North Carolina Rant

Ron

Ron

Dum Spiro Spero
Moderator
Joined
Apr 16, 2005
Location
Sharon, SC
So last Friday night I get the call from a very close and long time friend, he was understandably upset at having just learned that due to state budget cuts he would be losing his job come June 1, 2011. Ok that sucks, feel for ya...let me know if I can help, blah blah blah.

He makes ~32k/year and has a masters degree..chooses to work for the state instead of private because it is "his calling" turned down more lucrative offers in the past etc. So all-in-all he is one of the smarter folks I know and he will be ok. He will land on his feet of that I am sure. He has a positive attitude and life will not hold him down.

So fast forward to Saturday AM.

I am heading to the Flats to help lay out, mark the course and
prepare for the upcoming ECORS race next Saturday...when what should come zipping passed my on 321 North?

Why this:
DOT 1.jpg

DOT 2.jpg


Now I was cruising along at a high rate of fuel consumption when this little SUV blows by me running at least 85mph...

But what is intereesting is the NC permanent tags and Tag Number DOT 2..

Those pics were taken with a crappy blackberry while I piloted my vehicle and towed a trailer so....its not the best.

But Hopefully you can make out the make....Mercedes ML 550 just in case you can't.

See I am all for anyone driving anything they want...but why is the tax payeer footing the bill for a Mercedes ML550?

that is a $75,000 vehicle.
Let's sya this position requires a small SUV...heck a Ford Escape is roughly the same size...thats a $23,000 vehicle. and yes I am going there if this person drove a Ford Escape instead of the ML550...why my buddy could have had his job an extra 18 months...just think how many of these are running around?

How many other jobs could be saved by gov't employees driving reasonable vehicles?

This just hit me wrong and pisses me off.

Rant Off....

For my next rant forum members who ask for and are granted there own sub section, yet dont have a single member that donates $5.50/year....Shawn I will deliver that one in person...
 
I can't say for sure... but my first guess is that's a personal vehicle. Living in Raleigh, I see lots of those "special" plates riding around. Legislators each get one, numbered for their district.

That said, NCDOT is ... well... this would be among the least of their transgressions. ;)
 
pretty sure the tag said permanent on it...I dunno it pissed me off at least.
 
*HP? Those pics are about 2miles from my house, lil shorter if you just took a right through the woods:lol:
 
I thought permanent tags looked different?

Playing devil's advocate... say that's the head of the NCDOT... and i'm sure he/she gets paid a crappy salary also (for a comparable private sector job)... but gets the perk of driving the "company's" Benz...

Ratlab makes a valid point also.. I know of several "cop" cars around here that were seizures (ie. Mustang Cobra's, Trailblazer SS's, etc.)

On another note... what does your buddy do... we're in the market for a good Geotechnical Engineer right now...
 
Its the spend it or loose it mentality... Just another example of waste...

Dono what I'm talking about though, I couldn't balance Bev's budget, I tried :flipoff2:
 
uncc civilengineer said:
What does your buddy do... we're in the market for a good Geotechnical Engineer right now...
Click to expand...


He works for the NCFS....not 100% sure what his title is...I know he wriotes state management plans for forest land and some kind of soil analysis sampling work...
 
saf-t scissors said:
I can't say for sure... but my first guess is that's a personal vehicle. Living in Raleigh, I see lots of those "special" plates riding around. Legislators each get one, numbered for their district.
Click to expand...
I see a lot of those plates in and around Raleigh too.About 80% of the time they are driving like they don't have a brain in their head,Usually way too fast and weaving in and out of traffic.
 
I'm with ya on the waste things rob.
Example 1: The Hickory exits on I-40 just got some lights. I read it was a 1.5 million dollar project.

Example 2: They have began marking my road for re-paving. I just don't see it. Although it may be because they have marked it as a I-40 detour or alternative. The reason for this is that there are 4 miles between my exit, and the next one further west.

Example 3: I am rolling along at 70 mph, a sheriff's car passes me doing 80 or so, he passes a lot of cars, then gets off an exit. I also get off that exit, he pulls into a convenience store, walks in and grabs a soda???

Example 4: When I used to read the local paper, there was often an article about how the Sheriffs dept was about out of running cars. My thoughts were if they would opt to replace engines, trannys and so on instead of buying new cars, they could stretch the budget a lot further. Not sure if they still do, but at one time Hickory City cop cars were bought when they were a couple years old, and all cops on the force had one assigned to them, to take care of as if they owned them. At the time I was told this, they had a good track record of it's success.

