Promise Keepers!!!

[Miracleman89]

I think we should put up a counter for promises made and not kept! what do you guys think?

[rogwild]

WASTE OF r:a:n:t:2:101 TIME!:mad:

[meckman1]

I think I might be out of the loop here. What promises has he not kept?

[rogwild]

Just do a google search for 'promise' at 'site:flytheroad.com' and you will be amazed!

Just for starters; over a year ago, in response to a question I asked on the forum, Ian stated that it would be answered in his UPDATE on 'Monday'. Well he never kept that 'promise', and it started a whole thread entitled; "MONDAY UPDATE".

[Miracleman89]

Hey rog did you notice my last comment on the company forum??? lol

[rogwild]

'MM89' = "Monday came and went and we are all wondering what happened to the big update that was going to fill us in on the progress that has happened behind the scenes."

No, this is not a 'paraphrase' of the above; it is a direct quote from the FTR Forum......over a YEAR ago (06-15-2007)
http://flytheroad.com/blog/forums/topic.php?id=292&replies=131#post-3760

Anyone else see a DISTURBING pattern?

[RAN]

Saw it many months ago.. don't care anymore. The V-1 has gone into my "believe it when I see it" file. It's the only way I can stay on this forum (I left the official forum a couple months ago). I have no patience for people who can't keep their word, and that's the only constant we've seen in this "odyssey."

[waltbscott]

I hang on every update myself (my Jeep is costing me a fortune to feed), but they're starting a new vehicle company from scratch. Did anyone ever see the movie "Tucker"? Or "Who Killed the Electric car"? I'm guessing it's endless fires to put out.

[rogwild]

'waltbscott'; OH YE OF 'ENDLESS' FAITH!

Walt, from the beginning many of us have expressed to Ian that his forecasts were overly ambitious and asked to see his 'milestones' and 'time-line' to better gauge its chances of success. He said that he would post it (PROMISE BROKEN) along with a monthly Podcast starting in May 2007 (ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE).

After making many promises to hire a forum web person (BROKEN PROMISE), and to keep us better 'informed' of progress; he kept missing 'self-imposed' dates (without telling anyone) and many of us told him that it reflected poorly on his and the company's credibility. Also that it would be better not to 'announce' that he was going to provide information, than to give a DATE, and then NOT FOLLOW THROUGH.

Apparently, all has fallen upon deaf ears!

[MHARVEYM]

I beleive the attitude is "THESE CRAZIES ARE GOING TO BUY THIS VEHICLE ANYHOOT SO KEEPING THEM INFORMED IS WAY BACK IN THE IMPORTANTS BUCKET"!

Rog.....how is the scooter....are you diggin it! I hope it works for you. Again, sorry about the feather rufflin!

[Gary]

After reading this thread... I find it most interesting AND informative. I am grateful the learn of all this "broken promises" by Ian.... it provides me some sort of sanity check for my expectations.

Thank you guys!!!
2thumb:up

[waltbscott]

Endless faith? Not really. I think the V1 has a less than 50% chance of being successful in the marketplace. Ian could get an offer he can't refuse from GM, and they may just bury it. The government may decide that it is unsafe at any speed. Someone like Honda could come out with something else 'close enough'. But why should I ruin my day worrying about it? I'll just keep what faith I have and be positive. Imagine how cool it would be for us all to get together (next year maybe), and go parading around some major metropolis.

[Derwin]

Endless faith? Not really. But why should I ruin my day worrying about it? I'll just keep what faith I have and be positive..

I like your attitude! I agree 100% with staying positive. We really have no clue what's going on "behind the scenes". I also get upset when Ian states things and then doesn't follow-through, but then I just light up a nice Macanudo Cigar, and relax. If it's going to be, it will be; and if it's NOT going to happen, there's nothing we can do about it anyway.

Stay positive. It's always a better state of mind to be in! :)

Derwin

[waltbscott]

Thanks Derwin. I can't begin to imagine the flaming hoops they must be jumping through to make this happen.

[Miracleman89]

Derwin, I know we should stay positive but these never ending trail of broken promises are getting extremely old!!! he needs to learn to keep his word and his appointments! He has done neither and it reflects poorly on not just him but Venture Vehicles as a whole! It is maddening to watch a company with so much potential destroy itself with these broken promises! If history has taught us one thing, it is, just because you make a great car doesn't mean you will be prosperous! Without VV becoming profitable the company will fall and no more V1s! This is why every time Ian breaks a promise I feel he is slowly dismantling the V1!

[tugboatwilly]

Thanks Derwin for fixing my goof with the drawings. I use flint and steel as I have not figured out 'puters.

[Derwin]

MM89,

I completely understand the aggravation and disappointment that many are experiencing as a result of Ian not keeping his word. Heck, I feel the same exact way....I'm with you in what your going through. And, to quote a certain president..."I feel your pain".

My only point in all of this is that we can do NOTHING about it. Ian will post updates when he decides to do so. Ian will make and brake promises when he chooses to do so. It stinks, and it is demoralizing to all of us who have put our heart and soul into supporting this project. But what can we really do? Our complaints have fallen on deaf ears for over a year. The only conclusion one can make is that Ian simply does not care. This being the case, I have decided to just sit back and relax. Whatever happens, happens.

