The person who believes it's wrong to stand by your car because it constitutes "buying" votes sent this in:
[THE COMMENT WRITER]"There are those who not only stand by their car asking for votes. IE: and I quote. (What's your number) or maybe (You vote for me and I vote for you) I guess you being the judge and jury of car shows turn your head to that kind of voting. You say you want fair voting then how come you don't go attack these people?
[HOTKARZ RESPONSE] Excuse me, but I DO attack the ethics of those people! That was the entire point of the blog entry about the "buddy system" style of voting. Or did you miss that? And I say again, you are wrong about the majority of folks who stand by their cars. You made a blanket statement, accusing them all, not just one or two. And I have a problem with your blanket statement. Perhaps one or two people do ask for votes - I already addressed that problem with the "buddy system" blog. But it was you who insinuated that people standing around their cars were "trying to buy votes". And I said, simply, that most voters are not that dumb, nor that dishonest, so your assertion is really groundless. HOTKARZ is more concerned with the wholesale cheating - clubs creating "voting blocs" for the express purpose of poaching trophies.
[THE COMMENT WRITER, quoting HotKarz] "As for your other assertion: So, you are saying it is OK to allow dishonesty and cheating, as long as it does not affect you "honest folks", and as long as you can laugh about it because it happened to someone else. And you say you must either "belong to the club, or stand by your car all day." I say there is another, better option: require honesty, and disallow the cheating. Then you do not have to belong to a rat pack OR stand by your car all day. If you do not tolerate the cheating, and put an end to it, think of how much more enjoyable the show would be for all (and not just you). Of course, you would no longer be able to laugh at other people's misfortunes.
[THE COMMENT WRITER]"I know this (blog) is your show but please don't put words in my mouth.
[HOTKARZ RESPONSE] Excuse me again, but I did not put words in your mouth - I QUOTED you. You put them in your own mouth. I can only tell folks what you say. I cannot tell them what you meant. If you do not mean what you say, perhaps you should refrain from saying it until you CAN say what you mean. (I am quickly coming to the conclusion that you are objecting to the HotKarz position because you have reason to keep things as they are)
[THE COMMENT WRITER]"I never said anything about being dishonest and cheating. You really need to open your eyes and see what everyone else is looking at. You know I could go on and bring myself down to your level but frankly your just not worth it. You really need to open your eyes and see what is really going on instead of condeming people for their efforts."
[HOTKARZ RESPONSE] Oh, but I do see what is going on. I only said that your attitude about the cheating is what allows it to fester and grow. It was YOU who said it was not worthy of worry, that we should ignore it and laugh about it. I simply disagreed with you. ANY cheating is wrong. And ignoring it will not make it go away. If you would rather just accept the cheating, and laugh at the results (your words), then that is certainly your choice. I do not happen to share that view, and I seriously doubt if many people do. I think that most folks - particularly car folks - are honest, and value integrity. And I think most of them do not like the cheating, and have only put up with it because, until now, they had to. There was no other choice. But now there IS a choice. With a central format like HotKarz, we can mull over the issues that have been hidden under the bushel for too long. We can discuss options, and ways to effect the necessary changes. And then, when we have a method figured out, we can all pull together to get it enforced. If most of the car buffs demanded a change, the organizers really would not have much choice - they either make the change, or lose this venue for raising money. It is a like like having a "car buff's union". Together, we can make a difference. It seems obvious that, for reasons of your own, you would rather keep things as they are. I would rather make things better for car buffs and more profitable for organizers.
And that is my point. We can either accept the problems, as you seem ready to do, or we can try to fix them, as HotKarz wants to do.
But one thing we should never do is sit back, watch it happen, then laugh about it, as you said you do. Yes, you are entitled to do that, if you wish. But don't expect me to support your view.
Monday, September 1, 2008
1st Place
Someone posted the following comment:
"Standing by my car talking about it is the one thing that means the most to me. I have never gotten 1st and I probably never will, but I do have a smile, after going down "memory lane" with someone when they see my car. I have my own memories and I love it when someone says, "I had one of those or my aunt, etc. had one of those." "Now that is a classic." I thank them for taking the time."
To this person, whoever he or she may be, I would like to state unequivically that you win 1st place with HotKarz. You are what car shows are all about.
"Standing by my car talking about it is the one thing that means the most to me. I have never gotten 1st and I probably never will, but I do have a smile, after going down "memory lane" with someone when they see my car. I have my own memories and I love it when someone says, "I had one of those or my aunt, etc. had one of those." "Now that is a classic." I thank them for taking the time."
To this person, whoever he or she may be, I would like to state unequivically that you win 1st place with HotKarz. You are what car shows are all about.
Stand By...
Most folks agree - it's OK to stand by your man. And it's OK to stand by your principles. It's even OK to stand by your mailbox, waiting for your Social Insecurity check. But for some strange reason, some folks do not think it is OK to stand by your car at a car show.
