First, my thoughts and prayers to the family of Captain Scott Bierwiler - may you find comfort in his memory and the lives he touched.
It is with great sadness that the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office announces the in the line of duty death of 42-year old Captain Scott Bierwiler who was killed early Thursday morning in a head on collision. Captain Bierwiler has been with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office for 23 years and leaves behind a wife, three children, his mother, a sister and a brother.
As is the custom in my Irish family,
May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be ever at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rain fall softly on your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow
May the soft winds freshen your spirit
May the sunshine brighten your heart
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you
And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love.
And Finally,
Scatter me not to the restless winds
Nor toss my ashes to the sea.
Remember now those years gone by
When loving gifts I gave to thee.
Remember now the happy times
The family ties are shared.
Don't leave my resting place unmarked
As though you never cared.
Deny me not one final gift
For all who came to see,
A simple lasting proof that saysI loved and you loved me.
God bless and keep Scott
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
American Public Screwed Again
Yes, the American public takes it in the shorts once again. Think that crude prices and the price of gas is not artifical, read on.............
NEW YORK - Crude oil prices have fallen to new lows for this year. So you'd think gas prices would sink right along with them.
Not so.
On Thursday, for example, crude oil closed just under $34 a barrel, its lowest point for 2009. But the national average price of a gallon of gas rose to $1.95 on the same day, its peak for the year. On Friday gas went a penny higher.
To drivers once again grimacing as they tank up, it sounds like a conspiracy. But it has more to do with an energy market turned upside-down that has left gas cut off from its usual economic moorings.
The price of gas is indeed tied to oil. It's just a matter of which oil.
The benchmark for crude oil prices is West Texas Intermediate, drilled exactly where you would imagine. That's the price, set at the New York Mercantile Exchange, that you see quoted on business channels and in the morning paper.
Right now, in an unusual market trend, West Texas crude is selling for much less than inferior grades of crude from other places around the world. A severe economic downturn has left U.S. storage facilities brimming with it, sending prices for the premium crude to five-year lows.
But it is the overseas crude that goes into most of the gas made in the United States. So prices at the pump will probably keep going up no matter what happens to the benchmark price of crude oil.
"We're going definitely over $2, and I bet we'll hit $2.50 before spring," said Tom Kloza, publisher and chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service. "This is going to be an unusual year."
On the last day of 2008, gas went for $1.62 on average, according to the auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express, a company that tracks transportation data.
The recession in America has dramatically cut demand for crude oil, and inventories are piling up. So prices for West Texas crude have fallen well below what oil costs from places like the North Sea, Saudi Arabia and South America.
That foreign oil sells in some cases for $10 more per barrel - and that doesn't even include shipping.
Brent North Sea crude, which feeds some East Coast refineries - and therefore winds up at many gas pumps around America - now costs about $7 more per barrel than the West Texas crude. Deutsche Bank analysts say the trend should continue.
Historically, West Texas International crude has cost more. So nobody bothered building the necessary pipelines to carry it beyond the nearby refineries in the Midwest, parts of Texas and a handful of other places.
Now that the premium oil is suddenly very inexpensive, refiners elsewhere can't get their hands on it.
"It's so cheap," said Lynn Westphall, the senior VP of external affairs at San Antonio-based Tesoro, which owns a half dozen refineries on the West Coast and Hawaii. "But you can't just build a pipeline to everywhere. We know we can't get it."
Tesoro's refineries in North Dakota and Utah use locally drilled oil and Canadian oil, which also has been running about $10 more per barrel than West Texas crude.
So why not build more pipelines? Because investing billions of dollars over several years makes no sense when the prices could just flip a year from now to where they were before.
"How long is WTI going to be cheaper than Venezuelan oil? Than Canadian?" asked Charles T. Drevna, president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association. "You just don't build a pipeline like that."
At the same time, refiners have seen the same headlines as everyone else about job losses and consumer spending. They've slashed production just to avoid taking losses on gasoline no one will buy. Result: Higher gas prices.
"Why should a refiner produce more gasoline when the stuff we produce is not being used?" Drevna said.
Of course, complex explanations of the diverging price paths of West Texas crude and gas are unlikely to placate frustrated drivers. Memories of last summer's $4-plus gas have not receded.
"Drivers are being ripped off even more now than before," said Stuart Pollok, who was filling up recently at a Chevron station in downtown Los Angeles. He pointed out Exxon Mobil Corp. reeled in billions in profits last year when oil prices neared $150.
