Why did the Merlin thread get locked?

bendertherobot

NapoleonD wrote:

?

Straightfoward issue isn't it? The PHA recognises legality. The OP wanted to pursue a legal claim.

dodgy

nicklouse wrote:

dodgy wrote:

Scrumple wrote:

You didn't read...

I have no issue with using the internet for advice and for raising problems. I do have issues with hysteria, half truths, misinformation, and reading the last post and thinking you know the lot.

I'm not sure how that makes me holy, but I'd rather have a discussion about frame damage and sense than blither and swearing.

Thank you for your input. Be a sheep.

Which is why I've suggested BikeRadar do a sober factual editorial on this episode. They are after all journalists...

why? what has the Police got to to with a Warranty issue? nothing.

Hmm, already responded to this post but for some reason it has disappeared.

Why? What? I'm simply saying that it would be useful for a respected organisation like BR did a balanced editorial on this story, you know, to get the facts? Right now this isn't looking good for ABG, I can't ever remember a story with such a damning reflection of a purveyor of bicycle gear.

Anonymous

bendertherobot wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

?

Straightfoward issue isn't it? The PHA recognises legality. The OP wanted to pursue a legal claim.

Wasn't sure who the 'they' you were referring to were...

Based on what I remember from the thread I can't see how it would come under the Harassment Act... :?

petejuk

NapoleonD wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

?

Straightfoward issue isn't it? The PHA recognises legality. The OP wanted to pursue a legal claim.

Wasn't sure who the 'they' you were referring to were...

Based on what I remember from the thread I can't see how it would come under the Harassment Act... :?

Hmmm, there's nothing in the info within this thread that amounts to harassment. I think now is the time to seek legal advice.

BR 1979

I think the producer/distributor of these frames need to learn that when you're in a hole sometimes just throwing away the spade isn't enough.

Bloody hell - Some bloke is struggling to get any sort of sensible explanation regarding warranty, hits a wall of silence, so has to reach for a forum for help. Well intentioned forum members post up contact details (which the manufacturer/distributor was unwilling to offer). Fast forward a week and the bloke gets the police at his door? Just complete madness. I'm not even sure if it could be deemed harassment to find an alternative set of contact details for someone via the internet. (I presume no-one, OP or anyone else emailed and "harassed" her (I don't include a request for help or explanation under "harassment", BTW!)

Buy a frame -> It breaks -> Ask for help -> Visit from police.

?????

Absolute complete and utter f**king madness.

If I were the customer service/warranty rep who refused to help the OP, I would be ashamed of myself and embarrassed to be working for a company that acts in this way. Just incredible.

If the distributor is reading this, I reckon you need to explain yourself. And I think you owe the OP a massive apology. What exactly did he do to deserve the police at his door? Very poor show.

bendertherobot

BR 1979 wrote:

If the distributor is reading this, I reckon you need to explain yourself. And I think you owe the OP a massive apology. What exactly did he do to deserve the police at his door? Very poor show.

+1

Big time

shm_uk

peter101cycle wrote:

We should also start a Facebook group against ABG! or something similar.....

If you're 9, go ahead and we'll all humour you.

If you're a grown up, we'll all pretend the suggestion was never made.

If you weren't being serious, I'll shut up

dodgy

No, don't go Facebook, it doesn't carry the kind of weight the OP needs.

I'll say it again, this needs Bike Radar to write a factual piece on it. maybe even publish it in one of their magazines.

I have a feeling that might not happen, but what a refreshing change if it did.

redddraggon

dodgy wrote:

No, don't go Facebook, it doesn't carry the kind of weight the OP needs.

I'll say it again, this needs Bike Radar to write a factual piece on it. maybe even publish it in one of their magazines.

I have a feeling that might not happen, but what a refreshing change if it did.

