Mechanics and their "models"

[ThosL]

I've never seen this discussed, but seems a universal trait of mechanics and garages to have various versions of pin-up models around the garage; from the Sports Illustrated versions to more racy types.  Is this pretty universal at shops or do they have certain standards at shops where customers may be turned off?  Like at one Subaru yard I asked to use the bathroom and their was a pile of "Swank" or similar mags. around.

[Fairtax4me]

Just depends on who owns/ runs the shop. If it were my shop, you would never see anything like that, (at least not in a lobby/restroom or public area).

 

Dealerships and respectable independent shops generally don't allow that sort of thing because of the likelihood of offending and losing customers. The same goes for most other morally questionable, racial, sexist, religious, etc, content, just as you would see in any other professional workplace.

 

But some people don't know or don't care that something they display in their office or shop may be perceived as offensive. Maybe they spend too much time in the shop looking at dirty mags and not enough time with the real thing? Who knows!

Edited July 6, 2015 by Fairtax4me

[Crazyeights]

I didn't put up anything like that in the shop that I ran for many years. I never knew who would stop in and I didn't want anyone to get the wrong impression and take offense. Most of my customers were also friends with professional lives and they would NOT have understood. I chose automotive or business related decor if any, and kept that to a minimum.

 

I walked in to a friends shop many years ago when I was starting out pretty close to closing time. Everyone was already drinking beer and loudly joking around right in the shop. It didn't 'feel right' to me and I never stopped by there again.  I drove by his shop recently to see if things had improved over the years. It's a dumpy looking small engine repair shop with about 25 lawn mowers in the parking lot now.. I decided not to drop off a resume there

Edited July 6, 2015 by Crazyeights

[Dinky26]

These days I can so see that one would want to be pretty selective on what they advertise/hang in clear view.

 

Businesses can and will get persecuted for the smallest things anytime any day.

 

I remember years ago when I was 10 years old and younger, I would always like to go with my dad to the filling station in town,

cause there were scantily clad women portrayed on calendars on the walls there. Of course these were the days long,

LONG before the internet where you can see anything anytime, boy those sure were different days and times,

I was slightly sheltered too.

[ccrinc]

SnapOn used to give away those calendars and clocks as perks for spending money with them.  In fact, they're quite valuable now especially since they quit producing them in the mid-'90's.

 

Whether or not they were in poor taste is/was in the eye of the beholder but they were never really meant to be seen by clientele.  (It's a good thing I have pretty thick skin because I've seen some that made even me raise my eyebrows and that's not easy to do.) 

 

I know many shops which have a "beer fridge" for after hours, but we have never allowed alcohol or any kind of drugs on the property at all, or at any time. 

 

Yes, things which are or are not deemed acceptable have definitely changed over the years.

[lstevens76]

Yeah we are more than happy to turn away from scantily clad models but at this time embrace so much violence it's reflected in the younger generations.

Edited July 7, 2015 by lstevens76

[ThosL]

To each their own and I doubt that quality mechanics would lose customers if they had posters around, as people just want quality work at reasonable prices.

 

I remember seeing a poster of Shania Twain up in Monson Maine at Kent Bishop's garage 10 years ago.  So I asked him who she was and he said she was a beautiful woman which she is.  

[1 Lucky Texan]

meh - many makers of tools/supplies used by mechanics make/made promo items featuring female models. You see much the same in auto, boating and other similar magazines popular with men.

 

If there were a history of auto repair shops staffed by females, there'd be calendars and posters of shirtless ,buff young men holding babies.

 

or Italian shoes.

[Caboobaroo]

I try to be as professional as possible. No girly calendars or pictures hanging up anywhere in the shop. Like it was said, you never know who's going to come in. Granted, I no longer work for a corporate shop but I still feel it's tacky when stuff like that is in view of customers or sales reps.

[jp98]

The thing that I remember back when the pin up models were all over the calendars was that very few women would bring their vehicles into the shops to have them worked on and those that did stayed up in the front office until their car was brought out to them.  Now this was back in the 60's and 70's. 

 

I can understand the problems that could come up with one of those calendar being where the general public could see it and why most shops now days frown on them.  But also back in those days the Playboys and other girly magazines were kept behind the store counters and you had to ask to get one, very seldom were they out where the general public could seen them other than perhaps the cover of one of them. 

[ccrinc]

The thing that I remember back when the pin up models were all over the calendars was that very few women would bring their vehicles into the shops to have them worked on and those that did stayed up in the front office until their car was brought out to them.  Now this was back in the 60's and 70's. 

 

That may have been to keep them out of the shop! Most mechanics hate for people to look over their shoulder, even when the looker is quiet or not stupid.

[Fairtax4me]

That may have been to keep them out of the shop! Most mechanics hate for people to look over their shoulder, even when the looker is quiet or not stupid.

I think most people in general don't want someone looking over their shoulder while working. It's distracting, and people tend to ask a lot of questions when you have to get out the blue wrench and the grinder to break loose rusty bolts.

 

And we all know what happens when you're working and its hot and you start to sweat, you get that itch that's inappropriate to scratch in front of people!