Re: [speeders] Seat belts

[STROBX@aol.com]

Ah. An old MCCAer!!!!!!!! When you said 13 years in the hobby, I thought, maybe folks would think it was me writting this. But before I really respond, I'd like to state that I am not leaving the hobby because I am mad at anybody nor because of what went on at the Narcoa BoD meeting (What ever that was). Basically I've fallen on a bit of hard times and I need the money and some other issues which have taken the enjoyment out of not only this hobby, but other things which at one time were fun, but now aren't. I will continue in the hobby from the outside as an inactive operator.If things get better, with my knowledge of the hobby, I know where to buy another car (at 4X the price they are now). Anyway. I believe in general, that geographic demagraphics influence one's thinking processes. perhaps having the Sun shinning 85% of the year in California has had an influence on thinking. Here in the mid west, people do not run their cars(automobiles) into another in order to collect insurance. Over here folks are not so litigatous as the west coast. So when you live in such an invironment, you tend to think of ways to protect your assets! Ironically, The hobby really never started as a East coast VS West Coast thing. MCCA was HQ out of Wever Iowa and Narcoa out of Greendel NJ. Both organizations were centrally controlled. After about 4 years into the hobby, which I believe would put it about 1992- or 1993, It was discovered that the Narcoa Articles of Incorporation(By-laws, but the IRS doesn't wish to have them callec By-laws) allowed local chapters. It was then that MOW was formed. And in those years both groups had memberships in the hundreds, not thousands! So they did hand out liturature promoting the hobby. The unforseem consequences of this was the change in the type of operator entering the hobby. Instead of Railfans, ex railroaders, & active railroad employees, we now have the strictly recreational operator many of whom think that when the escort asks us to be careful on frogs, think they have to becareful in the swamp! They care not what a railroad does, how it does it, or even why motorcars were made for in the first place! I have said many times before that you cannot legislate safety or common scence!
This is indicative of the "BIG BROTHER" phylosophy in which governing bodies believe that John Q Public is too stupid to come out of the rain! For now the Narcoa BoD has tabled the seatbelt issue, But in the future as the line from Poilterguist II said "They'rrrrrrr Backkkkkkkk". The Narcoa board is going to ram this down our throats oneway or another in some form or another. I have correspondance that some area reps are in favor of this even though the majority of the membership in a given area are not!  That is why I have repeatedly stated be careful whom you choose as their rep. You will be stuck with them for two years. Another thing I'd like to point out is that this is not an official Narcoa Site. Narcoa cannot control the content of this forum. It is the Central Railroad Club of Iowa that can. If you don't believe me, use your search engine. As a qualified Narcoa/ Great Lakes Railcars Coordinator, I can tell you that rules are needed for those who lack the proper mentality to conduct themselves in a safe manner. BUT,For goodness sakes, This is a hobby. H-O-B-B-Y!  IF narcoa does not cease in its current overregulatory frame of mind, The hobby will split, a form of MCCA on the east coast will emerge AND there are enough of us old timers left who have the knowledge to succeed!

Dave Stroebe