As above - the first time ive had this with regards to my duc....im not gonna diverge the seller - I just retaliated with a flamer so we'll see if it goes up a notch...but expect some of you'll put 2 and 2 together... Ill summarize.... Went on hols to the states a few weeks back. Before I went I contacted various companies to see if it was possible for me to buy stuff on my card but have it sent to where I was staying. All of them were very accommodating and got my stuff to me on the designated day someone was at the villa waiting to accept it. Apart from the one. I asked him like the others if this was possible and he was difficult to talk to, to say the least and in the end I just ordered it a few days before and timed the buying and the carriage type to arrive on the said day. It arrived a day early and luckily it fitted inside those little boxes that the yanks have at the end of the driveway. Otherwise that would have been a pain in the arse to go and get from the USP. So I come to fit the kit the other night and find that theres no mount point that I can see for the final connection. I mail him and ask and within a few emails back and forth I get told that I should know more about the bike im working on. Cheeky cunt. I bought the kit on his website which he claimed was for mine but the mount point clearly wasn't there (took a photo and sent it back to him along with said flamer) and told him he shouldn't be flogging stuff for a bike which didn't fit and to update his photo's as well at the same time.... Too harsh or no?
Not harsh at all, some Americans are like that. Despite the fact that we both allegedly speak the same language, there is a communication barrier at times, I have found that in some cases you might as well be be speaking Martian! or something. The American's don't always communicate what they really mean and if they don't want to do something or don't like the idea they don't come right and and tell you such. I had this problem years back so nothing has changed it seems.
Strange as whenever ive dealt with anyone over there they've always gone out of their way to make sure youre happy - even when we were actually there...dealt with, Simpson, Roadlok and a couple of ebay sellers who were all great - this bloke was I think after the second email difficult... Weve been going to the states on and off for the last 20 years and its their politeness and their need to keep you happy that keeps us going back...problem is we can only go once every 4 years or so as we run up a huge credit card bill spending... One of the blokes in our office said "you should always die owing a million..." - im striving for that.
I use to be in America virtually every year at one point. We owned a lockout there and rented it out and subsequently travelled all over the US and at one point into Hawaii. It depends on where these people are situated. As was described to me by one American most of middle America is the Hunting, Shooting and Fishing type and effectively don't have any degree of sophistication. I thought that was a strange thing to say but I subsequently found it to be true to an extent. The most rudest place to go to is New York and most laid back is probably San Francisco and some parts of Hawaii, my sons wife is American also so over the years I have had my fair slice of "Americana" and it's come to a point where I would no longer go there. We eventually took to going to Mexico and the attitude and atmosphere there was far different and the people there were much happier to see and deal with you although they like to barter a lot. The average American is not a big earner particularly in middle America and they survive a lot more on tips and they also discretionary payments then we do, this does drive up service and manners. To be fair I was in a McDonald's years ago and when they said "have a nice day" they certainly sounded like they meant it whereas over here there would say the same and add sir on the end only it was spelt CUR! I have a Chevy engined car and going over there at one point was like auto heaven as motor parts always seem to be cheap because of their reliance on vehicles. Their little "communities" especially in Florida have weird rules as well like not leaving your car on the drive at certain times, it was "illegal!!" to put your boat on the drive in one area I went to.
I've worked for an American company for 17 years, and I've found it best not to rely on e-mail, but to get on the phone and speak to them. As George Bernard Shaw allegedly observed "two countries separated by a common language"
I think its because we don't go year in year out that we enjoy it. This just really surprised me as ive never experience that before...plus we only do the Disney thing for the kids, so I haven't been exposed to the rest of the country. Having said that I think I still would like to go back but maybe not to florida as that's all we really know.... See what comes back into my inbox....if something does, based on the fact he was pretty short anyway despite me being polite im expecting a return flamer...
^^^ Very true and even when you meet them sometimes they think you are Australian and not English, I had that several times.
Ahhhhh but they can be mistaken because they are usually englishirishscottishgermangreekjewishetc in decent so it's only right to give them a break. I knew an american who said he was Scottish although he was born in the USA and so was all his family for about 9/10 generations before.
They've only heard of Australia. They have no idea where it is. And as far as NZ is concerned they think it's in middle earth
as far as north americans go,,,i have to speak quite often to the canadian office through work & they are normally very efficient & friendly. can't do enough to help out. i haven't had much dealings with the usa, been there a few times though and i thought it was great. a few months ago, i emailed dan kyle at kyle racing to see if i could buy one of his steering damper kits but after a couple of emails, he made it so difficult to deal with, i just decided not to bother. it was as if he wasn't interested in his product let alone sell it!
good luck to you. maybe if you started the conversation talking about 16" diameter hamburgers or dodgy hotdogs, in other words, no bike bits, he may listen to you.
Americans aren't prepared for regional accents. They think everyone sounds like Hugh Grant or Alan Rickman. Scouse or Geordie throws them completely.
When my father was alive, he was a naturalised american citizen, I used to go quite often. I liked the place and its people and got on well with them. Okay they may have frowned on my cussing habit but they got used to me. Strange how cussing upsets them more than anything else. I spent much of my time there in backwater areas, such as in Oregon etc. Ive only had good experiences. The local police were cool too. In fact I have to say they made me feel welcome and they were all very generous with their hospitality.
It's interesting that most Americans think that Falkland Islanders will have a Scottish accent... I have no idea why, or where they think the Falklands actually are...
