Peter Dierx of railstation.eu

The beginning of this sad tale starts here:

http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk/browse_thread/thread/691e3749406d0317/364f12541252216b

I wound up with other accommodations for RailsConf this year, so I offered up my hotel reservation to the list. Peter Dierx took me up on it, and we arranged it so that his name and email address were on the reservation and all he had to do was call and give them his credit card and other information. Whatever additional information he gave the hotel, his credit card was not part of it.

When I picked up the key to the room I was sharing with a friend, I checked to make sure that he had checked in and that it wasn't on my credit card anymore. He had checked in, but had not changed the credit card. I made it clear that the hotel needed to get a new credit card number and should not charge my card. A month later, a $550 charge appears on my credit card from the hotel.

Did the hotel fail to ask him for his credit card at any point? Did he fail to give it? Did the hotel take it but fail to put it in their system properly? I don't know. I don't really care. I disputed the charge with my credit card company and sent email to Peter (on July 7) asking him to help me resolve it. He was on vacation at the time, but I spoke to someone at the hotel and set things up so all he had to do was call and give them his credit card number to take care of things. I then sent him another email (July 8) letting him know whom to speak to and the direct phone number.

Not only didn't he call the hotel, but Peter didn't even respond to my email, or my gentle reminder email (July 14) the day he told me he'd be back from vacation. I emailed him again on July 22 after checking with the hotel to see if he'd fixed things. (He hadn't.) He responded that day telling me how busy he'd been, and complaining that he was not going to pay for an international phone call to fix what he blamed on the hotel. Instead, he gave me his phone number in the Netherlands and insisted that the hotel should call him, and that it should be during the day for him despite the 9 hour time difference between Portland and Amsterdam.

I spoke to the hotel again, but of course there is no way they'd be able to call him during the day. They suggested that he instead email his credit card information, and gave me an email address to send it to. I'm not a big fan of sending credit card information over email, but if Peter was unwilling to spend the money to call to resolve it, perhaps he'd take care of it some other way. I sent him email with the hotel email address on July 23, and heard nothing back from him. I sent him another message on July 28 (yesterday) and still have no reply.

At this point I don't think Peter is planning on paying for the hotel room he stayed in at Railsconf. I think he is happy to screw me, the guy who did him a favor by transferring my reservation to him when the hotel was completely booked, out of $550. He has stated that he is unwilling to make an international phone call to make things right, and has at this point ceased to communicate with me.

Given that he lives in Amsterdam and went to RailsConf in May, it is not unreasonable to expect that he will be at RailsConf Europe in a month or so. If anyone else will be there and happens to run across him, please stop him and discuss his deceitful ways with him. If you are in Europe and feel like calling him to chat about it, the phone number he gave me (unverified) is 0031 180413247. If you are considering hiring him, a.k.a. Railstation.eu, for Rails work or training, consider whether you want someone working for you who feels no moral or ethical restrictions against stealing from someone doing him a favor.

This may seem harsh, but it looks like I will be paying $550 out of pocket for the hotel room he stayed in, and that's unacceptable. Of course, he can still make this right. If he contacts the hotel and gives them his credit card number, and the charge is cleared from my account, I will follow up this message with a full retraction and apology.

--Greg

you were careless, to say the least. but if you are really right go after the guy with a baseball bat. it works.

lol there’s no justice like angry mob justice. Wow.

That is truly sad. Some people really don't understand ethics. I hope you get your money back. Perhaps this smudge on his name will motivate him to do the right thing - something he should have done in the beginning.

What do we learn here? Don't trust people - as sad as that is.

~Dustin Tigner

You are really a nasty person for playing it like this through a forum. And certainly when you are plain out lying and not getting the facts straight. Making me sound like I am some sort of a freeloader.

I emailed you straight away wanting to resolve the problem. I also said I am not gonna make a long distance call based on their fuck up. I sent you an email straight away with my telephone number for the hotel to call me. What was youre reply: That they couldn't call me because of a time difference? Its an international hotel, they can call anybody anytime. But its been resolved now.