That is wrong on two very basic levels. On level one, the assertion that anyone who stands by their car is somehow "buying votes" would wrongly assume that voters are either too dumb to see through a ploy, or so dishonest that their votes are for sale. Besides, how can anyone buy a vote in this fashion if two or more folks in the same class are standing around their cars? They can only vote for one!
On a second level, it assumes that a person who stands by their car is trying to buy votes, when in fact, that is rarely the case. Most of us are proud of our rides, and most of us are not such snobs that we will not answer questions that others may have about our cars. That is how new friends are made. It is not how votes are bought and sold.
Take Ralph Cartonio, for example. A very fine man, and someone whose integrity I do not question. Because he stood by his car, I was able to learn the entire history of his gorgeous, one-of-a-kind Peerless. And I was able to make a friend in the process. But was Ralph trying to buy my vote? Anyone who knows Ralph knows that would be out of the question. Ralph cares little for trophies. As proof, Ralph won Best of Show at Shaw's Ridge yesterday. He knew he was in the running for it. But he forfeited the trophy and let it go to someone else. No, Ralph is not a trophy hound. Ralph is a fine, kind, generous man who loves to show - and talk about - his car. And because of that, I learned a great story about his Peerless, and I made a friend that I now treasure.
To those folks who think that anyone who talks about his ride is trying to somehow "buy" votes, I would suggest you open your closed minds long enough to stop being so snobbish, and spend
SOME of the time hanging around your own vehicles to answer questions that others may have. Trust me - it will not make me think that you are fishing for votes, and sharing your knowledge and stories will open a new world of new friends. It will be a rewarding experience for all.
I only wish I could spend more time by my car, but as the editor of this website and blog, I have other obligations that keep me away from my car most of the time. But I take every opportunity to step up to folks who gather around the PT, to answer their questions, and engage them in conversation. They learn about Lambo doors, and where to get accessories for their own PT, and I get to make new friends.
Wish I could do more of that...
That is wrong on two very basic levels. On level one, the assertion that anyone who stands by their car is somehow "buying votes" would wrongly assume that voters are either too dumb to see through a ploy, or so dishonest that their votes are for sale. Besides, how can anyone buy a vote in this fashion if two or more folks in the same class are standing around their cars? They can only vote for one!
On a second level, it assumes that a person who stands by their car is trying to buy votes, when in fact, that is rarely the case. Most of us are proud of our rides, and most of us are not such snobs that we will not answer questions that others may have about our cars. That is how new friends are made. It is not how votes are bought and sold.
Take Ralph Cartonio, for example. A very fine man, and someone whose integrity I do not question. Because he stood by his car, I was able to learn the entire history of his gorgeous, one-of-a-kind Peerless. And I was able to make a friend in the process. But was Ralph trying to buy my vote? Anyone who knows Ralph knows that would be out of the question. Ralph cares little for trophies. As proof, Ralph won Best of Show at Shaw's Ridge yesterday. He knew he was in the running for it. But he forfeited the trophy and let it go to someone else. No, Ralph is not a trophy hound. Ralph is a fine, kind, generous man who loves to show - and talk about - his car. And because of that, I learned a great story about his Peerless, and I made a friend that I now treasure.
To those folks who think that anyone who talks about his ride is trying to somehow "buy" votes, I would suggest you open your closed minds long enough to stop being so snobbish, and spend
SOME of the time hanging around your own vehicles to answer questions that others may have. Trust me - it will not make me think that you are fishing for votes, and sharing your knowledge and stories will open a new world of new friends. It will be a rewarding experience for all.
I only wish I could spend more time by my car, but as the editor of this website and blog, I have other obligations that keep me away from my car most of the time. But I take every opportunity to step up to folks who gather around the PT, to answer their questions, and engage them in conversation. They learn about Lambo doors, and where to get accessories for their own PT, and I get to make new friends.
Wish I could do more of that...
Another Misguided Comment
Though with good intentions (I hope), here is another comment that fails to see that wrong is wrong:
"I agree with John. Its too bad the fun of going to a show has been taken away by all of this nonsense. While I agree with some of what you say I do believe the BS is taking the fun of going to a car show. No matter its give us honest folks something to laugh about. It is funny to watch some stand by their car and attempt to buy the vote as we walk by. You know how it works either belong to that club mentioned earlier, or stand by your car most of the day. Perhaps if all else fails do both and beat the odds if it means that much to you. "
[REPLY] First, many of the folks who stay by their cars do so because they are proud of their ride, and they enjoy talking about it, showing it, and answering questions about it. This in no way suggests they are trying to "buy votes", and your insinuation to the contrary is unwarranted. I often wish I could talk to the owner when I find a vehicle I want to know more about. If he is there, and answers my questions, and we become friends, is he buying my vote? Absolutely not.
