Due To Negative Feed Back My Forthcoming Field Trip Is Cancelled, Right Or Wrong.

[DE&i]

I'll set my personal opinion aside but yes I am annoyed. Another geological society has just frequented a quarry the geological society I belong to is due to visit.

When they gave feed back stating they didn't find much suggesting to the quarry manager he may have had a lot of trespassers.

I've now had a email saying our trip has been cancelled for fear of wasting our time.

Was this good feed back from the previous group or bad feed back.

Darren.

[jpc]

The feedback saying they didn't find much was good. Always good to let landowners now what you find. Assuming it was due to trespassers might be out of bounds.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

I try to avoid all this by finding my own sites off the radar.

[Shamalama]

IMHO a group of people complaining that there might "be trespassers" only leads to the site becoming off limits to everyone. Seems a bit elitist to complain about that: "We didn't find anything because someone else got here first". Fossil/Mineral collecting can be that way and I've been on trips to quarries that had another group in the week before where I have found very little or quite a lot. Just depends on what you are looking for, how hard you look and what they overlooked.

[Auspex]

Finding what's there to find would be the point of a field trip, no? Finding "not much" only sounds like a failure if the searchers are primarily interested in finding vast quantities, and the comment seems to reflect more on those offering the "feedback" than on the site itself. Blaming trespassers for their lack of success seems like sour grapes, and telling the landowner this is very poor form.

Harrumph!

[Terry Dactyll]

You would of thought rather than cancelling the trip perhaps a discussion with the quarry manager could put a machine on the spoil for half an hour and turn new stuff over?... Theres usually just as much stuff just under the surface waiting to be discovered...

[paulgdls]

Hi Darren

Why not get in contact direct yourself and see if you can visit?

Paul

[erose]

Darren,

Was there a lot of travel involved? How much (days, weeks?) notice was your club given of the cancellation?

I think our club here in Texas would have gone forward with the field trip since many of us would have made plans or arrangements. But we would have informed members of the feedback and left it to them to decide to go or not.

Obviously we are all commenting without knowing all the facts, but it certainly sounds like a second or third opinion may have been in order.

[DeloiVarden]

I once went to a local Eocene quarry with really high hopes of finding a lot of really big shark teeth. The trip didn't meet my expectations, but I realized even before I left that my expectations had been unrealistc. The experience was incredible, I met a bunch of folks, and I did find some decent teeth. All in all, a great experience. It sounds like the person that complained should have been more grateful for the opportunity. I think it is important that the adventure and experience be at least as important, or more important than the finds. If the owner/operator sees understands this is what you are really after, they will hopefully host your group.

[Batty]

Well it looks like the previous group won't be going back...... So more finds for everyone else. I think the ground needs to be turned to expose more goodies and their comment would make me want to go and look harder( but I'm stubborn). If its not far from you Darren, I'd go talk to the site manager and have a look. You just never know....

[cowsharks]

Did the quarry manager only cancel your trip, or all future collecting trips? If he has stopped all collecting, it might be worth your time, or as a group, send him an email/letter explaining how much your club has enjoyed/appreciated collecting there, and give specific examples of specimens that have been found that are of any importance etc. Showing gratitude and the importance (or potential) of his quarry might be enough to persuade him to change his mind.

[Auspex]

It is not clear to me whether your trip was canceled by the quarry, or by your geo. society. Is this the loss of a field trip, or the loss of a collecting site?

[DE&i]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for all your comments sorry I couldn’t reply in full earlier id received the a e-mail on the Monday evening just gone on the 2nd night of my weekly night shift .At this time I become very unresponsive to one and all to the outside world as I start the cycle of work sleep eat work eat sleep etc.

You may be glad to know I’ve finished and ready with a few finds (I utilize my time well when on nights) and plenty of questions.

Firstly two pointers you need to know I’m a member of the society (A) who gave negative feedback and society ( B ) who have had their trip cancelled.

So about the e-mail….of which was sent out as a circular by the founder member of society ( B ) quoted from the quarry manger “ This last weekend we had society ( A ) in to have a look around like yourselves and some feedback we have had from them is. They believe that we have had trespassers in the quarry and they have scavenged all the items of use, they did have a look around but not a lot of luck.

We only have open the area the that they had a look in so I’m a bit concerned that your society would have a wasted trip”

So under the advice of the quarry manager society ( B ) has been advised to cancel for now, and are ever so sorry for any inconvenience.

