Limos.com Limo-Forum Limo Forum - Limousine Industry Discussion, News, Business GENERAL LIMOUSINE TOPICS General Limousine Industry Topics Unethical actions by Happy Limousine of Orlando
Limo-Forum Limo Forum - Limousine Industry Discussion, News, Business GENERAL LIMOUSINE TOPICS General Limousine Industry Topics Unethical actions by Happy Limousine of OrlandoPage 1 2
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Participant Location: Daytona Beach FL
Registered: January 31, 2008
Posts: 29
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Posted
Unethical actions by Happy Limousine of Orlando
Click the below to view our You Tube videos which document the illegal use of Daytona Limos original Copyrighted images. http://daytonalimos.wordpress.com/unethical-actions-by-...imousine-of-orlando/ Happy Limousine, http://www.happylimo.com/orlando_limousine_rates.html is displaying 4 images stolen from Daytona Limos which are displayed on www.DaytonaLimos.com I personally called the owner of Happy Limousine, Mr. Ron Shahid @ 407-370-3311, and spoke to him regarding the unauthorized use of Daytona Limos images. He admitted to taking the images from our website and when I asked for him to remove the images he said people take images from websites all of the time. I again reminded him that it was illegal to use our copyrighted images and requested they be removed. He then said he had ordered a similar vehicle and was only using the images until he had a chance to take his own. I then asked again for him to remove the images, he ended the conversation saying he would remove them when he got around to it. Mr. Ron Shahid was overall pretty rude during my phone call and acted like I was bothering him. We at Daytona Limos hold ourselves to a high standard and will not tolerate the theft of our images. Let it be known if you farm out work to Happy Limo you maybe surprised what limo actually shows up, since they use our images to promote their Escalade limo, if they even have an Escalade Limo I have taken the following steps to try to resolved this issue before making this publicly known on the limos.com forum: 1. Warning Email to Happy Limo 2. Phone call to the owner Mr. Ron Shahid 3. Fax to Happy Limo 4. Fax to GOLA which Happy limo is a member of These steps have resulted in no progress, it has been 10 days since my first contact with Happy Limo of Orlando. Let me know your thoughts Byron Hebert Owner of Daytona Limos www.DaytonaLimos.com 386-795-LIMO Need service outside of Daytona Beach? www.PalmCoastLimos.com www.OrlandoLimoSUV.com www.JacksonvilleLimoSUV.com |
Limo Protege Location: Cleveland Ohio
Registered: November 01, 2005
Posts: 178
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Posted
Wow it seems they still have your pictures up. Why wouldn't they just remove them if they really do have their own escalade limo? There are some major problems with this industry.
____________________ I offer Search engine SEO services starting at $500/mo. We're #2 on google for "Limos", "limo" , and #1 for "hummer limo" in the world along with a few hundred other terms. Also newly working on Cleveland Limo Service , Dallas Limos , New York Limousine , Orlando Limos, and Phoenix Limos for clients along with a few others. Inqurie to webmaster@firstclasslimos.net |
Limo Protege Location: Palm Coast, Fl
Registered: April 12, 2007
Posts: 149
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Posted
We have never spoken to happy personaly although we see them at mco all the time.Now we know the owner has no respect for anyone but himself no more referals for Happy from us
 www.pclimos1.com www.elegantlimousinesofpalmcoast.com |
"Provider of World Class Service and Luxury" Location: Portland, Oregon
Registered: May 05, 2006
Posts: 208
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Posted
I had someone lift pictures from my web site to use on his site. Had he asked I would not have minded but to do it without even bothering to ask really got me riled up. I spoke to him requesting him to delete the images. i asked 4 days in a row and finally had my Lawyer send a demand letter.
It is insane the way people act now adays but two days after the demand letter went out he took the pictures off the site as requested after it cost me money to basically threaten Him with a legal suit. then he calls me up and emails me saying he wont ever send me any farmouts from his or any affiliate companies! He sent me one job in three years I think I will survive without His help. LOL When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a Manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice! |
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Participant Location: Daytona Beach FL
Registered: January 31, 2008
Posts: 29
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Posted
Thank all of you for your help, I handed it over to our attorney today, and I am also going to try Markee's suggestion as well, sounds like he has dealt with this issue a few times.
