10 Hour Drive for a 2 Hour Meeting - Huh ?

[Joe Birrell (NY)]

Just received a letter from VA Regional Office in Manchester, NH. It seems
they are consolidating on a regional basis ( I assume they are closing NY offices in Manhattan and Buffalo) - anyway, the "we'd like to meet you and review procedures" meeting is from 1 to 3 PM on July 16th (a Tuesday). It is mandatory (of course).

Albany, NY is a 5 hour drive from here ! The other alternative location
is someplace in western NY that I never even heard of (probably a 7 hour ride) !!

ARE THESE PEOPLE FOR REAL ?


P.S. we're not talking about a volume account here.

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

In a joking way, I say welcome to Arizona! You have just described a typical day for me. Went to a seminar in Tucson on Friday, 5 hour round trip for a 3 hour seminar. Will be driving a 7 hour round trip to attend a meeting in Phoenix on Weds, at least that one lasts 7 hours. When I attend my NAIFA chapter meetings in Phoenix that last 2-3 hours, it involves a 7 hour round trip to do so. But then a drive by order in Greenlee County can mean a 200 mile round trip. But this is Arizona, I am use to it. I can still get something completed out here in the boondocks quicker than if I was in the Phoenix metropolitan area, there the traffic is horrible. It can take over an hour to travel 10 miles in Phoenix. So a 100 mile round trip in less than two hours is a pleasant drive for me.

 

[Charlotte Dixon]

Joe,
I'm anxiously awaiting word on the V.A. Philadelphia Regional Office's restructure, of which I am a V.A. panel member, here in Delaware. I understand I will be working under the Cleveland Regional Office by September and it appears I will be travelling far to a mandatory meeting, also. We know nothing is simple when dealing with the government!

 

[jtrotta]

Jo Ann

I guess we're of a similar thought pattern, my preference is go out & about vs the city side where sometimes it takes half to 3/4 hour to get over various bridges in my area. It's going to get longer and more fustrating during the summer when the folks from NYC; NJ; Penn; VT; and Mass., start traveling our highways, in the past two years I've noticed a dramatic increase in traffic. Starts at the Rhode Island border and heads South towards New York on a Sunday morning and doesn't end until midnight or so, and I mean bumper to bumper all the way. It's greuling-so I travel all the backroads to avoid them.

8)

 

[Karl]

As U know I use to live in Manchester I can get to Yuma from here (185 miles) in less time than it took to go from Manchester to Boston. (That is less than 50 miles) Haven't been here long & it cracks me up when Easterners complain about a 7 hour ride. Got a 2 hour to get to the good stores here. Thats at 75 miles per hour. Eloy AZ is the third largest city in AZ with a land mass of 75 +/- Square Miles Population 10,000 +/- Including the prison (We are proud of our prisons in AZ we have many people trying to get in them.) Whats the chances of your comps bein within one mile?

 

[Frederick R. Ruffell]

Believe it or not Manchester has a great jetport. Also Manchester is a little over a one hour drive from Boston traffic and weather permitting.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Only 5 hours? Son.....that is a trip to the shopping center here! Just joking. Our five state region includes Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington. How would you like that drive????

VA is a plum...if you don't think it worth it then don't go. Of more concern to us out here in the "wild west" is the change to 5 day turn around time for liquidation appraisals. Under the current regulations we are required to make three attempts to contact the home owner.

Imagine this....it's 4:30 on Friday and you get a fax from the lender or foreclosure attorney. Thats day one, Saturday is day 2, Sunday is day three. The appraisal is due back to VA on Tuesday. You havent even made the first attempt to contact until Monday. Sorta sucks, doesn't it?

 

[Joe Birrell (NY)]

Us back east sure are spoiled. I guess all things are relative. After reading posts from AZ, CO, etc. I guess a coupled of hundred miles
is a short trip.

On the other hand, back east you can sit in your car for hours and
never move more than a few inches. "Rush hour" is now from 6am to
10pm, kinda hard scheduling inspections on off hours....hell, subject is
1 mile from my office and could take days to get there.........sometimes it's easier to park the car and walk.

 

[Karl]

Usin a quote I heard somewhere I FEEL YOUR PAIN Been stuck in that traffic many times. Back in the truckin days. I do NOT miss it. Just miss New England Fish