How Do People React When They See You (adult) Driving An R/c?

[94eg!]

Judging by the responses it sounds more issues are due to poor attitudes & mannors of the people driving the r/c, and not so much the hobby itself. If you are an unfriendly and unapproachable person, your gonna get an unfriendly reaction no matter what your doing. I am friendly, approachable, and outgoing and I've never had so much as a wrong look in my 20 years of R/C...

[4wdmt]

Some people know they are hobby grade RCs and just say...wow, that cost a lot of money (most especially if they see that I run nitro).

Worst comment I got is .... "you still play toy cars?", to which I reply, yup!

[retroman]

I have a local car park which I use, and you only occassionally get kids, or adults with kids, or dog walkers.

Kids on their own, I generally pull the car up by my feet, and pretend to be adjusting something...... I'm not very trusting!! First comment I usually get is "Is it nitro"? My usual reply is "No, it's faster"!! LOL!! I usually get this comment with my Yokomo SSG SD, and it has been known to give cheap nitro cars a real kicking!!

Dad's/ Families with kids generally tend to stand behind me and watch, which is cool :-) The dad's are generally quite interested, and I've had many a good chat with someone I've never met before. I've had some that have recognised my "Frog" from when they were younger, and I'm generally happy to explain to them how they work, what the different types of cars are, etc. The F201, and the vintage buggies seem to get the most interest.

I've had the odd comment from friends, in jest, along the lines of "your sad playing with toy cars". But I just laugh..... As Swarm said "I could be at the pub every night", but that just seems like a total waste of money to me. I would rather do something constructive with my time and money :-)

Truth of the matter is, I'm quite happy in my own little world, and don't really care what other people think. after all, I'm the 6 foot 2" guy, with a big grin on my face!!

[angel wings]

I agree with swarm ( missed you mate will have to have a chat soon) Im always getting hassle from people when im seen out with my MS mostly because im a girl with an rc car but most of them are idiots who go out on dress down Fridays with a boiler suit on and a gas mask lol.

You also find the people that say stupid s*** have never tried the hobby and spend most of there time with there head up there own a*** and think gameboy's are cool hahaha

AnGeL

[MikeG8]

Adult? ADULT? No, no, no, I'm still about 14...at least that is what my better half says! I drive my King Hauler, my Pershing, My Baja King and my Sand Viper. I also have two MTBs (motor torpedo boats), a yacht and a tug and I've just this day ordered a Pajero MTW for Christmas...my Christmas!

I get a mix of comments: the truck and the tank always get positives, the King and Viper not always. I guess the Hauler and the Pershing 'look' like models whereas the other two 'look' like toys. Actually, I don't really care what everyone else thinks (though apparently I do embarrass my kids now: Ha! Getting my revenge now!). My friends all want to have a go (never the tank or the truck though!) and many are impressed by the level of engineering in the design. Some people will stop and ask a few questions and I'm happy to chat. The kids like the fast ones; the Dads like the scale stuff and the Mums just imagine the mess in the lounge and raise their eyes to the heavens!

Mike

[Palfertronic]

I have been running RC, in one form or another, for nearly 30 years...(I'm 48)..The usual comment I get is "What a big kid!" usually followed 20 seconds later by..."Can I have a go?"

As far as i am concerned, anything that gets you out of the house and away from the dreaded TV has to be a good thing...I did tell one woman once "would you rather I wore a dirty raincoat, and hung out by the school gates? Or should I go home and beat up the wife and kids?" That usually shuts em up!

[schonbacher]

Me and my fellow RC companion who happens to be my neighboiur regulerly bash out on the street as we live is a fairly quiet one , iv been into rc for over 20 years and he about ten years since he put himself in a wheel chair coming off his cbr1000

we got alot of "big boys toys" and "how fast" comments, Another mate came one day with his TA01 lancia delta and decided to drive over everyones front lawns miserable old scrote came out and *****ed us

must admit i dont tend to go out on my own for a blap i usually wait till he has some bats ready , i think its more fun with 2 or more

[skip665]

There is a great skate park near me but I am too chicken to go there on my own as I am fed up with kids and their annoying comments/questions!

Just to quote myself - I have been a couple of times now and not seen a soul - but then its probably the time of year - the track is so awesome that I am not going to let a few peoples comments stop me going now!

[jeekelemental]

Nobody ask/tell me something about my hobby...

... I don't know if it happens because of I'm 1,90 mt tall X 100 kilos

[kaiser]

all of my hobbies get weird responses from people:

i'm a volkswagen junkie and just finished building a 400 hp 2001 new beetle, people ask me why i drive a girls car, then i show them the engine. lol

(i also have a 1974 hot rod beetle, 1979 vw bus, 2004 golf and 2004 jetta wagon) <---yes i have an addiction to vw's. lol

i collect and shoot military rifles, so the liberals think i'm some sort of crazy "gun nut".

i play paintball, people think it's for kids.

and finally the r/c cars, i actually don't get too many comments on them at all. it's probably the most "normal" hobby i have.

it doesn't matter to me at all, i have always done what makes me happy, and that's all that's important.

[CR-01nut]

I find that it depends what your are driving. if i am using my havoc out the front people do not tend to do much. they just watch it as they walk past. they sometimes ask how fast it is and i say "fast enough to break your ankle" that normally gets rid of them.

if I am driving my DF02 most people completely ignore it, i mean they do not look at all, even when i point it down the road and nail it right past them faster than full size cars come down my road.

With my CR01 i get funny looks, they cannot see the fun in driving that slow off road.

Sometimes i get complains about the noise of my schumacher havoc when i run it on a gravel access road near my house, but my comeback is to say i will stop but first i leave a huge number 11 in the stones.