Thanks for your support. Byron Hebert Owner of Daytona Limos www.DaytonaLimos.com 386-795-LIMO Need service outside of Daytona Beach? www.PalmCoastLimos.com www.OrlandoLimoSUV.com www.JacksonvilleLimoSUV.com |
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Steve Groves Join Us InTheLeftLane  Location: Phx, AZ
Registered: February 22, 2008
Posts: 144
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Posted
Stealing images is common on the Internet yes, legal? no... Enforcement however is up to the individual. The loss you can attribute to his actions is relative and would be expensive to produce. J. Scott said it right - hand it to the lawyer and move ahead. You've been more than accomodating to the yahoo at Happy. |
Limo God Location: Serving All Major Cities in Texas
Registered: September 03, 2002
Posts: 1691
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Posted
Dack: Unfortunately adding a logo to the photo is easily circumvented. A Watermark layered over the photo is more foolproof.
Tony Franzetti Marriton Limousine, Austin, TX    |
Participant Registered: May 04, 2008
Posts: 10
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Posted
All these being said YOU NEED to do what I do with almost every photo from my site... BRAND THEM!
You need to brand all your photos with your company logo. I have taken almost EVERY photo from my site or BOUGHT them from www.istockphoto.com It sucks he stole your pix but the ONLY way around it is lawyers and even that is going to take forever. Suck it up and just keep trashing his name and go on websites every once in a while and give him CRAPPY reviews. After writing reviews call him and tell him you did it so he gets pissed off. AGAIN, be smarter about your pictures and please BRAND YOUR PHOTOS.. Dack Dack Patrick Access Atlanta Limousines 9940 Highway 92 Woodstock, GA 30188 www.accessatllimo.com dack@accessatllimo.com 770-592-5275  |
Limo Master Location: Olney, Maryland - USA
Registered: January 18, 2007
Posts: 752
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Posted
J.Scott hit the nail on the head. I' sure you have a lawyer; make him earn the money you pay him.
I would imagine that a letter from you attorney may well do the job. Consider the opportunity costs of all the time you have spent dealing with this issue, when you likely have already hired an expert trained to take care of such problems for you. Let the lawyers take out the trash; you concentrate on selling the limos. |
Limo Master Location: Stow, Ohio
Registered: April 18, 2002
Posts: 354
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Posted
As someone in the web/programming business, I echo Markee's thoughts, and advise you to look into it.
The owner may not give a crap about your requests, but their hosting company is in the business to host, not loose money over a client who is doing wrong. Yes, seems like small potatoes to some, but the fact is it is illegal, and there reasons behind the laws that not everyone gets or believes in. Now, I haven't had the chance to check out the site, but in the off chance he is directly linking to your images, then you can mess with him.... As far as the comment on you titling this "Unethical actions..." well the fact is you could simple titled it "Illegal actions..." as that in fact is what copyright infringement is. -Greg |
Limo Protege Location: Northants, UK
Registered: April 08, 2008
Posts: 58
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Posted
http://www.copyscape.com/
Try that site above if you think your website content, or keywords are being ripped, just type in your website URL and it shows the guilty parties |
Limo Protege Location: Portland Oregon
Registered: December 31, 2006
Posts: 150
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Posted
Now here is a subject I know a lot about. I run several very successful video game websites and all the time we get kids or even adults who take our images, designs and such and try to become our competition. The resolution to this is very easy. You file a DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMCA
File a notice with their web host. You can find out who this is by going to www.whois.sc and putting in their domain name. The notice requires by law that the company "Happy limos" remove the offending images within so many days. If they do not their host is required to do it for them. Normally they do this by shutting off access to the entire site. If they do not then both the company and the host can be sued for profits made using your images. I've never had one of these go to court. They have always been resolved before that point by the host forcing the company to comply. The DMCA requires a burden of proof. I watched your video and you have everything needed. You just have to fill out the notice properly. They are a bit hard to do the first time. Took me about 3 hours on my first one. But you can go find examples of other notices and use them to build yours. Also. Don't worry if it gets rejected because you did not fill something out wrong. You can just fix it and file again. One last thing. You do not need a lawyer to do this. You can do it yourself and it costs nothing to do but your time. But if time is money and a lawyer costs less than your time a lawyer could do it for you and would most likely charge you about 3 hours time. Good luck on this. I know that once you get it filed you'll have success. If he tells his host to go to hell like he did you then you'll also get the satisfaction of seeing his site go offline. (GRIN) |
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Limo God Location: Serving All Major Cities in Texas
Registered: September 03, 2002
Posts: 1691
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Posted
There are pages of text that I wrote on my website which are now being used by dozens of limo companies around the country. I can google phrases off my page and the come up all over the place. Some of these companies were so stupid they didn't even remove the company name Marriton when the copied the text and pasted it on their site.