As for your other assertion: So, you are saying it is OK to allow dishonesty and cheating, as long as it does not affect you "honest folks", and as long as you can laugh about it because it happened to someone else. And you say you must either "belong to the club, or stand by your car all day." I say there is another, better option: require honesty, and disallow the cheating. Then you do not have to belong to a rat pack OR stand by your car all day. If you do not tolerate the cheating, and put an end to it, think of how much more enjoyable the show would be for all (and not just you). Of course, you would no longer be able to laugh at other people's misfortunes.
It never ceases to amaze me that some folks just don't get it. They believe that bad behavior is fine as long as they, themselves, are not the victims of it. They are all too willing to look the other way, as long as it does not affect their little world.
I would guess that some (not all) of the people who write these comments are probably some of the same people who break the rules, and want to be able to keep right on doing it. Otherwise, why would it matter to them so much? Why would they oppose trying to make things honest? Why do they strongly object to wanting the cheating to stop?
How can any honest person with good moral values and integrity be against bringing honesty and integrity into our shows?
One more time: no matter what the venue - a car show, a classroom, a business - cheating is WRONG! It is a PROBLEM! And if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem. Because part of the problem lies in ALLOWING cheats to cheat, and standing by without objecting. Allowing something encourages it. By looking the other way and not standing against cheating, we encourage cheating. We are "giving permission".
And that gives birth to the problem.
And the only way to deal with a problem is to solve it. Ignoring it simply allows it to grow, until it infects everything. Good things require care and maintenance. Bad things do not.
Yes, you may ignore the weeds in your garden. But if you do, the garden will cease to be, as the weeds will soon overtake it, and consume it.
"I agree with John. Its too bad the fun of going to a show has been taken away by all of this nonsense. While I agree with some of what you say I do believe the BS is taking the fun of going to a car show. No matter its give us honest folks something to laugh about. It is funny to watch some stand by their car and attempt to buy the vote as we walk by. You know how it works either belong to that club mentioned earlier, or stand by your car most of the day. Perhaps if all else fails do both and beat the odds if it means that much to you. "
[REPLY] First, many of the folks who stay by their cars do so because they are proud of their ride, and they enjoy talking about it, showing it, and answering questions about it. This in no way suggests they are trying to "buy votes", and your insinuation to the contrary is unwarranted. I often wish I could talk to the owner when I find a vehicle I want to know more about. If he is there, and answers my questions, and we become friends, is he buying my vote? Absolutely not.
As for your other assertion: So, you are saying it is OK to allow dishonesty and cheating, as long as it does not affect you "honest folks", and as long as you can laugh about it because it happened to someone else. And you say you must either "belong to the club, or stand by your car all day." I say there is another, better option: require honesty, and disallow the cheating. Then you do not have to belong to a rat pack OR stand by your car all day. If you do not tolerate the cheating, and put an end to it, think of how much more enjoyable the show would be for all (and not just you). Of course, you would no longer be able to laugh at other people's misfortunes.
It never ceases to amaze me that some folks just don't get it. They believe that bad behavior is fine as long as they, themselves, are not the victims of it. They are all too willing to look the other way, as long as it does not affect their little world.
I would guess that some (not all) of the people who write these comments are probably some of the same people who break the rules, and want to be able to keep right on doing it. Otherwise, why would it matter to them so much? Why would they oppose trying to make things honest? Why do they strongly object to wanting the cheating to stop?
How can any honest person with good moral values and integrity be against bringing honesty and integrity into our shows?
One more time: no matter what the venue - a car show, a classroom, a business - cheating is WRONG! It is a PROBLEM! And if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem. Because part of the problem lies in ALLOWING cheats to cheat, and standing by without objecting. Allowing something encourages it. By looking the other way and not standing against cheating, we encourage cheating. We are "giving permission".
And that gives birth to the problem.
And the only way to deal with a problem is to solve it. Ignoring it simply allows it to grow, until it infects everything. Good things require care and maintenance. Bad things do not.
Yes, you may ignore the weeds in your garden. But if you do, the garden will cease to be, as the weeds will soon overtake it, and consume it.
Comment
"John" sent the following comment:
"Can we just go to a show and relax and have some fun without feeling like we'er back in school or the military with all these rules and regulations you feel we need to abide by?? I go to a show to be with friends and forget about the weekly stress and bull of having to go to work and earn aliving and deal with all their rules car shows should be fun!! and no one is perfect and I'm sure there will always be complaining no matter how a show is run. Just my opinion. "
While I do understand what John is saying, dishonesty is dishonesty, and cheating mars everything. We all want to relax and have fun. But it is not relaxing nor fun if you are the one being cheated. We should take a moment to realize that no matter how much fun we are having, if there is a skunk in the woodpile, we need to get rid of it, so everyone, and not just ourselves, can have fun.