Bikeradar only regurgitate marketing material, I don't think they would be capable of proper investigative journalism.

dodgy

They'd certainly be capable of typing what happened, no opinion needed. But yes, there was a hint in my post that it's not going to happen. Same reason you never see hifi magazines being critical on products that advertise in them.

I have a Litespeed Ti via PlanetX, wonder if my warranty is PX or Litespeed!

antfly

It was obviously the individual who was named that made the harrassment complaint, nothing to do with the business contact details which were wrong anyway. An overreaction perhaps on her part but I doubt anything more will come of it.

bendertherobot

dodgy wrote:

They'd certainly be capable of typing what happened, no opinion needed. But yes, there was a hint in my post that it's not going to happen. Same reason you never see hifi magazines being critical on products that advertise in them.

I have a Litespeed Ti via PlanetX, wonder if my warranty is PX or Litespeed!

Planet X as the seller. Good luck to them in reclaiming under their indemnity contract mind!

maryka

RDW wrote:

infopete wrote:

I've just had two very nice policemen visit me with the view of giving me a harassment warning notice.

For the potential implications of this, see:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... ir-hearing

and seek legal advice.

Scary stuff, that harassment warning notice. Thanks for posting the Guardian link, a must-read for all. Definitely worth getting some legal advice, as if the warning stands you only have 3 months to do anything about it?

And yeah, how about issuing Ms. I Work for ABG but the Chip on my Shoulder is so Huge that I can Barely Stand on my Own Two Feet a harassment notice of her very own, for all the trouble she's caused you? Seriously, some people.

ABG, what a disgrace. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Pokerface

infopete wrote:

No doubt I'll need to review the situation when they return but I have been open and honest and I'll see how things pan out.

infopete - I'm confused. The police have been and issued you with a warning of some sort - yes?

So why are they going to be returning!? The so-called harassment incident is now over. You've had your warning, etc. So that should be the end of it?

For anyone else - I suspect the harassment claim arose over the PERSONAL details of the rep that were being bandied about - not the company details. There were references made to stalking her on Facebook, looking up her home address, etc. I also suspect those references have been removed from the original thread. I have no idea how much information about her actually made it into the wild - or if this is even what it's about, but that's my guess.

BR 1979

Pokerface wrote:

For anyone else - I suspect the harassment claim arose over the PERSONAL details of the rep that were being bandied about.

A point of contact is a point of contact. If he was getting no response from the company it seems perfectly OK to try another avenue of contact, in my opinion. I can't see how simply CONTACTING someone can be deemed harassment in any way.

The proximate cause of this "harassment" is the company ignoring his requests for info/help.

The internet is the public domain. If this employee chooses to leave her contact details out there, where is the crime in using those contact details to contact said person?

BR 1979

Wow, 7,000+ views of this thread - Let's hope the old saying of "no such thing as bad publicity" is true, eh? :roll:

antfly

I suspect It was putting her name on here along with an accusation that was the potential harrassment, not contacting her.

mcj78

Pokerface wrote:

[
For anyone else - I suspect the harassment claim arose over the PERSONAL details of the rep that were being bandied about - not the company details. There were references made to stalking her on Facebook, looking up her home address, etc. I also suspect those references have been removed from the original thread. I have no idea how much information about her actually made it into the wild - or if this is even what it's about, but that's my guess.

This ^

However, I can't remember from the orginal post if infopete himself mentioned anything re. the employee's personal details - I thought someone else had posted those?

The first post on that Guardian link is worth a peek - especially as having been served with a harassment warning notice, this will show up on any future ECRB check whether justified of not.

From the Guardian article:

"If people are concerned about the circumstances in which they have been given a harassment warning, they should consider lodging a formal complaint and/or seeking prompt legal advice."

Infopete - sorry to see what started as a post about ABG trying to get out of a (apparently valid) warranty claim has transformed into such a shitstorm!

bendertherobot

Don't recall who said what but I assume other people posted her details and, I assume, others posted about contacting her on Facebook.