[loaded]

Please don't anyone take this the wrong way, but shouldn't we be ambassadors for the hobby, rather than aggressive or antisocial? I reckon more people would take the hobby seriously if we behaved better with our perceived toys!

All the best, Paul.

[retroman]

Here here Paul. We should be ambassadors for our hobby. It's part of the reason I don't have nitro stuff, too noisy, smelly................ It's as anti social as a neighbour running a 2 stroke chainsaw in their back garden all day......... Well out the way of civilisation is fine by me though

I draw the line at other people having a go with my stuff though. I've seen it too many times were people who have never driven one before get left and right mixed up and "WALLOP"

[bigoggy]

Here here Paul. We should be ambassadors for our hobby. It's part of the reason I don't have nitro stuff, too noisy, smelly................ It's as anti social as a neighbour running a 2 stroke chainsaw in their back garden all day......... Well out the way of civilisation is fine by me though

I draw the line at other people having a go with my stuff though. I've seen it too many times were people who have never driven one before get left and right mixed up and "WALLOP"

i seem to recall your cars can find puddles on there own, and don't need a rookie driver to drown them

seriously though we should be ambassadors for our hobby. i'll answer any question people ask when i'm bashing. and belive me when we have a meet at clumber in the summer we end up with a big crowd

[Novastar]

I've had people follow me around the creek bed watching my Blazing Star, they have'nt approached me to ask any questions yet (which I'm happy to reply to), I think they have just never seen anything else apart from the toy R/C variety so it was interesting for them even though its a stock car. I think if out of 10 negative experiences we get 1 more person getting into R/C then its worth it.

[highflyer]

Yes I get looks but, I never had any real problems with people outside R/C for over 20+ years! In fact, I have inspired friends, co-workers, cousins and complete strangers who lived in my neighborhood to buy a kit. And I have built kits for and taught noobs about R/C. The only person who jokes about R/C is my younger brother, he has owned 4 R/C's in the past and raced a Yokomo YZ-10 years ago..

BTW, I had the police called on me for driving my nitro after midnight (12AM) 7 years ago, I had a few beers . I got a warning from the Milwaukee Police Department for breaking the noise code.. I still want to know who called the POLICE!!

I have been a good Ambassador for years IMO , look above at my previous post on this thread.. The police incident was my fault.

[Tamiya1/10]

I think people are more knowledgeable now a days and don't jump to a quick conclusion about anything, else people around them will know this person doesn't know to much about the particular subject. This hobby can get quite technical from battery issues to set up and the list goes on. Just one look at the amount and some of equipment involve, anyone been around knows is not a very cheap hobby. I would think if children see you running or flying your RC, they would just be amazed and adults would likely wants to know more about it.... unless you just took out his ankle with your 50mph hpi or e-max truck or running you 0.15 nitro engine in the middle of the night right next to his bed room window, than they just want to kill you right there and than I am speaking from a guy point of view, now sure how women would react unless your RC was designed by Gucci or Chanel

[Lonestar]

not sure how women would react unless your RC was designed by Gucci or Chanel

Well they'd think you're the coolest guy on earth

"tamiya" is a lot less of a babe magnet

paul

[balongbalong]

I don't see kids play with R/C in the Philippines

But when people see me they stop and look at the car and smile like they want one as well

Well it doesn't hurt that my R/C is the same model as my real car

[ABomb67]

I learned along time ago the world will think what it will of me.

No matter what I do.

If Brad Pitt started playing with RC vehicles it would be cool and girls would find it sexy.

If I did it, I am a grown kid waistng my money on friviolous items.

But I find guys and kids coming up asking thousands of questions with awe in their eyes mostly.

[loaded]

I met a really famous guy the other day (actually I must confess I didn't know he was famous until half way through the conversation, but anyway) and we were chatting about hobbies, diving etc and he delighted in telling me he flys model helicopters, indoors and outdoors and didn't think there was anything funny or embarrassing about it. I guess it has a lot to do with personal charisma, confidence etc, not just the hobby itself.

OK, he wasn't Brad Pitt, but the point remains the same.

Paul.

[mr haggis]

I was out for a walk today up the hills with the mrs getting some fresh air and recovering from our hangovers from last nights crimbo party. Had my rc buggy in my ruck sack with me for a wee bit bashing during the walk. Half way up this hill is a golf course, very quiet at this time of year as its so cold so I decided to drop the buggy over the small fence and give it a blast in the bunkers, green and fairway, It was a great laugh but then an elderly couple who were out hill walking came by. I thought oh, I bet the old guy makes some comment re the golf course and that I should not be bashing it in there. His words to me were..... "Great car son! best use of a golf course I've ever seen!" Me and the mrs were poorless, the guy was about 70!!!!

[28yoKid]

When people see me they are really positive! Most people want to buy one either for themselves or for their partner! A pumpkin doing 360s is always gonna be cool, whatever age!

[WayneS]

Only thing I get is kids that like nitro and I am into electric, other then that, my neighbors already know I am a bigkid. I have other bigboy toys like my motorcycle,truck and supercharged mustang, so if they were to say anything,what could they say?

[taliesin]

It has been, on average about -14 degrees Fahrenheit [yes really] here most of the last 2 weeks with brief periods of oh my God kinda cold [one night of -55 to -60 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill] and the uniform reaction has been, "Are you nuts, or just plain stupid??" when I have been outside playing with my E-Maxx and a cheapo Radio Shack Snowmobile.

Yeah, good question. I'm voting for "enthusiastic" but "nuts or just plain stupid" might be a possibility now that I consider it.

Just a sidebar: batteries don't have very good run-times at 20 below zero.