We have a good life in this country. But should we just ignore that other people around the world are not as fortunate? Should we turn a blind eye to injustice, just because it is not affecting us, personally? I do not think that is the answer to anything.
I had a great time at Shaw's Ridge. But I saw a few people who did not, because they were victims of a rat pack. Neither I nor HotKarz will turn a blind eye, simply because it did not affect me.
Perhaps if you, John, were to be the victim, you would not be so quick to ignore the problem. If it was your day that was ruined by some selfish, small people, you would be more willing to stand for what is right.
Yes, we want to be able to relax and enjoy. But not just some of us. ALL of us.
Even in the "little" things, like not breaking up until 4:30. That may be a little thing, unworthy of stress, for some of us. But for the person who needs to be back at a certain time, it is a cause for stress, and is not a "little" thing. For example, getting out at 4:30 may be fine with you. But what if a show were to not get around to the awards and the 50/50 until midnight. Would that still be fine with you? Somehow, I doubt that would make for a relaxing time for you, even though it would not bother me - I don't have to go to work, and I don't need a babysitter to watch my kids. The point is simple: certain things do need to be regulated, for the benefit of all. And certain rules of conduct must be in place. After all, one such rule, for spectators, is to not touch the cars. Would you like to do away with that rule, also? You say you want to "get away from rules and regulations."
Just because a problem does not affect you, it does not mean there is no problem, and does not mean we should ignore it. There is an old saying, "If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem."
HotKarz has no intention of becoming part of the problem. We want shows to be an enjoyable experience for all, and not just for ourselves. It is neither relaxing nor enjoyable to go to a show where a rat pack is speading its vile infection. It may be fun for those who are not affected, but what about those who are? Are we to be unconcerned for our fellow car buffs?
Yes, we should relax. We should enjoy. But we should also address wrongs when they rear their ugly heads, so that others may also enjoy what we enjoy without being victims of our own willingness to allow cheating, or our neglect of certain rules of conduct.
If you want to go somewhere that does not have any rules of civilized conduct, become a mercenary and ship out to Darfur. But wherever there is peace, wherever there are civilized people, there will always be rules to live by. When you decide to do away with rules, you do away with civilization.
After all, if there were no rules, as John suggests, we could simply punch out the folks we disagree with. Would that be relaxing, John? We could piss out behind our cars instead of going to the facilities. Wouldn't that be fun, John? And we could drop our litter everywhere. We could say "To hell with paying to get in". We could just steal the food from the vendors. No rules, right John? Hell, we wouldn't even have to win trophies - just walk up to the table and take 'em. Of course, we may have to punch out the other folks who also want to take them, but that's OK because we don't need any rules, right?
Civilization REQUIRES rules. Rules provide the opportunity for relaxation, fun and enjoyment. Without rules, we could have none of that - we would always be looking over our shoulders to see who is sneaking up on us to siphon our gas, pick our pockets, or do us harm.
And that is no way to have a good time!
"Can we just go to a show and relax and have some fun without feeling like we'er back in school or the military with all these rules and regulations you feel we need to abide by?? I go to a show to be with friends and forget about the weekly stress and bull of having to go to work and earn aliving and deal with all their rules car shows should be fun!! and no one is perfect and I'm sure there will always be complaining no matter how a show is run. Just my opinion. "
While I do understand what John is saying, dishonesty is dishonesty, and cheating mars everything. We all want to relax and have fun. But it is not relaxing nor fun if you are the one being cheated. We should take a moment to realize that no matter how much fun we are having, if there is a skunk in the woodpile, we need to get rid of it, so everyone, and not just ourselves, can have fun.
We have a good life in this country. But should we just ignore that other people around the world are not as fortunate? Should we turn a blind eye to injustice, just because it is not affecting us, personally? I do not think that is the answer to anything.
I had a great time at Shaw's Ridge. But I saw a few people who did not, because they were victims of a rat pack. Neither I nor HotKarz will turn a blind eye, simply because it did not affect me.
Perhaps if you, John, were to be the victim, you would not be so quick to ignore the problem. If it was your day that was ruined by some selfish, small people, you would be more willing to stand for what is right.
Yes, we want to be able to relax and enjoy. But not just some of us. ALL of us.
Even in the "little" things, like not breaking up until 4:30. That may be a little thing, unworthy of stress, for some of us. But for the person who needs to be back at a certain time, it is a cause for stress, and is not a "little" thing. For example, getting out at 4:30 may be fine with you. But what if a show were to not get around to the awards and the 50/50 until midnight. Would that still be fine with you? Somehow, I doubt that would make for a relaxing time for you, even though it would not bother me - I don't have to go to work, and I don't need a babysitter to watch my kids. The point is simple: certain things do need to be regulated, for the benefit of all. And certain rules of conduct must be in place. After all, one such rule, for spectators, is to not touch the cars. Would you like to do away with that rule, also? You say you want to "get away from rules and regulations."