Many others but I'll stop there. I feel for your friend, hope he gets something soon
 
That's not a permanent plate, the permanent plates are those silver plates, no blue on them.

I'm betting that is a personal vehicle that has those special plates like elected officials get.

But even so, doesn't mean the state doesn't waste money like it is going out of style. Company I used to work for did work on the governors mansion renovation. Talk about waste, I can think of over $200k they wasted just to have it look pretty or busy for a press conference.
 
saf-t scissors said:
I can't say for sure... but my first guess is that's a personal vehicle. Living in Raleigh, I see lots of those "special" plates riding around. Legislators each get one, numbered for their district.
Click to expand...

this is the first thing that came to mind.
 
For my next rant forum members who ask for and are granted there own sub section, yet dont have a single member that donates $5.50/year....Shawn I will deliver that one in person...
Click to expand...

If the goal is to have the most paid subscribers then I see your point. If the goal is to build the best community possible then I don't.
Why the disdain for those of us who choose not to make a donation or choose not to make a donation every year?
You make a donation, you get access to premium features. I don't make a donation, I don't get access to those features. Seems pretty straightforward to me.
 
Fart said:
If the goal is to have the most paid subscribers then I see your point. If the goal is to build the best community possible then I don't.
Why the disdain for those of us who choose not to make a donation or choose not to make a donation every year?
You make a donation, you get access to premium features. I don't make a donation, I don't get access to those features. Seems pretty straightforward to me.
Click to expand...

rons point is specifically about a group of nonpaying members who wanted their own subforum and got it, which used resources funded by us paying members. he said nothing about the average nonpaying member. kinda makes this the welfare state of NC4x4, at least we voluntarily pay the taxes here :lol:
 
Fart said:
If the goal is to have the most paid subscribers then I see your point. If the goal is to build the best community possible then I don't.
Why the disdain for those of us who choose not to make a donation or choose not to make a donation every year?
You make a donation, you get access to premium features. I don't make a donation, I don't get access to those features. Seems pretty straightforward to me.
Click to expand...


My guess is he is talking about one of the too many new club forums, and one of the groups must not have any paying members.
 
^^ I see the point, but I'd like to make a few of my own...
1) The "resources" at stake here are a few minutes of an admin's time to set up the new section and a tiny bit of bandwidth and storage. More than likely there was excess bandwidth and storage on the hosting plan already and they're simply putting idle resources to use.
2) I see what appears to be a Google Adsense ad, a vendor section (more paid advertising), and a store where people can buy hoodies, shirts, stickers, and koozies. Site donations are not the only way to contribute.
3) Most successful internet models today involve drawing in a good user base first, and reaping the rewards later. While they might not be paying members today that will change with time as they become more involved and reap some of the benefits of being part of this community. Hostility towards new members will never convert them into paying members.

Then after bidding and watching cars go at the state auction makes me want to sell every thing I own there. The state gets top dollar for everything there for some reason? I think the drug dealers who lost them are over bidding to get the cocaine out of the gas tanks and tires? But that vette would have been a good chunk of change put back into the taxpayer system...
Click to expand...

I agree...The inexpensive cars go for outrageous amounts. Most of the time I can find one cheaper on Craigslist and actually get test drive it before buying. Some of the more expensive vehicles have seemed like good deals to me though.
 
awheelterd said:
rons point is specifically about a group of nonpaying members who wanted their own subforum and got it, which used resources funded by us paying members. he said nothing about the average nonpaying member. kinda makes this the welfare state of NC4x4, at least we voluntarily pay the taxes here :lol:
Click to expand...

I believe the issue is that if you don't choose to support this forum, the special features shouldn't be available to you.

I started one of the new club forums back in October, not everyone in the group is a paying member, but we do have 14/40 right now, and once I remove the people who haven't made any effort to come out with us, that number will be better.

Also talked to Trailhugger a while back about getting all members a supporting account as part of club due's, and should be doing that in mid march - april once we get the money worked out.
 
Fart said:
^^ I see the point, but I'd like to make a few of my own...
1) The "resources" at stake here are a few minutes of an admin's time to set up the new section and a tiny bit of bandwidth and storage. More than likely there was excess bandwidth and storage on the hosting plan already and they're simply putting idle resources to use.
2) I see what appears to be a Google Adsense ad, a vendor section (more paid advertising), and a store where people can buy hoodies, shirts, stickers, and koozies. Site donations are not the only way to contribute.
3) Most successful internet models today involve drawing in a good user base first, and reaping the rewards later. While they might not be paying members today that will change with time as they become more involved and reap some of the benefits of being part of this community. Hostility towards new members will never convert them into paying members.
Click to expand...


