Door & Access Systems Publish Date: Winter 2005 Atlanta Dealer Fined for Deceptive Practices By Carla Rautenberg, DAS Special Correspondent Want to talk to the owner of a garage door dealer doing business in ten states and 18 major metropolitan areas? Although he is nowhere named on the Web site of America’s Choice Overhead Door Co., Peter Stephens owns the company. He’s hard to track down, though, and didn’t return America’s Choice is just one of many Stephens operations, including AA Able Door Company. You remember AA Able. 2002, Dateline NBC exposed their practices of gross overchargingDoor & Access Systems reported that story in our spring 2002 issue. They say that bad pennies always turn up again. state of Georgia, in the form of the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA), caught up with Stephens in 2004 and fined his Atlanta operation $20,000 for “unfair Following a consumer complaint about a company initially
identified as “America’s Choice Discount Garage Door Service,” the Georgia OCA launched an investigation that apparently began in 2001. The OCA discovered that the telephone lines advertised in the company’s double-truck Yellow Pages ads were programmed to send all incoming calls to BellSouth switching centers, where the lines were forwarded to undisclosed, out-of-state locations. “It’s pretty clear cut,” says Shawn Conroy, spokesperson for the Georgia OCA. “You have a situation where you have an ad in the Yellow Pages, and the number’s going to another state or another place that’s not representative of where you think it’s going.” The practice of forwarding calls out of state violates provisions of Georgia state law specifically prohibiting “deceptive representations or designations of geographic origin in connection with goods or services.” The Stephens case is significant from a consumer protection
point of view for two main reasons, according to Conroy. you have an ad that’s in the Yellow Pages in the Atlanta area, it’s possibly going to be seen by four million people, so you have the potential for a big problem. challenge is that a Yellow Pages ad is going to be in thereIt’s not going anywhere soon.” In a report dated July 2, 2004, the Georgia OCA outlined its investigation of “Peter Stephens, d/b/a A AAA All State Door Company, Overhead Garage Door Services, Inc., America’s Choice Overhead Door Co. Inc., and America’s AllianceThe summary on the OCA’s Web site states that the company’s telephone directoryMisrepresented the identity of the business the consumer would contact in response to the ad;Misrepresented that the business had received a high rating from at least two consumer product rating groups, includingMisrepresented that the business is incorporatedMisrepresented an affiliation with merchant companies,
Misrepresented that the business advertised is aFailed to disclose the non-local address for theFailed to honor the advertised price guarantees;Deceptively induced consumers with low misrepresentedConfused the consumer as to the business name by advertising in one name and billing in another name;Willfully violated the terms of a 2001 Assurance As a result of these violations, the “Respondents” (Peter J. Stephens and his corral of companies) were ordered to make every reasonable effort to act in accordance with the requirements of the “Fair Business Practices Act of 1975,” and to pay a civil penalty of $20,000. The 2004 Civil Action specifically prohibits Stephens and America’s Choice from publishing or distributing advertisements“Use the phrase ’Rated #1 in Customer Service’ without identifying the business or entity providing the rating”—like this: or ‘insured’ without identifying the entity or
person who holds said credentials”—like this:“Use merchant logos, names or symbols without clearly identifying the purpose of the reference”—like All of the examples illustrated above appeared in the America’s Choice double-truck ads in the 2004 edition of the greater Atlanta BellSouth Yellow Pages. They have been removed from his ads in the 2005 edition. Georgia consumers are fortunate to have a forceful advocate in the form of their Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs. In other states, vague, unsubstantiated, and misleading advertising may remain the stock-in-trade of less-than-reputable garage What does Peter Stephens think of all this? return our phone calls, we don’t know. More to the point, will a $20,000 fine deter deceptive behavior?But according to our sources, Stephens makes a cool $60,000 per week in the Atlanta market alone and recently bought a $325,000 2005 Mercedes Maybach. Where Is He Now?
Stephens’ operations appear to be active in the following See his Web sites: 26 years in business 10524 Moss Park Rd STE 204-269 Principal: Mr. Daniel Kapuschinsky, President Garage Doors & Openers Ace Garage Door & Opener Licensing, Bonding or Registration This business is in an industry that may require professional licensing, bonding or registration. BBB encourages you to check with the appropriate agency to be certain any requirements are currently being met. BBB Reason for Ratings BBB rating is based on 13 factors: Get the details about the factors considered. BBB Rating System Overview Ace Garage Door And Opener of Florida, Inc. has received 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 9 Customer Reviews and a BBB Rating of A+.ORLANDO, Fla., August 11, 2011 Nation’s largest motor club provides tips to keep motorists safe and help get them back on the go quickly after a breakdown Many Americans rely on their cars for nearly every part of their life—to commute to work, to attend school, to run errands, to socialize with friends or to get away on vacation.