Just because a problem does not affect you, it does not mean there is no problem, and does not mean we should ignore it. There is an old saying, "If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem."
HotKarz has no intention of becoming part of the problem. We want shows to be an enjoyable experience for all, and not just for ourselves. It is neither relaxing nor enjoyable to go to a show where a rat pack is speading its vile infection. It may be fun for those who are not affected, but what about those who are? Are we to be unconcerned for our fellow car buffs?
Yes, we should relax. We should enjoy. But we should also address wrongs when they rear their ugly heads, so that others may also enjoy what we enjoy without being victims of our own willingness to allow cheating, or our neglect of certain rules of conduct.
If you want to go somewhere that does not have any rules of civilized conduct, become a mercenary and ship out to Darfur. But wherever there is peace, wherever there are civilized people, there will always be rules to live by. When you decide to do away with rules, you do away with civilization.
After all, if there were no rules, as John suggests, we could simply punch out the folks we disagree with. Would that be relaxing, John? We could piss out behind our cars instead of going to the facilities. Wouldn't that be fun, John? And we could drop our litter everywhere. We could say "To hell with paying to get in". We could just steal the food from the vendors. No rules, right John? Hell, we wouldn't even have to win trophies - just walk up to the table and take 'em. Of course, we may have to punch out the other folks who also want to take them, but that's OK because we don't need any rules, right?
Civilization REQUIRES rules. Rules provide the opportunity for relaxation, fun and enjoyment. Without rules, we could have none of that - we would always be looking over our shoulders to see who is sneaking up on us to siphon our gas, pick our pockets, or do us harm.
And that is no way to have a good time!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
A Serious Concern
It's time to stir the pot a bit! And even though we took a 1st place award at Shaw's today, that will not placate me into silence when something is wrong.
There are only a few serious issues when it comes to fair, honest and worthy car shows. But those issues should not be ignored. They need to be addressed. And if we want better shows that benefit all parties, they need to be faced head-on.
In entries past, the issue of class jumping has been pored over. And while we still need to work on that some more, good changes are happening and our efforts are beginning to show.
We have also uncovered other issues, with the same result. More work needs to be done, but progress is being made.
So now it is time to address a serious problem that is not the fault of organizers. The fault lies among us, the participants.
There are two major forms of cheating, often referred to as "trophy poaching". But trophies or not, cheating is cheating, and it is always disgusting. One method of cheating is class jumping, as mentioned earlier. It involves either registering in an inappropriate class, or changing class, simply for the purpose of increasing the chance to win a trophy - at someone else's expense.
But the purpose of this entry is to bring the other form of cheating out into the light of day - the "Buddy System" of voting.
It is understandable that a person would want to benefit their friends. But in the case of voting, that is dead wrong, and dishonest. In a peer judged show, it should not be forgotten that it is still a JUDGED event - you, the "peers" are the judges. And a "judge" is a person who remains unbiased, fair and unaffected by personal interests. In a peer judged show, each participant who votes IS a judge, and should conduct themselves accordingly. To do anything less is a disservice to everyone, and whether you accept it or not, it is cheating.
Every car on the field should be allowed to compete FAIRLY with others in its class. But the competition is not fair if the buddy system is used to alter the outcome in favor of certain people. This buddy system is no different from the guy who steals the answers to a final exam, then passes those answers on to all his or her friends.
The "buddy system" abuse of voting power was overly prevalent at Shaw's Ridge earlier today. We observed two severe cases - two different types of "buddy system" abuse. In one case, it was actually rather innocent - though that does not make it OK. It was a case where several people copied the ballot of someone else, because they were tired and wanted an "easy" way out. There was no evil intent, but it is still wrong, and unfair.
The other case did involve evil intent. A certain club that had several members present all gathered and made two decisions. One was to vote for their own members wherever a member had a vehicle in a class. It did not matter if the vehicle was the best in the class or not. By "ganging up", with an intent to win by swaying the vote by sheer numbers, several of those members won trophies they could not have won otherwise, which effectively cheated others out of their rightful honors. The other decision was to make it a point to NOT vote for certain vehicles that were owned by people they viewed as "enemies", effectively preventing them from taking their just places.
In the first case, some cars that should not have won did win, and some cars that should have won did not. This club used their "voting bloc" power to affect the outcomes. This is not simply unfair - it is unethical, despicable and absolutely wrong. It is intentional cheating.
I do not have to identify you - you know who you are. And so do the rest of us! You do not fool anyone. You have sold your integrity and self-respect for a small piece of plastic that you did not even earn. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that your club has one purpose - to create a voting bloc that allows you to poach trophies for your own members.