Others see the conspiracy reaching higher.
"It got really low during the elections and now it's going back up," said Christel Sayegh, a 23-year-old graphic designer in Los Angeles. "They do that every election, though, right?"
NEW YORK - Crude oil prices have fallen to new lows for this year. So you'd think gas prices would sink right along with them.
Not so.
On Thursday, for example, crude oil closed just under $34 a barrel, its lowest point for 2009. But the national average price of a gallon of gas rose to $1.95 on the same day, its peak for the year. On Friday gas went a penny higher.
To drivers once again grimacing as they tank up, it sounds like a conspiracy. But it has more to do with an energy market turned upside-down that has left gas cut off from its usual economic moorings.
The price of gas is indeed tied to oil. It's just a matter of which oil.
The benchmark for crude oil prices is West Texas Intermediate, drilled exactly where you would imagine. That's the price, set at the New York Mercantile Exchange, that you see quoted on business channels and in the morning paper.
Right now, in an unusual market trend, West Texas crude is selling for much less than inferior grades of crude from other places around the world. A severe economic downturn has left U.S. storage facilities brimming with it, sending prices for the premium crude to five-year lows.
But it is the overseas crude that goes into most of the gas made in the United States. So prices at the pump will probably keep going up no matter what happens to the benchmark price of crude oil.
"We're going definitely over $2, and I bet we'll hit $2.50 before spring," said Tom Kloza, publisher and chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service. "This is going to be an unusual year."
On the last day of 2008, gas went for $1.62 on average, according to the auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express, a company that tracks transportation data.
The recession in America has dramatically cut demand for crude oil, and inventories are piling up. So prices for West Texas crude have fallen well below what oil costs from places like the North Sea, Saudi Arabia and South America.
That foreign oil sells in some cases for $10 more per barrel - and that doesn't even include shipping.
Brent North Sea crude, which feeds some East Coast refineries - and therefore winds up at many gas pumps around America - now costs about $7 more per barrel than the West Texas crude. Deutsche Bank analysts say the trend should continue.
Historically, West Texas International crude has cost more. So nobody bothered building the necessary pipelines to carry it beyond the nearby refineries in the Midwest, parts of Texas and a handful of other places.
Now that the premium oil is suddenly very inexpensive, refiners elsewhere can't get their hands on it.
"It's so cheap," said Lynn Westphall, the senior VP of external affairs at San Antonio-based Tesoro, which owns a half dozen refineries on the West Coast and Hawaii. "But you can't just build a pipeline to everywhere. We know we can't get it."
Tesoro's refineries in North Dakota and Utah use locally drilled oil and Canadian oil, which also has been running about $10 more per barrel than West Texas crude.
So why not build more pipelines? Because investing billions of dollars over several years makes no sense when the prices could just flip a year from now to where they were before.
"How long is WTI going to be cheaper than Venezuelan oil? Than Canadian?" asked Charles T. Drevna, president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association. "You just don't build a pipeline like that."
At the same time, refiners have seen the same headlines as everyone else about job losses and consumer spending. They've slashed production just to avoid taking losses on gasoline no one will buy. Result: Higher gas prices.
"Why should a refiner produce more gasoline when the stuff we produce is not being used?" Drevna said.
Of course, complex explanations of the diverging price paths of West Texas crude and gas are unlikely to placate frustrated drivers. Memories of last summer's $4-plus gas have not receded.
"Drivers are being ripped off even more now than before," said Stuart Pollok, who was filling up recently at a Chevron station in downtown Los Angeles. He pointed out Exxon Mobil Corp. reeled in billions in profits last year when oil prices neared $150.
Others see the conspiracy reaching higher.
"It got really low during the elections and now it's going back up," said Christel Sayegh, a 23-year-old graphic designer in Los Angeles. "They do that every election, though, right?"
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Not all HD Dealers are Alike
I have now had the opportunity to compare price quotes and have some revelations:
Front Fork Seals
Old Town Harley $380
Manatee Harley $290
Private Certified HD Mechanic $150
What a difference. IF you were not sure about paying for Ferman overhead, here is the real proof. It would also seem that customers are LEAVING the Tampa HD dealers and are headed to Manatee an Fletchers. Better work, prices that are more in line (less overhead) an NOT associated with car dealers.
