Examples of rude pilots

Looks like I need a step down in income so I can afford an RV-8A. (Well actually an RV-9A would be my preference....)

As you may recall, we sold a Piper Pathfinder to pay for a homebuilt. That plane was acquired years ago, back when I owned a very profitable distribution company. (And hating every minute of it.)

Although the fun factor of flying the -8A is markedly, thankfully up, the cost of ownership is lower than the Pathfinder's, although much of that savings will only be felt over time. In every way, however, owning the homebuilt is going to save us beaucoup bucks.

Heck, every time I gas up, I giggle. "That's ALL?" :D
 
I am sorry if I misunderstood. I read at least three posts that seemed to provide observations that supported the generalization that the poor and the rich tended to be nicer to deal with on a business and personal level than others. The only other group that seem to remain is the middle class.

If any of those posters wish to correct my understanding of the point of their posts I would appreciate it.

let me try. I also owned my own business for many years, hence "my handle" an am now back counting beans for a major oil company.

While there are exceptions to both rich and poor, I've met my share of "entitled" people on both sides of the fence, those that think the world owes them because they are poor, and those that think they're better because they have more money than God, those are the exceptions.

The middle class, and for me specifically, the SUBURBAN middle class has absolutely lost its mind. As a percentage they have lost touch with reality. Rude and insensitive doesn't begin to describe it. They have more credit card balances than they can ever pay, are upside down in a home loan, are making payments on 3 or 4 new cars, including Juniors new Porsche, and try to act like "they've made it".

It's an attitude that encompasses those with a "high" income, but "low" net worth because they cannot figure out how to save something so they could actually become wealthy.

If you've got a house in the suburbs, new cars, kids with braces and fast cars, and big flashy jewelry, you've MADE IT. It doesn't matter whether or not any of that stuff is paid for or not, just that you have the CREDIT to buy it.

I've yet to meet a millionaire that borrowed their way to prosperity, but the fools in my neighborhood keep trying, and Bank of America is happy to let them.
 
??? I know of only one billionaire that didn't borrow his way to prosperity. The entire stock market's existence is proof that borrowing is the only way to major prosperity. Stock is sold so you can make money using other people's money, banking takes it even one step further by making money moving and holding money while producing nothing of substance.

The reality is, those middle class - lower upper class morons are the only thing that keeps our economy going. The rich get rich because those people spend those dollars, the manufacturers, the retailers, and the banks all go into the toilet when they quit spending. If 2008 didn't prove that I don't know what it did prove.
 
When I was in college working as a lackey doing line service at the local airport, I ran into plenty of these types. Mostly not who I would have expected. Off the top of my head, I had an older lady who was irrationally afraid of 100LL (she wore a hay fever mask while I was fueling) explain to me in an extremely patronizing tone why having a slightly frayed static discharge line was an explosion hazard. Another older gentleman would routinely ask for "fuel to the tabs" on his high wing whatever the F cessna. I learned to pour literally only until the point where I could just see fuel at the level of the tabs. And after that, he would always climb up, berate me for not doing it right, and then would ask to do it himself. It wasn't the poor treatment of customer service that got me on these......it was more like "why are you flying airplanes if you are so afraid of them?" in my mind.
 
??? I know of only one billionaire that didn't borrow his way to prosperity. The entire stock market's existence is proof that borrowing is the only way to major prosperity. Stock is sold so you can make money using other people's money, banking takes it even one step further by making money moving and holding money while producing nothing of substance.

The reality is, those middle class - lower upper class morons are the only thing that keeps our economy going. The rich get rich because those people spend those dollars, the manufacturers, the retailers, and the banks all go into the toilet when they quit spending. If 2008 didn't prove that I don't know what it did prove.

Really? You've met people that have borrowed their way to prosperity buying cars, jewelry, electronics, boats, planes, etc on bank loans and credit cards and they are now wealthy? Seriously? Good grief.

Can you borrow money to build a business? Can you issue an IPO to fund your business and grow your company? sure. That was NOT what I was talking about and you know that.
 
+1 for the wealthy, and the wannabe's.

Snobby chick wife of a Bo pilot looking down her nose at my cowboy boots and work clothes in a group at lunch. After another person tells her we own a ranch, she says with her nose up in the air "we have a 400 acre ranch, and polo ponies, how big is your ranch?" She was expecting superiority. I politely said "27 sections."

