Here's a piece I wrote some years ago about an incident that happened in the early '70s. You'll read the piece and the reaction to it from Duane Ausherman, who figured prominently in the action. I don't know how this will make you feel about me. I was so caught up in the accident, the attempt to repair the BMW and the emotional aftermath that I can't get totally clear about it all.
See what you think: http://w6rec.com/duane/bmw/citybike.htm
3 comments:
Why didn't he just offer to fix your bike in the off season. From his article it sounds like the reason he didn't explain the fix to other dealers was simple competitive advantage. There's an ethical limit to that.
For example, the family of early obstetritions who invented forceps found themselves able to save the lives of women and children in the middle of a breach birth. They kept their invention secret over generations, iirc, using the forceps only under a shroud to protect their competitive advantage. Many women and children died in Britain during the years they maintained their trade secret.
Hi Mitch!
I've never understood why he acted the way he did. I'd never heard the forceps story, awful to read it. I've had thirty (more now) years to think about Duane's refusal to help in any way, and I'm stumped. I have to say, and you may agree or argue, that I expect more from motorcycle guys. Not squids, not bikers, but motorcycle guys. Thanks for checking out my blog!
That must have been frustrating to not be able to get him to fix your fork. If you read both sides of the issue, I did, there are two sides to it.
You don't mention any animosity toward the rest of the manufacturing/distribution system that had a problem and covered it up. It is as if Duane, being the accessible part of the equation, but having no previous business tie to you, is taking the blame for a systematic problem that he was actually trying to mitigate.
It is really bad that that happened to you. I'm sure it has been the cause of sleepless nights on both yours and Duane's parts. To write the article you wrote and then for Duane to write the piece that he did, is evidence of that.
Timing can play havoc with what we wish would happen. What was going on with Duane at the time? Had he just had a quarrel with B&S over that issue and did that color his reaction to you? Sometimes people come to an impass over something that could have been worked out if circumstances were different. Not knowing your approach or the timing makes me not take sides in this issue.
Some people are good mechanics and some people are good salesmen. If you are talented and very careful as a mechanic, you can make it in the business world. Salesmen are usually rewarded more than mechanics and often are more successful at running dealerships. I posit that Duane may have been the superior mechanic and you bought your bike from the better salesman. Sometimes, the alliance with the better mechanic pays off.
I see that all the time in my bicycle shop. People buy from the flashy shop and then want my service if their shop can't fix their problems. In all honesty, there is some empathy for Duane's side of the story because of that.
You carrying that resentment doesn't hurt Duane, it hurts you. He didn't make your bike wobble. (Wobble, what a whimsical word for something that had such drastic results!)You've read the explanation of what was going on with him and I should think that would help it not seem so personal. You sure don't have to like him, but did he really do anything bad?
Chuey
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