What is the deal with bad techs?

My manager at BRU is due in two weeks, so she took her new Snugride(Darius print, OMG cute) to a local hospital that was having a clinic. She got some volunteer who decided her seat was easy. She has an 03 Jetta. The tech in charge was telling the guy to stop and wait, but he just said it was really easy with LATCH. Ok, yeah, it is, but she wanted it in the middle and I was certain LATCH was not ok in the middle. She didn't have her car manual, so I could not verify. Anyway, this "volunteer" flat REFUSED to put it in the middle because LATCH was better. WTH? Then, he didn't bother to put the foot down and he put the handle in the WRONG position(C on the Snugride) and told her the only position she could not put it in was 'A'. ARGHHHH! Plus, he just put it in and never showed her how to do it. I helped her reinstall it. She helped me as well as a woman 38weeks pg could. I used the locking clip because the shoulder belt was tilting the base. I showed her which positions to put the handle in and I made sure it was properly reclined. I am confident she could do it herself, if it wasn't 90degrees!

Anyway, I had heard horror stories, but I hadn't heard about one in my own state! It hits home when it's someone you know.

She was so upset and worried. I felt bad for her, but we got it installed perfectly for her.

Just wanted to share my frustration!

Oy.

We had a SnugRide/Jetta with leather interior combo at a check a couple weeks ago here in Tillamook. I went to high school with the mom (her baby is about six weeks old). She wanted it in the middle, too, but luckily everyone involved did everything right. It was NOT an "easy" install, but it wasn't horrible, either. The foot absolutely had to be dropped down all the way for proper recline, too.

I think that being a tech is just like being certified in anything else. People have their own interpretation, twist, etc. Like the pediatricians that tell women to wean at a certain age, or the OB/GYN's that are using a drug to induce that is states on the LABEL not to use it on pregnant women, etc.

As a tech, I feel badly that these things happen... But I know that I have probably made mistakes to. This weekend I confused the heck out a parent while trying to explain that they *could* leave their 14 mo old in the baby seat, OR buy a new convertible OR I could put the baby in the combo booster seat but that I wouldn't recomend it. The poor parents stood there looking at me like I sprouted a third head and I had to back up and try it all again. I also spent well over an hour wrestling with my friends Regent, only to realize I made a stupid mistake and now I have to do it all over again.

And some techs (like a couple I took the class with) HAD to do it for work and don't really care.

I've taken to telling people not only to thoroughly read both vehicle + carseat manuals before their appointment ... but to also ask the "tech" which notification listserves they subscribe to & whether they attend regional or national conferences (Lifesavers, KIM, etc.) ... also to make sure they ask to see their SafeKids certification card :blah blah blah: Seems to me that at the very least, this impresses upon the "tech" that they'd better be up to par (or at least act like it) & if it is in fact *not* a tech, then hopefully they'll arrange for the real tech to be present.