She didn't even know what that was. :lol:
 
+1 for the wealthy, and the wannabe's.

Snobby chick wife of a Bo pilot looking down her nose at my cowboy boots and work clothes in a group at lunch. After another person tells her we own a ranch, she says with her nose up in the air "we have a 400 acre ranch, and polo ponies, how big is your ranch?" She was expecting superiority. I politely said "27 sections."

She didn't even know what that was. :lol:

For the education of some of us: what's a "section"?

Thanks
Bob
(btw - I don't own even 1/2 acre of land)
 
For the education of some of us: what's a "section"?

Thanks
Bob
(btw - I don't own even 1/2 acre of land)

The woman owns 400 acres, the poster owns 17,280 acres. And today, that woman doesn't know she owns 2% of the land of the person she was judging. Hilarious, and a perfect example of what all of us are trying to say. But she does have polo ponies!:rofl:
 
The rudest people I encounter day to day are those who have either temporarily or permanently "topped out" at the level they're willing to work, but not the paycheck/status they want.

Rich? Combination of jerks and some pretty fun people.
Poor? They're either content and OK or sometimes bitter.

In between? If they stopped "moving up" because they wanted to or are just content, likely they are at least polite. Otherwise, they can be the meanest, snobbiest people around.
 
The woman owns 400 acres, the poster owns 17,280 acres. And today, that woman doesn't know she owns 2% of the land of the person she was judging. Hilarious, and a perfect example of what all of us are trying to say. But she does have polo ponies!:rofl:

Of course, here in Texas, WHERE that land is makes a huge difference.

If the lady owns 400 acres in the Eagle Ford oil field, while the dude owns 17,000 acres of scrub...she wins! :lol:
 
Of course, here in Texas, WHERE that land is makes a huge difference.

If the lady owns 400 acres in the Eagle Ford oil field, while the dude owns 17,000 acres of scrub...she wins! :lol:

Polo ponies do not drink oil....:rofl:
 
Do you know any billionaires whose name or maiden name is/was Walton? If so, you could quickly expand your list of one by quite a few.

??? I know of only one billionaire that didn't borrow his way to prosperity. The entire stock market's existence is proof that borrowing is the only way to major prosperity. Stock is sold so you can make money using other people's money, banking takes it even one step further by making money moving and holding money while producing nothing of substance.

The reality is, those middle class - lower upper class morons are the only thing that keeps our economy going. The rich get rich because those people spend those dollars, the manufacturers, the retailers, and the banks all go into the toilet when they quit spending. If 2008 didn't prove that I don't know what it did prove.
 
Of course, here in Texas, WHERE that land is makes a huge difference.

If the lady owns 400 acres in the Eagle Ford oil field, while the dude owns 17,000 acres of scrub...she wins! :lol:

well, considering that 17,000 acres could probably be home to a private airstrip and an awesome private shooting range, I might take the 17,000 acres.

:)


(and thanks to all for edjamating me re "section")
 
I assume this thread excludes those that fly under part 103 since it specifies pilots. But what about those that fly under the Sport Pilot rules without an FAA medical? They may have a piece of plastic, but they are not REAL pilots.
 
Of course, here in Texas, WHERE that land is makes a huge difference.

If the lady owns 400 acres in the Eagle Ford oil field, while the dude owns 17,000 acres of scrub...she wins! :lol:


Agreed.

"A farm is a hunk of land that if you wake early enough, and work till dark for years, you'll make a fortune. If you strike oil on it." -- Fibber McGee

The ladies land is about $10K a surface acre. Ours runs about $2K per acre average. But we have mineral rights and production. Quite a bit of it. Hers, no. I doubt if she owns the mineral rights being a rather recent purchase. That makes a difference how valuable the land really is to you the owner. Whether you have the rights, and if there are minerals. Either way, land is true wealth imo. FIAT dollar wealth can vanish into thin air. :blueplane:
 
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I assume this thread excludes those that fly under part 103 since it specifies pilots. But what about those that fly under the Sport Pilot rules without an FAA medical? They may have a piece of plastic, but they are not REAL pilots.

