I forget the name now. But a great read about a northern guy who was a dealer in motor cycles like MZ and Ural. He had quite a few run ins with folk who chose to place themselves in his way. So the book was read be more than MZ owners and become a best seller.
Of course a book can cover huge areas of topics including humorous things on rallies, car maladies, Alans Unusual Autos and much more besides. It would be there to amuse, entertain and as a history of a period of time in a cul de sac of motoring. History is important, as without it the same mistakes get repeated time after time. Those who learn by experience, be it their own, or borrowed, are the ones who get ahead, so while I take your point about old wounds, as you can see in this case I turned the wounds inflicted onto me to my, and those that took the chance on me, to advantage. Learned and gained by the experience we moved on to better things. The failure is to not move forward, not do better and to bury errors of judgment, hoping no one will notice. The fact it happened does not alter, it does not go away and generally is negative to future club development as it might reappear later, but I have moved on from the illustrated situation. Who else got hurt unless uncomfortable of their actions? The club members mainly? Its a majority decision to underline policy, after all. But all have to live with the consequences. Buried is better, but also for books buried equals popularity, actually. But there is a limit to be had, of course.
Anyway that club does not exist anymore, that was the whole point of what Mike O'Balance did. It would be very sad if the HTC Ltd were to slip back into what the HTOEC became. A worthwhile point, but of little interest to me. I tried to help 5 clubs, I failed in the helping the first through inexperience, but the other 4 all chose to burn me at some point. Clearly I, and my skills, are not wanted, so they can do as they wish. I will do as I wish. I no longer answer for them. I mainly leave them alone rather than cause the damage I could, as long as they leave me alone.
Not really into clubs anymore. Experience shows most have a distinct and predictable life span. The best of it being the first five years of building something worth the name, before the nematodes and flukes arrive to start consuming the bodies free energy. Eventually one, or some, get into an important organ and the organization falls below the level that the originators aimed at or created, most of those guys will have moved on to create something else, once they understand this cycle. The mistake is to attempt to resurrect an established club that could do better. The existing interests invariably will resist, for fair reason or foul but mostly just because. Even the most ineffective and benign organizations will become hugely motivated by the suggestion of change. Then having thwarted a good idea happily subside into a Bagpuss state of mostly being asleep on the job. Extraordinary, but true. It becomes amusing to prod them into wakefulness from time to time just to prove they will not do anything constructive.
I think the above is helpful to know, especially if you never thought about it. Knowing this might improve the clubs, new or existing. Or of course you can disagree, in which case good luck to you and I hope I am wrong.
