please,
do not get mad at me for posting this link but i feel that this needs to be brought to peoples attention. an individual made a video for a car dealership in NY, and..... ill let you see what is wrong with it. Please.... email or call the dealer to pull the ad, or call NS and alert them to it. i already did. A lot of hard work by NS is being runied by this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmnJdFZBQMc
Tom
Operation Lifesaver should see this if they haven't already. Below is a link to 23Dodge. Athe bottom of that page (if it dont open to the comntact page) is a "Contact Us" link. I sent them a message stating as a supporter of O.L. I found that to be in very bad taste and it sends the wrong message to people at time when we are still having too many deaths at RR Xings.
I feel that was in very bad taste and I think you did the right thing by bringing this in the open.
http://main.23dodge.com/
Robert Federle
I have forwarded the Youtube link to Operation Lifesaver.
Robert Federle
the user took the video down. but the info has been sent to NS by a number of people. they know whot the dealer is that is running it. so we'll see.
The problem with things such as that video is not just the fact it promotes what Operation Lifesaver and Law Enforcement is trying to prevent but it shows how immature some people can be. It is obvious that safety was no where in the persons mind that came up with this.
The part where he speeds dowen the highway just before the tracks is bad enough. Some young people today go zipping by as if there are no speed limits and they own the highway. This video is BAD.
I have thought of sendimng it to Dodge but if it has been pulled, not much point now.
Robert Federle
Quote from: R Federle on June 19, 2007, 01:29:56 PM
The problem with things such as that video is not just the fact it promotes what Operation Lifesaver and Law Enforcement is trying to prevent but it shows how immature some people can be. It is obvious that safety was no where in the persons mind that came up with this.
The part where he speeds dowen the highway just before the tracks is bad enough. Some young people today go zipping by as if there are no speed limits and they own the highway. This video is BAD.
I have thought of sendimng it to Dodge but if it has been pulled, not much point now.
Robert Federle
The video has not been pulled off the airwaves. Here in NJ it is still on television. I would pass it onto Dodge.
I think I'll do that.
Robert Federle
Plus it looks like it was done by a high school A/V class.. lol. NS has gotten wind of this from a number of sources, including myself. so lets see if railfans can make a positive difference.
For those of us who havnt seen it, what is causing all this rukus???
The video showed a man at a dealership when he see's a car. In his mind he takes the car for a test drive, speeding past other cars he approaches the tracks. The lights are flashing and the gates come down. Flash back to the driver and he continues on, then he jumps the vehicle over the three tracks just ahead of Norfolk Southern locomotives. The clip then goes on to a girl then back at the dealership.
With the crossing lights flashing, gates going down and train approaching, jumping ahead of the oncoming train. It is felt that it is inappropriate and sends a bad message. I e-mailed the dealership with my thoughts and observations. A copy of the link was also sent to Operation Lifesaver.
I feel it takes a long time to get the public to become aware of crossing hazards and videos like this can tear that down. Nothing against young people but they are impressionable enough as it is without seeing something like that video.
Robert Federle
it might help to mention the Charger was a CGI image. but still it conveys a very bad image. Plus serious copyright infringment infractions if they didnt get NS's ok. plus i think if they would have known what it was gonna be used for, they would have said no.
I just received a reply from Operation Lifesaver. She said the video was pulled but I replied that it has been reported the commercial is still airing in New Jersey. I gave her the address of that dealership as well. If I would have the TV Station I.D. I would have given that as well.
Robert Federle
The user has removed the video from YouTube. Looks like enough ruckus can get someone's attention. Great job everyone. ;D
Now if we can get the dealership to get the tv people to pull the ad. And NS come down on both of them extremely hard. make examples of them. sorry. had a rough day. just in a venting mood.
Stuff like this can put you in a bad mood. By the way, I copied Dodge about this and have given a description of the video to Carol Steckbeck at Operation Lifesaver.
Robert Federle
Car dealerships are nototious for doing anything for a shock value to sell. Why else would they wear rediculious outfits ect, but this is just wrong. If they would have been smart and wanted to show a car jumping something they should have put some thought into the process and made the obvious choice of a jump for a Dodge Charger.. something on the order of a Dukes of Hazzard jump. It just goes to show sometimes the people that make the decisions are sometimes dumb as bricks. Anybody with a legal department would have not approved the commercial. That should mean they should be easy to make an example of.
Were you able to see that video JB?
