Roadgypsy's Official Jerk-Off Alert Page... 

Well this is the page y'all have been waitin' for...the "curse-the-worst" page. This is for you - the rider - a place to share with others, your negative experiences at places that have jerked your chain or treated you like s__t. (That's abbreviation for s-h-i-t, for those of you that are aren't sure.) So, feel free to submit your story. If you've had a negative experience while on the road - whether it was a biker-unfriendly establishment, or just a place that had shitty service, attitude or whatever, click the e-mail button at the top of this page. Type "jerk-off" in the subject line then write your story into the body of the e-mail. Specific addresses are great if you have them too! Don't worry,we won't use your name - we just want our fellow riders to ride-on past these places and spend their money where their business is appreciated. Jerks are in descending order, the most recent being near the top.

Jerk-off alert 5

Unfortunately, it has taken me a long time to post this - I was out of commission last year, but it is timely now, with all the gas price fixing going on these days, reported in the news.

This gas station, pictured below, in Wawa, Ontario had to employ the rudest young staff ever. I see why - the proprietor wasn't much better. Ok - here's the deal - this was in 2006, the last time the gas hike was happening, except the hike sat only around $1.15/litre. Nevertheless, they were scammin' the drivers like crazy.

We pulled into this particular station for the reason that their gas price posted was the cheapest amongst all the other gas stations in Wawa, which aren't too many. As we finished pumping our gas, both onto one bill, we were shocked to find the final amount was extremely expensive. Much to our horror, the pumps stated a totally different price per litre than their sign posted. The price posted for regular was 1.219/litre, and the price posted for hightest was 1.279/litre. So, I diplomatically explained to them that they were advertising one price, and their pumps were set at another. I mean, at 6:30 in the morning, one is still waking up for heaven's sake, not even thinking we need to go sleuthing to make sure the pump price jives with the posted station sign. I learned an expensive lesson that day - check the pump price - it prevails.

The young gas attendant ignored my complaint, and referred me to one of the the owners, a female, which had just pulled in. I presented my complaint once again, diplomatically, and she refused to acknowledge the situation, brushing past me and ignoring me also! I was appalled! I told her that her staff was very rude, and that what they were doing is illegal. Their "too bad for you" attitude prompted me to take pictures, which, at the time I intended to use as ammo when I filed a complaint at Petro Canada Head Office. Which, I still should do, now that all the heat is on the price fixing controversy out of Quebec.

So, as Jerk-Off-Alert # 5, I present to you Petro-Can, Wawa, Ontario, Canada.

September 29, 2007.

Update on McAfee:

The cheque indeed was in the mail. They mailed my rebate along with an apology. So, it appears they do stand behind their customer support. I rest my case.

The following is the response I received after sending the e-mail to McAfee, printed below in Jerk-Off #4. So, only time will tell if, as the saying goes, "The Cheque is in the mail."

From McAfee to Roadgypsy:

Dear Elizabeth,

I called you to discuss this issue, but the call would
not connect. I would like to take a moment and introduce myself. I am a
member of the McAfee executive customer assistance team and have been
assigned to assist you. I received the email (copy below) you sent to
the attention of our Press mailbox indicating your dissatisfaction with
our rebate process.
First, please accept McAfee's sincerest apology for any inconvenience
this issue may have caused you.
According to the rebate department verification team, the proof of
purchase was missing from your submission. I have asked that department
to further investigate that it wasn't overlooked when it was scanned
into our system. Please accept our sincerest apologies if this is the
case.
I personally contacted our rebate department manager and your $20.00
rebate has been validated. Please allow 10-15 business days for
delivery.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to assist you with this
important matter. At your convenience, if you would confirm receipt of
this information, it would greatly appreciated so I can update your
case. If you should require additional assistance, please do not
hesitate contacting me at your convenience. I am available Monday
through Friday, from 7am to 4pm, CST.

Have a great evening, Elizabeth.

Regards,

Jesse Tijerina
Customer Relationship Specialist
Executive Customer Assistance Team
McAfee, Inc.

5000 Headquarters Drive, 2N435
Plano, Texas 75024
800.338.8754 Ext: 2612
972.987.2612 Direct
www.mcafee.com

Jerk-off alert 4

McAfee

August 16, 2007:

I mailed this company a letter, which is self explanitory. I also included my address in the original letter to encourage payment. I have pasted the e-mail into the body of this Jerk-Off Alert 4...

Yes, this is a letter to inform you that I was extremely disappointed in the response I received to your mail-in rebate. I went to great lengths to supply your company with the required items (rebate form,original proof of purchase, copy of receipt and proof of previous ownership of a retail boxed McAfee or Norton product). I even photocopied all of the items as proof. I submitted ALL of the required items including the receipt for McAfee virus scan - the box having $20.00 mail-in rebate printed on it. Simply, your company ripped me off - I followed all instructions absolutely and received a letter stating that I did not qualify for the rebate because I did not supply the required items. I sure hope there weren't more poor suckers like me that actually believed your company had the integrity to follow through with their $20.00 rebate promise.

