[at-l] Palmerton Hostel

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

It would help if the non-offending hikers were to adopt an attitude that 
they will not protect such behavior through silence. I note that a couple 
of posters expressed discomfort with becoming involved. I agree with 'live 
and let live' when the behavior only offends some social norm but if 
someone (the hostel host or fellow hikers) is being or will be hurt by the 
behavior it's time to let it be known that the behavior isn't acceptable. 
If that means volunteering to the host who the guilty party is to avoid 
false attribution of the behavior to someone else or the hostel closing, so 
be it.

At 08:52 AM 9/21/2004 -0400, Jan Leitschuh wrote:
>Whether hikers know it or not, hostel owners already have an informal 
>"telephone network." It cost no more money that a phone call or e-mail.
>
>I saw this in action at Andover, when some southbounding hikers were 
>suspected of ripping off a single mother who gave them a berth for the 
>night. A few phone calls, and doors were closed to these two suspected 
>troublemakers all down the trail.
>
>I was a bit unnerved because the charges were hearsay, and what if they 
>were wrong? Nonetheless, the mechanism exists. Bob Peoples could 
>hook  Palmerton into such a network just by making them aware of it, and 
>in touch with the hostels above and below the town.
>
>Thruhikers experience such an often-unacustomed freedom from certain 
>societal limitations (casual farting and belching come immediately to mind 
>;-) ), that it can go to the head when normal "rules" and expectations are 
>suddenly lifted. Others had problems before they started. They feel 
>anonymous, moving from town to town, unaccountable.
>
>It's probably not a bad idea that hikers know their bad behavior follows 
>them down the trail. That's the word that the ATC, ALDHA, e-lists, hiker 
>networks should get out: "act badly, and doors will be closed to you, 
>succor denied." Those types of hikes would dry up quickly then. Word of 
>mouth spreads among hikers.