Robert Federle
Just got a reply from Leonard Federici from 23Dodge. He says he regrets the impact of the video and he himself had not seen it. He said he has been getting ALOT of feedback about this.
I explained the impact of this spot on the public sends a message that with this tyope of automobile you can outrun trains. I told him that kind of thinking will kill you.
Dodge on the other hand said they have no control over wehat the dealer does. Seems to me I would want my image upheld and do what it takes to keep that image. Evidently Dodge does not care.
We'll see what happens from here.
Robert Federle
thats cool. i emailed them too, and got the standard automated response. at least he called you. sounds like we are making a difference.
He didn't call, it was e-mail correspondence. I originally got the automated e-mail then I have since got two that I have replied to. Sounds like he is some type of manager and it appears he had no knowledge of it.
I feel I have been a part of something that has made a difference (or at least, hope makes a difference) for once. Time will tell.
Robert Federle
Update copied and pasted from a recent e-mail to me from 23Dodge:
Hello Robert,
As per our owner the television add you were concerned about has been pulled off the air.
GOOD LUCK
Thank you.
Lenny Federici
Internet Manager
Route 23 Dodge
(973) 492-0538
Thought you might be interested. I have not heard anything from O.L. today.
Robert
i just got the email too. looks like raising heck about something can really change the world in a small way.
Hopefully word will get around and people will realize this is not something that should be ignored.
Robert
Maybe next time car dealerships will think about getting permission from railroads to use materials that may be copyrighted or on their property.
(Conscious says: Yea when HELL FREEZES OVER).
I think you might be right Buddy. Some may learn but I think they are the minority. Others it will take something drastic happening to them or a loved one to wake them up. But in retrospec that might not do it either. It would then become the railroads fault for someone running in front of the locomotive. Blaming everyone but themselves.
Robert
Thats impressive guys, yall seem to have done good. Im surprised that the dealership even bothered to reply, but its off the air and thats all that matters.
No, I didn't have a chance to see the video before it got pulled or overran the server capacity allowed it. What I was referring to with the General Lee like jump was something good and clean that nobody would have an objection to. It's not uncommon for dealerships with a legal department to have them view all their ads before airing so that there are no pop up supprises. It looks to me like their legal department is dumb or non existant to let something by that discription through though. If they didn't slip it by them just to get it out there to get people talking.
Well JB,
They got publicity. I dont think its exactly the type they wanted though. You have the eprception pretty close to waht was depicted in the video. Just picture that same General Lee jump looking from the drivers side and put Norfolk Southern just missing it on the passengers side.
Negative publicity or not it still got their name out there.
Robert Federle
Well said "Enginecrew",
I knew a few Engineers with the old B&O in Ohio that had been involved in grade crossing accidents. Something the public dont realize or think about is the mental impact that accident has on the headend crew. One had hit a car with the entire family killed (includeing 4 children in the back of the station wagon). It really hit him hard. He said the hard part was knowing there was nothing he could do but watch.
That "I'm Immortal" feeling I think is prevalent with alot of the young drivers today. They pass you like you're sitting still and look at you like you are the one with the problem. They think they own the highway.
Well I'm not going to get started on that.
Robert Federle
I noticed yesterday that they had pulled the video from youtube as well. Now there's a big fuss over a video that shows how to elude the imigration laws. Youtube is getting lots of publicity now as well. It wouldn't supprise me if they started reviewing videos more stringently soon. Especially with all the copyright stuff going on.
I believe they should be screening what is posted. I believe too in Free Speech. I think it will start getting tricky when people begin to claim their rights are being violated. I also think the owners of those types of sites should want to minimize the legal entanglement they may find themselves in if videos such as those continue to air.
They should realize too that when someone loses a loved one due to an act similar to those depicted that they might just find themselves named in a wrongful death suit (I may be mistaken here though as I am no attorney). I feel, even with free speech, that when something as this promotes (or does nothing to deter) dangerous acts or illegal activity that it should be filtered out. At least the site owner could contact the party that wants to post it and tell them this or that needs changed deleted before it can air.
I could go on but I wont know where to stop.
Robert Federle
Quote from: jbcagle7073 on June 22, 2007, 11:12:25 PMNow there's a big fuss over a video that shows how to elude the imigration laws.
Heh heh heh, that one was good. Too bad for that law firm that I saved a copy of it, and I'm sure lots of other people did too. ;D