Whatever use infopete made, whether it was her personal address OR facebook, in an attempt to get into contact in relation to a legal claim falls well outside the PHA. He would have been well within his rights to show the coppers the door.

antfly

Read the original thread if you want to know. It's cached.

infopete

Hi All,

to clarify a couple of points:

The police did not issue the warning. They were amazed and unimpressed with having to serve the notice for a warranty claim. They have gone to discuss the matter with the policeman "up north" and I'm waiting for another knock on the door.

I'm not looking for the home address of the ABG employee, I'm looking for the work address however I can see this may be the same place; one of the downsides of a home office.

The police were in agreement with me and thought ABG should provide the address so I can proceed with a small claims summons.

I never wanted to resort to any legal action against ABG and still don't. I would rather the American Bicycle Group honoured the lifetime warranty on my rather expensive Merlin Cielo.

On Thursday evening I was promised an offer, in writing, within 48 hours. So far I have received nothing either in the post or via email. If and when it comes I'll let you all know.

And finally, Mrs P is still pi**ed off with having two policemen on our sofa and I don't think she's going to let me forget it.

maryka

How timely: Merlin's website has a "news" item as of Dec. 4, 2010 linking to a Road.cc review of the Cielo ("A fabulous frameset built to incredibly high standards" )

Comments are still open.

Infopete, still no luck getting the corporate address of ABG in the UK? Surely that's worth pursuing legally?

bendertherobot

antfly wrote:

Read the original thread if you want to know. It's cached.

Just had a read. They should be done for wasting police time.

bendertherobot

infopete wrote:

I'm not looking for the home address of the ABG employee, I'm looking for the work address however I can see this may be the same place; one of the downsides of a home office.

The police were in agreement with me and thought ABG should provide the address so I can proceed with a small claims summons.
.

Pete, the Act provides this:

"(3)Subsection (1) does not apply to a course of conduct if the person who pursued it shows—

(a)that it was pursued for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime,

(b)that it was pursued under any enactment or rule of law or to comply with any condition or requirement imposed by any person under any enactment, or

(c)that in the particular circumstances the pursuit of the course of conduct was reasonable."

Remind them of sections (b) and (c) when they come back, though it appears they agree with you.

mcj78

infopete wrote:

to clarify a couple of points:

The police did not issue the warning. They were amazed and unimpressed with having to serve the notice for a warranty claim. They have gone to discuss the matter with the policeman "up north" and I'm waiting for another knock on the door.

Ah, cool - glad to hear that, best of luck resolving this - despite all the problems it's still one cool looking bike & if in the same position i'd want it fixed.

J

Pokerface

Just a thought - was this story also posted on other forums? Is it possible the harassment claim arose from something in one of those?

Overreactions all around but I can see how a woman might feel threatened by having her personal details being floated around online. If that actually happened. I doubt they read all the threads, etc

MarcBC

Surely the UK distributor can be located by talking to a UK retailer of Merlin frames. Wiggle for example may help, and give you some Haribo!

bompington

MarcBC wrote:

Surely the UK distributor can be located by talking to a UK retailer of Merlin frames. Wiggle for example may help, and give you some Haribo!

You mean Wiggle haven't helped out yet? And no Haribo either?

I knew it was Wiggle's fault.

nickwill

maryka wrote:

How timely: Merlin's website has a "news" item as of Dec. 4, 2010 linking to a Road.cc review of the Cielo ("A fabulous frameset built to incredibly high standards" )

Comments are still open.

Infopete, still no luck getting the corporate address of ABG in the UK? Surely that's worth pursuing legally?

It would appear that someone linked to this thread on Road.cc, and by magic the post and link disappeared. So much for freedom of speech

zanes

American Bicycle Group warranty claim
American Bicycle group review
Lightspeed review
Lightspeed owners
Lightspeed UK distributor
Merlin review
Merlin owners
Merlin UK distributor

Just in case anyone is thinking of buying from these clowns and does a google