Thank you for your interesting articles.
However, there is something I must say. With privilege and position in the public spotlight comes responsibility.
(Moderators..... if you consider a new thread would be better, please move this post accordingly. The details below are true to the best of my knowledge and belief with records in public view and copies available. I have tried to make my point of view as a newbie as well as I can but I understand that intercontinental opinions , understandings and sensibilities may vary, so if you deem necessary or appropriate please give me a good slapping with a wet Haddock (!) and do what you feel you need to do with this post. Thank you).
Firstly, I will explain the background, then the facts of what has given me cause for concern. I will then elaborate and give my personal concerns regarding the potential consequences for other overlanders.
Background... Gary Wescott is a member of the Silk Route Motorcaravan Network (SRMN). This is a small club. Last year it nearly folded but is building up again with currently approx thirty members. The ethos is that members contribute skills and experience into the pool to help each other. Under the same SRMN name is a public forum of over two hundred people which includes members and non members internationally. Rather like a tiny Expedition Portal! Take a look and join up!
On 3rd March 2015 at 10:58 GMT a member of the forum who I shall call Mr A was enquiring about joining SRMN as a newbie. All he wanted was a couple of questions answering and a bit of encouragement and reassurance. Nothing more. Other potential newbie members (including me!) were also writing and making their interest known but with similar questions. On 8th March at 19:26 GMT Gary Wescott posted on this public forum and was immediately rude and hostile to Mr A. There was no reason. The term 'rude and hostile' was used by another poster describing Gary's outburst and it fits my thoughts exactly so I will use it. Two well known names of the overlanding world posted up and agreed with Mr A, but Gary simply ignored them. Why this attitude to fellow overlanders, especially newbies?
The result of this attack was that Mr A has been lost to the SRMN. A newbie with a lot to give the SRMN, so Gary's fellow members have lost out, and possibly other potential members have been lost.
The administrator of the forum is the well known and respected Stephen Stewart who also thought (independently) that Gary Wescott's post was rude and hostile, deleted his post and put Gary Wescott on moderation. Yes, this is the Gary Wescott of Turtle Expedition who is high profile ambassador for the rest of us!
In reply to a post of mine in relation to this matter I received sarcasm from Gary. This suggests that Gary was not just having a bad day on 8th March.
Monika Wescott posted publicly saying, "Welcome newbies.... we all started somewhere," etc.. It had the distinct feel of a damage limitation exercise. Monika even appeared to be trying to take ownership of Gary's post of the 8th March. (Did I detect a tinge of embarrassment?). But no apology to Mr A or the members of SRMN.
I wrote to Gary and said that perhaps he should do the decent gentlemanly thing and apologise to Mr A and pointed out that he was bringing disrepute on the SRMN (and all other overlanders). Gary replied that he would not apologise because Mr A was, quote "whining" unquote. It should be remembered that half the posters on Expedition Portal, The Hubb, etc., are newbies asking newbie questions and seeking guidance and reassurance (me included!) but that is seen as whining by Gary Wescott. Why this attitude to newbies?
After some abuse I receive another message giving the usual stuff, quote "full of ****" unquote, quote "sit on it" unquote, quote "shut up" unquote etc.. The only useful (!) comment was, quote "The only one who cares what you think is you" unquote. This shows beyond all reasonable doubt (?) a consistent attitude against newbies. The whole scenario suggests to me a feeling of entitlement to be rude and hostile to newbies?
So, if Gary does not want to come to the party, and I am not entitled to an opinion , I shall open up to you for your opinions of the following points...
Gary aka Turtle Expedition is a world known highly sponsored high profile overlander. With that privilege and position comes responsibility. Whether it is wanted or not. We are all judged on what Gary aka Turtle Expedition does and says. He is a high profile ambassador for overlanders. We do not want hassle at border crossings because we are following another overlander who was rude and hostile. If we stop at a wayside settlement we do not want to be stoned because a preceding overlander was rude and hostile.
You may think this a bit over the top but think of this, if Gary Wescott is happy to be rude and hostile to fellow overlanders.....
What also concerns me is not just the rudeness and hostility regardless of the consequences and fallout, but the attitude of entitlement to do so! Of the real been-there-done-that overlanders I know they have learnt politeness and humility from their contacts with peoples from other countries. So why the repeated and consistent attitude to newbies?
Most overlanders do not have the opportunity to travel until after a life of hard work, saving hard to buy their own vehicle. So when they finally get there as a newbie do they deserve to be met with rudeness and hostility from their peers, the vey people who are their representatives, their ambassador?
What do you think?
Regards.