The battle with HD rages this week fired my attorney and hired another. Seems that "mother HD" has very long arms and my first attorney fell into the death embrace. My new attorney is a SHARK and been instructed to pull all the stops!! There are a few of us that operate on principal (yes, indeed missing from far too many businesses in Tampa). A reasonble settlement offer expires tomorrow, and based on the testimony of the mechanic (HD Certified), the findings will bury two dealers and HD. ON Monday, my proposed settlement increases well into 5 digits. More to come for those that are interested.
The lines are drawn and I will see HD in Hell first BEFORE I will back down!!
Front Fork Seals
Old Town Harley $380
Manatee Harley $290
Private Certified HD Mechanic $150
What a difference. IF you were not sure about paying for Ferman overhead, here is the real proof. It would also seem that customers are LEAVING the Tampa HD dealers and are headed to Manatee an Fletchers. Better work, prices that are more in line (less overhead) an NOT associated with car dealers.
The battle with HD rages this week fired my attorney and hired another. Seems that "mother HD" has very long arms and my first attorney fell into the death embrace. My new attorney is a SHARK and been instructed to pull all the stops!! There are a few of us that operate on principal (yes, indeed missing from far too many businesses in Tampa). A reasonble settlement offer expires tomorrow, and based on the testimony of the mechanic (HD Certified), the findings will bury two dealers and HD. ON Monday, my proposed settlement increases well into 5 digits. More to come for those that are interested.
The lines are drawn and I will see HD in Hell first BEFORE I will back down!!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Scum by Any Name is Still Scum
While the loss of a dear friend still looms (see post below) I cannot remain silent about Mark Lunsford and the embarrasment he has become. He used the tragedy of the death of his child, a child he should have protected against all others, for his own personal gain. Mark, may your days remaining on this Earth be full of shame and sorrow. You have successfully manage to place a price on that which is priceless......the life of a child. You bring shame to your family, those of us that rode beside you in your alleged crusade for justice and all those that ride a motorcycle. May God have mercy on your soul.............
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Attorneys and the father of a 9-year-old girl slain by a convicted sex offender say the sheriff's office missed several opportunities to save her.
Mark Lunsford and his lawyers say they're considering filing a lawsuit because of what they claim was negligence by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office in the investigation of the disappearance and murder of Jessica Lunsford.
The attorneys released a stack of documents at a news conference today. The documents showed deputies made four visits to the trailer where John Couey was holding Jessica and never asked to go inside. They claim if police had searched the house, they might have found her alive.
While the attorneys contend the girl was held four days and five nights before she was killed, the sheriff's office contends she was killed immediately.
Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsey forcefully disputed the allegations by Lunsford's attorneys. He also said the matter will be resolved in court.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Attorneys and the father of a 9-year-old girl slain by a convicted sex offender say the sheriff's office missed several opportunities to save her.
Mark Lunsford and his lawyers say they're considering filing a lawsuit because of what they claim was negligence by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office in the investigation of the disappearance and murder of Jessica Lunsford.
The attorneys released a stack of documents at a news conference today. The documents showed deputies made four visits to the trailer where John Couey was holding Jessica and never asked to go inside. They claim if police had searched the house, they might have found her alive.
While the attorneys contend the girl was held four days and five nights before she was killed, the sheriff's office contends she was killed immediately.
Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsey forcefully disputed the allegations by Lunsford's attorneys. He also said the matter will be resolved in court.
The Loss of a Friend.....
It is with a heavy heart that I write this note as a near and dear friend - dare I say family member is gone. While I was not related to Dick Fletcher, he was an invite guest into my home every night. The station has lost a great weatherman, I have lost a friend......
Dick Fletcher died February 26 after suffering a massive stroke on Monday, February 18. Dick had been hospitalized shortly after the stroke, but he did not respond to treatment, passing away in the early morning hours of Tuesday.
Dick’s wife, Cindy, and his family were at his side during the final moments. It’s been a difficult time for the Fletcher family, but they have been comforted by the outpouring of support they’ve received from you through comments online, e-mail, phone calls and cards.
“We’ve lost a legend” says Tampa Bay’s 10 President and General Manager Sam Rosenwasser. “People counted on Dick Fletcher for their weather. He really did touch a lot of lives and he will be missed tremendously.”
Dick suffered his first stroke in 2003, but made a quick recovery and was back on the air just a few weeks later.
