November Meeting on Tuesday the 3rd (1 Viewer)

[pandathrust]

Location: Ippolitos Italian Restaurant (5277 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross, GA 30092)
Time: Officially starts at 7:30pm, but many arrive around 6:30 to meet/catch up with each other.
Major Topics of Discussion:
- Last Ride: Annual at Ralph's
- Upcoming ride: Gulches
- Anything else anyone wants to bring up

Hope to see all newcomers and veterans there!

 

[TeddyBoy]

Only 4 of us here tonight, very sad.

 

[HENDOG]

Sorry, I was dealing with Family issues. I had already put in 4 hrs of driving when I got home. Too exhausted to drive across town fighting traffic all the way, for a mediocre Italian Meal!
Here goes that can of worms---Nobody is seeking us out, due to the fact that nobody can afford to wheel a Cruiser, due to the Rich boys driving up the prices on them. I have History with the Club--- I wheel a Cruiser ---I am a Dinosaur!!!! They became extinct!!!
New Clubs seem to be meeting on Facebook. They plan rides and whoever shows up that's the club!

I love you guys but where do we head from here???

 

[TeddyBoy]

Here goes that can of worms---Nobody is seeking us out... New Clubs seem to be meeting on Facebook. They plan rides and whoever shows up that's the club!

I love you guys but where do we head from here???

You said it yourself, and this coming from someone who hates bookface but the facts are the facts... Facebook!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If this club aint doing Social Media these days then the we are in fact in trouble. FYI - We had an 80 guys how up as a visitor and increased the attendance by 20%.

And just for good note, Robert actually sent the guy an email this morning informing him of the STLCA ride. How about them Apples!!??

My rant... and this is gonna rub some the wrong way but if it don't change it wont matter, besides it's not like it's not been discussed already. I get that things come up, traffic, work, hair washing day, whatever... but "we" oughta be making more meetings than "we" miss and that jus' aint happening these days. The effort has been waning for a long time and that's worrisome.

Also, After the Annual last weekend where only 2 BOD members showed (good Job BTW Adan) and now to not have a single BOD member shows up at a meeting is a bad statement to the rest of the membership body. Sorry, but when you volunteer you have some obligation. just sayin.

I dunno - maybe the SC guys need a new member.

 

[robustbambi]

The club just isn't the most important thing in my life. Building my career is, so anytime there is a choice between work and play, I'm going to choose work. Sorry if that rubs some of y'all the wrong way.

 

[pandathrust]

I'm not sure if you guys venture over to Facebook often (it doesn't really sound like you do) but the Georgia Cruisers actually has a Facebook page... Georgia Cruisers

You guys might want to take a look at that before you go onto mud ranting about how the club NEEDS social media to succeed. A Facebook page is no good unless it's members are on it posting up as well, not just the moderator (ME). Since it seems like absolutely none of the ga cruisers members are willing to take on such a minuscule job such as contributing to the Facebook page in any possible way, I feel that none of you have the right to whine about how nothing is being done to improve. The fact is that the "BOD" has consisted of two, maybe three people this entire year simply because the lack of reliability and drive the other BOD members seem to have. It gets kind of difficult giving 2 people the job of basically every other BOD members as well... With that being said, elections will be held at next month's meeting and I do hope that the members who now seem to be voice their opinions so strongly will stand up and take a position on the BOD.

 

[TeddyBoy]

well that went about as well as I expected, not as I'd hoped though.

Valid points by both and don't totally disagree, was not trying to strictly point out the BOD but instead was more a general observation about the membership as a whole. Like I said above this has been discussed openly for months now.

That said - Adan, you've illustrated my point to large degree , you and Patrick have towed the line mostly but not entirely. Not a lot different throughout the years though, remember I was Pres, Vice Pres and something else for 4-5 years running so you're not telling me anything I don't already know. Some helped more than others and after while I got burned out.

As far as my opinions, well for love of the club I'm gonna keep speakin my mind. Whining is not what we're doing here. More to point, choosing to have an open discussion about where we are and where we're going is a perfectly valid topic. And for what it;s worth, these aren't just my opinions, I'm just the one who chooses to put a voice to them.

So, Henry posed the question: where do we head from here? It's a perfectly good question and he's exactly correct. Social Media is far outstripping forums when it comes to reaching out to potential new comers. As much as Ive invested in MUD it can not hold a candle to getting word out like FB.