One of my absolutely favorite customers where I worked was a sport pilot. He is one of the nicest people I've ever met. I'm telling you, it's the Bo pilots that are teh worst. And the once-a-year Oshkosh crowd. You know, the ones who ONLY fly once a year to OSH.
 
Do you know any billionaires whose name or maiden name is/was Walton? If so, you could quickly expand your list of one by quite a few.

Nope, his name is Gompertz. I met Sam Walton once at Harrison AR, but cant say I knew him. He was a nice guy flying an A model 182 watching traffic patterns, we had an interesting conversation. Met some of his kids here in Ft Lauderdale, wasn't too impressed with them, they kinda sold out the old man's vision. Inheriting billions and a money factory isn't the same as making billions.
 
The Walton daughter that lives in Fort Worth flew into our local field in her global one time. Full crew and entourage. Caused quite a stir.

Looked like a 727 out there next to everything else.
 
One of my absolutely favorite customers where I worked was a sport pilot. He is one of the nicest people I've ever met. I'm telling you, it's the Bo pilots that are teh worst. And the once-a-year Oshkosh crowd. You know, the ones who ONLY fly once a year to OSH.

Seems like you have an inferiority complex with your C brand machine? Here's a quarter get a real plane pal.

Didn't you get the memo? We rip on Cirrus pilots now.

I think FBOs should give Bonanza pilots free fuel, we're the ones doing them a favor by allowing them to gaze upon us.
 
At least six of the current family members are B's and none ever borrowed a dime. Now that you've heard of them you can expand your list.

Nope, his name is Gompertz. I met Sam Walton once at Harrison AR, but cant say I knew him. He was a nice guy flying an A model 182 watching traffic patterns, we had an interesting conversation. Met some of his kids here in Ft Lauderdale, wasn't too impressed with them, they kinda sold out the old man's vision. Inheriting billions and a money factory isn't the same as making billions.
 
Work at an FBO. For a long time I didn't want to be a pilot because I didn't want to act like they did. And as a general rule, the smaller airplane the bigger the butthole, with Bonanzas taking the cake for overall rudeness and 'holyier-than-thou' attitude. I've had few problems with people in jets, a couple here or there but usually it was related to something outside of my control like catering. The Bonanzas though will ask for a hangar so their airplane doesn't get hailed on then the next day they scream at you about the price. Or they scream at you because middle-of-nowhere Wyoming had $5/gal fuel but yours was $6 so you NEED TO MATCH. Nope... you have a brand new Bonanza, I know you're not poor.

Take exception to your post I own a small certified two seater and believe if you want respect you give respect.sort of like treat all people the way you want to be treated.I appreciate what I have and my airplane .
 
Seems like you have an inferiority complex with your C brand machine? Here's a quarter get a real plane pal.

Didn't you get the memo? We rip on Cirrus pilots now.

I think FBOs should give Bonanza pilots free fuel, we're the ones doing them a favor by allowing them to gaze upon us.

Cirrus guys aren't usually too bad. They are still learning to fly after all :rofl:

Though one of my meanest customer (yes, it was a Bo) floated 6000ft down an 8,900ft runway and then taxiid at 1kt the whole way to us on the other end and then told me his airplane was superior as were his piloting skills. SPEED CONTROL MAN. :lol:
 
Cirrus guys aren't usually too bad. They are still learning to fly after all :rofl:

Though one of my meanest customer (yes, it was a Bo) floated 6000ft down an 8,900ft runway and then taxiid at 1kt the whole way to us on the other end and then told me his airplane was superior as were his piloting skills. SPEED CONTROL MAN. :lol:

Taxied at 1 (ONE) Knot? Now I know you're lying. Bonanzas start up at 2400 RPM and taxi at whatever speed that leads to without touching the brakes.
 
Jay I TOTALLY get your "common laborer" post. I've had people talk down to me before when I'm flying for work, because I'm dressed like I'm pouring concrete. I'm darker than some Latino folk, and that causes some great strife at certain FBOs. I had some French-Canadian types when I was in Denver paying for gas (this was during the great tip tank debacle) loudly proclaim that they didn't have time to wait in line behind a starving student pilot.

OTOH, if I had been wearing slacks and a sport coat I would have gotten a much different reaction.
 
