Car Boot Sale

For those of my American readers who are confused, a car boot is the trunk. Don't ask me why they call it a boot, I still can't bring myself to say it. Anyway, this weekend I attended a Car Boot Sale in the parking lot of a local horse racecourse with my sisters-in-law Kirsty, Diane and Paula (Paula is Jason's half sister) as well as my niece Abbie and nephew Jack and Paula's son Lewis.

It was a lot of fun, although I was a bit disapppointed. It was like nothing I have ever seen. Hundreds of cars filed into the parking lot, lined up in neat rows with two rows of cars next to each other and an aisle on either side of each row. People bring their folding tables and all of their old junk and set it up outside their vehicle. I tagged along more for the fun, I didn't expect to make much money and I just brought a few bags of things. I don't have much to sell since I got rid of everything unnecessary about this time last year.

I have never seen a car boot sale in the States, I am sure there are places where people sell things out of the trunk of their car but I think by and large this is an English phenomenon. I think most Americans opt for the traditional garage or yard sale, but here most people that are lucky enough to have a garage either have it out the back or its tiny. Most people don't even have a driveway. Also, most front gardens are small and enclosed so they aren't well suited to a yard sale. Instead they load up all they can in their car and go to these car boot sales. It has kind of a flea market or swap meet atmosphere with all kinds of shady people crowding the aisles. If I really had to put my finger on an American equivalent it was like a having a park-wide yard sale at a trailer park.

I was looking most forward to haggling, but I was sadly disappointed that most of the people weren't haggling. The girls told me this isn't normal, usually people are eager to haggle for a better price and they were also frustrated with the reactions from people visiting our stalls. People would come up to the table and pick up an item and ask how much (everything was reasonably priced) and then when they were told the asking price they would wrinkle up their nose, set the item down and walk away. It got extremely frustrating. What is the point of asking the price of something if you aren't willing to actually work for a bargain. All of the girls expressed that they were annoyed so many of the patrons of the car boot sale seemed to be expecting things to be handed to them for next to nothing.

Given the greedy customers, I only sold two items Jason's broken digital camera for 50p and a panini press for £3. Not much but it was enough to get myself something to eat from the burger stand. The girls did better, my sister-in-law Diane sold lots of Jack's old toys and made about £70. Kirsty and Paula both let their kids do all the selling themselves and let them keep their earnings for pocket money. It was funny to watch them wheeling and dealing with customers and that alone was worth going for!

This Week's British TV Review

Deal or No Deal

I know Deal or No Deal is also on in the US, but in the UK the show is much different. There are no sleek briefcases being carried by scantily clad models. Instead, red boxes are carried and opened by future contestants. They all stay together in a hotel and get to know each other and appear on the show every day until it is their turn to take a shot at the big prize. Other than that the structure of the show is pretty much the same nail-biting excitement that makes Deal or No Deal a hit.

There is a different dynamic to the show since all of the contestants get to know each other so well and often strike up close friendships. As they go along in the game they give each other advice and encourage one another. I much prefer it to watching bimbos with briefcases.

I also really like the host Neil Edmonds who also hosts the British version of Are You Smarter That A Fifth Grader? (called Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old? here) and I think he is a great game show host. I definitely prefer him to Howie Mandel, who I think is a bit scary looking.