New Tedd's Catalog; I have been "violated"!

[T. Cotten]

Wow Folks!

I just got my new Tedd V-Twin catalog,
and opened first to the page 667 Linkert listing of course.

And low and behold, I see a photo of my Sunnen and torque-plate fixture, and two of my photos with my signature pool-table felt back ground, used to promote their rebuild services.

These photos were stolen from the web, possibly this very forum, and I am NOT servicing for, or through Tedd, but only through my own shop.

Anyone know a good lawyer?

....Cotten
Liberty Motorcycle Specialties, Inc.
118 N. Washington Street
Lacon, IL 61540 USA
liberty@npoint.net

[duffeycycles]

I agree,your pic ,but lawsuit would be a nightmare.
I had a friend that had a how to book copyrighted and 3 of the companies that he showed it to stole it and published it together,word for word.It took 15 years in court-and a load of lawyer money.He did get 1/2 million free of tax in the end,but was bitter man for too many years.

[T. Cotten]

Duffey!

Are you a lawyer?

I realize I was giving away "intellectual property" for the good of all,
but TEDD is mis-representing my equipment and my work as his own.

I want justice, no matter how long it takes.

.....Cotten
PS: As far as being "bitter", it is actually kinda flattering, just like when Bruce A. took my balls and ran with them,... until his products stumbled:
Just yesterday I sent a float to The Netherlands to replace a failed Rubber Ducky, and just today a UL manifold came in with his seals that wouldn't have fit a perfect manifold.

No good deed goes unpunished.

[sirhrmechanic]

Start with a Cease and Desist letter...

At least that puts it on the table that you have been violated.

From there... decide is you want to go after damages. But at very least, make him STOP using the pictures. That gets it on record that he is 'violating' you.

Sucks... I know how you feel. A few years ago, we had some auction houses representing their POS cars as having our engines in them. Clearly they weren't ours and made us look bad. We sent cease and desist letters AND sent notes that said they can call us and verify any engine before they do their catalog... and if they don't and someone buys a 'forgery' of one of our engines, that we will deny it... can prove it... and can prove that we warned the companies against mis-representing cars as having our engine. Given that having one of our engines in a car could increase its value by $50 - 100K... there was plenty of incentive to fake it. We didn't tolerate it.

But lawsuits are no fun and expensive. Start by putting them on notice then see if they stop before going to the nuclear option.

Sorry to hear that happened Cotton. Some folks have no scruples.

Sirhr

[T. Cotten]

Start with a Cease and Desist letter...

At least that puts it on the table that you have been violated.

From there... decide is you want to go after damages. But at very least, make him STOP using the pictures. That gets it on record that he is 'violating' you.

Sucks... I know how you feel. A few years ago, we had some auction houses representing their POS cars as having our engines in them. Clearly they weren't ours and made us look bad. We sent cease and desist letters AND sent notes that said they can call us and verify any engine before they do their catalog... and if they don't and someone buys a 'forgery' of one of our engines, that we will deny it... can prove it... and can prove that we warned the companies against mis-representing cars as having our engine. Given that having one of our engines in a car could increase its value by $50 - 100K... there was plenty of incentive to fake it. We didn't tolerate it.

But lawsuits are no fun and expensive. Start by putting them on notice then see if they stop before going to the nuclear option.

Sorry to hear that happened Cotton. Some folks have no scruples.

Sirhr

Sirhr!

I must start with finding an appropriate attorney, and I hope it comes from the ranks of the AMCA.

Since the photos have been documented by poster and date upon multiple websites, multiple times, proof should be unquestionable.

Since the infringement is now in hardcopy catalogs around the world in the thousands, I must leave it to a professional advocate to assess the damage, and an appropriate settlement, part of which the advocate shall certainly enjoy.

What a stupid thing for TEDD to do!