Dick Fletcher was a giant in the world of TV meteorology. He frequently served on national weather panels and mentored younger meteorologists, teaching them what he knew. Dick pioneered the use of graphics in weather presentations in the 80’s and was a computer master all of his professional life.
Dick Fletcher died February 26 after suffering a massive stroke on Monday, February 18. Dick had been hospitalized shortly after the stroke, but he did not respond to treatment, passing away in the early morning hours of Tuesday.
Dick’s wife, Cindy, and his family were at his side during the final moments. It’s been a difficult time for the Fletcher family, but they have been comforted by the outpouring of support they’ve received from you through comments online, e-mail, phone calls and cards.
“We’ve lost a legend” says Tampa Bay’s 10 President and General Manager Sam Rosenwasser. “People counted on Dick Fletcher for their weather. He really did touch a lot of lives and he will be missed tremendously.”
Dick suffered his first stroke in 2003, but made a quick recovery and was back on the air just a few weeks later.
Dick Fletcher was a giant in the world of TV meteorology. He frequently served on national weather panels and mentored younger meteorologists, teaching them what he knew. Dick pioneered the use of graphics in weather presentations in the 80’s and was a computer master all of his professional life.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
HOW CAN YOU SELL WHAT YOU DO NOT OWN?
Looks like Charlie Crist is at it again. How in the WORLD can he think that he can lease State roads or bridges when they are OWNED by the taxpayers??? OK, so let me see if I get it. I rent the Skyway Bridge and then close it???? If I paid to lease it, why can't I lock it up? Maybe charge $50.00 per crossing? How about closing it and making it a BIG fishing pier. Charlie, get a grip!! You cannot lease that which you do not own. See Below...
Maybe we spend LESS, cut the government fat and SAVE some money.........a NEW concept in government.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Faced with a $2.5 billion budget shortfall over the next two years, Florida leaders are considering selling 50-year leases on some state toll roads and bridges in exchange for large sums of cash from private investors.
In a preliminary study, the Florida's Department of Transportation estimated a 50-year lease on Tampa's Sunshine Skyway Bridge could be worth $1.3 billion if investors were allowed to set tolls at "market rates." The study used the example of the SunPass toll, which would double in the first, fourth and 10th years of the deal, climbing from 75 cents to $5 within a decade on the Skyway.
Florida would follow the lead of other places including Indiana, Chicago and San Francisco, which have made billions from similar deals to sell road leases to private entities. Florida's $8 billion-a-year road construction budget faces challenges such as declining gasoline tax revenue and higher materials costs.
"We won't do it unless it is good for the state," Gov. Charlie Crist has said.
Opponents worry Florida drivers could get a raw deal over the long-term because private investors would make big profits from aggressive toll hikes. And they fear privatization could hurt the poor.
"Take Alligator Alley. For many people, that's the only way to go from east to west Florida and vice versa," said Sen. Mike Fasano, a New Port Richey Republican who is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. "It would be controlled by a private entity that could raise tolls ad nauseam. It could make it unaffordable for people to travel."
A law passed this year allows Florida to lease roads operated by the Transportation Department, but not by Florida Turnpike Enterprise. The turnpike's system's roads, including the Veterans Expressway and Suncoast Parkway, can't easily be leased because they're all part of a system that's tied together financially.
That leaves four roads: Alligator Alley, the Sunshine Skyway in Tampa Bay, the Pinellas Bayway and a state-owned stretch of the BeachLine Expressway (formerly the Bee Line) in central Florida.
But the upkeep costs of the Tampa Bay area's toll bridges would lower the price that investors would be willing to pay for them. Officials say Alligator Alley, the long, flat road through the Everglades, could be the most lucrative choice for privatization.
Leasing Alligator Alley, which runs between Naples and Fort Lauderdale, could bring in $500 million to $1.3 billion depending on how high the toll could rise - either to $6.75 or a $10 in the first decade.
For the Skyway, a more politically palatable deal would raise tolls by 50 percent starting in the first, fourth and 10th years, rather than doubling it. In a decade, Skyway drivers would be paying $3.50 in cash or $2.50 via SunPass. More price hikes would follow in the next 40 years.
Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, co-sponsored the legislation this year that allowed the leasing toll roads. It wouldn't make sense for companies to raise tolls so high that drivers would avoid the roads, he said.
Maybe we spend LESS, cut the government fat and SAVE some money.........a NEW concept in government.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Faced with a $2.5 billion budget shortfall over the next two years, Florida leaders are considering selling 50-year leases on some state toll roads and bridges in exchange for large sums of cash from private investors.
