A Case Study of " Entitled Hiker" Vs " Irresponsible business owner ".

[Fog Horn]

[QUOTE=Kookork;1501889]

LOL I can't stop laughing. Morally obligated to help you charge your phone. LOL

If you think that your stupid electronic gadget is necessary for your safety then you'd better get one of those chargers that runs on AA batteries and buy your spare power at the store. Or buy one or two extra cell phone batteries and leave them charged in a ziploc bag only for emergencies.




First of all, I don't appreciate your "know it all" tone and LOL comment. I normally try to choose my words wisely. I did not say she was morally obligated ,I said she was morally responsible to help me out.

Secondly,. Not every trail is a well traveled and busy trail like the AT and that stupid gadget you mentioned can potentially save my life in stretches of the trail that one will not encounter another soul for days at a time. If you don't think so , you might one day find it out the hard way.
In anyway it seems it is not a bad idea you look at the mirror and have a genuine talk about your attitude with the guy that is staring at you in the mirror.

His advice is still sound, even if the attitude he wrote it in is not appreciated. If your survival depends upon your cell phone being operational in a time of emergency then why not bring a spare battery or turn the phone off for the entire length of the trail to preserve the one battery you are carrying? If my life depended on my cell phone being available in a time of emergency, you can bet I won't be wasting battery power by turning it on until the point that I needed it. Heck, when I hike I take spare batteries for the things that are not life savers, like my camera and kindle, so you can bet that I'm going to have an energy plan for my phone (or satelite phone).

[Kookork]

[QUOTE=Fog Horn;1503602]

His advice is still sound, even if the attitude he wrote it in is not appreciated. If your survival depends upon your cell phone being operational in a time of emergency then why not bring a spare battery or turn the phone off for the entire length of the trail to preserve the one battery you are carrying? If my life depended on my cell phone being available in a time of emergency, you can bet I won't be wasting battery power by turning it on until the point that I needed it. Heck, when I hike I take spare batteries for the things that are not life savers, like my camera and kindle, so you can bet that I'm going to have an energy plan for my phone (or satelite phone).

His advice is definitely sound. What I complained about was the way he conveyed his message.

That trip was my first long distance hike in North America and I was not experienced enough to carry an extra battery but as I mentioned before my cellphone was the only way to communicate with my friends on a daily basis to let them know my progress on the trail.

Keep in mind that in trails like Bruce Trail, there is no log book, no company, no ridge runner and mostly no other hiker. So every day I used to turn the phone on and send a text message about my where about and read my messages and then turn the device off.

[fins1838]

Its a fair question. Don't understand why people jump all over you, well in todays society I kinda do. Thanks for bringing it up. Legally; absolutely not. Morally: appearantly to her-no. To me-yes.

[Fog Horn]

I hear what you're saying Kookork, and I think you likely won't make the rookie mistake of not taking a spare battery next time you venture out.

However, I do feel like your tone expresses the feelings of entitled hiker. She is not responsible for your rookie mistake. Live and learn, and pack a spare battery.

To answer your original question, I do not think she is morally responsible to charge your phone, although it would have been nice of her to do so. I also do not think you should mention that she did not let you in your guidebook. I think the more acceptable course of action for you would be to list the phone charging as an ammenity you enjoyed at the restaurant. Instead of saying "the shop owner refused to let me charge my phone" mention that "the restaurant owner was kind enough to let me charge my phone". And if you publish anything about this, I would DEFINITELY stay away from mentioning any of that gossip you heard about the shop owner. That would be slander.

[oruacat2]

Kookork - I think it was a fair question, I just think the way your worded the title gave the resident "Hike the Hike I Approve" gurus an excuse to jump in and dispense their "wisdom". lol No worries.

I still think it was a dumb business decision by the storeowner given the economic climate. A hiker's dollar is just as green as a non-hiker's dollar.

[Lone Wolf]

I still think it was a dumb business decision by the storeowner given the economic climate. A hiker's dollar is just as green as a non-hiker's dollar.

not if you only get 1 hiker in your business every coupla weeks

[oruacat2]

not if you only get 1 hiker in your business every coupla weeks

Well then we return to the original question of "what's the harm in letting one hiker every couple of weeks have/pay for a few cents worth of electricity?"

Maybe then there'd be a thread on WB singing their praises and they'd get MORE than one hiker every couple of weeks.

A dumb business decision. If they just have it out for hikers, then this thread is entirely justified.

[rickb]

My guess is that the store owner -- and many on this thread who support her -- would sing a far different tune is she were to ask a physician for help in the backcountry for some moderate issue-- like 3 broken fingers or such. And be refused the time of day.

