[AT] A commentary on how to win friends and influence people at tractor shows

[charlie hill]

Well, for one thing this was in a very rural part of western MD where folks 
are more like the us in the southeast than in the
Northeast and it wasn't that the guy was extraordinarily loud.  It was more 
about his attitude and his use of the personal
pronoun.  You would have thought he was trying out for the part of God 
himself in the movie "The Ten Commandments".
That is not even an appropriate analogy because God has a right to be 
arrogant and condescending if the need so arises.
There was no reason for this guy to do so.  Neither the situation nor his 
position  (one often occupied by small kids at some
shows) justified it.  In fact he didn't need to be there at all.  It was 
obvious where a car needed to go at that point.
You couldn't go right, straight took you straight out the gate (which is 
where I wanted to go) and left was into the
parking lot.   Don't misunderstand,  I was not fuming mad about it.  I just 
didn't appreciate his approach and it put a
bad taste in my mouth for that otherwise fine show and I figured someone at 
the show should know about it.  Maybe the
message will get there.

Charlie
-----Original Message----- 
From: k7jdj at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2014 12:52 AM
To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: Re: [AT] A commentary on how to win friends and influence people at 
tractor shows

The first time I was in New York City I was intimidated by the normal mode 
or communication being loud to point of yelling.  I have known families 
where loud/yelling is the norm,  especially if it involves situations that 
need immediate attention.  I have been known to be rather loud and obnoxious 
but that's because sometimes its the only way a 5'6" male can be heard.  I 
wasn't there and can understand your point of view Charlie, just pointing 
out peoples methods of communications vary and there isn't necessarily evil 
intent or a power trip involved.  I might have asked if that was his normal 
modus operandi but that could have been hard on my 5'6' 130 pound body :)






-----Original Message-----
From: David Rotigel <rotigel at me.com>
To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Wed, Oct 8, 2014 5:20 pm
Subject: Re: [AT] A commentary on how to win friends and influence people at 
tractor shows


I fully understand how you feel Charlie--been there, done that! However, I 
think
it's wrong to stop going to a show because of how ONY GUY acts. I've never 
been
to the show in Smithsburg (and don't know anyone there, or even where it is) 
but
I hope you will reconsider after a while. Particularly if you have enjoyed 
the
show (and its people) in the past!
Dave

On Oct 8, 2014, at 7:43 PM, charlie hill <charliehill at embarqmail.com> wrote:

