08-23-2013, 08:55 AM
I'm wondering if there's a mechanism besides e-mail for providing Bob with feedback, as when he says he'll do planning and publicity, he doesn't do a very good job, and I've stopped exhibiting on his tours or going on them to other layouts due to this poor planning. Unfortunately, I've found that telling Bob things doesn't seem to work.
EDIT: since this is "Upper Berth" anyhow, I'm going to explain a little more clearly what I mean.
I think the last tour that Bob organized that I went on was in the southern part of LA County, including a layout in a beach city. It was scheduled for a July Saturday. As it happens, parking is very difficult in that town any time, but on a summer Saturday, with all the beach traffic, not just parking, but getting into the place at all, is simply impossible. So when did Bob schedule the tour? A summer Saturday, of course! I drove the whole way there from another layout, and couldn't even get out of my car. Waste of time, waste of maybe $10 gas.
Other layouts on other tours, the address was insufficient (street numbers not visible, street names not covered by signs, etc) and the layout owner didn't bother to put up his own signs. Did he expect Bob would do this for him? The post above suggests maybe Bob gives this impression -- just open your layout, Bob will do everything else! NOT.
Other tours, the layout is in a garage, and the owner runs it for whatever reason with the garage door closed. No sign, no "go around to the back", nobody else home to answer doorbell. Does the owner figure Bob will be outside to tell people what to do?
This all goes to poor communication on Bob's part, poor coordination with layout owners, poor leadership, when it gets down to it. And with gas in the area around $4 a gallon and layouts at distances all over the region, wasted gas and wasted time mount up.
Not only that, but the overall quality of layouts is poor. Again, people are driving many miles to see layouts not worth the trip. On the other hand, there are good layouts that aren't getting on tours.
There has to be a better way. What we're seeing now is basically an ego trip from a guy who likes to post on every forum out there, but who won't listen.
EDIT: since this is "Upper Berth" anyhow, I'm going to explain a little more clearly what I mean.
I think the last tour that Bob organized that I went on was in the southern part of LA County, including a layout in a beach city. It was scheduled for a July Saturday. As it happens, parking is very difficult in that town any time, but on a summer Saturday, with all the beach traffic, not just parking, but getting into the place at all, is simply impossible. So when did Bob schedule the tour? A summer Saturday, of course! I drove the whole way there from another layout, and couldn't even get out of my car. Waste of time, waste of maybe $10 gas.
Other layouts on other tours, the address was insufficient (street numbers not visible, street names not covered by signs, etc) and the layout owner didn't bother to put up his own signs. Did he expect Bob would do this for him? The post above suggests maybe Bob gives this impression -- just open your layout, Bob will do everything else! NOT.
Other tours, the layout is in a garage, and the owner runs it for whatever reason with the garage door closed. No sign, no "go around to the back", nobody else home to answer doorbell. Does the owner figure Bob will be outside to tell people what to do?
This all goes to poor communication on Bob's part, poor coordination with layout owners, poor leadership, when it gets down to it. And with gas in the area around $4 a gallon and layouts at distances all over the region, wasted gas and wasted time mount up.
Not only that, but the overall quality of layouts is poor. Again, people are driving many miles to see layouts not worth the trip. On the other hand, there are good layouts that aren't getting on tours.
There has to be a better way. What we're seeing now is basically an ego trip from a guy who likes to post on every forum out there, but who won't listen.