Motors forum at a loss due to bans handed down to regulars

YbFocus

Ok Dav I see where your coming from and it's a good point.
But I urge anybody to just start chatting etc, if we are a clique then we're a damn welcoming one
Nobody gets shunned, If that was the case there's be no alfa owners

Beasty

YbFocus wrote: »

We're a nice bunch!

I wouldn't suggest otherwise, but being "nice" doesn't make a forum any the less intimidating to someone who isn't in on the "in-jokes", or doesn't know that the topic they want to discuss has been gone over numerous times already

When someone is new to the site, or forum, what I find really "nice" is when someone (particularly one of the "regulars") starts off with something like "welcome to the forum". Little things can actually make a forum appear a lot less intimidating, particularly when the very nature of the forum is such that it's likely to be frequented by people who are pretty up to speed with what's going on in that particular "world"

I felt as intimidated as hell when I joined Boards - there were so many people who clearly knew so much more about the things I was asking about. In fact I tended not to ask sometimes for fear of appearing daft for asking in the first place. I generally stuck to forums where I knew my stuff (some forums that I hardly go near nowadays). Hence I started off slow - lurked a bit - then realised that pretty much everyone posting was actually very nice and welcoming. As a result I have built my knowledge in various areas from pretty much zilch and feel confident posting almost anywhere on the site (except in the United thread - a season ticket for 30+ years doesn't give me the confidence to post there:pac:)

Scortho

As the original poster to this thread who has only been an active member for the past few months I have found the motors forum to be much more welcoming than other forums in which I post.

I went to my first meet on Sunday and it's rare that I've felt as welcome meeting people for the first time.

It's certainly not a closed shop, as any poster is made feel really welcome.

LoLth

I think it goes both ways.

new posters: there's a difference between posting to say "hi" / "ask a genuine question" and posting to point out a user is wrong / demand discussion of something new to that poster.

existing posters: need to keep in mind that new posters just havent learned the ropes. If they come across as being a little bit rough/too forward, roll with it for a bit. see if they settle in, give them a chance before deciding if they are the type of poster you want to interact with because the poster you see on their first post is not necessarily the poster they will end up being - that poster depends a lot on how the exiting community treats them (as well as their own tendancies).

as Dav says, cliques are natural evolution of communities and the forums are communities. There's not necessarily anything wrong with a clique but there can be something very wrong with how a clique treats posters who are not "one of us".

Wibbs

Dav wrote: »

Not everyone does well with social situations and online interaction is a social situation. People are shy and hesitant to try and join in more often than they aren't, but when they do, as you've said YbFocus, the group are usually a really good and friendly bunch of people.

I've dipped into Motors down the years, but wouldn't be that regular a poster. I've never found the clique thing myself. Once many years ago a "regular" accused me of sticking my oar in(mois?) and being a newb, but it turned out I had more posts in the place than they had so they buggered off. But other than that one case i've not noticed it that much.

That said I've never posted in the motors chat thread. In my experience both as a user and mod chat threads on any forum can feel cliquey to new people(and cause a headache for mods). Now I'm about as shy as an elephant with a trunk full of coke, so it wouldn't bother me, but even then I've still noticed it. As Dav notes people can differ widely in dealing social situations and I could see how they may come across as cliquey alright.

Overheal

I've only posted a couple times in motors and I don't think I've ever felt uncomfortable in there, aside from the fact that motors are a topic I let float over my head. Which is a bother in a way, because I'm in school for Engineering and you'd think knowing how a car works would be ideal.

YbFocus

I know I always make the effort to welcome anyone that posts their first post in motors and other people who come to motors the odd time.
I have seen other numerous posters welcoming of others too
It feels like we're fighting the same battle all of a sudden

I think an announcement needs to be published to the main page "motors regulars now welcoming bunch"

cabb8ge

Thread at start was about posters being a loss, now thread about clique in motors. Interesting that NissanDoctor, e39sport and roverJames were not clique types.

Even in this thread we see the yes man agreeing with mods and admin, clique claiming there is no clique. People talk about the fun and the jokes but they interpret joke as insult or abuse if it not from person in the clique.

YbFocus

cabb8ge wrote: »

Thread at start was about posters being a loss, now thread about clique in motors. Interesting that NissanDoctor, e39sport and roverJames were not clique types.

That was sorted with an answer from the mods.

