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Race_pirate
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 11:07 am: | 
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This is America, as Americans we have the right to buy and drive what we want. Unless he signed some sort of goofy contract, this whole issue is crap. He earned the money he can spend it on what ever he likes, unless someone re-wrote our constitution and our laws, and didnt tell me.... |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 11:42 am: |
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If the same logic is applied, someone in the Army shouldn't drive a foreign car, right?
Actually you should all drive tanks! |
T9r
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 11:47 am: |
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Sent this news article to Matt Drudge, of Drudge Report.com I hope he'll feature the article on his webpage. |
Mikej
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 01:15 pm: |
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If I worked for a company like this my thoughts would be that if they want to dictate what I own or drive or dictate where I live then they should pay for it. If not then I look for work elsewhere. I've passed on a few jobs that have in-town/county residency requirements.
This is simply a sign of a strong lack of confidence in the brands they carry. |
Mikej
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 01:23 pm: |
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Kind of funny thinking about it. Whenever I'm down at or by the Buell plant I see a fairly wide variety of bikes in the parking lot or in the beds of pickups or on trailers owned by the employees. Same as when I go by the various Harley plants in the area. In fact one local Harley/Buell dealership has several employees (and one or more of the co-owners) who own optional brands of bikes.
Reminds me of that kid who got kicked out of school for the day for wearing a Coke/Coca-Cola t-shirt on a day that they were having a Pepsi sponsored event.
Simply sad. |
Rek
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 01:27 pm: |
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You can always send an email to Babbit's Sport Center and let them know how you feel. 
info@babbittssportcenter.com
Rob (I did) |
Dark_ninja
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 10:40 pm: |
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Rek,
I did just that. You should see the very nice email I got back telling me that I didn't understand the circumstances and that I was being added to his "Defemation of Character" Lawsuit.
If Blake wants I'll post the full email traffic so everyone can see what a jerk the guy is. |
Slaughter
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 10:46 pm: |
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Geeez... I'd love to read the doofus' logic on "Defamation of Character" - assuming you kept it cool in the emails.
If appropriate, you betchya - post the SOB's response. Be nice to see how a paranoid lunatic sees himself. |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 10:58 pm: |
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I like how the company is willing to sell a used Harley, but won't let the menchanic drive one???
What a putz! |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 11:13 pm: |
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I just realized that the Lake Express ferry in Milwaukee goes to Muskegon. Question is would it be worth the trip to tell this guy to his face that he is a putz? |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 11:17 pm: |
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Edward C. Babbitt
Founder/Owner,
Babbitt’s Sports Center
“Most of all, 4-H taught me that I could achieve whatever I wanted to with the right initiative. As much time as we spent in 4-H, I learned that if you put enough into it, it would work out.”
In 1965, Oceana County 4-H’er Edward C. Babbitt began what has grown into a multi-million dollar hobby and very successful business—Babbitt’s Sport Center. Best known for sale of personal watercraft, jet boats and snowmobiles, Babbitt’s Sport Center also sells lawn and garden equipment, sportswear, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. His marketing success earned him Muskegon’s Entrepreneur 1997 Award recognizing his business’s growth in sales, unit volume and number of employees. He has also received several awards for sales and service, including the Suzuki Super Service Award for 19 years and Polaris and Arctic Cat’s Snowmobile Retailer of the Year for multiple years.
Babbitt has also been honored in Muskegon County as a generous supporter of community organizations including the Association of Retarded Citizens and Zonta International. He has supported several Christian education schools including The Calvary Christian School, West Michigan Christian School and Grand Haven Christian School. He chairs, with his wife Pamala, the Flag Committee for Zonta, which provides highway flags for special Muskegon celebrations and national holidays. He has also served as a Muskegon County 4-H volunteer leader.
(Message edited by koz5150 on August 01, 2005) |
Blake
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 02:52 am: |
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DN,
By all means, feel free. Post away. |
T9r
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 07:28 am: |
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Here is the famous photo I was thinking about...
