rcbasher123

Hi Guys, This is my first post.This place has helped me in the past with information so I wanted to sign up and ask you all a question.I have been into rc for about a year (I am 15 years old) and I got a mini erevo about 5 months ago, anyway I am the only person out of my friends that is in to rc cars so it can get a bit boring sometimes bashing around by myself but I still enjoy it and I like working on my truck to make it better. So my friends up until lately haven’t said much about my hobby but lately they seem to be making fun of me alot, like saying that playing with toy cars is like playing with barbie dolls and dumb stuff like that.It really annoys me and I want to have stuff to say back to them but sometimes I really do feel like I should be growing up and other times I enjoy my truck and I hate them for making fun o me.What can I say to them to make them see that it’s just a hobby and to leave me alone and still be my friends ?I don’t want to be the kid with no friends but I still want to have fun with my rc car and maybe one day get a bigger one

Link119

My Feedback: (1)

I know i got the attention of a few friends just doing a single speed run on my evader...

The_Shark

last time someone made fun of me playing with a rc, i kicked him right in the *****, no lie.

do what you like, screw them, they dont understand what it is and a friend to treats you like that is not your friend.

want to take away the "toyishness"? get a nitro machine, then they will probly make fun of you for a bit, and then beg you for the remote. booyeah!

JohnP2

I agree, get yourself a nitro. If you're friends can't appreiate that, then they are the one's who aren't cool. I mean what guys don't like loud, smelly, fast cars?

saucySavy

My Feedback: (2)

Lol I agree 100% on getting yourself a nitro! My good buddies used to tease me all the time back in the day when I told them i'm spending $500 on an RC car. I still remember that first day of breaking in my first nitro in a school parking lot when a friend saw me from the road and drove up to see what I was doing. I will never forget the look on his face when I fired the thing up. He was amazed and had never seen anything like it. After that my friends were the ones asking me to go run my truck lol.

rcbasher123

Thanks for the advice guys,  I would love a nitro car but my dad doesn't trust me with flammable stuff so maybe when I'm older. I guess I'll keep rolling with the punches and try not to bring up rc stuff with my friends for now. it would be nice to have just one friend who is in to the hobby like I am.

xerxes

xerxes thinks its time 4 sum new frends. if u thinks its mor den jus playful ribbin, den fk dem.

frends cum & go. rc is forevr.

Sigma.40

My Feedback: (1)

Well said ( sort of ). At15, there is not a whole lot that you are too oldfor, especially RC. I'm29 andhave a great time with RC and I can think of several people here who are much, much older than me who have been into RC for 30-40 years.Visit a track or hobby shop and see if you can find better, more supportive friends.

guver

My Feedback: (325)

Two things come to mind If you can do it.

1 Take them to an RC race , off-road or on road. (a good one)
2 Give them an RC car or truck. (a good one)

Ducat1

hit them in the leg with it and ask them if its a toy (since its not broken but there leg is) lol

DaveG55

Ok, well, I guess I'm one of the old guys so I don't know how much any advice I have for a 15 y/o will really help but I'll give you some thoughts anyway.
I started with models at 10 y/o when my dad me a nitro powered line control plane. I've been in the hobby off and on since - some 46 years...

Kids can be mean, if they see something that they say/do bothers you they will keep harping on it.. So, if you can, just let it roll off your back. Or better yet, make fun of yourself for it too. Arguing or trying to get back at them will only confirm they are getting to you and they will keep it up.

As others said, try a local hobby shop or track to find like minded people. Keep in mind here that friends do not have to be your age. They can be older or younger. For example, one of my very best friends in the world is only 3 years older than my son and we (wife and I) regularly hang out with a couple that is older than our parents.

Maybe go to a teacher at school, like a shop teacher - do you still have shop class? Anyway, ask about starting an RC club. You might be surprised to find some more kids at your school who would find the hobby interesting.

As was also said above, take them to a track to watch a race, or a flying field to watch the planes. It may expand their views and yours too.

At 15 you're probably starting to think about real cars. Take the knowledge that RC cars have given you and start to apply it to the real world. Sure RC stuff is simplified but the underlying science of chassis design and set up, steering, gearing, etc is very similar. Use what you already know as a basis and soon those same people that make fun of you may be coming to you for repair and set up advice on their real cars.

Anyway, this CAN be a lifelong hobby and 99% of the people I knew in school I have had zero contact with since I graduated High School.
So, Good Luck and if you like something try not to let any haters talk or intimidate you out of it.

pete236

My Feedback: (2)

I'm within 2 weeks of the 28th anniversary of my 34th birthday and people have been making fun of my hobbies for more than fifty years.

Stay the course, do what you like, not what your friend approve of, and don't be single minded to the exclusion all other of life's activities.

You'll be fine.

Ultimate48

My Feedback: (1)

Very well said Dave, I well say that's me and I only talk to 3 people I knew from High school !

None of my friends were into R/C at your age.
I had my first R/C car at 10 years old . Nothing like we have today though ! At 15 years old I was into R/C racing sail boats with my Dad slow but fun.

At 16 I bought my first real car 1969 Chevy Camaro R/S and it needed work did not run. my R/C experience paid off . I had that car running the next day.
My friends all wanted to know how I fixed the car like that. I went on to be a auto mechanic for 28 years .
I'm 53 now and I have many R/C toys and some of my friends now think I'm nuts and I don't care what anyone thinks I'm having fun!
Keep up with you like and have fun it's a great hobby !

