People are stupid NF Rant

[Peter Panfish]

Edit: And heres a quick back story so it makes sense. Theres a small turn-around/gravel area thing across the road by the bridge near my house. In the winter, alot of people go there to go ice fishing. The majority of them (not all) don't clean up after themselves however, and take way too many fish. And then they have the nerve to call my house and do this:

 

 

 

Honestly, we have had the phone ringing off the hook here for a few days now, and I didn't know whats up. Always just people asking for my mom or dad, sounding all irate about it too. Well today my dad was out at a meeting and my mom was outside somewhere, and I got about five phonecalls from random guys practically yelling at me to tell them how thick the ice is. I don't have a clue how thick the ice is, my dad measures it, and if people keep calling my house and this is how they are talking to us, I think I should start hanging up on everyone who I don't know on the phone. The worst part is that the general consensus of the guys who called didn't even care what I had to say, they just seemed really pissed of at me because I couldn't tell them how thick the ice is. To err on the safe side, I told them it wouldn't be a great idea to go fishing, and I got a whole chorus of well I'm going to be going anyways and you should know how thick the ice is, like its my job. I really wish these people, who are the same people that me and my dad have to clean up after every spring across the road, and who most of take well over their catch limits anyways would just stop calling, and if they really feel the need to call my house, they can stop acting like its their god given right to know whether the ice is good for fishing or not, especially if they are just going to go fishing anyways.

Edited January 18, 2007 by Peter Panfish (Zack)

[Greencoachdog]

Tell them it's skim ice with open patches still.

[Roy]

Good rant, Zack. I understand your position. If someone called me long distance to ask about ice conditions in a rude manner, I might be tempted to ask them to "hold the line please while I go measure it for you".

[fishindevil]

yes roy ,i would do the same. ..or i would say why dont you get your BEEP off the couch and come look for yourself...good point

[Clampet]

That's just insane.

It's hard to beleive people will stoop that low.

[Carp]

IDIOTS !!!

 

Good post Zack.

If you know for sure they have over their limits of fish, report them.

How many fish do they already have at home in the freezer ?

 

If the same people are spotted frequently, even if they only have their daily limit each time,

it should send up red flags. Jot down license plate #s. Take pictures. If you have time,

stroll out there and casually ask how the fishing has been.

You'd be surprised at how many people will brag about "slaughtering 'em" one day and getting

back out there the next day for more.

 

Ask the municipality to put up "No Littering" signs and have garbage cans available.

All they can do is say yes, no, we're monitoring the situation.

At least you've made them aware of the problem.

 

Thanks for posting.

[ccmtcanada]

I understand your pain Zack! Our phone number is very similar to the Home Depot in our area and we constantly get people calling and asking if we have stuff in stock. Since I work for Canadian Tire, I'm thinking of telling them that we dont have it, but Canadian Tire does....LOL.

 

Also...when telemarketers call, I have the urge just say "hold on a sec" and then put the phone down and wait until they hang up...

[irishfield]

I fully understand your pain Zack. I get the same with guys wanting "how do I" when it comes to building their airplanes. They even get rude when Leah won't put them thru to the shop to me and ask her for her name, how to spell it, etc, so they can get her fired. They only want free advise and are never going to buy anything....BUT unfortunately it's part of being in business.

 

You parents are in the same boat. Own/operate a fishing lodge, so you are going to get the ones wanting nothing but free advise being the biggest pain. It's all part of the game, put on a happy face and say sorry..but the channel is wide open...maybe try fishing Callander Bay.

[Carp]

Good moves CCM.

 

I get wrong #'s sometimes because my # is similar to a business line.

Usually, the people are pretty decent once they realize they've dialed the wrong #.

 

I'm quickly running out of patience with telemarketers though.

Seems like every day we get a call for something.

Window and door people at least once a week.

For a while, the same company was calling using different people on the phone.

 

How long can I be polite before I blow a fuse ?

[pikehunter]

It boils down to just one simple word, Idiots. The world is unfortunatly full of them. Get an answering machine and let it screen your calls for you. Good luck.

[Peter Panfish]

Haha, thanks for all the empathy everyone its made the night alot mroe pleasent lol. And Carp, good suggestions, I'll pass em onto my parents

[ccmtcanada]

Hey Zack...no problem...that's what we are here for!

[steverowbotham]

So how dang thick is the ice !?!?! haha

[aplumma]

One answer is that your lawyer has advised you not to give ice reports because it makes you liable if someone falls thru. The important thing is that everyone in the house needs to decide NOT to give reports or they will continue to call and hope they get the person that will give a report.

 

Good luck with the masses

 

Art

[JEREMY]

When it comes to telemarketers I see the number on the phone and let my two year old son answer it and he usually tells them how the the from room hockey games is going by the time i grab the phone they have hung up.Ther was a good email going around for the telemarketers the guy answers the phone and pretends he is a homicide detective i wont ruinn it but that the jist of it i nearly peed my pants listening to it .

[Beans]

I read that Andy Rooney suggests hitting the pound(#) key as soon as you pick up the phone and get dead air (computer dialed)...evidently this screws up their computer somehow...

 

We seem to get fewer telemarketer calls now since trying it...

 

He also suggests stuffing junk mail back in the postage paid reply envelope and mail it back to the sender...

 

Unless you have a wood stove like me...makes good kindling for lighting up...

[steve_paul]

Ther was a good email going around for the telemarketers the guy answers the phone and pretends he is a homicide detective i wont ruinn it but that the jist of it i nearly peed my pants listening to it .

 

Heard that one a while back - it is classic.

 

Zack - good rant, sorry these people are bothering you. The joys of reverse address lookup on in the internet, if the number is not unlisted anyone can get it.

