Sunday, May 17, 2009

"Interest"

We have a new "Pic of the Week". There is no question about the class...

A reader commented that as far as Special Interest is concerned, "interest is in the eye of the beholder".

With all due respect, frankly, that is not the issue. The class has a legitimate, accepted definition, and that definition goes beyond mere "interest". I quoted the definition earlier. And any vehicle that is not UNIQUE, and/or with a specific theme or unusual purpose is not Special Interest. To be Special Interest the vehicle must have a special interest. Something unique and unusual (like TowMater), or themed (like a decked out "stars & stripes" limo), or unusual specific purpose (like an armed WWII Army jeep or antique firetruck).

I simply cannot figure out what is so difficult to understand about that. Or how anyone can simply accept allowing a class to be violated, as long as it is not their class. Anyone with a Mustang would scream bloody murder if I entered my PT Woody in their class. And anyone with a 55-57 Chevy would holler like crazy if Jim Peacock put his Satellite in their class. Well, it is no different for folks who truly are Special Interest - it is just plain wrong to put anything in that class that does not fit the definition, and those who are Special Interest have just as much right to gripe about infringement as does a Mustang owner, or a '50's Custom owner.

I feel sorry for anyone who does not understand that, or who believes a double standard is just fine, as long as THEY are not the victim of it.

And it is even more difficult to understand when, in fact, show organizers could very easily solve the disparity by incorporating an OPEN class, for all those vehicles that do not belong in any other class. By simply doing that, they can preserve the integrity of EVERY class.

The American Legion in Naples, whose show is coming up this weekend, understands. They do have an Open Class for orphans (and 25 other classes). I hope that means Special Interest will not be populated by vehicles that do not fit the definition.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Bill

That is one great picture, but the class is completely wrong at any given car show but one. That vehicle should only be allowed at the one car show that describes it best and that would be the “Art of Transportation Show” at Shaw’s Ridge in September. Why may you ask, because it’s an AIRPLANE not a car, truck or motorcycle and holds no bearing on the subject of Special Interest at a CAR Show.
Special Interest has descriptions from many sources and we need to examine the words separately in order to gain the true meaning of the combination. Your description is one taken from several sources but used in a way that suits a singular purpose only.
The definitions are taken from the Dictionary .com web site.
Special - A) of a distinct or particular kind or character:
B) being a particular one; particular, individual, or certain
C) pertaining or peculiar to a particular person, thing, instance, etc
D) having a specific or particular function, purpose
E) distinguished or different from what is ordinary or usual
F) extraordinary; exceptional, as in amount or degree
G) being such in an exceptional degree; particularly valued

Interest - A) the feeling of a person whose attention, concern, or curiosity is particularly engaged by something
B) something that concerns, involves, draws the attention of, or arouses the curiosity of a person

There you have the best used definitions of the terminology that is used as a class at any particular car show. As a whole you are correct in your use of the term Special Interest but when you really look at the meanings of the words it is to the individual that the holds his or her Special Interest. Thus the classification of Special Interest should not be used at any Car Show due to the gray area that is more evident now than ever before.
What holds a Special interest to you may not to me or others and vice versa. I think that this horse has been beaten enough and we need to come up with a viable no frills way to educate the promoters of these car shows so that everyone can understand Special Interest. The key words are WE NEED, not you need or I need or even they need. WE NEED as hobbyists to explain what we want in a horse before we beat it to death.

Respectfully

Frank J Barron

May 18, 2009 at 10:25 AM

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