Peter Dierx

You are really a nasty person for playing it like this through a forum.

I only resorted to a public forum when private communication had failed.

And certainly when you are plain out lying and not getting the facts straight.

Nothing I wrote concerning our correspondence was untrue in any way, and I have the emails to back it up.

Making me sound like I am some sort of a freeloader.

At the time of that writing all I knew was that I was going to be stuck with a $550 bill for your hotel room. My attempts at getting you to pay the bill had, so far, failed. That would, in fact, make you a freeloader.

I emailed you straight away wanting to resolve the problem.

Yes, when you were on vacation you responded that you were on vacation and when you would be back.

I also said I am not gonna make a long distance call based on their fuck up.

Yes, which indicated that you were unwilling to put the effort into resolving things.

I sent you an email straight away with my telephone number for the hotel to call me.

No, I had to send you two follow up emails and it took you more than a week from the first of them to send that response, as I indicated in the original message to the list.

What was youre reply: That they couldn't call me because of a time difference?

No, you insisted that they call during the day in Amsterdam, which would mean they might just barely catch you if they called on the dot of 8am Pacific time. The accounts receivable department's day doesn't start that early.

Its an international hotel, they can call anybody anytime.

DoubleTree is an international chain, but the hotel is a single hotel that handles its own affairs in Portland, Oregon.

But its been resolved now.

I have contacted the hotel to confirm, and expect to hear back some time tomorrow. When my credit card company has told me the charge has been cleared I will issue a retraction and apology, as promised.

Peter Dierx

--Greg

Peter Dierx - dude - this thread is one of the first things people will see when they google your name.

That will last a long time.

Coulda saved yourself some grief with a tiny bit of care & ethics.

If you want to trash someone.. this list is a great place as google seems to like it.

Matt Stone1 wrote:

Coulda saved yourself some grief with a tiny bit of care & ethics.

some people here are judging too much, a person is not guilty because someone says so. this is a tech list, not a place to solve personal problems, some admin should delete this thread, this is absolutely ridiculous.

So did he pay back the 500 bucks? :wink:

Shandy Nantz wrote:

Matt Stone1 wrote:

Coulda saved yourself some grief with a tiny bit of care & ethics.

some people here are judging too much, a person is not guilty because someone says so. this is a tech list, not a place to solve personal problems, some admin should delete this thread, this is absolutely ridiculous.

I could delete the thread from google groups, however that would not
(as far as I know) affect the many many mirrors (ruby-forum, nabble,
gmane etc...) If people could refrain from snide comments that would be awesome.
It's very easy to go over the top on a thread like this.

Fred

So did he pay back the 500 bucks? :wink:

The hotel says he gave them a credit card number and that I should be seeing a credit on my credit card in three business days. When that happens (Monday, if I'm counting correctly) I'll be posting the apology and retraction I promised.

--Greg

Shandy Nantz wrote:

I disagree about the deleting this thread part. Yes, people might be judging but then again maybe they are not and this person did actually behave in this unethical manner.

hey shandy, i remember now, you are that guy that had dinner with me and other members of the rails community and fled the restaurant without paying your share. man, you dishonest, you should be ashamed. so if anyone meets shandy in a rails conf be careful because he will certainly try to fool you.

PP Junty wrote:

Shandy Nantz wrote:

I disagree about the deleting this thread part. Yes, people might be judging but then again maybe they are not and this person did actually behave in this unethical manner.

hey shandy, i remember now, you are that guy that had dinner with me and other members of the rails community and fled the restaurant without paying your share. man, you dishonest, you should be ashamed. so if anyone meets shandy in a rails conf be careful because he will certainly try to fool you.

That's right, how you been? Now where you the one with that polka dot bowtie and Earkle like glasses who pocketed all the donuts from the snacks table, or the one who ducked out early from the bar leaving me and my friends with a pretty hefty bar tab?