Maybe these chaps were geniuses, but they left of their own accord or got banned. If the motors forum isn't overall as clever there's nothing that can be done cabbage.
I love the motors forum as is, I can answer a lot of people's questions but I'm no ace like these guys may have been.
Things change, it will probably develope into something else in time.

LoLth

cabb8ge wrote: »

Thread at start was about posters being a loss, now thread about clique in motors. Interesting that NissanDoctor, e39sport and roverJames were not clique types.

neither were they the considerate of the community / obeying of the rules type...go figure.

Even in this thread we see the yes man agreeing with mods and admin, clique claiming there is no clique. People talk about the fun and the jokes but they interpret joke as insult or abuse if it not from person in the clique.

you could be right that there is a clique, I honestly dont know as i am not a motors regular but just because someone agrees with another person who's opinion does not line up with yours does not make them "yes men". Users are having a discussion and this thread is providing feedback, if you cant post without resorting to name calling then i would suggest that you do not post here.

thanks

Cleveland Hot Pocket

hullaballoo wrote: »

Now, that's not quite true.

You've been posting there for almost 4 years. Is that how long the hazing lasts now?



You mean the members of your clique, right? That's all you could possibly mean by this statement. As you have pointed out, I have posts in the Motors forum but now you're saying that...what...I don't post regularly enough to be able to give an opinion? Not a clique...not a clique...not a clique...

I have been only active in the motors forum(ie posting regularly) for less than 1 year.

No, i mean people who actually post there so are able to give a valid opinion. I can't have a valid opinion about the New Zealand political outlook of the people without actually visiting and talking to them. I also can't call it a clique for disregarding my opinion which would be invalid because I don't live there!

cabb8ge

but many read and not post, you don't need to post to understand the forum.

AltAccount

cabb8ge wrote: »

Thread at start was about posters being a loss, now thread about clique in motors. Interesting that NissanDoctor, e39sport and roverJames were not clique types.

Not sure why ND left, was it because of cliquiness?
If E39MSport is who I'm thinking of he left because his Missus said he was spending too much time on boards.
RJ was an expert low level troll IMHO.

I don't think any of them figure into a conversation about cliques, and RJ doesn't figure into a conversation about losses to the forum.

All IMHO, of course.

cabb8ge

I not know why they left or got banned, but remove non cliques from area with clique and cliques seems worse.
I google low level troll, mention of computer games, forests & dungeons? What low level troll mean here?

Cleveland Hot Pocket

cabb8ge wrote: »

but many read and not post, you don't need to post to understand the forum.

I don't know if this was directed at me or not, but if it was, I have no intention of speaking to you. This is after the insults, both on thread and via sarcastic PM, that I was subjected to by you.

Scortho wrote: »

As the original poster to this thread who has only been an active member for the past few months I have found the motors forum to be much more welcoming than other forums in which I post.

I went to my first meet on Sunday and it's rare that I've felt as welcome meeting people for the first time.

It's certainly not a closed shop, as any poster is made feel really welcome.

Q.E.D. of what I said earlier. Many thanks Scortho!

YbFocus

cabb8ge wrote: »

but many read and not post, you don't need to post to understand the forum.

Ok the clique that exists is a very welcoming one cabbage, instead of reading maybe join in too. We'd all be interested to hear what you drive etc, get together with us all at a meet and chat about the cars. (Over some frankly Crap chicken I might after Sunday).


EDIT: I don't like to see the use of pm's to get at people, you won't befriend anyone at that.
Perhaps your attitude towards the direction that motors has or has not taken lately has made you hate the place and in turn any current users?

Big Nasty

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

I don't know if this was directed at me or not, but if it was, I have no intention of speaking to you. This is after the insults, both on thread and via sarcastic PM, that I was subjected to by you.

Quare fond of the aul abuse our cabaiste.

cabb8ge

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

I don't know if this was directed at me or not, but if it was, I have no intention of speaking to you. This is after the insults, both on thread and via sarcastic PM, that I was subjected to by you.
---!

I don't know what you mean, 2nd time you make reference to insult by PM, slander from you.

cabb8ge

Big Nasty wrote: »

Quare fond of the aul abuse our cabaiste.

what you mean by this?
I abuse you too, by PM no doubt.