One local company copied my whole wine tour site word for word and just changed the color scheme and logo. I did have to go after them, but they changed it up after I called them. I can sympathize with the frustration but don't let it consume you. Focus on big picture things that grow your business. Your site is clean and well laid out. His is a mess. In the end a couple of pictures is not going to make the mess he has any better. Tony Franzetti Marriton Limousine, Austin, TX |
Limo God Location: Spring Hill Florida
Registered: August 17, 2004
Posts: 2742
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Posted
And because of your approach coupled with the fact I'm not out to burn anyone, your link sits on the FITA site as with others (I do need to update soon) as is. Now suppose you approached it (the posting) different & pissed me off & on both LDC & FITA I Titled a page/thread "Daytona Limousines Advertising Super Bowl Transportation That They Cannot Deliver"? This is the point I'm trying to bring across with the way you are slamming Happy. They can investigate & turn the tables on you tit for tat. In other words, be careful & beyond reproach. Now a little on licensing in Tampa. Unlike the licensing you have for Orlando, Pt Can & other areas; Tampa is a different animal & that animal is called a certificate of public convenience & necessity & any certificate holder can examine your application which opens up your whole business finances & everything else & they have a right under law to protest this application during a mandatory public meeting. With no details, last Monday a 20 page lawsuit demanding enforcement of the law hit our attorney's desk for tweaking & filing. There is also an individual under criminal charges that will bring in the HCPTC NON-Enforcemnt of the law as part of his defense in challenging his arrest a little thang called the 14th Amendment. It's going to be damn tough to try & prosecute a criminal arrest while defending the allowance of 100's of unlicensed limos & taxis in for Super Bowl type events. As of today, there is only one sure way to know that you will be able to deliver what you are selling for the 2009 SB & that is to obtain the COPCN, vehicle permits & PVDL & there are no guarantees that you can obtain that. "Suing Tampa Limo Regulator In Federal Court For The Right To Use Fuel Efficient Vehicles & Violations Of Federal & State Preemptions. What Has Your National Or Local Assoc. Done For You Lately? " Visit www.thefita.com |
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Participant Location: Daytona Beach FL
Registered: January 31, 2008
Posts: 29
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Posted
In case you haven’t been following the saga of Tampa’s ridiculous rules regarding limousines. Gunny has been fighting to have these rules changed for the better. Gunny runs a site which pushes for enforcement, thus to make Tampa change the laws so they will have enough limos for Super Bowl 2009. The Comment above stems from the fact we have a page on our website that promotes limousine service for the 2009 Super bowl in Tampa http://www.daytonalimos.com/superbowl.htm. Gunny has us listed as unlicensed companies advertising for the Super Bowl at http://www.thefita.com/unlicensed_limos_advertising_tampa_super_bowl I spoke to Gunny about this several months ago and told him that I had no problem being listed on his site since currently we do not have permits to operate in Hillsborough County. We are waiting to see if Hillsborough county is going to make an exception for Super Bowl Transportation, if they are not we are going to apply for the permits this fall. Once we have the permits I am sure Gunny will have no problem removing our name from his website. Currently we do not pick up in anywhere in Hillsborough county. Concerning making friends in the industry I have made some great friends and affiliates in the business already and would do anything to help them out. These people could be considered my local competition however we all work together. I chose the title of my post exactly for the reason Gunny mentions so the search engines will find it, same reason I did the You Tube videos. If Happy Limousines doesn’t like it then they need to remove my images, until then my efforts will only increase. This is not the first time we have had our images or content used without our permission, however this is the first time an owner has refused to remove our images because he doesn’t think it’s a big deal. Thanks to everyone that sees my point here, yes it’s just four images but it is the point they are Daytona Limos images, not Happy Limousines’ Byron Hebert Owner of Daytona Limos www.DaytonaLimos.com 386-795-LIMO Need service outside of Daytona Beach? www.PalmCoastLimos.com www.OrlandoLimoSUV.com www.JacksonvilleLimoSUV.com |
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SINCE 1976 Location: Metairie, Louisiana 70055
Registered: August 31, 2000
Posts: 3744
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Posted
About 11 years ago we noticed that the copyrighted language on our state-of-the-art brochure was on a competitor's website. In this case since he had purchased his first car from us in 1984, we didn't involve the lawyers as one phone call brought the language off his site. If he hadn't been compliant we would have hammered him from all directions. Only a fool doesn't protect his intellectual property.