The helicopter landed on some open space not far from the center of town. The pilot made his way into town to do some shopping for which the town is well-known. Making the rounds, it was observed that he took the time to converse with the many other shoppers who knew who he was; they probably had no idea of how he had arrived in town. What stories many would take home to family and friends. Shopping completed, somebody transported him back to his "parking space" and the machine was soon in the air, on the way to its summer home on the island. Nice guy, feet right on-the-ground, not dancing except, perhaps, on the pedals? Friends I know on the island say he's like that, all the time. John Travolta.

On the same island is a lady of television fame, huckster of weight reduction, DWTS veteran. Allegations by my referenced friends, and a driver for an airport limousine service to Portland, are that she is arrogant, demanding, and demeaning. Different strokes from different folks.
 
??? I know of only one billionaire that didn't borrow his way to prosperity. The entire stock market's existence is proof that borrowing is the only way to major prosperity. Stock is sold so you can make money using other people's money, banking takes it even one step further by making money moving and holding money while producing nothing of substance.

The reality is, those middle class - lower upper class morons are the only thing that keeps our economy going. The rich get rich because those people spend those dollars, the manufacturers, the retailers, and the banks all go into the toilet when they quit spending. If 2008 didn't prove that I don't know what it did prove.

You mean that the middle class doesn't get their money via trickle down from the rich and Santa Claus isn't real?
 
One of my absolutely favorite customers where I worked was a sport pilot. He is one of the nicest people I've ever met. I'm telling you, it's the Bo pilots that are teh worst. And the once-a-year Oshkosh crowd. You know, the ones who ONLY fly once a year to OSH.

Sort of the aviation equivalent of the Harley rider that takes his bike to Sturgis in the back of his pickup.
 
I flew into e38 (alpine tx) for the Labor Day holiday.

We rented a car but while talking with the airport manager he mentioned the courtesy car is available for use for an hour. It used to be available for longer but one pilot and his family flew in and said they needed it for a couple of hours and ended up taking it for two days. It would have been longer but a friend of his noticed it at the big bend national park lodge and the manager sent a sheriff to ask them to return it.

Personally I would have gone to pick up the car and left them stranded but that's just mean.

Any other examples of rude folks? Cutting you off in the pattern, etc?

Welcome to POA, this is your first post really? Rude people will be rude people, it will never change, but you can just not do what they do. Again, welcome to poa
 
It looks like my post caused a bit of a stir before the weekend.

We all deal with rudeness on the road but we are dealing with millions upon millions of drivers out there. With the aviation community so comparatively small, and the amount of training, both initial and recurring, that we go through, I would logically think that rudeness would be minimal.

So the premise of my question was to see if rudeness is more prevalent than I expect.

With regards to the courtesy car, I've only used one a couple of times. Even if the fbo hadn't mentioned to me that it was for use an hour at a time I couldn't imagine borrowing it for more than an hour since other people could need it for more than just for me to grab a snack. Plus that's where taxi drivers and rental car companies serve my needs if I need transport for more than an hour.

I encountered what could be considered rude pilots while training but its a combination of the rude pilots still being in training so we hadn't learned what to do properly or it was an experienced pilot who knew his plane better than we knew our trainers and was able to cut in line in the pattern and land before we even turned to base.

That's why I asked the question. Plus to find out about what some people consider rude vs acceptable technique (such as cutting in line in front of a c152 and it being ok).
 
Sort of the aviation equivalent of the Harley rider that takes his bike to Sturgis in the back of his pickup.

I grew up in Rapid City, SD. If only you knew... There is an aviation equivalent of riders... And I've seen them all.
 
I have definitely noticed a difference in treatment by local merchants depending on whether I was dressed for my pre-retirement professional level job or in my jeans and flannel shirt for week end yard work. I just don't shop with those merchants any more. Local merchants actually had some sort of study done several years ago to determine why so many people went out of town to shop in nearby larger cities. The conclusion was that people were just bored and went elsewhere for a change of scenery. I actually make an effort to spend my money locally to support the local economy but only when it is not to my detriment.

With regard to Bonanza and Cirrus drivers, we have 2 Bo's and 1 Cirrus based on the field. Those owners are just about the nicest people you could imagine.