I am really fed up with this asshole smudging my name. And my integrity. I allmost like to go for a Zed Shaw like rant.

First off all. We both have been the victim of a Double Three screw up. So if Gregory after two weeks notices that his creditcard has been charged he is pissed. But base this on facts and approach somebody with some sort of tact.

But here is the first email from Gregory:

I never saw you at RailsConf, but it seems the DoubleTree has charged my credit card for the room. Did you ever give them your credit card? Did you ever pay for the room? I'm glad to have been able to help you out with the reservation, but I'm not so charitable as to pay over $500 for you to stay there.

WTF I don't know about you but I sure as hell don't like what somebody here is saying.

So this is my reply to him.

Hello Gregory,

I am on vacation at the moment and not at home. If there has been a problem with payment its a screwup from Double Tree Hotel and not me.

I certainly don't like the tone of what you are trying to say.

Did you ever give them your credit card?

Of course I did ! You as an American should know that in these kinds of hotels you have to show in my case passport and a credit card. Otherwise you don't get the keycard for youre room.

Did you ever pay for the room?

Of course I did. I always ask for an invoice for my bookkeeping. And I remember checking out there !!

What could have gone wrong? Well my name on the invoice but they charged youre credit card.

How to solve this? I will be back on saterday and I will look into my credit card accounts from the bank. If double tree is not on there I will also look at the invoice for some sort of credit card no and amount. If that should be the case I will without a problem pay you back the money.

Peter

He replies:

I'm going to be disputing the charge with my credit card company, so things will be fixed on my end when the DoubleTree cancels the charge on my account.

Then after this attitude he asks me for making a longdistance call. No way. I gave him my phonenumber asking them to call me. Is that so weird? Are there landlines cut off at the ocean for not making a call to me? Its a hotel for christ sake. Now in hindsight would it have been better for making the call? Shit yeah. Was I reluctant because of his attitude in the first place. Damn straight!!

But then he says the following and I am pissed again:

No, you insisted that they call during the day in Amsterdam, which would mean they might just barely catch you if they called on the dot of 8am Pacific time. The accounts receivable department's day doesn't start that early.

So i sent this private message to Gregory. I meant every f#cking day of the week they can call me you peace of shit. Show me the email where I said that they could only call on the day in Amsterdam You don't have that. It would have been resolved if the hotel would have put some effort in it.

And I certainly don't want an apologee from you on the list bumping it up again to the top of the list. If you do that i will put everything on the site how you approached me in the first email almost calling me a thief and lyer knowing how the hotel fucked up. Because of that approach from you I was not in a hurry let me tell you that.

Peter

Now, do I care if this is all in Google. Now way. I am glad setting the facts straight for somebody reading this. They can make up there own minds. I know my integrity is rock solid. Its a pity that someone chooses this forum for his problem. Do you think that if I can afford a trip for 10 days in California that I am gona rip off somebody for $500. Not likely is it?

With regards Peter Dierx

I am really fed up with this asshole smudging my name. And my integrity.

Your name calling does little to redeem you.

I allmost like to go for a Zed Shaw like rant.

First off all. We both have been the victim of a Double Three screw up.

I can't comment on what the DoubleTree did or didn't do, because I didn't witness most of it. When I arrived at the hotel and picked up the key to my friend's room I checked to see that my credit card had been replaced on the reservation at check-in, and it hadn't. I did ask them to insist on getting a new credit card to pay for the stay, and it seems that that didn't happen. Beyond that, I don't know whether they failed to ask for a new credit card at check-in or failed to enter it properly or what since I wasn't there. Of course, it should have been taken care of when the reservation was transferred, but again I don't know if they failed to ask or entered it improperly.

I don't attribute the incorrect charge to malice on anyone's part, though I'm not prepared to just blame the hotel for screwing up. I have been particularly impressed with their willingness to work things out and get this resolved.