The only thing more despicable than voting in a bloc for a member or friend is to vote in a bloc AGAINST a person, to intentionally deprive him of his rightful prize. That is not just despicable - it is downright evil.
Now, this is my personal opinion - such a club has no right to exist, and deserves whatever fate befalls it. Such a club does not deserve anyone's respect or consideration. Such a club should be shunned by all.
I must admit, when I first starting showing in Maine, I, too, fell victim to a type of buddy system. While there was no intent to cheat anyone, that was the result. Fortunately, I caught myself in short order. I realized that, while friends are friends, there is an obligation as a judge to judge FAIRLY, regardless of friendship. True friends would understand and respect the honesty and integrity. Any "friend" who does not is not a true friend, so I need not be concerned with what he thinks of my choices. Now, I vote strictly according to which vehicle I truly believe to be the best in the class. I won't even vote for my own unless I honestly believe it to be the best in the class. And that is how we should all be voting.
After all, what good is a trophy if every time you look at it you know in your heart you did not earn it? Of what value is it?
Whenever a person votes in a way that is less than honest and fair, he is breaking one of the Commandments, "bearing false witness". You are saying, "This vehicle is best" when you know it is not.
Minor "buddy system" infringements, where one person casts a ballot for one friend are not a true threat. To an extent, that may be chalked up to human nature. But organized, intentional cheating is a threat. It destroys the value of the competition, which robs the entire show of credibility and validity.
First, we should look to ourselves, to insure that we take the responsibility of being a judge seriously. We should respect ourselves enough to take our obligation as judges more seriously. Second, whenever we see blatant examples of "voting bloc abuse", we should shun those involved.
Show organizers can at least reduce the "buddy system" effect, and virtually eliminate the "voting bloc" power by creating sensible ballots. In any peer judged show, classes should be randomly selected and divided into at least three different balloting forms. Each participant only gets to vote for 1/3 of the classes, which would not include his own. In this way, buddies are less likely to be able to vote for one another, and it would be virtually impossible for whole groups to do so.
I have said this before, and I will say it again: while it is not "about the trophy", the trophies do carry some importance. They are recognition of your efforts and accomplishment. If you earn one, you should get it. If you do not earn it, you should not get it. This is why there is a Baseball Hall of Fame. It is why the Scouts have merit badges, why the military issues medals and why there is a Nobel Peace Prize. It is why schools and universities have a grading system. Like all those others forms of recognition for a job well done, trophies are the same thing for car buffs.
To earn one, and watch someone else get it by cheating is abhorrent because you have lost something you earned. But to get one by cheating is even worse, for you have lost far more than a trophy - you have sold your soul!
"For what good is it to gain all the gold in the world, only to forfeit your soul".
There are only a few serious issues when it comes to fair, honest and worthy car shows. But those issues should not be ignored. They need to be addressed. And if we want better shows that benefit all parties, they need to be faced head-on.
In entries past, the issue of class jumping has been pored over. And while we still need to work on that some more, good changes are happening and our efforts are beginning to show.
We have also uncovered other issues, with the same result. More work needs to be done, but progress is being made.
So now it is time to address a serious problem that is not the fault of organizers. The fault lies among us, the participants.
There are two major forms of cheating, often referred to as "trophy poaching". But trophies or not, cheating is cheating, and it is always disgusting. One method of cheating is class jumping, as mentioned earlier. It involves either registering in an inappropriate class, or changing class, simply for the purpose of increasing the chance to win a trophy - at someone else's expense.
But the purpose of this entry is to bring the other form of cheating out into the light of day - the "Buddy System" of voting.
It is understandable that a person would want to benefit their friends. But in the case of voting, that is dead wrong, and dishonest. In a peer judged show, it should not be forgotten that it is still a JUDGED event - you, the "peers" are the judges. And a "judge" is a person who remains unbiased, fair and unaffected by personal interests. In a peer judged show, each participant who votes IS a judge, and should conduct themselves accordingly. To do anything less is a disservice to everyone, and whether you accept it or not, it is cheating.
Every car on the field should be allowed to compete FAIRLY with others in its class. But the competition is not fair if the buddy system is used to alter the outcome in favor of certain people. This buddy system is no different from the guy who steals the answers to a final exam, then passes those answers on to all his or her friends.
The "buddy system" abuse of voting power was overly prevalent at Shaw's Ridge earlier today. We observed two severe cases - two different types of "buddy system" abuse. In one case, it was actually rather innocent - though that does not make it OK. It was a case where several people copied the ballot of someone else, because they were tired and wanted an "easy" way out. There was no evil intent, but it is still wrong, and unfair.
