The Unkindness of Strangers

[NJDevil]

We had $60 bleacher seats yesterday for Zenyatta's race. My husband figured this "higher class of people" would be forgiving, realize we were all there for the same reason, and let people up to the fence to take a picture of Z. And that's what I wanted more than anything, a semi-decent picture with my lame camera, but no, folks weren't understanding - more specifically, WOMENfolk. For some reason, kindness, understanding and common sense had disappeared and standing at the fence became synonymous with bleacher seats. They couldn't get any Churchill staff to agree with them, but it didn't matter. I guess I should have stood on the empty bleacher (on their ACTUAL seats), but I wasn't the one trying to start a fight.

I understand why the middle class has this attitude, but it doesn't excuse it. The rail, or the fence (whatever you want to call it) is public access, first come first serve, you cannot reserve it. Wanting people to act out of love instead of fear is not gonna happen at a racetrack, I guess. I'll never understand what I was taking away from these women....there was plenty of room for all of us. And I can't understand the kind of person who wants to take joy away from someone else.

[Bullet Plane]

We had $60 bleacher seats yesterday for Zenyatta's race. My husband figured this "higher class of people" would be forgiving, realize we were all there for the same reason, and let people up to the fence to take a picture of Z. And that's what I wanted more than anything, a semi-decent picture with my lame camera, but no, folks weren't understanding - more specifically, WOMENfolk. For some reason, kindness, understanding and common sense had disappeared and standing at the fence became synonymous with bleacher seats. They couldn't get any Churchill staff to agree with them, but it didn't matter. I guess I should have stood on the empty bleacher (on their ACTUAL seats), but I wasn't the one trying to start a fight.

I understand why the middle class has this attitude, but it doesn't excuse it. The rail, or the fence (whatever you want to call it) is public access, first come first serve, you cannot reserve it. Wanting people to act out of love instead of fear is not gonna happen at a racetrack, I guess. I'll never understand what I was taking away from these women....there was plenty of room for all of us. And I can't understand the kind of person who wants to take joy away from someone else.

I notice some of the very people you are describing acting the same way on the highways. Dog eat dog.

[Stillriledup]

We had $60 bleacher seats yesterday for Zenyatta's race. My husband figured this "higher class of people" would be forgiving, realize we were all there for the same reason, and let people up to the fence to take a picture of Z. And that's what I wanted more than anything, a semi-decent picture with my lame camera, but no, folks weren't understanding - more specifically, WOMENfolk. For some reason, kindness, understanding and common sense had disappeared and standing at the fence became synonymous with bleacher seats. They couldn't get any Churchill staff to agree with them, but it didn't matter. I guess I should have stood on the empty bleacher (on their ACTUAL seats), but I wasn't the one trying to start a fight.

I understand why the middle class has this attitude, but it doesn't excuse it. The rail, or the fence (whatever you want to call it) is public access, first come first serve, you cannot reserve it. Wanting people to act out of love instead of fear is not gonna happen at a racetrack, I guess. I'll never understand what I was taking away from these women....there was plenty of room for all of us. And I can't understand the kind of person who wants to take joy away from someone else.

You needed to spend more money for better seats if you wanted pictures. Don't blame other people for this.

[Tom]

Punch your way through - go Borel on them!

[Shelby]

Punch your way through - go Borel on them!

I guess the Borel is going to be our new verb. :D

[BombsAway Bob]

You needed to spend more money for better seats if you wanted pictures. Don't blame other people for this.
you are unbelievable...
and this post of yours proves Turds Type:rolleyes:

[WinterTriangle]

Most people are pretty generous, at least that has been my experience. Sounds like you unfortunately got stuck in a small group that weren't as gracious as you, and that sucks.

We had $60 bleacher seats yesterday for Zenyatta's race. My husband figured this "higher class of people" would be forgiving

Money bears no relationship to class.