In a preliminary study, the Florida's Department of Transportation estimated a 50-year lease on Tampa's Sunshine Skyway Bridge could be worth $1.3 billion if investors were allowed to set tolls at "market rates." The study used the example of the SunPass toll, which would double in the first, fourth and 10th years of the deal, climbing from 75 cents to $5 within a decade on the Skyway.
Florida would follow the lead of other places including Indiana, Chicago and San Francisco, which have made billions from similar deals to sell road leases to private entities. Florida's $8 billion-a-year road construction budget faces challenges such as declining gasoline tax revenue and higher materials costs.
"We won't do it unless it is good for the state," Gov. Charlie Crist has said.
Opponents worry Florida drivers could get a raw deal over the long-term because private investors would make big profits from aggressive toll hikes. And they fear privatization could hurt the poor.
"Take Alligator Alley. For many people, that's the only way to go from east to west Florida and vice versa," said Sen. Mike Fasano, a New Port Richey Republican who is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. "It would be controlled by a private entity that could raise tolls ad nauseam. It could make it unaffordable for people to travel."
A law passed this year allows Florida to lease roads operated by the Transportation Department, but not by Florida Turnpike Enterprise. The turnpike's system's roads, including the Veterans Expressway and Suncoast Parkway, can't easily be leased because they're all part of a system that's tied together financially.
That leaves four roads: Alligator Alley, the Sunshine Skyway in Tampa Bay, the Pinellas Bayway and a state-owned stretch of the BeachLine Expressway (formerly the Bee Line) in central Florida.
But the upkeep costs of the Tampa Bay area's toll bridges would lower the price that investors would be willing to pay for them. Officials say Alligator Alley, the long, flat road through the Everglades, could be the most lucrative choice for privatization.
Leasing Alligator Alley, which runs between Naples and Fort Lauderdale, could bring in $500 million to $1.3 billion depending on how high the toll could rise - either to $6.75 or a $10 in the first decade.
For the Skyway, a more politically palatable deal would raise tolls by 50 percent starting in the first, fourth and 10th years, rather than doubling it. In a decade, Skyway drivers would be paying $3.50 in cash or $2.50 via SunPass. More price hikes would follow in the next 40 years.
Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, co-sponsored the legislation this year that allowed the leasing toll roads. It wouldn't make sense for companies to raise tolls so high that drivers would avoid the roads, he said.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Harley Davidson Craftmanship is DEAD!!!
Recent letter to the CEO and President of Harley Davidson regarding my 2004 Ultra Classic........
James L. Ziemer
CEO and President
Harley Davidson, Inc.
3700 West Juneau Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
Dear Mr. Ziemer:
My disappointment is only overshadowed by my disillusion.
I hope you will pardon my intrusion on your time, however, as an owner (used to be “proud”) of a 2004 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic, my experiences of the past few months has left me with a very bad taste in my mouth. I hope you will allow me to elaborate on my experience.
Over the past year, I have experienced a recurring problem with the front braking system on my 2004 Ultra Classic. My Ultra Classic has now been at four (4) dealerships on seven (7) occasions for repairs and the problem yet to be fixed. Between visits two and three, I lost all front brake usage, resulting in a very near miss at an intersection with cross traffic. Each and every service has yet to correct the problem, resulting in 80 to 100 percent front brake loss.
Additionally, my most recent visit for scheduled service resulted in poor performance of the service department when the spark plugs were not installed properly, resulting in the loss of compression, performance problems and an additional service visit at an out of town dealer.
The culmination of my disillusionment was yesterday, Sunday, August 5, 2007. While traveling on the Interstate, my throttle cable snapped at highway speeds, with less than 19000 miles on the bike. I coasted to a stop and proceeded to call the Old Town Brandon (Florida) dealership and spoke to the General Manager who was unable to offer assistance in towing my disabled bike. Please keep in mind that I was (am):
Approximately 22 miles from the dealership.
A HOG Chapter member at this dealership.
Please allow me to continue as it goes from bad to worse. I contacted the Roadside Assist program for a tow to the dealership and proceeded to wait over 3 HOURS for a tow that was NEVER provided. It was only through the hard work of my friends that a trailer was secured and my bike taken home. The incident happened at 3:30ish in the afternoon and I finally arrived home after 9:00PM, no thanks to Harley Davidson, the Old Town Brandon (Florida) dealership or the Harley Davidson Roadside Assistance program.