Now is it me just reading too much into this , I’m very sure there was no malicious wrong doing intended from society ( A ) they are the most kindest group of people you have ever meet ( average age 60 yr. old ) . And I’m guessing would never have known the outcome of the said feedback.
The question is should I speak my mind at our next society ( A ) meeting suggesting negative feed backs can have serious knock on effect to others.

Society ( B ) had taking two years to negotiate to get into that quarry with 30 people from the group booking a place 3 months in advance. I might miss my window of opportunity for next time due to a crazy working shift pattern perhaps some of the others also.

Any suggestions on what to say.

Regards,

Darren.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

Are the fossil bearing layers productive and concentrated enough to warrant blind mining? If so, you may still have a worthwhile trip for the those willing to exert themselves. Just a thought.

[Batty]

Ummm......Since when was spending time outdoors and getting exercise and spending time with others that enjoy the same thing you do a waste of time??? Every cloud has a silver lining in my book. as it has taken a long time to arrange the trip I would still talk to the quarry manager about going ahead with the trip for society( B ) and discuss the reprocusions of the negative feedback with society (A). Just coz they had a bad trip doesnt mean everyone will and its all to do with perspectives. I hope you still get to go and you discover something new and wonderful.

Edited June 20, 2013 by Batty

[Terry Dactyll]

Darren.... I think your work and shift/rota circumstances make this a bigger problem for you than for perhaps someone not on shifts etc, if it came to rebooking the event.... But I fully understand your frustration and disappointment....

I would just say I was very disappointed and could they contact the other society and let them know the resulting cancellation caused by their actions and in future could they keep their unsubstantiated comments to themselves to avoid similar situations arising....do gooders can do too much good sometimes...

Its still worth enquiring at the quarry if the spoils could be disturbed prior to a visit....

[donckey]

Hi Darren,

As I understand from your story the management of the quarry tries to prevent your group to waste your time based on information of the other group.

That sounds nice....they even apologize for the inconvenience. But why cancelling the whole trip without first consulting your group?

I would contact the management and thank them for their concerne and tell them that you all like to go anyway. If there are other reasons (not said) why they cancelled the trip you maybe will be told.

But you want know when you do not ask.

About the other society (which complained to the manager), I would tell them the consequences of their complaining.

Apparently they blame a lot of trespassers for having poor finds. Maybe it weren't the trespassers but your society who are to blame for not leaving anything behind after your last visit .

Besides that it looks if that kindest group of people like to have a kind of exclusive right to visit the quarry and do not like "trespassers". Maybe those "trespassers" are also regular visitors or at least visitors with good intentions. In the way things are going there is a risk many people will be denied access to the quarry! , something what seems to happen far too often in the last years.

Peter

[DE&i]

Hello to all fellow members sorry for late reply I was just trying to compose myself for a few days for my decision to sink in as how I shall approach this dilemma.

I tried to explain to the chairman of the society who had their field trip cancelled in a light hearted way that they should reconsider and go ahead with the hunt but he decided it was too late and to re-arrange it in August.

If it’s the chairman who has the last say on such matters then so be it but not to ask all the members there opinion first ,even if it is over ruled I think that’s perhaps a bad call as a society.

I decided to get in contact with the society who gave the negative feedback as I’ve had dealings with their field secretary before. It so happens we are both in the same business working at quarries he told me in good faith and off the record that’s he under a lot of pressure trying to organise field trips and doesn’t seem to be getting help from there chairman or other board members.

And is seriously considering stepping down at the end of the year , I know this said society has great history and there field secretary and myself both agreed they are struggling with new ideas and perhaps getting a bit stagnant with one foot in the grave so to speak.

I feel quite sure now when they made that phone call for feedback it was more of a look before you leap moment, off the cuff, without giving it a lot of thought.

So this was my proposal to their field secretary, as I can appreciate the pressure he’s under knowing he works the same crazy shift patterns as me and with trying to organise field trips for a 100 members he perhaps bitten of more he can chew.

I’ve offered to help him out as and when I can with organising trips, helping to lead hunts, getting in contact with members etc. If it works out ok then all the better, I think this society just needs a bit of a fresh up.

Problem shared is a problem halved.

Thanks for listening,

Regards,

Darren.

Edited June 23, 2013 by D&E

[Auspex]

...Problem shared is a problem halved...

Indeed! And leave it to you to pro-actively offer aid in crafting a solution.