Hikers In Damascus Area

[TOW]

Notice To The Hiking Community: There will no longer be unlimited long distance calling offered by me at my residence due to the fact that some hikers have abused my service. You may use a calling card from now on.....

[Lone Wolf]

no way! hikers?

[Montana Mac]

That was a hell of a service you offered - like always a few ruined it for many

[10-K]

Dang, I thought everyone had a cell phone now....

[RGB]

Not to sound like too much of a smart ass...but if you listed it as "unlimited" did they really abuse it?

[Slo-go'en]

Not to sound like too much of a smart ass...but if you listed it as "unlimited" did they really abuse it?

That was my thought too. I guess it depends on ones' definiton of "unlimited" and what the nature of the abuse was. Long calls out of the country maybe?

[SouthMark]

I think Larry had a sign posted near the phone to "Please Limit Your Calls to XX Minutes" which I'm sure is where the abuse comes in. Some hikers thought that it only applied to other users.

[SouthMark]

Forgot to add that he did not list it as "unlimited". He is using the word in his post above to indicate that he has the "unlimited long distance plan" meaning of course that he does not have to pay for long distance by the minute but it does not mean "unlimited use by hikers".

[Hikerhead]

Notice To The Hiking Community: There will no longer be unlimited long distance calling offered by me at my residence due to the fact that some hikers have abused my service. You may use a calling card from now on.....

How was it abused? Did it mean extra money out of your pocket? Did someone swipe the phone? Do you leave it on the porch all night? How many thru hikers have made it to Damascus, couldn't be that many.

[Rain Man]

Hate to hear that has happened again to you, Larry. There will always be those who rationalize their acting above the law or rules, which they think apply to mere mortals. Rules and decency are for others attitude. It's the same whether it's alcohol, guns, dogs, "stealth" camping, abusing hostels, whatever. "I" am above the rules and more important than anyone else.

Perhaps tattooing a scarlet letter on all of 'em might be a good policy?!

RainMan

.

[mweinstone]

ive sat and watched a polite patient only wanderer wait untill a hiker calling home to france was finnished to ask her if she knew if her call had charges involved. she called the operater back to find out the charge was enormouse. all she had was a credit card and larry had to make a payment useing her card witch took most of an hour. he was polite to the end and apologized profusely for the size of his sign that said no charge calls please. realy the sign hangs just inches above the phone. she was nice enough about paying for it but oblivious to the limited wealth of larry. well, financial wealth. larrys in my top 100 favorite fattys list.xooxoxoxlmao.

[TOW]

The fact is it was several factors and abuses by some in the hiking community as well as the biking community over the years that prompted me to cease this service. I was clear with most everyone that unlimited meant only in the United States and its territories as well as Mexico. However there are folks who know how to get around those guidelines and make their calls nonetheless.

Anyway, I am now making calls with a calling card and I think it will be much cheaper for me to do it this way. And I will offer that card to those who do not have a calling card as well.

[Pedaling Fool]

The fact is it was several factors and abuses by some in the hiking community as well as the biking community over the years that prompted me to cease this service.

Probably the same cyclists that run stop signs/lights.

[Hobbler]

Notice To The Hiking Community: There will no longer be unlimited long distance calling offered by me at my residence due to the fact that some hikers have abused my service. You may use a calling card from now on.....

Larry:

I personally have not used the phone at your place and certainly would view having access to a call home as a rare and much appreciated act and therefore would respect its use and keep it short, and sweet.

Your generousity allowing your phone to be used, by the trail community has been a noble act. The unfortunate thing today is that with the cell phone being so widely used, some feel that they can hang on the line just to hang on the line, while having mindless conversations. You see and hear it all the time in establishments open to the public everywhere. The phone has become a social media device that some use with "entitlement" and feel that it also applies to all types of communication including land-lines with no assessment of the cost involved. There is no shame by those who take advantage of the generosity of others by a select few today. For those, morality seems to have gone out the window. The few who have this entitlement attitude ruin it for the majority of honest and considerate hikers who do their business on the phone and don't tie it up for long periods for no valid reason at all...You are a great person for even continuing to offer access to your phone at all....I feel your pain....Thanks Larry

[Jeff]

Larry, Most phone companies can block international calling as well as 1-900 charge calls on your phone line.

[Roots]

Larry, Most phone companies can block international calling as well as 1-900 charge calls on your phone line.

you beat me to it!

You can also change the phone to local calls only and still use a card to call outside local areas. You are correct, Larry...using a card is much cheaper. We did that for years.

[Lone Wolf]

Larry, Most phone companies can block international calling as well as 1-900 charge calls on your phone line.

you beat me to it!

You can also change the phone to local calls only and still use a card to call outside local areas. You are correct, Larry...using a card is much cheaper. We did that for years.

he's done what you both have mentioned

[TOW]

Larry, Most phone companies can block international calling as well as 1-900 charge calls on your phone line.

you beat me to it!

You can also change the phone to local calls only and still use a card to call outside local areas. You are correct, Larry...using a card is much cheaper. We did that for years.

he's done what you both have mentioned

You are right LW but still yet there are those who are savvy and smart to the ways that you can bypass those blocks....

I am going to come up with another way to be of service to the hiking community. If you have any suggestions let me know.....

[Pedaling Fool]

I am going to come up with another way to be of service to the hiking community. If you have any suggestions let me know.....

You may want to get that looked at...I don't know the name of the disorder, but there's gotta be a treatment for people that want to abuse themselves

[TOW]

You may want to get that looked at...I don't know the name of the disorder, but there's gotta be a treatment for people that want to abuse themselves

..you may be onto something there.......