[lew]

In all honesty Zack, what those people are doing is actually something I see suggested on this, and other boards, many many times.

 

People are always asking how's the ice on such and such a lake, is it safe to walk on, howz the fishing ??.......and often, board members will tell them to check with the locals, the tackle shop owners, or the fish hut operators, as their the experts and will know the current conditions.

 

You folks are well known up there and seeing as your right on the water, they just assume your gonna know everything about the ice conditions, and when people need information, you folks are unfortunately gonna be the 1st ones they go too.

 

Actually you could take it as a compliment, being considered the local expert

 

As for the garbage they leave behind, well, theres not much you or any of the rest of us can do about it. There's pigs all over the world and unfortunately, it's probably always gonna be that way, and we'll just have to keep cleaning up after them

[Squid]

Hey Zack. How about writing down some of the callers numbers and handing them out to callers who ask for ice conditions. Tell them that the number is a hotline for conditions. That will learn them

[~CK~]

That's horrible.

 

OK I'm going to admit to something and hope I don't get shot... *DEEP BREATH*

I was once a telemarketer.

 

Having said that out loud, I can tell you from experience that there is a law in place currently in the US and soon to be launched in Canada called the National Do-Not-Call List.

 

United States National Do Not Call Registry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

On June 27, 2003 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission opened the National Do Not Call Registry in order to comply with the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act.

 

The Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003 (Public Law No. 108-10, was H.R. 395 of the 108th Congress) was sponsored by Representatives Tauzin and Dingell and signed into law by President Bush on March 11, 2003. This law establishes the FCC's National Do Not Call Registry in order to facilitate compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991.

 

This registry is intended to give U.S. consumers an opportunity to limit the telemarketing calls they receive. Starting October 1, 2003, when the National Do Not Call Registry was first enforced, most telemarketers were required to remove the telephone numbers on the registry from their call lists.

 

Telemarketers covered by the National Do Not Call Registry have up to 31 days (starting January 1, 2005) from the date one registers to stop calling the consumer.

 

Most telemarketers cannot call one's telephone number if it is in the National Do Not Call Registry. One can register their home and mobile phone numbers for free. Their registration will be effective for five years.

 

If one registered June 27 – August 31 2003, most telemarketers had to stop calling and the consumer may file a complaint after October 1, 2003. If one registered on or after September 1, 2003, most telemarketers had to stop calling and the consumer may file a complaint thirty one days after they register.

 

 

Canadian Do Not Call List

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The government of Canada announced on December 13, 2004 that they would introduce legislation to create a Canadian Do Not Call List. The Canadian list was expected to follow the model set by the National Do Not Call Registry established in the United States in June 2003.

 

Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act, S.C. 2005, c.50 was the legislation which followed this announcement. It received royal assent on November 25, 2005 and will come into force when proclaimed. It gives the CRTC authority to establish a national do not call list, to establish procedures to administer the Act and to levy penalties for violations.

 

Professor Michael Geist, an authority on technology, Internet and copyright law and holder of the prestigious Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa has criticized the changes adopted in the amended Act. He observes that the legislation exempts charities, political parties, polling companies and companies with existing business relationships. Professor Geist expresses particular concern about the extent and duration of the existing business relationship exception.

 

The form the list will take and the privacy benefits it will achieve remain uncertain. A working group of the CRTC has held hearings concerning the implementation of the list. It submitted recommendations[1] on July 26, 2006. As of December 4, 2006, the CRTC has yet to act on the recommendations.

 

 

Just to clarify- most telemarketers are hooked into a computerized system that automatically dials your number from a list of names that are either A ) current clients of the company in question, B ) previous clients of the company in question, or C ) you signed up for something (possibly entered a contest or draw) where they take your name and information and sell lists in bulk to these companies for a profit.

 

Telemarketers have no way of knowing who you are and are not personally attacking you so PLEASE- instead of yelling at them or cursing and threatening or creating loud noises to hurt their ears (they are, after all, just doing their jobs, someone has to do it)... Just simply tell them to "PUT ME ON THE DO NOT CALL LIST" and BY LAW they are required to enter your name and phone number into a National Registry on the computer and NO TELEMARKETER can call you after that unless they feel like paying a hefty fine.

 

Keep in mind it takes 31 days to go into effect so you MAY get calls from the same company between the time you register and the time the computer recognizes your name and takes it out of the system. ALSO keep in mind that you should tell them if you have other numbers (I.E. Fax, cell, etc.. ) that you want put on the list. They are trained to ask you if there are any other numbers that you want added to the list but sometimes they forget (they are only human).

 

Anyway, once you've requested that all your numbers be added to the DNCL just sit back and wait, after about a month those pesky calls should stop coming in. You can find more information about this by going to https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. You can also register your numbers there.

 

Good luck!

Edited January 18, 2007 by ~CK~

[Kirk]

That's awful...so, seriously, how thick is the ice?

 

 

 

(just kidding)

[irishfield]

Thanks Citty Kitty...appears to be USA based though. Won't take 705 area codes.

 

I'm currently putting a tape together..so I can call back "Heather from Collingwood Escapes"... so she can listen to a taped message every day for over 2 months and the phone number for her to call back will be 1-800-eat-s....

[~CK~]

LOL!! Good one..

 

On Topic- OP is your number listed or unlisted?

Edited January 18, 2007 by ~CK~

[Uncle Buck]

Hey Zack. How about writing down some of the callers numbers and handing them out to callers who ask for ice conditions. Tell them that the number is a hotline for conditions. That will learn them

 

Pete hit the nail on the head!!!!

[Roy]

Yeah, I like that too. A self-help group for thick seekers.