Fifty Plus (50+) - Price rant (maybe on topic)

OK whats the deal? My wife and I just got our AARP cards and the first time I elect to ask for a discount I've been rejected! I contacted a race Director regarding an upcoming race that has a Master 55+ group. The purpose of my contact was to determine if I am eligible to race in that catergory or if I even should since this if my first year of racing. I noticed that the race entry cost varied by race and catergory i.e. Juniors @ $15, cat 5's @ $20 Cat 1,2,3's @ $25. I merely asked if there were a discount for the Master riders aged 55 and over.:D The answer was a short and direct "NO". Not even accompanied with a cursory apology.

Should I be offended? Is there any agency out there to protect my status as an AARP member? Maybe I should just boycott the event. Better yet, maybe we can get 300 of us 55+ riders out there to do crital mass like ride to block the route of those willing to pay full price while being subjected to pain and humilation.

In this case it looks like a clear case of mistaken identity. You were mistaken for one of the members of the Alternative Admisions Research Project.

Once the race director made that mistake, it was logical for him to think that you were looking for some alternative admisions rate projection......................................

Jet,
Try not to confuse being over 55 with being a member of AARP. there is a difference.

Jet,
Try not to confuse being over 55 with being a member of AARP. there is a difference.

But the application promised discounts backed by the purchasing power of millions.:rolleyes:

It's probably my Pennsylvania Dutch/Quaker upbringing, but I think discounts are inherently dishonest. Charge an honest price and you don't need to give discounts. This, I suspect, is not a popular view.

But the application promised discounts backed by the purchasing power of millions.:rolleyes:


Yep, but not everywhere. Some places have no discounts, some have small discounts
and some have larger discounts. I always carry my card and ask everywhere I go.
One other point as I also belong to AAA (Automobile Association of America), sometimes
one discount is better than the other so I ask about both.

I've also been to many establishments where the cashier has assumed by my appearance
that I'm old enough to qualify for senior discounts that I had no knowledge of and they
just apply it. This has been happening to me since my late 40's. :eek: I always thank
them and just go on my way.

Yep, but not everywhere. Some places have no discounts, some have small discounts
and some have larger discounts. I always carry my card and ask everywhere I go.
One other point as I also belong to AAA (Automobile Association of America), sometimes
one discount is better than the other so I ask about both.

Culver's has discounts both for seniors and for sports teams in uniform.

My wife and I stopped for lunch at Culvers after a ride while we were still wearing our bicycling garb. I tried for both discounts but they said only one discount to a customer. I got her lunch at the senior discounted price and the athlete in uniform discount for mine.

It's probably my Pennsylvania Dutch/Quaker upbringing, but I think discounts are inherently dishonest. Charge an honest price and you don't need to give discounts. This, I suspect, is not a popular view.

+1 plus discounts to the elderly are discrimination based on age. which is illegal.


OK I'll get out of your forum.

But the application promised discounts backed by the purchasing power of millions.:rolleyes:
I think the discounts that AARP is talking about is on things like car rentals, hotels, meals, etc. Not bike races. :p

It's probably my Pennsylvania Dutch/Quaker upbringing, but I think discounts are inherently dishonest. Charge an honest price and you don't need to give discounts. This, I suspect, is not a popular view.

:love: Your attitude is popular with me. It reminds me of a day when a nod and a handshake were enough to seal a deal that was good for both parties.

You are confusing "senior age" with "retirement". The two are not necessarily the same.

That any "special" privileges should be granted on the basis of age is wrong. By what measure does any age entitle anyone to have more favorable treatment than others? Ageism is ageism, no matter what age it is applied to. Age is inevitable, and nothing "special" at all.

It's probably my Pennsylvania Dutch/Quaker upbringing, but I think discounts are inherently dishonest. Charge an honest price and you don't need to give discounts. This, I suspect, is not a popular view.

My Wife and I own a used book store and price our books as cheaply as we can. We feel that if a store is having a sale they are overcharging in the first place. The same with discounts.

Our only special service for the over 55 crowd is talking more loudly!

I hope the OP was a joke.

Our only special service for the over 55 crowd is talking more loudly!

I hope the OP was a joke.

Of course it was a joke. Geeze, maybe I'm not ready for this fourm yet?:D

As more and more of you reach 50 or 55 or whatever age the discount is, there will be fewer and fewer discounts, or they will move tha age up higher.

It's not age dsicrimination. It's age advantageism.

That any "special" privileges should be granted on the basis of age is wrong. By what measure does any age entitle anyone to have more favorable treatment than others? Ageism is ageism, no matter what age it is applied to. Age is inevitable, and nothing "special" at all.


I don't remember reading anything about entitlement. I'll say this though, if
someone's willing to offer a discount......well I ain't daft enough to refuse it, yet. :50:

But the application promised discounts backed by the purchasing power of millions.:rolleyes:

He he he. I wouldn't have bothered with the smiley.

Next up, whip that card out the next time you buy a bicycle and try to get the extra discount.

Or at a toll booth.

Here's a senior discount for you:

http://www.wayodd.com/german-brothel-offers-senior-citizen-early-bird-afternoon-discount-to-customers-60/v/6842/

As far as organized rides / races go, the older you are, the longer you are probably out there, using up the event resources. Therefore you should actually pay more. :roflmao2:

I ain't got no pride. Offer a senior discount and I'll take it!

The wife and I took the granddaughter to the amusement park. Pulled up and said 2 seniors(55+) and a 2 year old. Teen ticket taker looked at me and said "You are real lucky it was not twins!" Compliment, I guess?

The wife and I took the granddaughter to the amusement park. Pulled up and said 2 seniors(55+) and a 2 year old. Teen ticket taker looked at me and said "You are real lucky it was not twins!" Compliment, I guess?


Compassionate is more like it. When I turned 50 our twins were 11 years old.
They're great kids but it's been a tough 19 years, and still counting.

I play a role in the freshman student orientation at the University of Wisconsin. Every once in a while, there are parents who stick out as being much older than the average parents. I've seen guys who looked to be around 70, there with an 18 yr old child.

As a 53 yr old with a 16 yr old still at home, I cannot imagine still dealing with all of the trauma of having a teenager at 70.

I play a role in the freshman student orientation at the University of Wisconsin. Every once in a while, there are parents who stick out as being much older than the average parents. I've seen guys who looked to be around 70, there with an 18 yr old child.

As a 53 yr old with a 16 yr old still at home, I cannot imagine still dealing with all of the trauma of having a teenager at 70.

When my 26 year old became a teenager- she was 13 going on 25. Never really knew what it was like to have an annoying youngster in the house. However the 24 year old has always acted her age- Then the boys came along and she grew up.

What a pity.

It's probably my Pennsylvania Dutch/Quaker upbringing, but I think discounts are inherently dishonest. Charge an honest price and you don't need to give discounts. This, I suspect, is not a popular view.

Especially arbitrary senior discounts. People above 50 or 60 are generally pretty much able to afford anything they need (note I said need, not want) to do. I know that when I'm 60 and my kids are out of college and on their own, I'll be much better able to afford most things than I was between ages 20 and 60.