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

Richard Fink Sr rfinksr at verizon.net
Thu Oct 9 08:52:55 PDT 2014


Charlie i had a incident some what the same at one of our biggest shows 
near state college Nittany. That was about 8-9 years ago and have not 
been back
R Fink
PA
>> 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
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> AT mailing list
>>>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> AT mailing list
>>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> AT mailing list
>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> AT mailing list
>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>


---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com




More information about the AT mailing list