A&Q about Lotus
Q:
While finishing up with washing the Exige this evening, I hear a tiny voice behind me and turn to find a neighbor, from a few houses down, walking with her dog and son.
"Excuse me, sir."
Turning, "Yes... oh, hi there!"
Having no kids of my own, I'm faced with a nearly four year old boy standing at the end of my drive, mom several feet further back, smiling in approval.
"I like your car."
"Thank you."
Mom tells me he loves cars and saw me drive by earlier today, which resulted in gleeful shouts of "Look mom, a Lotus!" She explains that they'd had a big day yesterday, as he'd spotted a Bentley Continental and later made her follow a Ferrari.
Really? Yup. Mom asks him what bodystyle the Exige is and he turns, looks at her as if to say, 'you silly woman', "it's a coupe."
Confirming that mom had time, I offer him a go in the driver's seat. He enters and exits ever so carefully, barely able to see the gauges over the column, little hands gripping the wheel.
Nearly speechless, he walks away wide-eyed and beaming, barely remembering to turn and stammer "thank you!" Both mom and son seem pleased.
It's nice to see that some folks still raise good kids and that little boys are still as enamored with cars as I was when I was a kid.
Next time, I'll see if mom is up for letting him go for a ride through the neighborhood.
A:
Codymac...very cool! Hopefully, your good deed for the day will last forever, and may that little guy in turn grow up and perpetuate the car passion for yet another generation.
A:
Yes indeed, very cool!!
People of any age that are interested in the car are worth the time. I think it's great that you took the time to show him the car and are willing to give him a ride. Keep up the good attitude, it means a lot to people, kids especially, and it makes me proud to be a part of this forum.
Jim
A:
Hey, was the mom hot?
A:
Originally Posted by nugg_dawg
Hey, was the mom hot?
Beat me to it...
My 4 yr old has absolutely no interest on the Elise or anyother cars i have except for the truck. To him riding in the pickup truck (airbag off) is the coolest thing in the world.
A:
My son's first two words were: "more" and "car"
A:
Last year, just a few weeks before she turned two, my neice climbed into the passenger seat of the Elise when I opened the door for her. She then proceeded to move to the drivers seat as I was walking around the car. She then extended her hand toward me and said two words. "Key" and "Bye".
I wish I had had the camera handy.
A:
Sort of restores my faith a bit.
With my previous car, I walked out to find my immediate neighbor's kid (old enough to know better) beating on it with a fishing pole while his mom stood there and watched.
Originally Posted by nugg_dawg
Hey, was the mom hot?
Yeah but she lives a few houses down and that's a recipe for disaster.
A:
Originally Posted by codymac
Yeah but she lives a few houses down and that's a recipe for disaster.
I guess that's ONE way of looking at it
A:
While at Criswell last Friday, I overheard the following exchange between an Adult "shopper" in the showroom and a salesman (who is to be admired for keeping his cool) -
Dude: "Who Makes Lotus?"
Salesman: "Lotus."
Dude (apparently not listening): "Ferrari?"
Salesman: "No, Lotus."
A:
Cody I've taken my kiddos for short, slow rides around my neighborhood block. They love Daddy's Race Car! It makes me a little sad to refuse them better rides than that. But I hope everybody remembers that unless you've had an airbag shutoff switch professionally installed, it's a bad idea to take your neighbors' children for any kind of ride beyond a 1st gear idle down the block and back. The owner's manual for our cars specifically warns against child passengers. No telling what kind of liability one might be responsible for if, God forbid, something bad did happen.
Maybe I'm paranoid. Maybe paranoid isn't such a bad idea sometimes.
xtn
PS - Cody you washing your machine this morning for the big photoshoot? Oh wait, nevermind. DUH you just said you washed it last night.
A:
Originally Posted by bmw1
I guess that's ONE way of looking at it
Yeah - I suppose a crazy woman is just as likely to drive across town to burn a house down.
Originally Posted by xtn
No telling what kind of liability one might be responsible for if, God forbid, something bad did happen.
Scary and true. I'd guess a ride around the neighborhood would make his day. What's that saying about most accidents happening close to home though?
A:
Misleading statistic. It's because most often people are driving near their home.
A:
I'm pretty sure 99.99% of accident happen near SOMEBODY'S home.
I'm also pretty sure that at least 70% of all statistics you read on the internet are made up on the spot to suit the poster's needs.
xtn
A:
My Brother's Kid
Washing His own Hummer
Maybe one day the Big H2 might be his
A:
My son's very first word was "car"... He is obcessed with the things (he's now 20 months)
The amazing part is after learning "dada, mama and more" his next word was "bulldozer."
Hopefully this doesnt lead into a preference for off road vehicles.
A:
A:
Nice, Cody! My father was away at sea all the time back in the 60's (damn cold war)...My brother and I gravitated to the adult males in the neighborhood
who weren't at sea-all the kids did. When I was four and my brother five, we loved watching the guys build the houses in our neighborhood. One guy, Troy, would take us for spins around the block in his MG A after work. Another adult-a naval officer-would later (in '67) zip us around in his new Fiat Spider. My brother has two MG B's now and I have a Fiat Spider (and the Lotus). It's amazing what a simple act can accomplish.
Tom
A:
Originally Posted by codymac
Scary and true. I'd guess a ride around the neighborhood would make his day....
You are the man! Seriously it was very cool of you to take time out to let the kid check out your car and even sit in it. You never know what other positive events may occur from your act of kindness (may inspire that kid to go into dental school or something ).
I don't know you, but I think you've tipped your personal karma scale for the better. I suggest you now go enjoy your apparent surplus of points by doing something evil/selfish.
Then again perhaps you're in deficit as I probably am. Heheh.
A:
Kids rock!