I think it is good that some not only see a personal obligation to help within themselves a, but that they also expect it on others. Even if people like the store owner have the right to to withhold help.

Kindness is kindness.

[Lone Wolf]

Well then we return to the original question of "what's the harm in letting one hiker every couple of weeks have/pay for a few cents worth of electricity?"

Maybe then there'd be a thread on WB singing their praises and they'd get MORE than one hiker every couple of weeks.

A dumb business decision. If they just have it out for hikers, then this thread is entirely justified.

i totally disagree. hikers aren't special

[The Ace]

Well then we return to the original question of "what's the harm in letting one hiker every couple of weeks have/pay for a few cents worth of electricity?"

What's the harm in not? The OP said "in 50 years of existance there has been not more than 100 cases of conventional thru hiker of it(The Bruce Trail)"

[kayak karl]

A dumb business decision. If they just have it out for hikers, then this thread is entirely justified.

maybe having dirty, stinking hikers hanging on the front porch is bad for business

[The Ace]

My guess is that the store owner -- and many on this thread who support her -- would sing a far different tune is she were to ask a physician for help in the backcountry for some moderate issue-- like 3 broken fingers or such. And be refused the time of day.

You are creating a straw man argument to bash the storekeeper. How do you know that if the OP had showed up at her store with his own 3 broken fingers that she would have not used her own phone to call a doctor for the OP? And, suppose while the doctor is setting the fingers in his office, the OP asked the doctor if he could plug his phone into the doctor's wall socket and the doctor said no? Imaginations are running awfully wild on this thread.

[atmilkman]

You are creating a straw man argument to bash the storekeeper. How do you know that if the OP had showed up at her store with his own 3 broken fingers that she would have not used her own phone to call a doctor for the OP? And, suppose while the doctor is setting the fingers in his office, the OP asked the doctor if he could plug his phone into the doctor's wall socket and the doctor said no? Imaginations are running awfully wild on this thread.

Hell if I was just working at the store and the guy came in with 3 broken fingers I'd let him use my phone. I'd even push the buttons for him if he couldn't. But if he came in wanting to use my phone to call his girlfriend and tell her what a lovely day he was having I'd tell him to take a hike. But, if he wanted to charge his phone I'd probably let him depending on his attitude.

[Drybones]

To me this thread has turned into a discussion of wheather or not hikers should be entitled. I'm surprised at how many here believe they are. As far as I'm concerned I dont owe you or anyone else anything and you dont owe me nothing. If we choose to be helpful to each other that's our choice...I would have let the OP charge his phone, assuming he hadn't pi**ed me off some way or other before he asked...but I wouldn't feel obligated to.

[The Ace]

To me this thread has turned into a discussion of wheather or not hikers should be entitled. I'm surprised at how many here believe they are. As far as I'm concerned I dont owe you or anyone else anything and you dont owe me nothing. If we choose to be helpful to each other that's our choice...I would have let the OP charge his phone, assuming he hadn't pi**ed me off some way or other before he asked...but I wouldn't feel obligated to.

Agree. Or just go watch the Opie and the Bully episode of the Andy Griffith Show. Even Opie understood the phrase, "Millions for charity, but not one cent for tribute."

I would have gladly helped the OP, but not because he was entitled to it.

[oruacat2]

No problems. The store owner had the right to say "no" and the OP has the right to steer fellow hikers towards friendlier businesses. Everybody wins.

Besides, judging from the conversation regarding that business owner's reputation amongst others (non-hikers), it doesn't sound like he'll be in business for long, anyway. Again, everybody wins.

[Lemni Skate]

I live in a fairly small town with only one convenience store. The other night I was going to stop in and grab a couple of things, but they had so many people hanging out in the parking lot, I didn't even feel like negotiating parking and walking through crowds of people to try to get a gallon of milk and some bread. I just drove on by and did the chore I went out to do and they lost my business. Maybe they don't think a policy of letting people hang around for hours charging phones is good for their business. It's their call to make.

[Toolshed]

Legally obligated: no.
Morally responsible: no.

If the store or restaurant had NOT been there, what would your plans have been about your cell phone possibly dying?

Just because someone else has paid for the utilities (regardless of amount) does NOT mean someone else can come along and help themselves. Doesn't matter if you offered to pay - "No" means "No". Have the good grace to accept it.

I think we could have ended this thread at post #2...

[HikerMom58]

I think we could have ended this thread at post #2...

True dat...

Whatever you do Toolshed, don't dry up and disappear... we need ya!!

[Tuckahoe]

Yup I am resurrecting this thread just so I can post this video which seemed so fitting...