.....Cotten

[Robert Luland]

Why bother? He's only going to tell you, you haven't got a leg to stand on. Don't waste your time. There are no copyrights in violation. Go to sleep and forget about it. Tom you couldn't even begin to come up with the legal costs. Forget the lawyer, the filing fees alone will kill you. I've been down this road before with a hell of a lot more proof than you've got(Not V-twin). Just do what I've done. I buy nothing from V-Twin under no circumstances. Bob L

[rwm]

Sirhr!





What a stupid thing for TEDD to do!

.....Cotten

almost every company outsources their catalogs. you will be suing a company in bangladesh. it will get real pricey for you to stay in bollywood while this plays out. these are some sad statements i know. it's just how things go

[BoschZEV]

Since the infringement is now in hardcopy catalogs around the world in the thousands, I must leave it to a professional advocate to assess the damage, and an appropriate settlement,

Once you find an attorney who specializes in intellectual property I predict they will tell you that at this point there are no damages whatever to collect, since (presumably) you didn't register your photos with the Copyright Office. A photograph, article in a club magazine, painting, etc. is copyrighted "at birth," but damages accrue only from the point forward from the time the copyright is registered. Further, assuming the photographs you say are yours have been on the web for over three months, the amount you can collect is limited to only the actual damage caused to you and/or profits made directly from you. That is, if you could somehow prove the people who violated your copyright earned an additional profit of, say, $100 that they otherwise would not have made, that is the total amount of damages owed to you.

If you wanted to pursue this to right a wrong in the world, great, but you better count on paying entirely out of your pocket to do it. You can still register the copyright now. But, since the three month window has elapsed, and since the provable additional profit of having a couple of extra photos in catalogs printed from that point forward is likely to be very small, it is very unlikely you will find an intellectual property attorney willing to take this on for 1/3 of any eventual damages. You will have to pay their $300-$500 (or more)/hour fee, plus expenses, yourself to pursue this.

[jellywrestler]

I just got my new Tedd V-Twin catalog,
and opened first to the page 667 Linkert listing of course.

have you checked the other 666 pages?

[T. Cotten]

Here it is online, folks: http://www.vtwinmfg.com/webapp/wcs/s..._142660_142662

Compare it to my posts here: http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/bbo...M61B-Carb-body

I need a referral to an appropriate attorney.

......Cotten

[harleytoprock]

How would you prove that it is your photo? Couldn't their lawers say that this photo
is owned by V-Twins and had been in their files.? A V-twin employee must have let it leak out into Cotten's possession. How does anyone prove that they own a photo? Maybe you need to have "Cotten" printed over your photo images in the future.

[T. Cotten]

Harleytoprock!

My last message shows where I posted it to this forum last year, and it probably wasn't the first time.

I posted it to another forum four years ago: http://www.hydra-glide.com/phpBB3/vi...hp?f=71&t=7196, and other forums as well.

What goes on a forum stays on a forum.

.....Cotten

[len dowe]

Tom,
Wouldn't the picture have to be copyrighted in order for some action be taken? Just asking is all as I know that some photographers have theirs copyrighted for just this reason.
Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with you and that ted is sleazy for doing this and I for one really appreciate the help and advice that you give out freely in order to help somebody out on their projects.
I mean really ted? couldn't he just use his own picture if in fact he is doing carb rebuilding. Doesn't bother me not buying anything from him. His stuff sucks anyway and who would trust a rebuild from him, not me.

[harleytoprock]

Cotten, I certainly hope that Ted gets what he derserves and that you come out shining. How ever, I don't think that its proves ownership because you listed the photos on a forum first. Just because you published them first doesn't me they are yours. You really need to talk to a good lawyer becuase we all don't know what were talking about.

[camsaure]

99% of anything I have ever got from Tedd's was inferior crap. Sorry to see that he has tried to use your reputation in order to try and "upgrade" his image. He is one of those types who is more interested in lining his own pockets and cares not one bit about this hobby. At least some vendors of repops have the decency to tell you if the repops need "adjusting" in order to work. Apparently he has no interest in upfront honesty and integrity. Some people will do anything for a buck and apparently he is another shining example. I do not order anything from him. I hope he cuts his own throat. He crapped in his own bed and now he can lay in it as far as I am concerned.