Friday, November 09, 2007

Rant

Grump. This morning I got thoroughly splashed by a Lime Media advertising truck. You know those stupid vehicles that drive around as moving billboards? Grrrr. So I fired off a complaint e-mail to the company:
I would like to complain about the driving of one of your drivers.

This morning, one of your trucks was driving on Redwood in the curb lane just before the bridge. There is a puddle that is in this lane in all but the driest weather. Although your truck wasn't speeding, it didn't slow down or move into the middle lane (which it needed to do anyway to go over the bridge), and as a consequence I was splashed from head to foot, even though I was on the side of the sidewalk farthest from the road.

Personally, I already dislike your business since it pollutes the environment and uses natural resourses, driving trucks around for the sole purpose of advertising. Your driver not being careful to not splash pedestrians makes me think even worse of your company, and any company that would choose to advertise with you.
I had to rant too. Rant over now. (I'll let you know if they send me a response that makes me dislike them less. Or more.)

Update #1: Response from the person I e-mailed:
I have advised the Winnipeg owner of the situation (I live in Montreal). He will be contacting you by email. I'm really sorry that you got splashed, I would be upset also if it happened to me.
Thank you for taking the time to express your concerns.

Hope you have a nice weekend


Update #2: After this second e-mail, I no longer think they're evil. They should state some of these facts on their trucks in the margins though.
I apologize for the disrespect that was shown to you in regards to the splashing. Although I'm sure unintentional, we need to be more concerned for pedestrians than that.

As for your other objections, I would like to alleviate some of your concerns.
1. we proudly run Biodiesel in all of our trucks, a commitment that few in the vehicle fleet industry are willing to make.
2. at great expense we are members of the CRFA (Canadian renewable fuels association) http://greenfuels.org/membership.php. This organization furthers research into bio and other alternative fuels, something Lime Media Tucks takes very seriously. For this reason we contribute, promote and recommend the use of bio fuels
3. We do regular pickups and deliveries for a national courier. We try and make sure that our trucks presence on the road helps take another one off to avoid congestion.
4. We do regular pickups and drop-offs for Winnipeg Harvest. Two to three time a week our truck will pickup at locations far away for Winnipeg Harvest's warehouse. They would otherwise have to send out a large 5 ton truck every time a pick up was required. Now our smaller, biodiesel trucks can do this work for them and at no cost.
5. We are members of Imagine Canada http://www.imaginecanada.ca/?q=en/node/119. This is an organization that ensures that we follow critical corporate giving procedures. They ensure that the nations largest corporations fulfill their giving mandate and they do the same for Lime Media. We're only one year old and we've already had charity event in Toronto for the benefit of the CAFB (Canadian Association of Food Banks) and we're a small Winnipeg company! http://limegroup.ca/events.html
6. We regularly run free advertising for non-profits like Crime Stoppers, Canadian Blood Services, Winnipeg Harvest and Variety.

So please don't be hard on our advertisers, they know full well what we do in the community, for charities across the country and our environmental procedures - they wouldn't advertise on our trucks if it wasn't the case.

Thank you for showing us your concern, I hope we have shown ours our the same,

7 comments:

Deneen said...

I hate those things because I think it's dangerous for them to be driving around with rolling billboard-I am supposed to be driving and watching traffic, not reading a billboard-I am surprised there haven't been several accidents reported because of them.

noricum said...

Even worse for distracting drivers, in my opinion, are those big TVs that some companies are mounting on their businesses to show their advertising! Especially at night. There needs to be regulations about that stuff, and things like how bright something can be with respect to the surroundings. (Ie it can be brighter during the day than at night, because bright things at night can be blinding.)

Kath said...

Are you telling me those trucks just drive around town to be moving billboards? And they are not actually transporting any cargo??? I have never heard of such a thing and it just blows my mind.

noricum said...

kath: See update #2 (just posted)... it turns out this company is better than that. However, I've seen other ones that have just a two-sided skinny billboard in the middle in other cities... I doubt they make deliveries. :(

Kath said...

Okay, that additional response you received from Lime Media makes me feel much better about them. When I lived on the mainland, especially in the Los Angeles area, there were plenty of trucks and especially busses that were sort of "wrapped" by advertising. Which I don't love but a) at least the vehicle was transporting cargo or people and b) I guess you sort of expect that when you live in a city environment.
I've never seen the kind with just a center billboard though - yechh.

Anonymous said...

wow, I just read the update -- that is pretty cool! they should put that info on their website (did you reply and tell them that?). I'm glad they were not rude to you (but sorry you got soaked!).

noricum said...

Jess: I did now. :)