Angry Car Salesman
Uh-oh! It seems that my recent column about my less-than-car-commercial-happy experience buying a new car made some car salesmen angry. One salesman, who sells "Hazdas" locally sent me an email, in which he writes in part:

I wanted to comment on your column that ran in the Metrowest Daily News. As a matter of fact, we used your article in our Saturday Morning Meeting. I myself think this kind of "tongue in cheek" article can be used as a motivational tool to help train
new salespeople. You know, those "People You Can't Stand". I would like to know how many people contributed to this article? By stating that "A large segment of the general public view them unfavorably", I'm sure you must of done hours of research "cold calling" various people getting their opinion on this matter. If you could forward a list of these people, it would be greatly appreciated. You would appear to be an extremely intelligent man, (your writing skills are impeccable) but how can you intelligently speak for "the general public"?

I find it rather amusing that in our great country of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA we excercise our freedom of speech, but shouldn't it be reserved for people that will speak and write factually? I'm sorry that you had a terrible experience in purchasing your new "Fonda", but by making ridiculous "blanket" statements makes no sense at all.

Do you see what he wrote there. Can you believe it? He said my writing skills were impeccable! What a swell guy. I won't even mention the fact that he also thinks I'm "extremely intelligent."

But he is right about one thing, I didn't call a random sampling of consumers to guage their opinion of car salesmen. Gallup Polls does, though. Every year. Here is the 1999 results, which ranks car salesmen at the bottom of the list in terms of honesty and ethics. A spot they have held since 1977. Here is a more recent Gallup Poll summary, which seems to indicate that car salesmen are now second to the bottom, ahead of telemarketers. Something that the Hazda salesman can surely be proud of and bring up at next Saturday's morning meeting: ("Good news, people, we are now regarded by the general public more highly than telemarketers. Yea!")