So if Gregory after two weeks notices that his creditcard has been charged he is pissed.

Not pissed, just surprised and distressed. And the charge showed up a month later than I would have expected.

But base this on facts and approach somebody with some sort of tact.

But here is the first email from Gregory:

>I never saw you at RailsConf, but it seems the DoubleTree has charged my >credit card for the room. Did you ever give them your credit card? Did >you ever pay for the room? I'm glad to have been able to help you out >with the reservation, but I'm not so charitable as to pay over $500 for >you to stay there.

It seems my attempt at humor there failed. The last sentence was tongue in cheek, but that didn't come through. The rest, though, is just trying to figure out how I had been charged. I initially thought it was possible that the hotel had charged both accidentally.

WTF I don't know about you but I sure as hell don't like what somebody here is saying.

So this is my reply to him.

Hello Gregory,

I am on vacation at the moment and not at home. If there has been a problem with payment its a screwup from Double Tree Hotel and not me.

[rest of message elided]

This is the first thing you've said or done that is genuinely deceitful and not attributable to just a mistake. Your email, properly quoted, said:

  Hello Gregory,

  I am on vacation at the moment and not at home.

  If there has been a problem with payment its a fuckup from Double   Tree Hotel and not me.

Note "fuckup" rather than "screwup" in the second full sentence, edited away for public consumption. If you are going to publicize the email you sent, be accurate and truthful.

He replies: >I'm going to be disputing the charge with my credit card company, so >things will be fixed on my end when the DoubleTree cancels the charge on >my account.

Then after this attitude he asks me for making a longdistance call. No way.

Attitude? I explained what action I was taking on my end. You also failed to post the first sentence of my reply. In fact, here is what I wrote (in the interest of brevity, I am leaving out the quoted message and only including my text; I've also blanked out a name and phone number for the guy I spoke to at the DoubleTree for his privacy):

[quoted message]

  Sorry, I don't mean to sound accusatory. I'm sure we'll get this   resolved quickly.

[quoted message]

  I'm going to be disputing the charge with my credit card company,   so things will be fixed on my end when the DoubleTree cancels the   charge on my account. I left a message with their accounting   department and actually received a call back as I was typing this   message. It turns out that they never took down your credit card   information.

  I spoke to H* L*, and he can be reached directly at 503-XXX-XXXX. I   told him to expect your call after you get back from vacation, so   he is keeping the information handy through Monday. You can, of   course, call before then if you have the opportunity. He just needs   your credit card information and everything will be fixed.

I gave him my phonenumber asking them to call me.

Um, not exactly. The message I quoted above was sent on July 8. On July 14, the day you said you'd be back from vacation, I sent the following:

  I hope you enjoyed your vacation, and I'm sorry to have intruded on   it. Please remember to call the hotel today, and let me know when   it's all set.

  Thanks,   --Greg

[quoted message]

After no response for over a week, I sent the following on July 22:

  It has been over a week since I sent the reminder below and I have   heard nothing from you. I just called the hotel to check on it and   you have not provided them with your credit card. I want to trust   you to take care of this, but so far you haven't. Please do so and   get back to me.

  --Greg

[quoted message]

Only after that did I receive the following response (phone number masked, though I posted it previously):

[quoted message]

  I have been up to my ears in work.   They fucked up and I am not gonna make an expensive long distance   call to California.   If they want my credit card they can call me.

  XXXXXXXXXXXXX is my telephone number in the netherlands

  31 is country code

  Let them call during daytime ( nine hours difference )

  Peter

Is that so weird?

Yes, it's weird. There are three parties involved: you, me, and the hotel. I was motivated to get things resolved because otherwise I am out a chunk of money. The hotel has no motivation to get things resolved, since someone will be paying them one way or another. You should have been motivated to get things resolved simply because it's the right thing to do, especially since if you don't put in the effort it screws the guy who did you a favor in the first place.

