"Booth babes" deserve more respect, it seems

I've never been particularly respectful of "booth babes", the (often scantily-clad) young women one finds at auto shows and similar trade fairs, showing off various products. I'd always regarded them as eye candy, there to distract the customer while rapacious salesmen took advantage of the distraction to separate him from his money as quickly as possible. Since I have a visceral distaste for sex being used to sell anything, I'm afraid I didn't give the human element much thought.

I have to apologize to at least some of the ladies concerned. I recently came across a blog called "Do You Come With The Car?" I'm intrigued to find that according to the author, the ladies who work in that field have to be thoroughly trained and educated in the products they're selling, and be very professional in dealing with the public. Quite frankly, I had no idea so much work was involved. It's definitely given me a new respect for that profession - although it still feels odd to consider it a 'profession' at all!

The blog, and the author's regular column "The Booth Babe Chronicles" in the E-zine The Truth About Cars, make interesting reading. I recommend both.

Peter