On a different note:
Coke Employee Fired for Drinking Pepsi
http://www.indiaresource.org/news/2003/4444.html |
Mtnchld
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 02:26 pm: |
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I emailed him as well
This is America!!
It’s a sad, sad day when a privately owned company can dictate what an employee can or can’t do regarding legal ventures outside the office on his or her time off.
Shame on you, I hope you lose quite a bit of business for your nearsighted selfish decision to fire Tom Kekoni.
The Karma Gods can be a bitch and I’m sure they’ll come to bite you in the butt for this one.
Respectfully,
Hey I have a question-
How is it wrong of an employee to own a Harley if the company trades and sells used Harley's???
Ummm... That makes no sense???
He got fired for owning a product they buy, sell and make money off of??????
Only in America
(Message edited by mtnchld on August 02, 2005) |
Ara
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 03:15 pm: |
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This reminds me of a similar, single mistake that a successful motorcycle dealership made many years ago here in north Alabama. The dealership sold several brands of motorcycles and also sold kerosene heaters during the winter months to help offset off-season motorcycle sales. One year we had a horrific ice storm that essentially shut down the northern half of Alabama. The power grid was down and all the kerosene heaters in town were sold out. This motorcycle dealership managed to get some heaters trucked in dispite the weather (a good thing) and then sold them for twice the retail price (a very, very bad thing). They claimed extenuating circumstances too, and the owner made an appeal in the local newspaper for understanding. It didn't help or matter. He was out of business in a matter of months.
If Mr. Babbitt does anything to defend his decision - a letter to the editor of the paper, a lawsuit, anything - he'll put the finishing touches on his own suicide. The only thing he can do to salvage this situation is to publically appologize to the man he fired and offer his job back at increased pay. Time and time again the public has proven itself very sensitive to matters that touch on business ethics, and they'll vote with their feet and their wallets every time. |
Ara
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 03:26 pm: |
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T9r: Good thinking! I'm going to be looking for it on www.drudgereport.com!
I can't help but wonder what other tyrany this employer perpetrates. I wonder if he employs people who don't vote the way he votes or who don't attend church at places of worship that meet with his approval. |
Light_keeper
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 04:10 pm: |
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" I did just that. You should see the very nice email I got back telling me that I didn't understand the circumstances and that I was being added to his "Defemation of Character" Lawsuit.
I'm courious. What are the other facts? Has he said what they are? |
Loki
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 05:54 pm: |
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neither condoning or defending.
Take a step back and look at it from the other side. As a person who has been on both sides of this equation, I ask this of all.
I agree that the firing is over the top, for purchasing said product. Simply put, I would rather discourage employee from riding that particular motorcycle to work. Pointing out my reasons to employee for my rationale. While laying out the consequences for breaking faith on my wishes.
Future customers will make assumptions based on what they see and hear. All employees are representatives of their respective employers. Almost all of us have our bitches about this in regards to HD and Buell.
-How would it look to a customer buying Brand A and seeing the technical staff riding away on Brand D.
-How would it look having employees wearing work clothes showing Brands A/B/C and Employer while riding Brand D.
BTW the Employer is not a dealer for Brand D.
--Do not make assumptions based on what you may see on the floor. He may not deal in Brand D, but sure as heck will take one in on trade. He is trying to sell his product and improve his bottom line. If he happens to turn that trade and makes a profit from it, so be it.
--The Employer has a right to protect his livelihood and future. He can set certain conditions for your continued employment(although said conditions should be in writing and signed by all parties). With respect to before/after hire on conditions.
--Has the reasonable expectation that you will support the employer and not the direct competition.
Like I asked at the beginning, take a gander from the other side. You may not agree with what I just typed, so be it. When I first read the article, I was not of clear mind afterwards. It took some time to let the emotions filter out and look at it logically.
