Soaring Community Consumer Warning

Yeah, I know I said I was done. I changed my mind. That's the least of many offenses committed in this thread.

I don't blindly defend anyone. Nor do I base my assessment of what's right on whether I like someone. I examine what's being said and by whom, compare that to my own experience and research, and then offer a defense when it seems warranted. In this case, at all times I've said that neither I nor anyone else really knows what happened between Bob DeLeon and Tim Mara except them.

We do know what's happened since then, however, and I don't need anything except my own moral compass to know something's gone very, very wrong. Several posters have made comments about the way we do things here in America (not always very diplomatically). Well, like it or not, in this country you're innocent until proven guilty. I object to the way a few have chosen to indict and convict Tim on the basis of another guy's accusations and Tim's refusal to get involved publicly. From Sean's most recent post (well, it was the most recent 10 minutes ago but I haven't checked since):

"Again, I am pretty happy with my position that the original poster of this thread was telling the absolute truth about his experience with Wings and Wheels."

Sean, it must be wonderful to always know who's telling the truth. I don't know why Tim hasn't spoken up. I do know, based on communicating with him directly, that there's another side to the original Bob DeLeon story. I promised not to disclose this version--and it would be hearsay anyway--but I can say that after comparing the two accounts and the points on which the two guys agree (one being that Tim did, indeed, hang up on Bob, and the other being that Bob did, indeed, insist somewhat forcefully and repeatedly that he be allowed to keep his sailplane listed on another site), I'm much happier supporting Tim right now than I would be supporting Bob. Am I absolutely certain, as Sean claims to be? Of course not.

As to W&W's exclusivity policy, I don't know how long it's been in effect or how it's been communicated in every case. Is it “secretive”? I agree it's not disclosed on the site. Several references now have mentioned that it's been communicated via email, at least sometimes. Horrors!! When's the last time you clicked on "free offer" on a Web site and only then learned you had to register and provide personal information to get it? Annoying? Maybe, depending on how much you really wanted that free offer (nothing is free, guys). But deceptive or unethical? Some obviously think so; others disagree.

Whatever your opinion about whether this make sense for W&W or how sellers react to it, I can't see how anyone is harmed. Two thirds of sailplane ads are still on W&W so I guess those sellers have decided it's worth it even if some don't like it.

If your free ad is already on W&W and you don't use another site, there's no problem. If you don't like the policy, you can start off on another free-ad site and switch to W&W later, like Bill Elliott did. Or vice versa. You're going steady, not getting married. If, like Bob, you try to put your ad on W&W and another site and you're told you can't, your free ad stays visible someplace no matter what. And you can always change your mind.

I think Bob put his finger on the real "harm" here in the closing lines of his original message:

"Beware soaring community of those who make it tough on you…like hanging up on you and not listening. Instead, patronize those who go the extra mile and work with you."

Hanging up and not listening. Seems to me that this was, and still is, all about a bruised ego.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"
U.S.A.