The other case did involve evil intent. A certain club that had several members present all gathered and made two decisions. One was to vote for their own members wherever a member had a vehicle in a class. It did not matter if the vehicle was the best in the class or not. By "ganging up", with an intent to win by swaying the vote by sheer numbers, several of those members won trophies they could not have won otherwise, which effectively cheated others out of their rightful honors. The other decision was to make it a point to NOT vote for certain vehicles that were owned by people they viewed as "enemies", effectively preventing them from taking their just places.
In the first case, some cars that should not have won did win, and some cars that should have won did not. This club used their "voting bloc" power to affect the outcomes. This is not simply unfair - it is unethical, despicable and absolutely wrong. It is intentional cheating.
I do not have to identify you - you know who you are. And so do the rest of us! You do not fool anyone. You have sold your integrity and self-respect for a small piece of plastic that you did not even earn. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that your club has one purpose - to create a voting bloc that allows you to poach trophies for your own members.
The only thing more despicable than voting in a bloc for a member or friend is to vote in a bloc AGAINST a person, to intentionally deprive him of his rightful prize. That is not just despicable - it is downright evil.
Now, this is my personal opinion - such a club has no right to exist, and deserves whatever fate befalls it. Such a club does not deserve anyone's respect or consideration. Such a club should be shunned by all.
I must admit, when I first starting showing in Maine, I, too, fell victim to a type of buddy system. While there was no intent to cheat anyone, that was the result. Fortunately, I caught myself in short order. I realized that, while friends are friends, there is an obligation as a judge to judge FAIRLY, regardless of friendship. True friends would understand and respect the honesty and integrity. Any "friend" who does not is not a true friend, so I need not be concerned with what he thinks of my choices. Now, I vote strictly according to which vehicle I truly believe to be the best in the class. I won't even vote for my own unless I honestly believe it to be the best in the class. And that is how we should all be voting.
After all, what good is a trophy if every time you look at it you know in your heart you did not earn it? Of what value is it?
Whenever a person votes in a way that is less than honest and fair, he is breaking one of the Commandments, "bearing false witness". You are saying, "This vehicle is best" when you know it is not.
Minor "buddy system" infringements, where one person casts a ballot for one friend are not a true threat. To an extent, that may be chalked up to human nature. But organized, intentional cheating is a threat. It destroys the value of the competition, which robs the entire show of credibility and validity.
First, we should look to ourselves, to insure that we take the responsibility of being a judge seriously. We should respect ourselves enough to take our obligation as judges more seriously. Second, whenever we see blatant examples of "voting bloc abuse", we should shun those involved.
Show organizers can at least reduce the "buddy system" effect, and virtually eliminate the "voting bloc" power by creating sensible ballots. In any peer judged show, classes should be randomly selected and divided into at least three different balloting forms. Each participant only gets to vote for 1/3 of the classes, which would not include his own. In this way, buddies are less likely to be able to vote for one another, and it would be virtually impossible for whole groups to do so.
I have said this before, and I will say it again: while it is not "about the trophy", the trophies do carry some importance. They are recognition of your efforts and accomplishment. If you earn one, you should get it. If you do not earn it, you should not get it. This is why there is a Baseball Hall of Fame. It is why the Scouts have merit badges, why the military issues medals and why there is a Nobel Peace Prize. It is why schools and universities have a grading system. Like all those others forms of recognition for a job well done, trophies are the same thing for car buffs.
To earn one, and watch someone else get it by cheating is abhorrent because you have lost something you earned. But to get one by cheating is even worse, for you have lost far more than a trophy - you have sold your soul!
"For what good is it to gain all the gold in the world, only to forfeit your soul".
Interesting
That is the best word for the Art of Transportation show at Shaw's Ridge - interesting.
As stated in a previous post, this was more an art show than a car show, so the format and classing was different than most folks are used to. But if you read HotKarz regularly, you already knew what to expect in that regard.
The weather was simply great, and the location and facilities were excellent. Couldn't be much better. And the hosts went out of their way to be gracious and friendly.
But there were some difficulties, and some not-so-great "mistakes". Most of the difficulties arose from a lack of volunteer help. Many volunteered, but few showed up. This left the organizers "unorganized" early on, through no real fault of their own. Frank assures me that next year they will try to get everything set up in advance. Good idea!
Another difficulty was the very lengthy awards ceremony - 90 minutes! What made this a bigger issue was the fact that it did not begin until 3pm, so many folks are getting home late tonight. Hopefully, next year the organizers will realize that not all participants are "locals", and have a long way to travel to get home for dinner, or to pay the baby-sitter so she can get home for dinner. Then perhaps they will schedule the awards ceremoney for 2:00, and have the door prizes out of the way before that, so folks can start for home by 3:00.
So much for the difficulties. Now for the "mistakes" that they will hopefully avoid next year.
1) The lengthy award ceremony was a difficulty. But the late hour was a mistake, as many folks travel a long distance. This is an easy fix.