[Greyfox]

And that's what I wanted more than anything, a semi-decent picture with my lame camera, but no, folks weren't understanding - more specifically, WOMENfolk..


Maybe you could have asked someone ahead of you to take a photo with your camera for you?? (Of course the small risk that the camera would never be seen again is there too.)

[Grits]

NJDevil, next time travel a little further South, maybe to Hot Springs, Arkansas', Oaklawn Park. One can have great seats . . . and we did. Still, I wanted to go to the rail to see Zenyatta in the post parade and take photos of her Apple Blossom. I wasn't disappointed at all. The crowd, both male and female, were as gracious, as excited, and friendly as could be. And the apron, I'm sure just as crowded.

There's kindness everywhere; there's the alternative as well. Ignore those.

[WJ47]

I guess I don't understand. Who were these rude women? Ones that had $200 seats? Why couldn't you just push your way up if the public has free access to the rail? I've never been to a large racetrack on a big day so I don't understand how this all works.

I guess that's just the way the world works; people can be very rude. I don't have money for a expensive seats and a trip to Kentucky, so I just watch the big races at home. I get a much better view. I'd rather not be around people that behave like that anyway.

[Stillriledup]

you are unbelievable...
and this post of yours proves Turds Type:rolleyes:


Maybe i misunderstood what the poster was complaining about. My apologies.

[NJDevil]

No, the rude women were in the $60/seat section also. I did stand at the fence, they just bitched about it, claiming I was in someone's seat. Even though there was no bleacher behind me. Typical selfish, greedy Americans.

[Robert Goren]

Money has nothing to do with class. Never has, never will.

[lamboguy]

NJDevil, next time travel a little further South, maybe to Hot Springs, Arkansas', Oaklawn Park. One can have great seats . . . and we did. Still, I wanted to go to the rail to see Zenyatta in the post parade and take photos of her Apple Blossom. I wasn't disappointed at all. The crowd, both male and female, were as gracious, as excited, and friendly as could be. And the apron, I'm sure just as crowded.

There's kindness everywhere; there's the alternative as well. Ignore those.the people in arkansas are nice like you. its a great fun place to be oaklawn, i am sure it hasn't changed to much since i was there in the early 80's.

[Stillriledup]

No, the rude women were in the $60/seat section also. I did stand at the fence, they just bitched about it, claiming I was in someone's seat. Even though there was no bleacher behind me. Typical selfish, greedy Americans.

Taking a shot at Americans? Why bring millions of Americans into this?

[DJofSD]

We had $60 bleacher seats yesterday for Zenyatta's race. My husband figured this "higher class of people" would be forgiving, realize we were all there for the same reason, and let people up to the fence to take a picture of Z. And that's what I wanted more than anything, a semi-decent picture with my lame camera, but no, folks weren't understanding - more specifically, WOMENfolk. For some reason, kindness, understanding and common sense had disappeared and standing at the fence became synonymous with bleacher seats. They couldn't get any Churchill staff to agree with them, but it didn't matter. I guess I should have stood on the empty bleacher (on their ACTUAL seats), but I wasn't the one trying to start a fight.

I understand why the middle class has this attitude, but it doesn't excuse it. The rail, or the fence (whatever you want to call it) is public access, first come first serve, you cannot reserve it. Wanting people to act out of love instead of fear is not gonna happen at a racetrack, I guess. I'll never understand what I was taking away from these women....there was plenty of room for all of us. And I can't understand the kind of person who wants to take joy away from someone else.

You made a choice when you decided to wait to get close enough for a good photo opportunity. If your number one reason for being there was to get a great photograph of Z at CDX then you should have taken care of that with better planning. Lack of planning on your part does not make it an emergency.

[WinterTriangle]

My feeling is that if somebody really wants to see a horse, get a really good photo, or get a jockey autograph, trying to fulfill those desisres on one of the biggest race days of the year is probably a bad choice.
The only way to really be assured of a good shot or touch of a horse you like is to make an appt. at their barn or their farm if breeding/retired.