I still believe that the V1 will indeed be built, and I want to be one of the first to experience it. The "day to day" struggle with updates and broken promises has really gotten old to me. I don't want to pay attention to that anymore. I think I lost 20% of my hair over the past 10 or so months listening to the promises, and witnessing them being broken. I just don't want that anymore. Whatever/whenever Ian posts something about the project, or when there is a news article out there about it, I will post it to this forum. But I really don't want to get all nervous anymore about Ian's broken promises. It's just not worth it to me anymore.

So....sit back. Light up a nice cigar (Macanudo Baron DeRothschild is my favorite!). And enjoy the journey....even when it gets a bit bumpy now and then!

Derwin

[Miracleman89]

You know Big D, I was just thinking when we finally meet, it is going to be weird for me. Because when I picture you now as I type this the image of Doc Brown come to mind! r:o:f:l:2:2:1 Sorry, I needed a good laugh!

[evCommuter]

You haven't seen me around lately! Right?

Well, they promise a long wait so I'll just go away for a while and do something else, check out www.snipershide.com

I thought I would check on things here but it seems to be the same. cya later

Grip

[cpaddock]

Howzit Derwin, et. al.....You have finally figured out the essence of "cool"! Life is too
short to be amping out about abstractions. Nine months ago my M.O. would have been
to roll a "fat one" and seek oblivion that way. However, since getting clear I now am
much less emotionally invested in things over which I have no control. And anyway, it seems that what we all are after is "the pure joy of driving" experience, among other things. Satisfiying substitutes seem to be making their way into our lives as the world turns. Spyders, Minis, Miatas, etc. are serving this purpose quite well. Except for
the mileage and the tilt, I've had my first serious 2nd thoughts about the V1 and would
be hard pressed to give up my Miata, especially now that I have put so much of my own
energy into it, personalizing and tweaking her performance. Something I'm not sure we
will be able to do to any great extent with the V1. Sighted my first Piaggio 3 wheeler
on the Hana highway today. Pretty impressive!
Curves Ahead!
Alooooooooha!

[Luigi78]

I hate to say it, but I'm tired of reading all the whining and complaining here. Ian is not updating you as often as you would like, deal with it and hope this thing actually comes out someday.

I check in once or twice a week now. I used to be that guy who went to a forum and hit refresh every 5 minutes for hours on end, until I realized that it was contributing nothing to my quality of life, in fact just the opposite. Go outside, read a book...

[rogwild]

I hate to say it, .......

Then, DON'T; take your own advice...."Go outside, read a book...":)

[Miracleman89]

I hate to say it, but I'm tired of reading all the whining and complaining here. Ian is not updating you as often as you would like, deal with it and hope this thing actually comes out someday.

I check in once or twice a week now. I used to be that guy who went to a forum and hit refresh every 5 minutes for hours on end, until I realized that it was contributing nothing to my quality of life, in fact just the opposite. Go outside, read a book...

It isn't about updating us enough! It's about making promises and not keeping them! Maybe instead of reading a book you should read more of the forum responses! Just kidding! I know we are whining but you missed what it is about. I for one don't want to see VV hurt over broken promises before they even hit the market with this vehicle!

[Luigi78]

Well, I'm back for my weekly check in. I sure didn't want to upset anyone with my earlier post, least of all two of my favorite posters (MM and Rog). In hindsight, my post was a bit judgemental...

peace, out...

[rogwild]

No problem, 'Luigi78'; see ya next week.......maybe we will have some good news by then.du:n:n:o(

[Miracleman89]

It's cool luigi78!!! Peace!

[waboom]

I have to admit, when I first started out on the VV site, my attitude was, "So Ian's missed a few deadlines posting to the web site. Give the guy a break, he's got a company to get off the ground. If he doesn't post exactly when he said he will, that's fine."

Then I got a bit older and wiser....
(humor note: check out my join date. Amazing how much I age in such a short period of time.)

I started to realize something: the only side of Ian I know (and the only side the overwhelming majority of us club members know) is what he says in press interviews and what he posts on the site. The only thing I know about how he handles commitments is how he handles them in the forums, through his promises. What if he's that way not only in the forums, but on the business side as well? If Roush calls him up and says "We need to know if these bolts should be English or Metric", and Ian says, "I'll find out and tell you tomorrow", will it actually be a week later before he gets back to them? I really hope not.

Speaking of promises, have we started a pool yet on the actual date the Alpha will move under it's own power? I'm betting on the 3rd week of September.

[Miracleman89]

waboom- no pool yet! But I do agree with what you said! My main concern is that these broken promises will hurt the company before the vehicle hits the market! I know that this vehicle will come to fruitation but I want it to be at the top of the automotive world!

[waboom]

MM89 - I'm with you there. Nothing would please me more than being proven wrong about this (apart from seeing matching his&hers V1s in the driveway, of course.) We'll just let time take its course and see what develops.

[Miracleman89]

I can't wait for the day when the V1 is announced as the number one selling car in America! That is what I want to see!!!