Posted on 02/11/2025 11:37:42 PM PST by Impy
It all started when Raymond Rice tried to buy a new tire for his tractor. The Westport, N.Y., hay and cattle farmer headed to a Vermont store where, he said, a salesman quoted him $1,800 for a single tire.
When Rice learned he could purchase the same tire elsewhere for about $1,450, he thought the shop — which he declined to name — was ripping him off. So, Rice, whose haying operation was struggling, decided to go into the tire business himself. Last spring, the 52-year-old entrepreneur opened Rice Farm and Tires in a modest farm building not far from where he grew up in Westport. Its slogan: "We'll get you a square deal on a round tire."
Ping
Wow! Doesn’t seem like much of a big deal to me. Tractor tires on the other hand are. I’ve got a 26 horse ford 1720. I just put new back tires on. $900+ a tire. I’m sure this old boys tractor is larger than mine. I hope he gets on great. Since we’re a couple thousand miles apart, I doubt I shop there but I hope he kicks major arses and gets his hay up dry.
vermont has had this law for a long time. We can criticize the law and change it, but that he is in violation of it is pretty cut and dry. Dude, find another way to advertise.
Click-baity headline is not explained in first three paragraphs = FAIL!
Regards,
“State officials have ordered Rice to cover up or remove the signs from his six hay wagon...”
Just put up a big sheet.
“I covered up this sign. Questions? Call 1-800-555-1212”
Bernie Sanders loving, socialistic state has laws that maximize government control of most things and penalize creative free enterprise. No one should be surprised. I give the guy credit for creativity in deploying his hay wagons for advertising, when not otherwise in use. But he should have been aware of how Vermont swings and spent a little time on the phone or net checking their rules before the effort to move his hay wagons there. Now needs to use that creativity to dream up a different, Vermont allowed, way to get his ads to Vermont farmer eyeballs.
The guy should buy a semi with a
40 foot trailer. Big sign on the
side.
Can’t see where parking a truck
be against any laws when parked
legally. Don’t think it be
classified as a billboard.
We have small businesses here in Germany that survive very well without signs except signs that are small, tasteful, un-illuminated that direct customers straight to the shops.
Indeed, people from all over Europe, and even from America, travel to Bavaria because it is so lovely here, so free of dreck, free of the creeping blight that afflicts the US.
If a person can’t take a photo of the Vermont scenery without having a hay wagon in the photo, there is something wrong with their ability. They aren’t using box cameras any more.
From the article: “In 1968, the state banned highway billboards to reduce clutter and preserve views of the state’s natural beauty.”
OK, I agree with preserving a state’s natural beauty. Then there should be absolutely none of the fugly windmills ruining the view of the horizon.
When traveling I don’t find billboards a bother, but windmills irritate the hell out of me.
Re “… He admits he can be “mulish” but insists he’s not trying to be “that asshole in the community.”
Sounds like that “community “ has more than enough assholes already…way more than enough.
I recall driving through areas near Minneapolis, trying to find a gas station with competitive prices. It was extremely difficult to do because you could never see a sign until it was too late to turn off the freeway.
The lack of signs about commercial facilities was appalling and the cause of considerable inconvenience.
As a very frequent business traveler (50-60%) I depend on the billboards and highway signs for fuel, hotels and restaurants.
Connecticut doesn’t have many of them either. It’s a real challenge.
Somewhere on the PA Turnpike a farmer parked a semi trailer that has one word on the side.
TRUMP
2A........Live Free or DEI!...................
I think that I shall never see
a billboard lovely as a tree.
Indeed unless the billboards fall
I shall never see a tree at all.
I was in Westport NY in ‘09 for the Doug Hoffman for Congress campaign.
It’s on Lake Champlain across from VT
They blew up the bridge over the lake in ‘09. I didn’t realize they had succeeded in building a new one in ‘11. $78 million ...
“Eighty percent of the project’s total cost is being funded by the federal government. The balance of funding will be split evenly by Vermont and New York state governments.”
Of course
Lot of businesses in Omaha do this with smaller trucks, vans etc. Paint their logo and park it in a spot by the main road & avoid the billboard taxes.
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