Dean Schuler |
GRAND MASTER LUFF / Part Time Bartender Location: Bakersfield, CA 93307
Registered: April 28, 2001
Posts: 1688
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Posted
Much ado about nothing really. The photos are not going to sway a client one way or the other and are merely the fluff in a website. It is too bad the butt head was too lazy to go snap a few digital photos of his own to use but likewise I agree with others here that it is the ultimate compliment to think so highly of you that he steals from your images. Likewise, he is obviously visiting your site probably be he thinks you are better than him.
I am happy to say in my home town, we are on such good terms with competitors that we loan each other car seats, coach lights and even assist each other with breakdowns. While we didn't start our company to make friends, it sure is nice to have a lot of them in the business. Your situation did put something in perspective for me that happened yesterday. I received a local magazine in the mail. The front cover had a title that said, "Take your clients wine tasting in a limousine". The inside cover had an interior shot of a limousine, probably stolen from Daytona's website as it wasn't ours. I was still excited that this local business magazine had done an article on limousines. When I got to the featured story in the middle of the magazine I was horrified to find a large photo of a limousine featuring a familiar window logo of a local competitor. As I began reading the article, it focused on our company being the largest and oldest in the area. It talked about some of our big clients who were interviewed for the article as well since I provided their names with permission about four months ago. So long ago, I forgot about the interview I did with the author. The article did include a small list of all limo companies in the area but the focus was all about us and our company. I was angry they used the competitor's limo in the photo though the story was about us. I called to complain. I was told when the photographer for the magazine came to shoot photos at our shop, all our vehicles were out on assignment so they drove across town to the competitors who had plenty of vehicles in the garage. Kind of made it all better! |
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Limo God Location: Spring Hill Florida
Registered: August 17, 2004
Posts: 2742
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Posted
Ethics is like integrity; you either have it or you don't. Correct, you don't start a business to make friends with the competition. On the other hand, unless you're someone like me with different goals, you don't start a business to make enemies either. Titling this thread "Unethical Actions By Happy Limousine of Orlando" that you know will get picked up by search engines & possibly cause a negative effect for simply using a photo from your site is a little overboard & quite frankly not as detrimental as say, unlicensed limo companies advertising the upcoming Super Bowl in Tampa whereas transporting passengers-for-hire on the public roadways of Hillsborough County without a HCPTC COPCN, HCPTC permits & HCPTC public vehicle driver's license violates the provisions set forth in State law and a criminal offense.  "Suing Tampa Limo Regulator In Federal Court For The Right To Use Fuel Efficient Vehicles & Violations Of Federal & State Preemptions. What Has Your National Or Local Assoc. Done For You Lately? " Visit www.thefita.com |
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SINCE 1976 Location: Metairie, Louisiana 70055
Registered: August 31, 2000
Posts: 3744
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Posted
If they have no imagination, they steal from you. Generally they are confused as to the definition of success in this profession. I have employed a trademark attorney for over twenty years to protect my slogans and other pertinent components of our marketing. He has nailed a few of the malcontents to the wall for me. It is merely pest control and doesn't take much time to police.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dean Schuler, Dean Schuler |
Limo Master Location: San Diego
Registered: May 02, 2008
Posts: 265
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Posted
I have to agree with Digger. Byron, you have an awesome website and it is the ultimate compliment to steal from it. That said, it's wrong and if you don't want Happy using it, so be it. Digger, your contract is excellent like you said. I got some great ideas to add(not steal) to mine. Thanks, Geoff. Tough times don't last. Tough people do. |