Bumpah Stickah

Posted on the NERAIL Photo Archive today:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... 823005.jpg


Thoughts:
I wonder who makes these.
I wonder if they give them away, or if they sell them.
If the latter, I wonder how Guilford feels about someone making a profit from their logo.
I also wonder how Guilford feels about having its logo displayed next to text that they might consider libelous. They've been known to sue people for libel on more than one occasion -- usually based on things that ended up being protected by free speech, such as newspaper editorials, etc... but a bumper sticker might be an easier case for them to win.
If Guilford did sue, I wonder if they would only sue the person who made the bumper sticker, or if they would even go as far as to sue the persons who display the stickers on their vehicles.

That bumper sticker has been floating around for at least five years. Can't say I know who made them. Chopping the bottom off the logo might negate any claim to trademark infringement (not a legal opinion).
Would probably not be a wise move for a Guilford employee to display one at work.

I had one of those about 10 years ago.If I remember right they came out 1989-1990.

Peter B&MMEC

Interesting. That particular one looks too clean to be 10 years old... unless the owner just takes really good care of his/her bumper stickers.

If I was going to be out "railfanning" Guilford somewhere, I don't think I
would want this sticker on my car or the car that I was riding in.
Noel Weaver

Indeed.

Noel Weaver wrote:If I was going to be out "railfanning" Guilford somewhere, I don't think I
would want this sticker on my car or the car that I was riding in.
Noel Weaver

Wouldn't be shocked if many Guilford employees agreed with the sticker.

NRGeep wrote:Wouldn't be shocked if many Guilford employees agreed with the sticker.

Quite true, but nevertheless, the sticker probably wouldn't garner much sympathy from a railroad cop who was deciding whether to issue a warning or a ticket.

Again, if I worked for Guilford, I don't think I would allow such a bumper
sticker to be displayed on my vehicle.
Employees may not like their employer but they should not bit the hand
that feeds them either.
Noel Weaver

I remember seeing stickers like those during and after the strike in 85, nothing new there. Might be a new version. And I have seen more than one on the back of a GRS employee's vehicle. I wouldn't display one on my car, but I can understand the sentiment....

Maybe these stickers were made by the employees union or someone involved with it.

Isn't it funny how most local railfans look at this sticker and chuckle knowingly...

As a friend of mine would say: "It's funny 'cause it's true."

I know who did those stickers. They were made in the late 1980's, 1987 or 1988. There were quite a few of them sold at some train shows, and some were stuck on signal cases and signs (NOT BY ME!!!).

Remember, this was when the takeover of B&M and MEC was still fresh on railfans' minds, and the labor unions had the end-run done on them by Guilford's switching everything to Springfield Terminal.

Those stickers have not been made in 17+ years. Any "new" ones must be ones people have had stashed away.

Copyright infringement? I don't think that applies to satire, and Guilford would have to admit the sticker applies to them- not good publicity.

As a friend of mine would say: "It's funny 'cause it's true."

THAT is the hurdle Guilford would have to get over. There is no malice or libel if it can be proven true or is popular opinion.