Fighting suckiness with suckiness....

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Just got back from a very nice weekend in Myrtle Beach. Had a great time. However, those of you who have been to Myrtle Beach can probably relate to this.

MB is LOUSY with these time share condo salesmen that crawl around everywhere, trying to get you to sign up to watch a presentation for their timeshares for 90 minutes in exchange for 100 bucks.

Not only does this sound like a scam, but nobody who thinks 90 minutes of their vacation time is worth only 100 bucks (excuse me, 50 bucks. They approach couples, so that's 50 a head) is in a place financially where they will be able to afford to buy a condo. I know I'm not. But I digress.

These people are like lice. They get on you and hold on like Grim Death. They chase you down the street begging you to sign up. I've actually reached a point in the past when one of them said "Hi, how are you today?" I would just flip the Rude Finger and keep walking. I mean, you can only take so much so many times a day, you know?

So here we are Saturday, trying to exit a restaurant after a very nice meal, when this broad comes INTO THE PLACE AS WE ARE LEAVING, and starts up.

She asks how was it, and I say "Fine, thanks, " and she starts in with her pitch. I scowl, cut her off, and say "No." And head for the door. My husband is not so lucky. He's behind me and far nicer than I am. I hold open the door and say "I said NO." She's still yammering on like a f ing idiot, saying "you don't have 90 minutes?" She was practically hanging onto his leg! He was trying to get out the door.

Really, I so wish I had told her how much 90 minutes freelance rates for the both of us, doubled on account of it was our vacation, would cost her. It would be a damn sight more than a hundred bucks. Gaaah... how come I can never think of this stuff when I need it?

Why, oh why oh WHY would a resteraunt allow that shit to go on? I just spent money with them, treated their staff well, cleaned up after my kid, and tipped the waitress very, very well for very good service. Why do I have to put up with that?

So I basically treated that chick like crap on my shoe. It didn't seem to deter her. Heck, I doubt a face full of pepper spray would have detered her.

I felt sort of sucky afterwards, but sheesh!

[Sofar]

Those condominiums probably replaced some actual local architecture anyway, in which you'd probably much rather stay for two months a year.

[ditchdj]

Personally I think it's really irritating and rude for a complete stranger to approach me and greet me and treat me like a best friend only because they want to sell me something. It reminds me of the idiot panhandlers that hang around the local grocerty outlet and the store does nothing about it after I go back in to complain.

[draftermatt]

God I remember that from my honeymoon. Both of us wearing very shiny rings and were asked "Are you too married or do you live together"

Me: "Nope" or "Sorry wer'e on our way home"

[IT Grunt]

Those condominiums probably replaced some actual local architecture anyway, in which you'd probably much rather stay for two months a year.

They did. Myrtle Beach was our annual family vacation destination while I was growing up. We'd camp at this nice campground called Lake Arrowhead, but around the late 80's, the owner passed away, and his kids only saw $$$. Next thing you know, block after block of campsites were being sold to condo developers, and this campground was right on the beach. The last time we camped there, it was half condos. The last couple of trips were in rented beach houses in Surfside, as Lake Arrowhead was completely gone. I haven't been there in over ten years, but I can imagine what the place looks like these days.

On the topic though, the panhandlers were bad enough, but now you have to deal with sales pitches everywhere you go? I can be a nice guy, but I'd forget myself in a situation like that.

[Becks]

Why, oh why oh WHY would a resteraunt allow that shit to go on? I just spent money with them, treated their staff well, cleaned up after my kid, and tipped the waitress very, very well for very good service. Why do I have to put up with that?

Did you talk to a manager about that?

[protege]

They did. Myrtle Beach was our annual family vacation destination while I was growing up. We'd camp at this nice campground called Lake Arrowhead, but around the late 80's, the owner passed away, and his kids only saw $$$. Next thing you know, block after block of campsites were being sold to condo developers, and this campground was right on the beach. The last time we camped there, it was half condos. The last couple of trips were in rented beach houses in Surfside, as Lake Arrowhead was completely gone. I haven't been there in over ten years, but I can imagine what the place looks like these days.