LoLth

@Cleveland Hot Pocket: if you received a PM that contained abuse report it. If you don't want to report it, don't allude to it in a public forum to discredit another user as there is no way to verify your statement and the damage to the other user's reputation will have already been done.

cabb8ge

I send one PM to Cleveland Hot Pocket, as he claim it abuse I think he should show it all to us so we can see he false claim about it.
people (clique) now believe it from his posts.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

cabb8ge wrote: »

I don't know what you mean, 2nd time you make reference to insult by PM, slander from you.

Not slander if it is true.

The posts have been deleted, they were in the "Post a pic of your car" thread. I'm sure one of the motors mods can post them up if needed.

Also, I can post up the content of the PM which was sent at the time of the insults but can only do so if you consent to this.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

LoLth wrote: »

@Cleveland Hot Pocket: if you received a PM that contained abuse report it. If you don't want to report it, don't allude to it in a public forum to discredit another user as there is no way to verify your statement and the damage to the other user's reputation will have already been done.

Hi LoLth
I can publish it if the other user consents (as per boards rules)
The main insults (which give the sarcastic context to the PM) were on a thread and were deleted after I reported them.

cabb8ge

I look forward to seeing the abuse PM
I think you need to post both pictures too.

hullaballoo

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

I have been only active in the motors forum(ie posting regularly) for less than 1 year.

I don't believe you.

No, i mean people who actually post there so are able to give a valid opinion. I can't have a valid opinion about the New Zealand political outlook of the people without actually visiting and talking to them. I also can't call it a clique for disregarding my opinion which would be invalid because I don't live there!

I've been reading the Motors forum longer than any of your accounts. The current issue with the chat thread has not always been an issue. In-jokes have not always been an issue. They are an issue now and most people seem to want to solve the problem.

K-9

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

Perhaps this thread should be reserved for people who actually post in motors.

Very cliquey!

That sounds like you don't want feedback from people who post little or just browse the forum.

Dav wrote: »

Actually, he's hit the nail on the head. I'm not just talking about Motors, it's every forum. Very, very few of our very active forums here escape this. A tight knit group is a very intimidating thing to try and get in with and join and that's no one's fault or anything, there's no intention on anyone's part to make any group seem like some sort of imposing entity, but it's just the way humans work.

Indeed. Sometimes people think there's a clique when there really isn't, there's just a lot of regulars who post a lot and get to know others style and humour.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

hullaballoo wrote: »

I don't believe you.


I've been reading the Motors forum longer than any of your accounts. The current issue with the chat thread has not always been an issue. In-jokes have not always been an issue. They are an issue now and most people seem to want to solve the problem.

I had 10k posts on my old account, but how many of them were motors? I was more of a poster in AH and Rock&Metal for most of that account's life.
Anyway this is irrelevant to the issue at hand.

dgt

I'm open to corrections but I think cabbage drives a mk1 Primera. If so its very nice to hear someone keeping one on the road, a rare sight these days

Reading the feedback here I realise that for newbies it must be difficult to consider joining in (I was there myself and even I felt quite intimidated, I didn't log in for a while after I regged)

It's made me a lot more conscious of the situation

Cleveland Hot Pocket

cabb8ge wrote: »

I look forward to seeing the abuse PM
I think you need to post both pictures too.

So you do remember what I am referring to. For the sake of clarity, I will explain further, but this really has nothing to do with the issue at hand

In the context of insulting me by comparing me to a 30 stone person featured on an internet meme (which I am not, not even close to)
The insults were done on thread despite repeated requests to stop.

Then, during the insults (after I had asked to stop) I received the below PM.
Obviously the mods agreed that the above poster was resorting to "attack the poster not the post" and personal abuse, because cabbage was infracted and the posts he put were deleted.

Here is the content of the sarcastic PM. Which cabbage will remember as well as I do, so I have no idea why I need to post it. As I say, it looks fine out of context, but remember this was received in the midst of insulting me on thread.

<PM snip>

TouchingVirus

K-9 wrote: »

Indeed. Sometimes people think there's a clique when there really isn't, there's just a lot of regulars who post a lot and get to know others style and humour.

Maybe that's what it is.

I've been to two meets (February and last Sunday) but I've only 186 posts in the forum this year out of 350-odd total in 12 years of being a member. I read the forum regularly but don't participate and this is part of the reason; I just don't feel comfortable posting all that much amongst the regulars. Nice guys IRL sure, but even at the meet there was a distinct split of groups and anybody who denies it wasn't there.