sjc wrote:
Exhibitor - As an exhibitor with the modular layout, I've seen thing get tense, maybe even heated on rare occasions with the spectators. Granted we do not want this to happen but when mom or dad think nothing is wrong that Junior is grabbing at and/or picking up locomotives, cars, etc on the layout and they don't like us gently and kindly asking them to keep their hands to themselves, issues have come up. I have had equipment damaged by kids not being carefully watched by their parents. When kindly asking the to keep to themselves and if I bring up the cost of my damaged car or locomotive, I have had parents try to argue about the costs, "it shouldn't be here", my kid is just having fun, etc. Buy your own $500+ steam locomotive to trash, not mine. I remember one of our events at a county fair event. A friend of mine at the time, just proudly picked up a fully loaded MTH Premier Pennsylvania Railroad K4 - beautiful engine with the pinstripes on the wheels, tons of separate detail and a beautiful train of we quickly attended to the situation, the parent was argumentative and rude.
Unfortunately, there even some forum members with that point of view, that even think that it is blasphemous to put a plexi-glass screen around a layout to prevent such things.
There are those that feel it is wrong to prevent children from handling/damaging displayed trains(and have posted as much
) Some seem to feel that rather than "deprive" their child the right to grab anything sight, it is better to deprive other spectators the right to see Highly detailed, accurate or expensive equipment, that they otherwise likely would not see.
Personal responsibility and accountability are Quickly becoming things only found in History books.
Doug