Cape May, NJ is getting like that. Downtown Cape May is pretty much the same as it's been since the 1800s, with Victorian homes all over the place. However, there are new developments springing up all over the place north of town. Quite a few of the new residences are huge monstrosities that are usually empty 99% of the year, or rented out to guests. Several of the smaller towns have lost many of touches that made them unique. Instead, they've been bulldozed and replaced with more condos or marinas. In short, within the past 20 years, land has become a *very* expensive commodity down there.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

No, BeckySunshine, I didn't, and have been regretting that I didn't ever since. In all honesty, it just did not occur to me at the time. I suppose I should be glad of that, to know that I am not the sort of person that goes screaming to the manager at the slightest provocation. However, you are right, in retrospect, this situation warrented it.

At the time, I just wanted to leave unmolested, and take my little family with me, so that's what I was thinking about. Had she followed us outside, it would have gotten downright ugly. But it didn't occur to me until after it was all over and we were back in our hotel to complain to the manager.

[ArenaBoy]

My area has been like that for a few years, cheesy houses and condos. About 11 or 12 years ago, there was this campground that was just covered in woods for 3 miles. It had a small path and it was very beautiful especially in the fall. One day, the owners of the campground were selling the place and all they saw was $$$$$$$$ and nothing else. They sold it to a local developer and my neighborhood did everything we could to stop it. It's sad really, they built a road that actually went through my friend's property. They talked to the council about it and the council also saw $$$$$. Much of northern Michigan which is vey beautiful is turning into condo-ville.

[MadMike]

Cape May, NJ is getting like that.

Just a stone's throw away, in Wildwood, it's also getting like that. Everywhere you go, it seems those damn condos are springing up.

What really sucked was, two summers ago we decided that the place we had been staying at was too small and expensive. We found another place that was a little bigger and a lot more reasonably priced. We were quite happy with it, and most likely would have stayed there this past summer. Unfortunately, as we were checking out, the owner told us the place wouldn't be there next year, as they were knocking it down to put up another one of those stupid condos.

We usually rent bikes one day while we're at the beach, and when we did, we stopped by the spot where the place had been. Just as they told us, it was gone, and there were condos where it once stood.

[rdp78]

Well, this past weekend my family went to Virginia Beach and right across the street from our hotel was one of those time share places even through it looks discount place. We didn't know what it was until Saturday afternoon my mom and I went shopping. When we were leaving the store next to it the guy that was working there asked about our plans and even offer to buy us dinner. He then showed us something that was being bulit and pretty much it was time share that he was trying to sell us. My mom just said no thank you and we left for our hotel.

Anyway about people hassling you and trying to sale you something well, at biggest mall in my area (Valley View) there are kiosks all line up on in middle of the first floor. Most aren't too bad but there are couple that sell natural beauty supplies and the sales people will try to stop people by asking to try one of their products. Well, pretty much they are going to get you to buy that product as well as there other products and it happened to me a couple years ago as I was walking out a store. Anyway I just walk quickly past those booths or just ignore them. Of course, I've seen this in a couple other malls in NC and it's not always beauty products.

[Sofar]

Condominiums are the biggest architectural monstrosities of this age. You've noticed they always try to "blend in." Around here we've got Craftsman houses, which is rather a set of home-spun versions of older Wrightian designs. Craftsman houses are bungalows, usually no more than one floor in height, a typical Craftsman house will have a low, shallow roof with very wide eves, pyramidal masonry piers supporting the porch roof, a battlement foundation, wide cottage-style windows with Wrightian glazing patterns,* and generally an all-round low, wide, stocky appearence. For this they are usually painted and stained in very dark earthy tones. Now imagine a six-floor condominium project trying hopelessly to imitate this style.

*If the goddamn things haven't been replaced with those stupid white vinyl sliding windows with fake glazing bars.

[kerrisan]

I've actually reached a point in the past when one of them said "Hi, how are you today?" I would just flip the Rude Finger and keep walking. I mean, you can only take so much so many times a day, you know?

Better yet: "Oh, I'm doing GREAT, especially since I haven't had to deal with any timeshare idiots today!"