 

[jynx]

As my MIL likes to say, "not my circus, not my monkies", but as an observer who has an interest in how this discussion progresses, and as someone who is looking at a similar scenario here are my thoughts.

We haven't had an STLCA meeting in Nashville in months, maybe not since GSMTR. We have tried, but as someone who is only part of a name on bookface, I generally rely on MUD to try and round up folks. The last attempt we made we got little interest so we called it off. Even though we have members hours apart, we have enough on the rooster locally that we could have 4-8 regulars easily, but don't.

I have a few thoughts on why and the most likely is that people just don't care enough to make it a priority. I'm guilty, but like Ted and Aidan mentioned, there comes a point after the phone rings with no answer that you hang up and find something else to do. If folks don't care you can't make them. I try and fail with regularity, but I try. I work long hours, am building a house and have too many projects to even keep up with, life gets in the way and I understand that better than most, but I try to make time. I struggle to get to events and rides, but my problem there is a good one, my better half loves it too. That's great, but that means little bit has to come too, that's cool, for a few hours, then somebody has to watch her and since Erin likes beer and bullshitting it ain't fair to make her go to bed early, we have no family within a hundred miles so nobody to watch her, plus we have an antisocial dog who hates most people and pet's and can't be left in a 900 SF apt, so for us, a trip is a major deal that requires some planning. Saying all that to just illustrate the point that I know how it goes, but we typically try to make 3 or 4 trips a year (this year being an exception, moving, kindergarten and building a barn, literally, and house have cut into spare time)

I also think a huge part of it is people and personalities. Back in the day, if you liked Cruisers or Toyotas, you found this group and you all hung out together. If the first time you met someone you didn't jive, but you wanted to be in the sport, you worked it out and eventually you became friends probably very good friends. These days if personalities clash, you get on FB and "unfriend" them and you find another group that you want to try on. People have pretty much lost the ability to tolerate pretty much anything. Political correctness has run wild and people seem to look for a reason to be offended on someone else's behalf, just because they can. Feelings are like porcelain and seem to get hurt too damn easy, and on the other side, folks seem to think they can say whatever they want and figure if you don't like it, E'f you, almost like they try to pissed folks off, peoples are more polarized now than ever and I think that crap is bleeding over into places we never thought we'd see it.

Anyway, I digress, the question at hand is how do we move forward with these clubs? MUD is the extent of my social media, so I'm not gonna be much help there. I am not sure, but I believe the TLCA membership has been dropping as well, or it at least isn't growing any. So where DO we go from here?

Sorry for the rant/ opinion interjection, but I want to see the clubs grow, I want to meet folks and make new friends, but I don't know how and am genuinely looking for some insight.

 

[southerntaco98]

Well to start a business you have to advertise and put the work in same with anything. I don't make meetings bc it's to far away for us to drive just to eat. I have been wanting to start a club here and have enough contacts to do so. We can be the South Ga Cruisers lol. But I will hit a u turn and chase ppl down or see a toyota parked and will put a number on the window. I plug Ga Cruisers every chance I get. Some folks don't care to join a club tho. My point is ppl ain't gonna come to the club the club has to go get ppl then over time it will take off. If each person can recruit one new member the club doubles in size. So next time you see I nice rig going down the road make it a point to stop them and talk instead of just wave. Maybe even run them in a ditch and use your winch to get them out LOL JK haha....

Also if I start a club I'd like to see the meetings on Saturday or Sunday evenings in a field with a cold beer and some nice trucks maybe a grill and burgers I know I'm a redneck lol

 

[HENDOG]

We got a great core of people, that's the best thing about the club. Yes we rib each other pretty hard, but we all know if anyone needs help we will try our best to do what we can! I do think our country is in a real funk lately, this doesn't help. Disposable income is little to none, that's for sure. But we all need an outlet to gather and gripe, as I always say "you guys are cheaper than a psychologist!". Even if I don't always like what you say about me I grin and bear it because I know somebody will sprint down to the bottom of the hill like a Gazelle to see if I still have a pulse after I roll my Cruiser a few times--- Isn't that right Downhill Dave??? So that being said Lets not give up , we will keep seeking the path of enlightenment, and Wheel on!!! If you want to discuss this subject STLCA is having their Annual meeting here Camping and Wheeling starts this Fiday! (Not sure if I can make it but gonna try!)