TWERPA

My Feedback: (19)

This just happened to me yesterday. I'm 36 and I was outside playing in the wintery mess in Baltimore with my 5b just running up and down the block sliding and trying to enjoy some me time and low & behold here come's a neighbor sliding in his truck. He had rolled his window down and said; aren't you too old to be playing with toy's I laughed and said I can think of more negative things to do to bring down the community..{home evasion,robbery,drug dealing,crime,etc .. {Tell them opinion's are like *****hole's everyone has them}..

Shenanigans

My Feedback: (12)

Regardless of your age, people will knock down things you do that they aren't interested in.  You have to learn not to care what others think in this regard.  I'm 34 years old and am the only 1 of my peers that plays with rc.  It can get boring at times, but if you enjoy it...keep at it.

You're very young.  You will have many more people come into your life that will be potential friends.  Choose them wisely.  The people you call your "friends" now, will most likely NOT be involved in your life in a few years.

DustBen

My Feedback: (3)

It is your life to live on your terms. You get one shot at it.

Being a strong individual doing what YOU like actually scares the weaker minded people that sense they lack the strength to be unique, choose their own path, and accept themselves as they are.

So long as you are doing something constructive and leading to learning, setting goals, and striving for more, you're onto something very good.

A real friend has the quality to accept people for whom they are. What your "friends" are doing is quite the opposite.

Given a choice of exercising my freedoms and pursuing happiness alone, or abandoning myself and inner convictions for the sake of having poor "friends", I'd rather go it alone.

Those aren't "friends" you speak of. Those are people impeding your fun!

The_Shark

tell your pops there is almost no way to accidentally start a fire with a nitro car, i mean yeah its flamible, but only if you throw it in a fire. lot less combustible than gasoline.

but you know what? trying to change what YOU do to please your friends is wrong, chances are, no matter how cool your rc is, it could be a giant 1/5th gas burning monster truck, and they will still say "you play with barbie too?"

at about your age i ditched all my friends, they all turned into real pieces of crap, its that age people choose to be indivisuals or lemmings, screw em, get some new friends.

me? i have 2 or 3 good friends i almost never hang out with, i hate even my friends, people are just stupid, lots of chances to make new friends and girlfriends, but i avoid it because all the drama they bring, stupid weak people. the only friend i have that enjoy hanging out with is my friend's 50year old dad, watch football, go to car shows, go to the shooting range, and able to have a intelligent conversation, something i can't do with my half brain dead peers, he's like the father i never had.

see if your dad takes a intrest in the hobby, your family is your best friend, my father is not father material, lets leave it there.

be wise, look past all the bull crap and follow your own path.

The Collector1

My Feedback: (2)

Wow..........and I thought I only felt like that...........

quietnas1

rcbasher123 I'm 37 years old and love this hobby. I got into it when I was 19 and even though my first truck was a nitro I was still told by some of my peers to stop playing with toys. Funny thing is they all wanted a chance at the remote and I would tell them no. Also around that time there was a guy who was in his early 40's who lived in my neighborhood and invited me to a local track. Made new friends there rather quickly.

Now even at my age of 37 I still get asked by some of my aquaintenses (not friends) why do I still play with toys. My reply simply is that its a hobby and its what I like. I don't care what people think about me and frankly I never have. Be your own person, do your own thing, do what you like. Not what others want you to do. Let them say what they want. When your blasting away at 80 mph with your mini e-revo you know its not a toy. If it puts a smile on your face keep it up.

A far as finding like minded people, I agree with going to your local track or hobby shop. You will make new friends quickly, and then you will have some bashing buddies. Trust me out of all the so called friends I had in highschool I only keep in touch with 2 of them till this day. You will be all right kid.

HerrSavage

Just take it casually.. Eventually you'll see that it doesn't matter all that much what other people think. Do what you want to do - in the end that's all that matters anyway.

[email protected]

My Feedback: (1)

dont worry about what people think or say iam 80 yrs old and fly planes been doing it since 1950 fly like i did when i was young iam single and there atre a lot of women i know who like to see them fly tel your dad to get you a nitro maybe he can be there when you run it and then he will want one also good luck allen

Quikturn

My Feedback: (12)

Of all my friends growing up, I was the only one into rc stuff. I flew control line airplanes from jr high through high school. My parents never thought anything about me operating nitro engines on my own and they can take your fingers off if you're not careful. Today, it's like we have to protect everyone from everything. So I think your parents are being over protective on that point.

A far as your friends go, maybe they enjoy playing an Xbox or doing nothing while your developing your mechanical abilities. RC requires a lot of different skill sets. Good for you for doing something that deals with the real world.

brockettman

+1

Yep, keep doing what you are doing. Some would say that RCers are just boys with toys... They are wrong, we are men with machines and they are intimidated....

Enjoy the hobby!

Ben

BobbyMcGee

You think it's bad to be playing with yourself at your age? Nonsense! At your age, its normal for you to be playing withyourself! Since you are 15 years old, my best advise is for you to find a 15 year old girlfriend.

Besides that, adults of all ages are playing with toy r/ccars and toy r/c planes.
The difference between boys and men, is the size and cost of their toys.

Remember this ... the one who dies with the most toys, wins!

chase1

maybe they are just jealous that you have a sweet mini revo and they dont. dont let anyone dictate your likes and dislikes by poking fun at you. most of the time their motives are just to get you going. im pushing 34 and i have friends who like rc and friends who dont. the ones who dont will still mess with me just to try and get a rise. joke back and dont let it bother you anymore and they will move on to something else to rip on you about. thats what friends are for right?