> I won't be back at Smithsburg.
>
> Charlie
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: David Bruce
> Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2014 7:19 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] A commentary on how to win friends and influence people 
> at
> tractor shows
>
> I agree with Charlie that there are better ways to get to the same point.
> Tone does matter.
>
> David
> NW NC
>
> On 10/8/2014 6:49 PM, David Rotigel wrote:
>> I realize that a tone of voice can mean A LOT in this sort of situation,
>> but, having said that, I do not see anything wrong with the words that 
>> the
>> guy used.
>> Dave
>>
>> On Oct 8, 2014, at 4:11 PM, charlie hill <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I offer this as constructive criticism to folks that volunteer with
>>> tractor
>>> and engine shows.
>>>
>>>
>>> Weekend before last we were in Hagerstown, MD visiting Lynn's parents.
>>> We
>>> usually go
>>> about this time of the year and come back with a few bushels of apples
>>> from
>>> our favorite
>>> apple farm.  The farm happens to be out very near to Smithsburg, MD 
>>> where
>>> they hold an
>>> annual "Steam Show" on that very weekend.  I've been before and enjoyed
>>> it
>>> very much so we
>>> decided to ride by there after we left the orchard.  We didn't have time
>>> to
>>> take the show in
>>> and do it justice so we were just going to stop long enough for me to
>>> take a
>>> quick look around.
>>> I just wanted to see if they had a good crowd and if they had the same
>>> sort
>>> of displays they had in years gone by.  Plus I had
>>> my Jack Russell Terrier with me and there is NO WAY to take a Jack
>>> Russell
>>> to an engine show.
>>> I don't think that Mike Rohr (sorry I that is probably misspelled) who 
>>> is
>>> part of that show still reads this list
>>> so I don't know who I'm addressing this too if anyone so I guess it is
>>> addressed to whom ever might
>>> benefit from it.
>>>
>>> Now let me stop right here and explain that I know full well that the
>>> folks
>>> at the show had no
>>> way to know what I just told this group and I fully understand that.
>>>
>>> As we started to drive into the show grounds parking lot there were 
>>> signs
>>> EVERYWHERE, probably
>>> dozens of signs, saying No Dogs allowed but before I saw any of those
>>> signs
>>> I was in the driveway
>>> headed to the parking lot and as  I said I had no intent to take the dog
>>> in
>>> anyway and no intent to
>>> even go in unless I had seen something particularly interesting worthy 
>>> of
>>> a
>>> quick hop out and look.
>>> There was no way to turn around and go back out.  We were committed with
>>> a
>>> line of cars behind us.
>>> I told Lynn well we'll just drive on through the lot and see if we can
>>> see
>>> anything from the parking lot
>>> and go on.  Then I see a group of ladies who are taking donations for
>>> parking.  As we approached them
>>> Lynn and I discussed it and decided we'd go ahead and give them a
>>> donation.
>>> As I handed the lady
>>> a five dollar bill the Jack Russell was standing in my lap.  She took 
>>> the
>>> money and didn't say a word.
>>> We pulled forward.  There was an open road to the exit straight ahead of
>>> me
>>> that would have taken me
>>> right down the side of the show where I could have looked briefly at the
>>> displays but there was a fellow
>>> standing there motioning me to go left.  I did so without any discussion
>>> or
>>> argument.
>>>
>>> That's when it happened.  This fellow who waved us left, probably mid
>>> 40's,
>>> about 6'2 maybe and stocky built but not overweight,
>>> with short cropped hair and looking every bit like a cop in street
>>> clothes
>>> let me turn left with the dog, now on the other side, hanging out the
>>> window  of the truck in plain sight and then he YELLS OUT, again like a
>>> cop
>>> at a DUI check point,
>>> STOP RIGHT THERE SIR!!  I NEED TO TALK TO YOU.   Then he proceeded to
>>> walk
>>> over and start to lecture me with....
>>> Sir "I" can't allow YOU to take THAT DOG into the show.  As he was about
>>> to
>>> continue I said in a polite but direct voice,  Sir the dog is
>>> not going to get out of the truck.  At that he backed off and left me
>>> alone.
>>> We proceeded out the back of the parking lot
>>> and left as we had intended to do all along.
>>>
>>> I hope the Smithsburg Boosters club puts the 5 bucks to good use because
>>> it's the last time they'll get a dime from me and the
>>> last time I ever intent to attend their show.  It's not the shows fault,
>>> I
>>> have no argument with them.  It's not the booster clubs
>>> fault, I have no argument with them.  I fully understand why they don't
>>> want
>>> dogs running around in their show and I agree.
>>> What burned me was this guys power trip attitude which I'm sure no one
>>> can
>>> properly read into my writing but I understood
>>> loud and clear.   I didn't mind one bit being asked about the dog but he
>>> could have done it in a friendly manner.
>>> I don't go to tractor and steam shows to be talked to like a street punk
>>> and
>>> if I subject myself to it again it will be my fault.
>>>
>>> Everyone at that show appeared to be friendly and welcoming this time as
>>> they always have been in the past EXCEPT this one
>>> bully.  Obviously they have had a previous problem with dogs or they
>>> would
>>> not have spent a small fortune on White signs with
>>> bold RED print saying NO DOGS but they need to understand that someone
>>> from
>>> 400 miles away can't do anything about having
>>> their pet with them when they turn into a parking lot where there is no
>>> way
>>> to turn around and at least be polite about it.   He seemed
>>> to have the attitude that "THIS IS MY SHOW AND BY GOD IF THESE JERKS 
>>> WANT
>>> TO
>>> COME TO IT THEY BETTER TOE THE LINE AND
>>> DO LIKE I SAY!"  The only thing that kept him from looking like Barney
>>> Fife
>>> is the fact that he was big enough so as to avoid being
>>> construed to be a comical fool.  A fool yes, just not comical.
>>>
>>> All the man had to say, if anything, was a polite "sir, I assume you are
>>> going to leave the pup in the truck" or something to that effect
>>> but no he had to throw his weight and assumed authority around.  If
>>> anyone
>>> from the Smithsburg Steam Show or anyone who runs
>>> a show reads this, please take it as I intended, as constructive
>>> criticism
>>> and realize that folks who go to your shows, sometimes from
>>> great distances, don't go there to be harassed and treated like
>>> criminals.
>>>
>>> Charlie
>>>
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