[at-l] Stiffed by Hiker

[rainbowsprings@dnet.net (Jensine)]

Jim,
There used to be tremendous grapevine of providers.  Unfortunately some
places have closed, some new ones
have opened, and some have changed ownership.  Basically, I've contacted the
folks in the Companion, either by
email or phone. Back in the Blizzard of '93 I had a list of where every
hiker was from Neel's to Fontana.
The problem with this incident was, since he was here on 3/21, and I didn't
get the check returned until 4/6,
since it was on a Texas bank, there was a fairly large time frame, and I
needed to contact the folks in Erwin,
Hot Springs and Damascus.
I apologise if some were offended by my describing this person.  However, I
felt a description to the best
of my ability was needed to put the alert out on this guy.  I'm being
critized by some for posting legitimate information.
America's Most Wanted does more on National TV than what I did.
If you were robbed, raped or whatever, would you not want any witnesses to
give the authorities the best
description possible?
Today I had a young female hiker in who wanted to pay by check and I had to
tell her no, but did tell her
why.  So what this kid did ruined a possible payment method for other
hikers.
So if it makes you feel better critizing me, please feel free to do so, as
I'm tough and can handle it.
Jensine
----- Original Message -----
From: Jim and/or Ginny Owen <spiriteagle99@hotmail.com>
To: <at-l@backcountry.net>; <icw39@ncfreedom.net>
Cc: <rainbowsprings@dnet.net>
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2002 2:55 PM
Subject: [at-l] Stiffed by Hiker


> Clark Wright wrote:
> >Well, I've held out as long as I could stand it! :)  Here are my
> >thoughts, based on my legal practice and experience as owner of a small
> >outdoor sporting goods store:
>
> <snip>
>
> >I do not mean to judge anyone here; only to suggest not judging quite so
> >sharply and publicly on the list where there are criminal and legal
> >overtones.
>
>
> Clark -
> You make some good points - but you also overlook a couple.
>
> In '92 there was a character on the Trail who hiked (a little), yellow
> blazed (a lot), spent a LOT of time in towns (specifically - in the bars)
> ---- and stiffed a whole lot of hostels and other service providers.
There
> wasn't a good communication network between service providers at that time
> (and obviously still isn't) - except in Maine.  So that's how far he got
> before the cops came looking for him - Maine.
>
> How much ill will did he leave behind for the rest of us to deal with?
I'd
> bet that you dealt with some of it when you hiked.
>
> It's not bad enough that he did that to the AT and the thruhikers who
> followed him - he did it again a year or so later on the PCT and left a
> trail of crap along the Left Coast as well.
>
> There are people who are chronic offenders - and they need to be stopped -
> for their own sake as well as for the sake of the community.
>
> I don't know about you, but if there's a way to stop this latest
> manifestation, I think earlier is better.  Forgiveness is wonderful, but
as
> someone once told me - forgiveness without remorse is self-deception.
>
> As for the "general description" -- I don't think so.  Saying that he's
> 5'11", dirty with a dark beard and a pack just puts 90% of the male
> thruhikers under automatic suspicion - for no conceivable reason.  A
> specific description is a necessity. Name and address (and bank account #)
> in addition is even better.  Like nearly everything else - vague
> descriptions are useless, misleading and create more problems.
>
> I think it's time for us to quit playing with this thing and get Jensine
> phone numbers of the service providers both north and south of Rainbow
> Springs so when (not if) this happens again, she can spread the word for
> them to look out for him.
>
> So - for Jensine - If you don't have a copy of the book, ALDHA's
> "Appalachian Trail Thru-hiker's Companion" is online at:
> http://www.aldha.org/comp_pdf.htm
>
> The Companion has phone numbers of the main service providers along the
> Trail. Personally, I'd suggest that you talk to those other service
> providers and set up a phone tree so when this kind of thing happens (and
it
> does, even if it's not widely known) you can talk to each other and pass
> information along the Trail. But that would have to be your decision - and
> your action.
>
> Finally - for Clark - I find it bizarre that you implied that if a man
> stiffs me like that, it's not legal for me to tell him "pay up or I'll
> prosecute".  It eliminates the possibility of giving him the opportunity
to
> correct an honest mistake and leaves prosecution as the only recourse.
> Legal or not - I consider that to be nonsense.  Did I misunderstand that?
>
> Walk softly,
> Jim
>
>
>
>
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