I don't think that the pilot population is significantly different from the general population. We may be less judgmental of people we can relate to because of similar interests whether those interests are flying, biking, horse riding or whatever. I think that I am more ready to trust strangers who are pilots than ones who are not. I can think of two occasions where I have provided a stranded transient pilot a piece off of my plane so that they could get home. In both cases, the parts were promptly returned. I wasn't so lucky with a pilot from this board who wanted an antique book that I had found but had no interest in (Manual for an antique outboard motor). He never paid so I was out the book and the postage.

There are some pilots on this board that I find I cannot have a conversation with. Their minds are made up, don't confuse them with facts. Maybe I'm the same way. I do find that I get along a lot better with SOBs than with A**H***s. There is a difference.
 
There are some pilots on this board that I find I cannot have a conversation with. Their minds are made up, don't confuse them with facts. Maybe I'm the same way. I do find that I get along a lot better with SOBs than with A**H***s. There is a difference.

At some age as an adult it's not so bad to mostly have your mind made up on things. I much prefer an adult who has their mind made up but will listen than a 40+ year old child who's still figuring out who they are. :)

I cut someone off bad, driving last night. Probably would have helped if they had a single light switched on, not even marker lights on their vehicle. The funny part was when the black looming shape in the rear view started honking on a poorly out road. Drunk or just stupid, I have no clue. They passed in a huff. LOL.
 
I have been training myself for many years to ignore the negatives and pay attention to the positives in life. I can not consider myself to have mastered this completely, but I do a heck of a lot better than when I first started. As an ex sergeant in the paratroopers, I had become accustomed to not taking sh*t from anyone, so much so that I was thought to have a short fuse problem that only counseling could help, that is where I learned of such things.

The young woman I employed in my store used to blow up at me for letting people insult me, I wasn't even aware that they had, I had become so accustomed to ignoring such nonsense.

So, reading through this thread got me to thinking, perhaps many of us have become a little more sensitive to the actions of others. I know that for the most part I have to relate to my years at that store in La Jolla to remember all the rude people I have encountered, that was long before counseling. I have refused to even consider opening a store in La Jolla after my experiences there.

Maybe it has nothing to do with La Jolla, but more to do with myself. Perhaps I just don't pay enough attention to A holes anymore. I know the more you work at, or practice at, not getting pi*sed off, the less you get pi*sed off. Perhaps it is simply maturing, I don't know.

All of this could be that our entire society has been conditioned to pay attention to the negatives, all you have to do is watch the news, or a T.V. show, a movie, whatever, it is all centered on the negatives.

Perhaps we see the rude people clearly, and are only slightly aware that we are surrounded by good people.

I do know this; when you find yourself becoming angry when witnessing the behavior of others, you have to identify with that behavior. In other words, see yourself or your own behavior in that person. This is why we ignore some idiots, and can not take our eyes off of other idiots.

-John
 
Sort of the aviation equivalent of the Harley rider that takes his bike to Sturgis in the back of his pickup.

I will take the rumored rudeness of our once-per-year Oshkosh flyer over the open rudeness of those pilots who ridicule the event, and refuse to fly "in the middle of all those amateur pilots".

I meet these guys all the time, and it gripes my cookies to no end.
 
How about the one who took his bike to Sturgis in the back of his Cherokee 6?

Seen it! :lol:

That reminds me (thread drift) a couple years ago on Craigslist there was an add for "sightseeing" flights around Sturgis. In a Cherokee six. To join the mile high club. It had a bed in the back with some weird cheetah print on it. I always wonder how many people called.
 
Maybe it has nothing to do with La Jolla, but more to do with myself. Perhaps I just don't pay enough attention to A holes anymore. I know the more you work at, or practice at, not getting pi*sed off, the less you get pi*sed off. Perhaps it is simply maturing, I don't know.

I think a lot of it is age. As I get older, I find myself wearying of fighting the same battles, over and over, with the idiots of the world. It's so much easier to not care.

Then, I will drive past the one fast food joint on my island, and see the enormous pile of litter in the ditch across the street, where every asshat tourist has thrown their wrappers. And I will fly right back into a rage about things no one can change. How stupid.

Pilots, by and large, are better than that. As someone who owns a business that caters to all kinds, I can attest to the fact that pilots, in general, are head and shoulders above the common citizen in terms of literacy, honesty, and intelligence.
 
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