Let me restate something though. I do not agree with the totality of the action at this time. Then again I also do not know all the relevant data points. From what I have read, another slightly different approach would have been taken by myself. |
Bomber
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 06:00 pm: |
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As Loki said, we don't know all the background -- could be that, as a condition of employment, folks were asked not to ride things into work, ya da ya da ya da -- for all the reasons the Micheveous One outlined --
agreed, a bit harsh and extreme, and likely bad bidness (which carries it's own outscomes) along with bad gris gris --
still and all, a strange tale indeed |
Phonemanjustin
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 08:51 pm: |
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The local radio station interviewed Mr Babbitt the other day. He stated
"I let the employee go because he bought a bike from a COMPETITOR not because it was a HD."
He also went on to state that the defamation of character lawsuit was because the newspaper said it was because he bought a HD.
Mr Babbitt also stated he sponsors several HD clubs and does service on the HD product line.
Michigan being a right to work state, he could have fired the tech for not organizing his toolbox if he wanted too. |
Koz5150
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 09:30 pm: |
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Unless he is willing to post a sign that says "no parking for vehicles bought from competitors" I don't see how this guy riding his bike to work, much less just purchasing it justifies the firing. The guy is WRONG and I would be more than thrilled to be able to tell it to his face! |
Phonemanjustin
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 09:34 pm: |
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He actually never rode it to work. He told some of his fellow employees.
I emailed the radio station to see if I can get a copy of the interview, I will keep you posted. |
Mikej
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 08:37 am: |
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So this would mean that if it was a TacoBell and an employee was seen walking to the adjacent McDonalds for a milkshake then that said TacoBell employee would be fired for buying a competitors product, regardless of the fact that most TacoBells do not sell milkshakes.
Just goes to show that regardless of what you do you can still step in a pile of dogdoo from time to time, regardless of which side of the fence one walks on.
 |
Paroyboy
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 12:33 pm: |
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I work at the HD plant in York and ride a Moto Guzzi to work. It's usually parked between a Triumph Speed Four and a Ninja! Theres never been a problem with it and we arent asked to park at the back of the lot! Whatever happened to the mantra of "as long as it has two wheels, it's ok by me"? There is a big discussion about this on the Guzzi board too. I printed out a couple copies of the story and will post them at work with the web site and the e-mail. |
Chellem
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 10:19 pm: |
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I also think that firing is over the edge. But a Salesman, or a technician, or really anyone at a dealership (Harley in particular) speaks through actions as loudly as words. What an employee is saying is, "yeah, I'll work on these bikes, I'll even sell you one if you want, but when it comes to actually using one myself? NO THANK YOU I'll take Brand X." It affects their credibility as salesmen or techs or whatever they are. How can people believe that THEY truly believe in what they're selling?
It might not matter to another brand, but Harleys have EXTREME brand loyalty, and believe me, people talk about this kind of thing, in parking lots, at HOG ralleys. Dealers whose employees ride competitors' bikes can become laughing stocks. You think customers don't LOVE going up to the dealer principal and saying, so, what's-his-face doesn't choose to ride one of YOUR bikes? How should he react?
Like I said, firing was probably over the edge, but employees who pull up and park a bike that clearly competes with the Harley or Buell product line are sending a VERY clear message, through their choices, to customers. And it's not a good one. |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 05:51 pm: |
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If an employer tried to enforce rules like that in France, He'd be stomped on hard, probably be union boycotted as well.
The company I drive for has an exclusively Volvo Truck fleet & has just celebrated 40 yrs with Volvo Trucks, I can count the number of Volvo cars in the car park on the fingers of one hand,
we have over 500 trucks running out of this yard.
We haul a lot for Peugeot & Citroen & you see all kinds of car in the factory lots.
Land of the free?  |
Thunderbox
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 01:41 pm: |
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I just feel sorry for the people who work at the local pretzel factory. Only allowed to eat pretzels untill retirement. Wow |
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