(Somebody I know called Shirreff's barn at HOL and they were quite gracious about letting this person get up close and personal with Z this week by appt.)

I would never have my heart set on getting a good photo, etc. on a big race day, unless I had press credentials and a really good set of photo equipment. :) Too many other people with desires, interests, etc. to compete against, and the pressures in general on a day like BCC ---- I guess I feel I'd have to just "get lucky" to have it all come together in a way that would be satisfying.

I know that doesn't make your disappointment any less palpable though, NJ. Even "good planning" is often not enough to make things happen in life :D

[Linny]

If it's an SRO area, then it's first come first served. I attend the races almost every day of the Saratoga meet and on big race days folks are often 3 or 4 deep near the paddock or the path to the track or at the gap or along the homestretch rail. For the Travers you need to stake a claim to fenceline space pretty early in the day if you want to be near the starting gate or finish line. If someone stands in the hot sun for 3 hrs to get a decent photo of their favorite horse-foregoing food and bathroom breaks and betting, then they have every right to be mad if you decide at post time that you have as much rigt to that space as they do.

Also, $60 seats at the Breeders' Cup are the cheap seats. last time I attended in person my bleacher seats at Monmouth were $200.

[Cardus]

No, the rude women were in the $60/seat section also. I did stand at the fence, they just bitched about it, claiming I was in someone's seat. Even though there was no bleacher behind me. Atypical of the generosity of Americans.

FTFY.

[The Hawk]

FTFY.

???

Face The Facts, Yankee
Five, Ten, Fifteen, Yikes
For The Fortunately Young
Fortunately That Fooled You
Feel The Fever Yourself

???

[PaceAdvantage]

Fixed That For You

[JustRalph]

Fixed That For You

and it this case what exactly does that mean?

[MNslappy]

No, the rude women were in the $60/seat section also. I did stand at the fence, they just bitched about it, claiming I was in someone's seat. Even though there was no bleacher behind me. Typical selfish, greedy Americans.

No, the rude women were in the $60/seat section also. I did stand at the fence, they just bitched about it, claiming I was in someone's seat. Even though there was no bleacher behind me. Atypical of the generosity of Americans.

see, Cardus has fixed NJDevil's post here

[Learned Hand35]

I wonder if on some other messageboard, a lady who waiting at her spot on the fence for hours is complaining about the obnoxious and pushy woman who shoved her way through just before the Classic started:

"I can't believe how rude some people are! I can tell by her accent that she was a typical abnoxious jerk from Jersey."

Personally, I have found a certain number of people will be rude and selfish no matter the nationality, race, color, creed, or gender.

Stereotyping is the quickest way to lose credibility when making an argument or relating a bad experience.

[Marlin]

I wonder if on some other messageboard, a lady who waiting at her spot on the fence for hours is complaining about the obnoxious and pushy woman who shoved her way through just before the Classic started:

"I can't believe how rude some people are! I can tell by her accent that she was a typical abnoxious jerk from Jersey."

Personally, I have found a certain number of people will be rude and selfish no matter the nationality, race, color, creed, or gender.

Stereotyping is the quickest way to lose credibility when making an argument or relating a bad experience.Exactamundo! You KNOW there are two sides to this story. I find it really hard to believe people were "so rude" without provocation.

[DJofSD]

I finally watched some of the ESPN broadcast from Saturday that I had skipped over previously. There was a short segment where there was shown the line of people on the backstretch waiting for Zen just to walk by at the begining of the walk over. I'm sure some of them had to rearrange their schedules, work extra hard/fast in order to set aside the time so they could then stand on line. This must have been a couple of hours before the race started.

[PaceAdvantage]

and it this case what exactly does that mean?If you read the "quote" directly above the FTFY, you will note that it differs slightly from the original...sounds even more silly when you sit down and explain it, doesn't it?