JforDrafting

Just left a certain "Generalized" shop (happens to have 4 locations in OC). I normally don't visit this shop but stopped by during lunch to get some food for today's ride. I was the only customer in the shop.

Anyways, a younger woman comes in with a seemingly brand new "Generalized" Dolce (I'll go ahead and be that guy and assume it was purchased from this shop), she has bloody arms and legs and says she was just hit by a car and wondered if the shop would take a look at her bike and see if it was okay to ride.

The guy looks at her and proceeds to tell her that the shop manager is out until Thursday and they can't put anything on the schedule and most likely couldn't get to it until he got back.

She looks at him and asks if it's really that big of a deal to just look at it quickly. He says, well I have some tube changes I need to do first, but if you want to wait, I can probably take a look after that.

Now, I used to work in a bike shop and I know it can get annoying in a busy shop when people come in expecting you to be able to fix their bike or pump up their tire while they wait but there were NO other customers in the shop aside from me. To treat somebody who just got hit by a car (literally still bleeding) like they're a homeless person looking for free air for their bike is ridiculous, especially seeing as she's riding a bike that your shop carries!

If he hadn't already ran my credit card, I would have walked out with my packs of gu left on the counter. Anyways, sorry for the lunch time rant, that just re-affirms the reason I won't ever be a patron of that shop or join that team.

Pamestique 

I can imagine the shop - its probably the one I go to alot... that said, generally their customer service is great (only so many Spec. dealers with 4 shops in OC)! May have been a off-moment for someone.

I'm curious, I assume you asked the woman if she was ok and offered her a ride? Did you make sure she didn't need medical attention? I know I wouldn't let her walk out without me asking and volunteering my truck for transport... hope she is OK...

JforDrafting

In fact I did ask if she was alright and was prepared to offer to look at her bike for her if they would not have. It appeared she had been driven to the shop as she was wearing sandals and had removed her helmet. My thinking is she wanted the shop's input for the police report as much as to see if she could ride it.

CbadRider

I would let the shop manager know how his employee handled that situation.

kimber_94806

I'll go ahead and ask which Rock and Road shop was this so it can brought up to the proper attention of the manager?

Mr. Beanz

I can see helping the woman out but it could have been a risk if the employee wasn't all that confident in mechanical abilities or knowledge. There is such a thing as a new employee and OTJ training, not all employees are experts.

He ok's the bike, woman rides, gets hurt then sues the shop and/or employee saying "he said it was safe to ride".

Not saying either is correct, but maybe there was a good reason the employee was hesitant and figured a thorough inspection was necessary.

Plus, if she had been driven to the shop, what is the big deal, not like the bike was her only means of survival. That may have been a sign to the employee that she had a way to get the bike back. Hard to believe the police report or insurance claim wasn't willing to wait for a damage report. If it was that big a deal, then why not wait till he finished the tube changes? Maybe another customer was waiting as well?

Pamestique 

Don't worry about it so much... I had a accident some time back - policy inspected the bike and that all they care about - they could care less about how much damage or if the bike could be fixed - that's for the driver's auto liability claims adjuster to worry about.

Cut the shop guy some slack... RnR is generally very customer centric; not saying everyone does the right thing all the time but compared to other shops, they do OK (my opinion, no shop in OC is great and some are much worse).

I'm glad you asked the lady if she was OK. I am still beating myself up for not stopping the other day. I had just finished a MTB ride Saturday - it was freakin hot and all I wanted was a cold glass of ice tea. Driving down Santiago Rd. just at the toll road I stopped at the light. I noticed the shoes first, then the bike set up on the K-rail with the wheel off. I saw someone laying down in the dirt, behind some shade that a sign created. At first I panic'd and thought someone had been hit by a car but then realized tons of riders had already gone past the guy without concern so he must be waiting for a ride. I was in my car and there was no where to stop but yet... I feel I should have at least checked.

Guy if you are out there - I hope you were OK!

Wulf

I got excellent service but I can see how you were upset by what you saw. would be too.

GP

Unless you left somethig out it doesn't sound like he treated her like a homeless person. If its a carbon fiber frame or has a carbon fiber fork or stays, the employee was prudent by waiting until the manager is there.

CACycling

If he wasn't qualified to inspect the bike, just say that. Would have kept 2 customers from thinking he is a jerk and prevented him, and his shop, from getting flamed on BF. However, his willingness to inspect it after changing some tubes points to that not being the issue.

Mr. Beanz

True, so that points at the lady and the OP being irrational in their expectations. Why flame the worker or the shop, because they expected on the spot service?

Again, it wasn't a a life or death issue. If it had been any where near a serious issue , she should have went to the hospital, not a bike store.

JforDrafting

Very true. Maybe she was happy with the service she received. If so, great, props to the shop for saving face with her. A person's attitude is particularly hard to portray on the interwebs however. This gentleman had more than an "I don't feel qualified to look over your bike" attitude and her ALUMINUM Dolce wouldn't be that hard to look over. Having worked in service jobs, I know I would be a little more up beat about wanting to help a bleeding young woman who walked into my shop looking for help (call me soft at heart).

By no means am I telling people to not patronize this shop, I will be the last person to take what anyone on the internet says entirely to heart. Having been there, I chose not to return however. To each his own.

I sincerely hope she was taken care of and that her bike and body is okay.