Mr. Ziemer, to quote both the HD Website and the Annual Report, there are two (2) comments that stand out as outright untruths:
We don’t just deliver bikes, we deliver experiences” – if this is an example of the experiences that are delivered, thank you but no thank you, I can live without these experiences.
It began as a Motor Company, It became a family – if this is how my family treats me, I prefer to be emancipated. Mr. Ziemer, if this is how you believe that family is treated, I dare say that the founders of Harley Davidson must be truly disappointed in the generations to follow them.
Sir, while I believe that you may care about the organization, it is quite clear that I, as an individual, am nothing more than one owner and a dollar sign on a dealership ledger. Based on my experience to date, my Harley Davidson experience has been far from stellar and poor at best.
The only good that has come out of my HOG experience to date are the Brothers and Sisters that I can both depend on and call friends. Had it not been for friends like these, I would still be on the side of the road.
In closing, I will continue to ride my Harley Davidson and enjoy the experience of the wind in my hair and the open road. As to the organization, I will always remember the poor experience, a dealership that does not appear to care and a Roadside Assistance program that failed, time and time again, to deliver the services promised.
I pessimistically await your response.
Martin G. McDonough
James L. Ziemer
CEO and President
Harley Davidson, Inc.
3700 West Juneau Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
Dear Mr. Ziemer:
My disappointment is only overshadowed by my disillusion.
I hope you will pardon my intrusion on your time, however, as an owner (used to be “proud”) of a 2004 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic, my experiences of the past few months has left me with a very bad taste in my mouth. I hope you will allow me to elaborate on my experience.
Over the past year, I have experienced a recurring problem with the front braking system on my 2004 Ultra Classic. My Ultra Classic has now been at four (4) dealerships on seven (7) occasions for repairs and the problem yet to be fixed. Between visits two and three, I lost all front brake usage, resulting in a very near miss at an intersection with cross traffic. Each and every service has yet to correct the problem, resulting in 80 to 100 percent front brake loss.
Additionally, my most recent visit for scheduled service resulted in poor performance of the service department when the spark plugs were not installed properly, resulting in the loss of compression, performance problems and an additional service visit at an out of town dealer.
The culmination of my disillusionment was yesterday, Sunday, August 5, 2007. While traveling on the Interstate, my throttle cable snapped at highway speeds, with less than 19000 miles on the bike. I coasted to a stop and proceeded to call the Old Town Brandon (Florida) dealership and spoke to the General Manager who was unable to offer assistance in towing my disabled bike. Please keep in mind that I was (am):
Approximately 22 miles from the dealership.
A HOG Chapter member at this dealership.
Please allow me to continue as it goes from bad to worse. I contacted the Roadside Assist program for a tow to the dealership and proceeded to wait over 3 HOURS for a tow that was NEVER provided. It was only through the hard work of my friends that a trailer was secured and my bike taken home. The incident happened at 3:30ish in the afternoon and I finally arrived home after 9:00PM, no thanks to Harley Davidson, the Old Town Brandon (Florida) dealership or the Harley Davidson Roadside Assistance program.
Mr. Ziemer, to quote both the HD Website and the Annual Report, there are two (2) comments that stand out as outright untruths:
We don’t just deliver bikes, we deliver experiences” – if this is an example of the experiences that are delivered, thank you but no thank you, I can live without these experiences.
It began as a Motor Company, It became a family – if this is how my family treats me, I prefer to be emancipated. Mr. Ziemer, if this is how you believe that family is treated, I dare say that the founders of Harley Davidson must be truly disappointed in the generations to follow them.
Sir, while I believe that you may care about the organization, it is quite clear that I, as an individual, am nothing more than one owner and a dollar sign on a dealership ledger. Based on my experience to date, my Harley Davidson experience has been far from stellar and poor at best.
The only good that has come out of my HOG experience to date are the Brothers and Sisters that I can both depend on and call friends. Had it not been for friends like these, I would still be on the side of the road.
In closing, I will continue to ride my Harley Davidson and enjoy the experience of the wind in my hair and the open road. As to the organization, I will always remember the poor experience, a dealership that does not appear to care and a Roadside Assistance program that failed, time and time again, to deliver the services promised.
I pessimistically await your response.
Martin G. McDonough
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)