I guess what bothers me (and I said I wasn't going to address it here but I suppose it has enough attention now I should say my piece) is I consider Shawn and Cydnee friends.

I see the dedication, support, time, effort, passion and money they pour into the local off road community. I have watched them sweat and work their asses off to provide coverage just of our ECORS events to folks who couldnt make it out and wanted to watch. I see the major improvements this community has made in the past 18 months since the change of ownership (and that is in NO WAY a slap aimed at Rob S, I think he did a great job, but over time his passion moved on to other hobbies...) Shawn and Cyd have breathed new life into this forum, this community and our hobby/sport. And for someone to not place a personal value on that of $5.50/year..heck with 'em. They aren't worth having around in my opinion.

I am all for the internet model of draw as many people as possible and let ad clicks run their revenue stream, but to see a club section set up and have an active list of members, have the forum be open to everyone to view and post, and yet not have a single paying member in the club...well that screams entitled little rich kid to me. "I want my own hang out, I dont care who else comes, but this place is mine, and I dont want to pay a thing for it." Really why does that deserve a sub forum to clutter up the home page (doeesn't really bother me I never get farther than the new post button but still)? In ever society or sub section of society you are either a contributor or a leech....

Seriously.

It's 5.50 a year. It aint going to break anyone. Heck if $5.50 is more change than you can spare, then you dont have time to be on this forum doing anything more than checking the job hook ups thread. The rest of your time should be spent looking for a job, a better job or picking up aluminum cans.

Sorry rant off.

I fully expect this to get moderated, deleted, or moved as it calls positive attention to 2 folks who deserve it but dont crave it...but someone needed to say it.
 
I guess upon further reflection, I feel like some of the sub forums are dividing the potential of this site.

We get little cliques going and there is no NC4x4 anymore. just a bunch of fractured subsects.

I'm all for a treu club having a dedicated bulletin board to discusss when there next meeting is, or having a centralized place for club votes etc. But when you have a sub forum and talk about where you are going wheeling that weekeend or discuss tech issues with someone's rig...heck bring that to the main board.

Maybe I want to join you on that trip.
Maybe I have the answer that is stumping you.
Or maybe, next time something is stumping me I will see how you solved your problems.

Dunno...just a bad trend in my eyes.
 
This thread has been an eye opener. Thanks Ron.

I've been here for a while and honestly didn't even know I COULD contribute.

I inquired a few months back about a sub-forum and Shawn was very helpful. I appreciate that. I just looked at my original email to him and I did ask if we could contribute to the site. I didn't geta repsonse to that question but he did set up the subforum for us. I'm not blaming Shawn by any means but maybe if folks knew they could contribute, they would. I contribute to several sites and I would have certainly contributed here if I could. I will also encourage visitors to our sub-forum to contribute as well.

After seeing your original comment, I looked everywhere I could think of for a way to contribute and couldn't find it.

I'm not the most attentive guy in the world, it may have been in an introductory email or something.

Either way, point me to it and I'll contribute.

Chris
 
Ron said:
I guess upon further reflection, I feel like some of the sub forums are dividing the potential of this site.
We get little cliques going and there is no NC4x4 anymore. just a bunch of fractured subsects.
I'm all for a treu club having a dedicated bulletin board to discusss when there next meeting is, or having a centralized place for club votes etc. But when you have a sub forum and talk about where you are going wheeling that weekeend or discuss tech issues with someone's rig...heck bring that to the main board.
Maybe I want to join you on that trip.
Maybe I have the answer that is stumping you.
Or maybe, next time something is stumping me I will see how you solved your problems.
Dunno...just a bad trend in my eyes.
Click to expand...

We have made an effort to post all our trips in the Upcoming Events with a Months notice to everyone, we like to discuss those events in advance and work out the details prior to doing so in the club forum.

I completely understand what you are saying, and we are guilty of it some I suppose. I would be more than willing to pay for Vendor Status to run the subforum if they chose to make it that way, but for now I will just encourage our members to support the site.

This is what our club forum looks like right now inside.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3326/forumviewm.jpg

Won't post the image because it would take alot of space up.
 
Its a personal vehicle owned by an elected offical. They get special plates if they so choose. Be mad at the state the drivers salary is high enough he can afford it, don't knock the guy for spending his earnings how he sees fit.
 
Back
Top