quote:

ORIGINAL: straitnickel

I don't call them toys or playing. I'm in this alone. as for family they see it as a waist of time and money all they ask is how much did that cost or did you crash it, this pisses me off. I supply the roof over their head as well as food in their stomach pay all the bills with no help from my working spouse. which they all take for granted. I'm going to fly my planes because it's what I enjoy and I like being around other fellows enjoying this hobby also. In this hobby calling planes a toy is a derogative so try not to let that get to you.

My motto: You can only be young once but you can be immature forever!   I am older and whenever I play with my rc cars and ride my bikes I really feel young again.  I get excited when I watch the rc cars rail thru the corners and when I am rolling on my bikes, yes I feel young again!  WOOT!

(want one of those) hehe

quote:

ORIGINAL: warbird addict

I guess it all boils down to the fact that anyone who feels as though the only valid opinion is THEIRS and always has to get the last word in refusing to acknowledge a valid counterpoint, in an attempt to ''win'' the discussion purely by outlasting everyone else, probably should be calling everything they own a toy as they obviously lack the maturity to respect the things they ''PLAY'' with, with respect to the dangers they posess.
I respect the decision some people make to call their cars, guns, atv's, model aircraft etc toys however that does not automaticly make their opinion the only valid one .
To come on here and try to imply that anyone with a differing opinion is Immature or Insecure or whatever else has been said because their opinion differs from yours and you constantly feel the need to be right all the time or always get the last word in says ALOT about you all by itself , nobody else need say anything.
I don't consider my guns,cars, atv's,model aircraft or anything else I own that posesses the ability if misused or mishandled to injure ,or kill or otherwise cause damage a toy but thats my opinion and your welcome to yours

quote:

ORIGINAL: warbird addict

I dunno but I think NOT calling them Toys exhibits a level of demonstrated responsibility that does not invite unwarranted oversight and regulation
but some always have to get the last word in just because thats just who they are and they would sacrifice the big picture for their own selfish pride

quote:

ORIGINAL: Roadkillstewie

...food for thought.


 The word 'toy' is just that, a word... it has no power beyond that which it is given by the person reading it or hearing it.

quote:

ORIGINAL: FNG RIDER

I get excited when I watch the rc cars rail thru the corners and when I am rolling on my bikes, yes I feel young again!  WOOT!

(want one of those) hehe

quote:

ORIGINAL: eagledancer

was told that once at work. took my 1/3 gee bee to work put the wings on fired up that 3W 150 and told them to hold on while i took it up to full throttle. the biggest guy there could barely hold it! they dont call them toys anymore!!!!!

quote:

ORIGINAL: kiwibob72

quote:

ORIGINAL: eagledancer

was told that once at work. took my 1/3 gee bee to work put the wings on fired up that 3W 150 and told them to hold on while i took it up to full throttle. the biggest guy there could barely hold it! they dont call them toys anymore!!!!!

Perception sure is a powerful tool is it not.

What I take from your post (correct me if I'm wrong), is that they classed your models as ''toys'' up until the point they understood the true level at which you entertain yourself in the hobby. Thus the term 'toy' was associated to a lesser 'play' item, almost a 'joke' item, right up until to the point their perception of what you do was changed by them trying to hold onto your 1/3rd scale aircraft while under power (ie they realized that these are no mere child's toy!).
My guess is that the term 'toy' had been dissolved through better understanding of what it is we model aircraft flyers actually have.

Now for those of you that disagree with me, apply this principal to your next regulatory meeting where the term 'toy' is still in use, and that the general view is STILL that we are just playing around with our funny little aircraft. And when you possibly lose your field as a result of that incorrect public perception you decided not to change ...... well hey, what's in a word and the perception it helps create? ..... going by the above story and it's result, quite a bit apparently!

PS - I have had the exact same thing happen to me at work before when I started flying helis, and again, once they understood just what I had, and how serious the level of model I had was, NEVER were my aircraft referred to as toys again.

quote:

ORIGINAL: combatpigg

About 4 years ago I rented a 13,000 pound excavator [probably a $80,000 machine] to clear a couple wooded acres and that was a lot of fun...some misery....some terror...some aches and pains at the end of each day. It sure was fun to be able to grab a 50 foot poplar like a twig and turn it into firewood in about 10 seconds...... It was barely big enough to handle the huge cedar stumps, though.
Your rig would be the ultimate toy, but for $200,000 I guess your wife expects you to bring home some money with with it too....

quote:

ORIGINAL: jester_s1

I suppose it depends on if it's meant as an insult. Some people would equate it to a grown man going outside and playing with Tonka trucks. That would imply immaturity and a simple mind. To those people, I would explain that it's a hobby, every bit as demanding as many other things that men do for fun like hunting, golf, racing, woodworking, etc. But if it's meant as a joke then yes, I'm a little boy who goes out and spends all day playing with his toys!