So, yes, expecting the hotel to make an international call to you, with a nine hour time difference, and insisting that they call during the daytime and specifically referring to the time difference, is weird and unreasonable.

Are there landlines cut off at the ocean for not making a call to me? Its a hotel for christ sake.

One could apply the same to you.

Now in hindsight would it have been better for making the call? Shit yeah.

Ya think?

Was I reluctant because of his attitude in the first place. Damn straight!!

That would be 1) a (understandable) misinterpretation of my attitude, for which I 2) apologized in my reply (see above).

But then he says the following and I am pissed again: >No, you insisted that they call during the day in Amsterdam, which would >mean they might just barely catch you if they called on the dot of 8am >Pacific time. The accounts receivable department's day doesn't start?? >that >early.

So i sent this private message to Gregory.

True. Well, almost, except for a little editing for public consumption. I didn't feel the need to respond to it privately at the time, but if it's being made public I suppose I'd better respond below.

I meant every f#cking day of the week they can call me you peace of shit.

The message actually said "fucking" rather than "f#cking" when I got it.

Show me the email where I said that they could only call on the day in Amsterdam You don't have that.

Actually, I do. See above.

It would have been resolved if the hotel would have put some effort in it.

They are not motivated to make an international call on my say so. You should be.

And I certainly don't want an apologee from you on the list bumping it up again to the top of the list. If you do that i will put everything on the site how you approached me in the first email almost calling me a thief and lyer knowing how the hotel fucked up. Because of that approach from you I was not in a hurry let me tell you that.

I never called you names in personal correspondence. I have since called you deceitful, that this latest message of yours backs that up.

Peter

[for clarity, this is the end of the quoted private email]

Now, do I care if this is all in Google. Now way. I am glad setting the facts straight for somebody reading this. They can make up there own minds.

I agree. I expect anyone reading this to consider what both of us have said and how we dealt with this and to form an opinion of each of us.

I know my integrity is rock solid. Its a pity that someone chooses this forum for his problem.

It was a last resort, and I agonized over doing it. When I had to face the fact that bringing it to the Rails list was the only chance I had of avoiding paying for a room I didn't stay in, I did it. If I had not been dealing with a foreign national I would have used small claims court, but that only has jurisdiction within the United States.

Do you think that if I can afford a trip for 10 days in California that I am gona rip off somebody for $500. Not likely is it?

I wouldn't think so, but it took weeks of calls to the hotel and email correspondence, then public exposure, to get it resolved. I'd like to believe that no one in this community would deliberately, with malicious intent, try to rip me off. Inaction, however, has the same ultimate result.

With regards Peter Dierx

--Greg

[...]

This may seem harsh, but it looks like I will be paying $550 out of pocket for the hotel room he stayed in, and that's unacceptable. Of course, he can still make this right. If he contacts the hotel and gives them his credit card number, and the charge is cleared from my account, I will follow up this message with a full retraction and apology.

In response to this thread, Peter gave the hotel his credit information. Since then, the charge has been cancelled on my account. I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to the community for making you unwilling bystanders to what should have been a private dispute. I will reiterate that I had exhausted all other options for recovering the charges, otherwise I would not have made it public.

I'd also like to apologize to Peter for any distress I caused him. My concern in this was money alone, and now that I am no longer being charged for the hotel room I wish him nothing but the best.

In short, Peter has now fulfilled his responsibilities and this entire thread should be ignored as if it had never happened.

--Greg

You guys really cheered up my Friday afternoon! Now who is going to throw down with a d**k punch? (Murky Coffee anyone?)

/rofls & some popcorn

I performed a Google search for "Peter Dierx" and yes, this thread shows up as the second to top result. The third and fourth are also pointing to the same thread. Kudos to the earlier poster that predicted this outcome.

Gregory Seidman wrote:

In short, Peter has now fulfilled his responsibilities and this entire thread should be ignored as if it had never happened.

--Greg

That horse left the barn a long time ago.