RE: [Paddlewise] etiquette

My experience in such situations is not with sea kayaking trips, but is
similar.  I have led a number of other trips for a local outing club and
have found that very often people will wait until the last minute to
sign up for the trip -- even one where it is obvious that advance
arrangements must be made.  I remember one weekend snowshoe trip I led
with room for 8 people.  The trip was posted for a month and only 5
people signed up, but that was still enough to go.  I was doing the
kitchen arrangements, so I did the shopping and packing Thursday evening
(we were leaving Friday after work).  I got not one, not two, but three
calls from people at about 9:00 p.m. Thursday evening who wanted to go
on the trip.  I wonder when they expected me to make the advanced
preparations?  I had room for all three, but turned them down because I
didn't want to redo the kitchen.  I guess I just got hard-nosed about it
after that, and if people called me at the last minute, I turned them
down, even for trips that didn't require advanced preparation.  I
figured that I've got to train people that they have to plan ahead for
these types of things, and there are consequences (i.e. not going along)
if they don't.

>----------
>From: 	Mark Zen[SMTP:canoeist_at_netbox.com]
>Sent: 	Wednesday, July 08, 1998 11:08 PM
>To: 	paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net; CPAKayaker_at_lists.shire.net
>Subject: 	[Paddlewise] etiquette
>
>here's the situation. you announce a club trip, at a generally popular
>place, and the announcement goes out with 2 months notice in the club's
>newsletter. it also goes to the club website. the "event" is two day
>trips in the area [not same place both days]. at what point do you say:
>"there's been no interest, trip is cancelled" and then start telling
>everyone [if anyone] who calls, that very thing?? no calls by the wednesday
>before [it's a 4 hour drive, and the leaders leaving friday noon, but has
>to make reservations for friday night, by noon thursday]... do that many
>people really wait until thursday & friday to call the coodinator??
>
>what sayest you all??
>
>mark
>
>
>
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