2) When you go with the "must be present to win" idea, then you really must start each class with the 1st place, and work down from that. In this way, if someone is not present and forfeits, the next person in line gets that award. But in the case of Best of Show, they did not do that. They awarded the lesser awards first, and when the 1st place winner was not present, they had to issue the 1st place trophy to the THIRD (or fourth) place winner, because the second place person had already been awarded second place. This was not fair to the second place winner - to end up in second place while the 3rd place winner got the top award. In the future, if they are going to use the "must be present to win" structure, then they need to award 1st place FIRST.
3) All ballots were identical, which meant that participants could vote their own class. The problem with this lies in the fact that too many people will vote their own vehicle, which may not be the best in the class, but more importantly, it allows people to abuse the "buddy system" of voting. Normally, in a peer judged show, no one should be allowed to vote their class. And to help break up the "buddy system", ballots should be split - if there are 21 classes, for example, then there should be three different ballot forms, each with 7 classes. Each participant gets to vote only in 7 classes, which would not include his own. In this way, it is unlikely that buddies will be able to vote for one another. This decreases the chance of abuse.
That last "mistake" touches upon another, huge problem at this show, but it is something that the show organizers have little control over, so I will address this serious issue - which afflicts many shows - in a later blog. It is not so much a problem of the show - it is a problem created by participants who abuse their power to vote.
Overall, although this show was designed to be different, I would give this show a high rating. Personally, I did not care much for the "artistic" classing structure, but that is simply a personal preference, and does not detract from the show. Each show's organizers are entitled to choose whatever method of classing they choose. As long as they stick to it, and keep the classes honest, I do not find a problem with it. And this show did, indeed, keep it honest.
HotKarz wishes to than Frank Svatek, Tom Bannen and the folks of Shaw's Ridge for such an enjoyable experience. We'll be back next year - and we'll bring more friends!
As stated in a previous post, this was more an art show than a car show, so the format and classing was different than most folks are used to. But if you read HotKarz regularly, you already knew what to expect in that regard.
The weather was simply great, and the location and facilities were excellent. Couldn't be much better. And the hosts went out of their way to be gracious and friendly.
But there were some difficulties, and some not-so-great "mistakes". Most of the difficulties arose from a lack of volunteer help. Many volunteered, but few showed up. This left the organizers "unorganized" early on, through no real fault of their own. Frank assures me that next year they will try to get everything set up in advance. Good idea!
Another difficulty was the very lengthy awards ceremony - 90 minutes! What made this a bigger issue was the fact that it did not begin until 3pm, so many folks are getting home late tonight. Hopefully, next year the organizers will realize that not all participants are "locals", and have a long way to travel to get home for dinner, or to pay the baby-sitter so she can get home for dinner. Then perhaps they will schedule the awards ceremoney for 2:00, and have the door prizes out of the way before that, so folks can start for home by 3:00.
So much for the difficulties. Now for the "mistakes" that they will hopefully avoid next year.
1) The lengthy award ceremony was a difficulty. But the late hour was a mistake, as many folks travel a long distance. This is an easy fix.
2) When you go with the "must be present to win" idea, then you really must start each class with the 1st place, and work down from that. In this way, if someone is not present and forfeits, the next person in line gets that award. But in the case of Best of Show, they did not do that. They awarded the lesser awards first, and when the 1st place winner was not present, they had to issue the 1st place trophy to the THIRD (or fourth) place winner, because the second place person had already been awarded second place. This was not fair to the second place winner - to end up in second place while the 3rd place winner got the top award. In the future, if they are going to use the "must be present to win" structure, then they need to award 1st place FIRST.
3) All ballots were identical, which meant that participants could vote their own class. The problem with this lies in the fact that too many people will vote their own vehicle, which may not be the best in the class, but more importantly, it allows people to abuse the "buddy system" of voting. Normally, in a peer judged show, no one should be allowed to vote their class. And to help break up the "buddy system", ballots should be split - if there are 21 classes, for example, then there should be three different ballot forms, each with 7 classes. Each participant gets to vote only in 7 classes, which would not include his own. In this way, it is unlikely that buddies will be able to vote for one another. This decreases the chance of abuse.
That last "mistake" touches upon another, huge problem at this show, but it is something that the show organizers have little control over, so I will address this serious issue - which afflicts many shows - in a later blog. It is not so much a problem of the show - it is a problem created by participants who abuse their power to vote.
Overall, although this show was designed to be different, I would give this show a high rating. Personally, I did not care much for the "artistic" classing structure, but that is simply a personal preference, and does not detract from the show. Each show's organizers are entitled to choose whatever method of classing they choose. As long as they stick to it, and keep the classes honest, I do not find a problem with it. And this show did, indeed, keep it honest.
HotKarz wishes to than Frank Svatek, Tom Bannen and the folks of Shaw's Ridge for such an enjoyable experience. We'll be back next year - and we'll bring more friends!
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