Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 10:52:33 -0400

From: "flyhg" <flyhg@snet.net

Subject: Mistreated ground crew RANT

The following is from my wife who had her truck damaged at launch yesterday by someone who thought it would be cool to spin their tires in the loose gravel and rocks when they left - I think this was the last straw for her, but the info may benefit those who may be taking their ground support for granted.

RANT ON.

HOW TO LOSE YOUR NEXT RIDE BACK UP TO LAUNCH, or PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I SAY

"NO":

1. Plop your butt into the back of MY truck without asking.

2. Plop your butt into the back of MY truck without asking AND without introducing yourself.

3. Plop your butt into the back of MY truck just because it looks like there's room for one more body. Hey, idjit, that space was for MY stuff that hasn't been loaded yet!

4. Have the nerve to tell ME that there's room for more people after I've already said "that's enough."

5. After I've told you to go ahead and climb in, invite six more of your friends to join you in the back of MY truck without asking me if it's OK.

6. After I specifically and politely ask that you only enter and exit MY truck through the tailgate (I have perfectly legitimate reasons for asking this, which will become painfully evident with the next line),ROLL YOUR EYES when you think I'm not looking and climb over the side rails of the bed of MY truck anyway, scratching the paint down to the primer with your belt buckle in the process.

7. To add insult to injury, upon reaching launch, proceed to exit the bed of MY truck by swinging your legs over the side rails and sliding down the bed sidewalls on your fanny, scratching the paint AGAIN with the rivets on the backside of your Levi's (grrrrrrrrrrr).

8. Throw your bag in the back of MY truck while it's up at launch without telling or asking me, and just assume that I'm headed back down to the LZ, and then having the NERVE to get upset with ME when your bag doesn't show up at YOUR destination and at YOUR convenience. FYI, I wasn't issued a crystal ball as part of my hang gliding lessons. (IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION: this is not an issue if you ASKED and through no fault of either party, one, or the other, or both, did not end up at the intended destination. Stuff happens.)

9. Climb in the back of MY truck with an entire group of your buddies, all guzzling open bottles of beer, and not offer one to the driver(ME)upon reaching launch. I'll probably say "no, thanks!" anyway, since I don't want to drink and drive your no-good lazy carcasses up and down the hill all day, but dammit, you could at least offer.

10. Finish off your beer, soda, candy bar, etc. and leave your trash in the bed of MY truck for ME to clean up.

11. Start to load your glider on MY rack without asking or finding out which other gliders already have reserved space on this trip up.

12. Tell ME that MY rack will hold another glider. Believe me, I know how many gliders MY rack will hold, and if I say TWO is all I'm taking up this time, I'm taking TWO, not THREE, not FOUR, not FIVE, and NOT YOURS. Even if it looks like there's space on MY rack, if I already have two heavy hi-perf gliders up there, I've reached MY weight limit. If I've got two Falcon 170s, yeah, maybe I can put two more up there. But it's MY decision, not yours.

13. Allow your kids to use MY vehicle as their own personal Jungle Gym.

14. Assume that because I'm female, that I'll be more than happy to baby-sit your kids while you're off cavorting in the wild blue yonder. Hey, it's MY day off. And I don't do kids. Especially YOUR kids. Period. You sprouted 'em, you take care of 'em.

15. Do a hole-shot exit from the launch parking lot in your own vehicle, sending loose rocks the size of small planets flying into MY vehicle, denting the drivers' side door and damaging the paint down to the metal, and sending up a cloud of dust that threatens to block the sun over the entire Northeast for a week and bring on another ice age.

16. Park your vehicle at launch to unload your equipment, then proceed to set up and completely forget that you left your vehicle parked there, effectively blocking six other vehicles from leaving the launch area. Hey, I love walking around for a half hour asking "is that your Ford Subdivision over there?" only to find out that you launched five minutes earlier (with your keys).

17. Treat me like a second-class citizen because I'm on the ground.

...and this is the one that cuts me to the core (didn't your mama teach you

any manners at all?!?):

18. Fail to thank me for the ride up (oooh, that's a biggie....).

[An addendum to #18:
Fail to offer sharing in the expense of getting your glider up the hill on 
MY truck. I often won't accept the outstretched 5-dollar bill, but hey, NOT offering will likely mean that I will be "full" next round no matter how empty I look.
JB]

Any one of these of and by itself is not a problem. But multiple occurrences over and over and over and over again g-r-r-r-a-t-e-s on a person, and completely ruins what should be a wonderful, relaxing, enjoyable experience for everyone. Think about your actions. I came to spend the day with MY loved one, not to be your personal slave because you didn't have the forethought to consider how you were getting your butt back up to launch. A little common courtesy does wonders for everyone's enjoyment of their respective day, whether it be in the air or on the ground. I'll gladly help anyone, but don't you DARE take advantage of me.

The problem is that I've always been too nice, and have allowed myself to be taken advantage of. No more. Commit any of these 18 deadly sins, and you're hoofing it. So, please understand when I say "NO". It doesn't mean I'm a bitch, it means I'm finally fed up, and you're on MY list.

RANT OFF.