If you decide to save face with at least one of your clients, my mailing address is:


Yours very sincerely,
Elizabeth Bokfi

Jerk-off alert 3

Highland Pines Campground and RV Sales

Bellwood, Ontario, Canada

We stopped here one night and wanted to take a site. We had done an extensive ride around Ontario this particular day, and had thrown our tent aboard, "just in case". The girl behind the desk asked us if we were riding bikes. After responding "yes", she told us they didn't accept motorcycles at their campground. I explained to the girl that this was discrimination. She told us she did not make up the rules, it was the owner's policy. I of course began again explaining to her that this was just out and out discrimination, at which point she said we could camp there if we left our bikes outside of the campground gates, alongside the highway. I told her it was a rediculous request, as our machines were worth over $35, 000 in total, and to leave them alongside the highway over night was like advertising to some pick-up full of opportunists to come along and take our bikes. She apologized and again insisted it was the owner's policy. After telling her to give the owner a polite f--k off, we left thoroughly disgusted and shocked that an Ontario establishment could be that discriminating.

Jerk-off alert 2

Flat Creek Inn & Mart

Hwy 89/26, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA

Ok - we rolled in super late. The guy saw we were white. Sorry, but this is the sorry truth. After which he continued to watch his TV set behind the counter. His pregnant wife, girlfriend, whatever looked at as and rudely sat back down and continued working on her computer. After vocalizing our desire to take a room, the guy finally sighed as though we were a great bother, and got up to register us. He said they were full, and the only room they had was a suite, with a stove, the whole works. Instead of giving us a discount, as most places would have, he charged us full price, and as we found out the next morning, more than full price. The air conditioning was broken, and the skylight in the room was also broken with a hole in it. It was above a gas station and the guy had us park our bikes where we were unable to see them. If it weren't for the fact that it was a Friday night and we were thoroughly exhausted (we had just come off a big ride and into Yellowstone. We did the park all in one day, in addition to the riding we did before we entered the park.) we would've kept on going. The whole town was full by that time. We were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and the guy knew it.

Jerk-off alert 1

Two Medicine Grizzly Ice Cream Stand

Somewhere between East Glacier Park and Browning, Montana, USA

This incident was just totally stupid. It was a community not far from Browning, on Blackfeet Indian Reservation lands. We stopped for an ice cream cone, a refreshing treat on a very hot riding day. My partner ordered his ice cream in a cone, I in a bowl. However, I only wanted a baby scoop, not even near the size of a regular cone. I also asked the young man behind the counter if I could have it in a bowl. When we saw the size of my partner's cone, we were really surprised at how small it was. Exaggeratingly small. And my ice cream of course was super small, for that's all I'd asked for. The bill came to over $5. I overheard the total, as I sat and waited in a chair beside one of the small tables. I turned around, and at the same time as my partner, unintentionally, exclaimed, "$5?" I got up and walked over stunned, repeated, "$5? for just that?" The boy said,"You have a problem with the price?" I explained I felt the price was steep fpr just a tiny cone and a small baby scoop for me. He went on to tell me that I ordered mine in a bowl and it costs more in a bowl. He told me to read the price list. And so there it was, written clearly, Ice Cream in a Bowl, $3. I tried to explain to the boy that I didn't have heaping mounds in a bowl as one might expect for that price, and we were clearly overcharged, etc., at which this point he told us to lower our voices, that we were speaking to him in threatening voices and if we didn't go away he would call the police. My boyfriend told him to go ahead. So I proceeded to ask for the owner. The kid wouldn't go and get him, and had picked up the phone several times. Finally, he threw our money at us and told us to just leave. I gave it back to him and told him I wouldn't take it back, just so it would give him an excuse to tell the cops we stole it or something, or wouldn't pay him for the ice cream. I started to walk over to the Circle R Motel (beside the ice cream stand) to investigate where the owners were, with no luck. By now, I started to get nervous. We were on reservation land, and they have their own brand of justice. My boyfriend told the kid he was Indian too, which in fact he is, and that this was a rip off. We decided to get while the gettin' was good; at least it was my idea to get. Ripped off but not beaten. So then, as if insult wasn't enough, a couple had just walked past on the sidewalk, with two beautiful HUGE cones in their hands. Of course, my partner couldn't resist asking them where they had gotten them, and for how much. $5 even, at the stand up further along the street. That was it! It was that incident that spawned this Jerk-Off page. No joke.