Sunday, May 10, 2009

Watch Out!!

A legendary auto sales trainer, Jackie Cooper, was fond of saying, "Winners do what losers won't". Combine that outlook with tunnel vision, no patience, and less than stellar driving skills and you have a considerable "downside" potential. Over the years I have been banned from driving vehicles up display stands and pulling trailers.

My first ban came after a customer expressed a desire to see the underside of a 4x4. The shop was closed but a display stand was open so I pulled the truck up the ramp to the stand. Unfortunately I drove off the side of the ramp and the truck landed on its side. Took a wrecker to set it upright. While waiting for the wrecker, the customer was able to examine the underside to his complete satisfaction. After making a price reduction we made the sale.

The trailer ban came about when a problem kept the customer from taking a 40' tilt bed trailer home. I agreed to deliver it the next day. The fact I had never pulled that long a trailer didn't seem important until I turned a corner too short and dragged a new car into another new car with the trailer wheels. The trailer wasn't damaged and I was able to deliver the trailer without wrecking anything else. My employer then banned me from ever pulling a trailer. Of course, these things get forgotten in the heat of battle and, over a span of several years, he had four more reasons to keep the ban in effect.

In the next few weeks I need to trailer a Class B RV from Pierre, SD to Colorado but am having a difficult time borrowing a truck and trailer. I thought these people were my friends!

8 comments:

Old NFO said...

Hmmm.... past experience maybe??? Just pull out the old Army liscense :-)

I did that with a fork lift liscense a couple of years ago (the liscense had been issued in 1979) and they said okay and handed me the keys!

Anonymous said...

Don't let the old fart fool you. I saw the whole thing! What he failed to state , it TWO TOW TRUCKS to correct his doing. also I was in the act of trying to sell the justy that was directly UNDER THE truck that he "parked". The only saving grace to his actions , was the great feeling on the other salesmen was the look on the face of the owner roger, and the trouble it caused to the sales manager trying to explain to him what haqppend. Great day for the sales team, Dirty AL

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Why don't you go buy a lottery ticket?

See 1/24/08 posting.

Jan said...

I guess it's a REALLY good thing that we're not towing a trailer half way across the country in June!!! And you're worried about MY driving???? LMAO

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Trailer? I will bring my traler.

Pens Of The abyss said...

The fact that well seasoned fool tows a trailer makes me worry about all my brothers and sisters, and my wife.....and my parents..and every other soul on this earth.........no offence..........There should be a law...lol

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Unless, of course, it is something you need cartage like tires, dressers, etc.

Anonymous said...

Or weeds....sorry you the best trailer tower there is.