Weigh in days

Miles Away wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:

Miles Away wrote:
...For all you naysayers out there, I don't think you need to give the Good Sam Club any advise on why it will not work as I'm sure they can find enough reasons, like money and logistics, to shoot it down on their own....

It is a great idea but here are the problems. The Good Sam Club is around 99.9% volunteers. As someone who has been an officer, I know how difficult it is to get volunteers to assist. I also have spent hours hanging around a Camping World for the benefit of the Good Sam Club with no pay and no thanks. Not even a free lunch.

Good Sam Enterprises (GSE) is a 'for profit' corporation that doesn't do anything that doesn't make a profit. Nothing wrong with that, it is how corporations are supposed to work. Unless GSE sees a way that they will make money from it, they won't do it.

It certainly could be done at a Camping World. There are already companies with portable scales that do weigh-ins at big rallies for a fee.

I don't see this as being something the Club would do on their own but they might be willing to supply volunteers and do it in conjunction with Camping World/Good Sam Enterprises. If Good Sam Enterprises thinks it would bring customers into Camping World, they just might be willing to cover the expense.

Like I said, GSE doesn't need any help in getting out of a project which may or my not make them any money, so don't help them by making excuses as to why they may or \my not step up. I think we can all recognize the monetary and logistical issues, however it doesn't make it a bad idea. After all, WHAT HAS GOOD SAM DONE FOR YOU LATELY?

Additionally, I noted you made no comment regarding their assisting new buyers with weight and towing issues.

No, you didn't say anything about GSE, you said the Club. They are two entirely different entities.

You're right, I didn't address the new buyer issue because that is not the topic of this thread and would be hijacking.

In regard to your query, "WHAT HAS GOOD SAM DONE FOR YOU LATELY?" Ask not what your Good Sam Club can do for you, ask what you can do for your Good Sam Club. :) The Good Sam Club is a organization of members, you get out of it in measure equal to what you put into it. I have gotten a lot out of it because I participate and have served in the club. I have volunteered many hours of my time so I and others can benefit.

Good Sam Enterprises, I'm not so fond of.

There are reasons I think this could work.

1. This is a store (GS) initiative, not a GS Club initiative. It would be to better the name of CW in the community by providing something free or at a very small fee. Charge too much and the effort is lost and most won't get in line. Yes, there will be a line. Move along little doggie. Gotta keep 'em movin'.

2. This needs to be a 4 corner weight. This does not compete with existing CAT/Truck stop/Gravel pit scales as they are axle weights. RVers need 4 corners to determine actual tire load vs. capacity, overloads and to reconfigure loads.

3. This gets people to a CW or CW event to promote sales.

Do not know if GS thinks this can work yet but like the OPs idea and I believe it could. I don't have to organize, resource, man or run it.

I would pay a nominal charge to participate in this, even set up an appointment to have someone help us weigh the rig properly.

beemerphile1 wrote:

Miles Away wrote:
...For all you naysayers out there, I don't think you need to give the Good Sam Club any advise on why it will not work as I'm sure they can find enough reasons, like money and logistics, to shoot it down on their own....

It is a great idea but here are the problems. The Good Sam Club is around 99.9% volunteers. As someone who has been an officer, I know how difficult it is to get volunteers to assist. I also have spent hours hanging around a Camping World for the benefit of the Good Sam Club with no pay and no thanks. Not even a free lunch.

Good Sam Enterprises (GSE) is a 'for profit' corporation that doesn't do anything that doesn't make a profit. Nothing wrong with that, it is how corporations are supposed to work. Unless GSE sees a way that they will make money from it, they won't do it.

It certainly could be done at a Camping World. There are already companies with portable scales that do weigh-ins at big rallies for a fee.

I don't see this as being something the Club would do on their own but they might be willing to supply volunteers and do it in conjunction with Camping World/Good Sam Enterprises. If Good Sam Enterprises thinks it would bring customers into Camping World, they just might be willing to cover the expense.

Like I said, GSE doesn't need any help in getting out of a project which may or my not make them any money, so don't help them by making excuses as to why they may or \my not step up. I think we can all recognize the monetary and logistical issues, however it doesn't make it a bad idea. After all, WHAT HAS GOOD SAM DONE FOR YOU LATELY?

Additionally, I noted you made no comment regarding their assisting new buyers with weight and towing issues.

Miles Away wrote:
...For all you naysayers out there, I don't think you need to give the Good Sam Club any advise on why it will not work as I'm sure they can find enough reasons, like money and logistics, to shoot it down on their own....

It is a great idea but here are the problems. The Good Sam Club is around 99.9% volunteers. As someone who has been an officer, I know how difficult it is to get volunteers to assist. I also have spent hours hanging around a Camping World for the benefit of the Good Sam Club with no pay and no thanks. Not even a free lunch.

Good Sam Enterprises (GSE) is a 'for profit' corporation that doesn't do anything that doesn't make a profit. Nothing wrong with that, it is how corporations are supposed to work. Unless GSE sees a way that they will make money from it, they won't do it.

It certainly could be done at a Camping World. There are already companies with portable scales that do weigh-ins at big rallies for a fee.

I don't see this as being something the Club would do on their own but they might be willing to supply volunteers and do it in conjunction with Camping World/Good Sam Enterprises. If Good Sam Enterprises thinks it would bring customers into Camping World, they just might be willing to cover the expense.

I also think it is a great idea and will mention at our next Good Sam State Committee Meeting. I know there are a lot of drivers out there who are intimidated by using the scales at truck stops and this would be a great way to break the ice and show them how its done. For all you naysayers out there, I don't think you need to give the Good Sam Club any advise on why it will not work as I'm sure they can find enough reasons, like money and logistics, to shoot it down on their own.

Looking at this from another angle, wouldn't it be great if, as part of the delivery of a new rig, Camping World took the new buyer and the buyer's truck to a scale, and walked them trough the process by weighing their truck and rig. Now before everyone gets on me about the fact that a new unloaded trailer will not weigh out like one loaded and set up for camping, at least the prospective buyer will have a definitive starting point and no longer be intimidated by the weighing process. This would also be great and inexpensive training tool for the salesman as well as I have found that many of them are good at selling but have no real clue about RVing.

It could be held at Camping World if the store had the room. Its been my experience with most CW stores I have been to that they are not very accommodating on the parking areas for folks pulling their trailers. Pilot/Flying J usually have CAT scales and the room for parking/maneuvering a rig. I have yet to see a CAT scale on a CW property. At the very least maybe a CW location could put on a seminar in understanding the weight numbers from a scale and how it relates to towing safety.

I am not sure who would be considered an "expert" on this subject but it is clear to me that this is THE MOST neglected and misunderstood issue with new RVers, and quite a few of the so called seasoned ones on here too. I am sure there is someone out there who is schooled in this subject and qualified to impart his wisdom to others.

Hello AllegroD, thank you for your time and post. We will pass on the suggestions to the leadership team for review.
Have a good day.
Ella

Great idea. Could be a monthly recurring event. Hold the event at the CWs. Gets folks into the parking lot and hopefully into the store. Advertise it.

ken56 wrote:
Wouldn't it be nice if Good Sam club could organize some type of Weigh in event, with experts on hand to advise folks of what their numbers mean, at Pilot/Flying J locations? One of the most often asked questions on this forum is how much can my truck handle? This subject is one of the most misunderstood issues for RVers. Wouldn't it also be considered a safety concern if people were able to come to an event like this and get the knowledge they need to be safe on the road? What a big public service Good Sam would be doing. Even if there was a nominal charge involved I think people would be interested in an event like this. So, what do you think GSE?

Who do you consider experts?