Quote:
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That's funny...There's an exit near Hampton University in which people try this trick before entering the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. But at the bottom of the ramp is a weigh station and a couple of mirrors which are used by the State Troopers to catch people using this tactic. Me, I get off one exit earlier and cut through the outskirts of the campus then go down the ramp. :D
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I wasn't aware that it was illegal and think it is probably a strech of some other law if the troopers are issuing citations. I knew it was illegal to cut through a parking lot to avoid a line at a traffic light but how can it be illegal to remain completely on public streets and take one route over another (obeying all traffic control devices and speeds along the way)?

There is one place in Portland that I do so often...It is an interchange that is very poorly designed. If traffic is at all backed up, it is much faster to leave the highway, go through 2 stop lights and the entry-ramp control signal, and re-enter on the other highway and through an overall longer distance....that's right...taking a longer path through effectively 3 stop lights is faster than the direct non-stop route.

Age is only a factor to the people that do the hiring. What someone thinks about an age limit on a web site does not mean anything.

Peace

You've just described the basic risks of life...no guarantees. You have to make choices without always knowing how they will come out. If you want the greatest rewards, sometimes you have to take chances.

Along the way, he may find that the interim journey he embarked on turns out to be a pretty good destination after all. He may spin out and crash because he was trying to get a Yugo to be capable to drive on the Autobahn.

Frankly, most of those assignors and most of the partners are not there for this guy's benefit. Most of them will only view him for what he can do for them. For a few, there is loyalty, but for most, loyalty is a forgotten concept. You've gotta do what you feel is right for you and play your cards to your benefit. I'm not talking about backstabbing others to move up or making promises you don't intend to keep. I'm all for treating others ethically and fairly. But at the same time, the contracts are year-to-year. They can chose to not bring you back for any reason at any time. Why should you, as an official count on anything more or feel committed to anything more. If you will either enjoy it or find other benefit in it, go for.

my understanding is that for a lot of assignors, loyalty to THEM isn't forgotten! Just the concept of their loyalty to the individual ref.

Therein lies the rub. As long as you are loyal to an assigner, you're likely to reap the benefits from that assigner. Right up to the point where the assigner doesn't want you any more. Or the assigner gets canned. Or somebody better than you comes along. Or, or, or. Then your loyalty is of no benefit.

WOW!!! Are you serious? And we know there's a certain age you think folks should have to retire, so what is your acceptable age range?

Since the other thread got cleaned up, here's where this subject was first broached.

Let's see. A guy at Northern Iowa University starts ref'n college intramurals when he is 18. At 22 he graduates and gets commissioned into the Army while jumping into HS officiating. In between deployments he continues to improve his officiating skills and decides to attend some college camps. At 25 he gets picked up in D2 & D3 conferences. At 26 he's a Captain in the Army with 3 deployments to Southwest Asia and he also gets picked up by a mid-major D1.

But according to Nevada, based strictly by age, this person doesn't have the necessary tools to officiate a D1 basketball game.