their friends every day. He bit my head off because "Everyone asks the same question. Why doesn't anyone ever ask which curriculum we chose?" I guess because I don't know enough about it to ask the right questions??? I didn't feel good about the response and I won't ask about it again.
 
Kevin M. Parkinson said:
I personally welcome any comments a person makes about my car(s) because they are showing interest on some level. Ghostbusters is probably most people's only exposure to a car based ambulance. Who knows, the guy who asked me if I ever though about painting my car white and making it a Ghostbusters car might not know how else to start a conversation about a hearse.

I asked someone recently how his kids were adjusting socially to homeschooling being that they aren't seeing their friends every day. He bit my head off because "Everyone asks the same question. Why doesn't anyone ever ask which curriculum we chose?" I guess because I don't know enough about it to ask the right questions??? I didn't feel good about the response and I won't ask about it again.
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Kevin, you make good points, thank you! I have always believed that it is our obligation to educate people about our cars. Probably one of the reasons professional cars have become a lot more main stream and are now welcome at most shows, is because many PCS members have taken the time to educate and speak enthusiastically to people when they ask questions, or make comments.
 
In case my post came across as being intolerant or rude, that was not the intent. Hard to put "tone" into a post and my response to "Ghostbusters!" is more joking that anything.

I too welcome any comments and do take the time to educate. I agree that we should always take the opportunity to explain our vehicles more fully especially when others open the conversation. I have found that most of the conversations I've had ended with "Thanks...I didn't know that."

I know others here have posted that they have an information binder with their procar(s) covering the history and common misconceptions. That's something I'll be working on as well.

We should always strive to be good ambassadors of the PCS.
 
Bill Leverett said:
In case my post came across as being intolerant or rude, that was not the intent. Hard to put "tone" into a post and my response to "Ghostbusters!" is more joking that anything.

I too welcome any comments and do take the time to educate. I agree that we should always take the opportunity to explain our vehicles more fully especially when others open the conversation. I have found that most of the conversations I've had ended with "Thanks...I didn't know that."

I know others here have posted that they have an information binder with their procar(s) covering the history and common misconceptions. That's something I'll be working on as well.

We should always strive to be good ambassadors of the PCS.
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I agree with this 100%! Most people at car shows have never heard of the PCS. Just about everybody has seen Gostbusters, so think about it. I've heard "Gostbusters" yelled many times. So what! 9 times out of 10 it is in fun. People are not being insulting. Why are we driving our cars in parades or taking them to shows in the first place? To win first prize??? I don't think that is the reason for most. I think it is so others can enjoy them and how are people going to be educated on these cars if we frown on the public. Gostbusters or no Gostbusters I think providing alittle information to the public will go a long way.
 
Dan I'm glad you handled it that way...I had a fireman tell me the same thing about my '78 Transport... So I said, "So do you think that 1979 American LaFrance looks like the 2004 Sutphen sitting there?" and he said, "NO!"... ofcourse not.
 
Kent Dorsey said:
Dan I'm glad you handled it that way...I had a fireman tell me the same thing about my '78 Transport... So I said, "So do you think that 1979 American LaFrance looks like the 2004 Sutphen sitting there?" and he said, "NO!"... ofcourse not.
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Kent, what I did not say the first time was I had just spent 15 min. in a Subway getting a sandwich. I was the only one in line, it took me that long to tell the people behind the counter about professional cars. To be honest with you I am not sure if the postal guy was more upset that I knew he was wrong about the year and make of the GB car than he did. He gave me the impression that he thought that he knew it all, you know the type, and was not really into finding out the real facts. After that I went to a show and spent two hours talking with those that were interested about our cars. Went from there to the local K-mart and spent another half and hour in the parking lot, ready to leave, telling those there about the cars as well.
 
Lot of times you can tell the ones who want to know and have an interest, the ones who are trying to be funny and the ones that are just being smart a$$e$ about our cars! I'll talk to any of them but will "throw back" if I have to on an answer.
 
Let's face it.........

Let's face it.........there are just too many folks out there with just enough knowledge to be dangerous, or demonstrate to others that they aren't that smart, or BOTH.

"'Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."
 
Jim Tighe said:
Waaaay back in '65, when I bought my '47 Packard Clipper 7-passenger, one neighbor woman wondered if it was a hearse. I guess if it is big and black, it must be a hearse?
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I usually get the reverse. You cant imagine how many people ask me if my car is a limo. Pretty sad when most cant tell the difference between a limo and hearse. I usually tell them ya, a limo for dead people.
 
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