Putting those two sentences together seems to refer to two different cases as though they are one.

The time I called to try and argue my case, I proffered for RAP 1 because it was my last day and I was doing a two leg commute then. Someone junior to me got RAP 1 and I got RAP 2. So not really the same scenario you're describing. The time that I didn't bother to call and argue my case was when I proffered for RAP 2 and they gave me Standby 1 and someone junior to me got RAP 2. In both cases, it appeared to me the other guy had the same schedule constraints as I did so I don't know why they did it. Just pointing out they don't always follow seniority for reserve assignments and it's not always clear why.

I never had a problem getting out of RAP 1 on the first day when I wanted to. When I was two let commuting, there was no way for me to confirm at 5 and not already be on my commute so I never bothered to try to proffer out of it... I was going to be there anyway. But once I was in DFW for the short one leg commute, I successfully proffered out of the RAP 1 on the first day every single time. Just pointing out that it's easy to get out of the default RAP 1. But I understand why long distance commuters hate it so much because you can't take the chance.