AAA recognizes one of the most stressful things that can happen to a driver is to suddenly have their car not work. “Whether sitting in your driveway or stranded on the roadside, having a car that won’t start is a nerve-racking experience. There are a few things to remember that can help keep you safe and possibly get you back on the go more quickly,” said John Nielsen, AAA National director of Auto Repair, Buying Services and Consumer Information. What If It Suddenly Won’t Start? If a car previously was running well and suddenly will not start, it could be an issue with the vehicle’s battery. While in many cases it may have become discharged, in others it’s possible the cause of the problem is a poor connection that can easily be fixed. Open the hood and inspect the battery. Make sure it is securely mounted in place, then check the cable clamps connected to the battery. If they are loose or covered in corrosive build up, that could be the source of the problem.
Clean any corrosion from the battery terminals and cable clamps, and ensure the clamps are tight enough that they will not move. If a poor battery connection does not seem to be the problem, check a few other basic items such as ensuring the vehicle (if an automatic transmission) is fully in park. Also, make sure there is fuel in the car. If those items do not seem to be the source of the problem, then it’s time to call a road service provider, such as AAA, that has knowledgeable technicians to assist. As the nation’s largest motor club, AAA trains its roadside technicians to diagnose common vehicle problems onsite, as a result, they are able to get three out of five cars on the go, eliminating the need for a tow. What If It Strands Me On A Roadway? “If a vehicle begins to experience problems while being driven or suddenly can no longer be driven, safety should become the driver’s first priority,” said Nielsen. If the car is clearly experiencing a problem but can still be driven a short distance, drive to a safe location such as a parking lot.
If the vehicle stops running but still has coasting momentum, guide it to the far right shoulder, as far off the road as possible while remaining on level ground. Turn on the emergency flashers to alert other motorists. If the car cannot get completely off the roadway, switch on the safety/emergency flashers and consider leaving the vehicle and moving to a safer location. Occupants should not remain in a vehicle if there is a possibility it may be struck from behind by other traffic. For the same reason, it is generally not a good idea to attempt to push the car off the road. Drivers and passengers should exit a broken down car on the side away from traffic if at all possible. Use extreme caution and watch for oncoming vehicles, especially at night or in bad weather when visibility is limited. While waiting for help, never stand directly behind or in front of the disabled vehicle. In addition to turning on a vehicle’s emergency flashers, drivers can signal other motorists that they have a problem by raising the car hood, tying a brightly colored handkerchief or scarf to the antenna or door handle, or setting out flares, warning triangles or emergency beacons.
These signals can help other drivers recognize there is a problem and hopefully prompt them to slow down, allow more room and proceed with caution while passing. Once the driver and passengers are in a safe location, request assistance from a road service provider such as AAA. Make note of surroundings, landmarks, buildings or road signs to help relay your location. AAA members may have their phone’s GPS location sent directly to AAA Roadside Assistance by using one of AAA’s mobile products such as the AAA Roadside, AAA Discounts or AAA TripTik Mobile apps for Android and iPhone users. AAA members with any GPS-enabled Sprint mobile phone can have their location transmitted via AAA FindMe—even if they do not have a smartphone. Safety experts agree that under most circumstances, provided the car is away from the flow of traffic, it is safest for the driver and passengers to remain in the vehicle while waiting for law enforcement or roadside assistance to arrive. If drivers feel they are in an unsafe situation, they should communicate that fact to the roadside assistance operator when calling for assistance.
To help drivers prepare for these unfortunate situations, AAA offers an in-depth guide called “What to Do When Your Vehicle Breaks Down: The AAA Guide to Personal Safety.” Where Do I Send My Car? Once assistance arrives, if the technician is unable to remedy the problem at the roadside, the car will have to be towed somewhere for repair. Unless the driver is a savvy automotive do-it-yourselfer who wants the car towed home, the vehicle will most likely be towed directly to a repair facility. When traveling away from home, or if the driver does not have a regular repair facility, AAA can provide the names and locations of a nearby AAA Approved Auto repair facilities. These shops have met stringent professional standards for training, equipment, cleanliness and customer service. AAA Approved Auto Repair is a free public service that can help any motorist identify trustworthy, quality auto repair facilities. Approved Auto Repair facilities also can be quickly found with the AAA Roadside and AAA TripTik Mobile apps for Android and iPhone, or on other web-enabled mobile phones using AAA Mobile Web at AAA.mobi.