Ban in C&T.

AlekSmart

Recieved a two-week ban in C&T on the grounds that I "Ignored a Moderators Instruction",the mod in question being Victor.

The thread in question is

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057210186&page=6

As my post has been deleted I'll cut and paste my offending post from my Inbox discussion with Buffybot.

Originally Posted by coolemon View Post
I saw this happen. Garda on a motorbike was shouting at the bus driver urging him forward on O' Connell Street while the bus was trying to let passengers off. I had to look a few times to see where he was shouting as I wasn't expecting a bus to be the target. The Garda motorbike turned around and drove the against the traffic flow up to the bus and shouted his instructions at the driver through the window. It was despicable the way he was behaving. The driver was letting passengers off at the stop on O' Connell Street just before the Abbey street junction opposite Easons (and trying to explain to them what was happening and that their journey had been cut short).

I didn't see how the Garda encountered the bus to begin with, but he was nothing but thuggish as the driver was trying to let passengers off. What did he want, to bring the passengers to Pearse Street station?

Power trip.

My Response :

If and it's a big IF,this was the bus concerned then that Garda deserves a medal.

It may,in this case be necessary to differentiate between a RED Open Top Tour Bus and a GREEN Open Top Tour Bus.

Two different companies with their own independent (licenced) Bus Stops.

Just for clarity,the Red Bus Tour and the Green Bus Tour each have ONE official stop on O Connell St...The Red Bus stop is outside The Savoy Cinema,whilst the Green Bus Tour is at the Abbey St junction.

This was the agreed situation following on from the last O Connell St upgrade and is adhered to by ONE of the Companies.

The other company,which also now now operates a Tourist Bureau in the old Sony Shop premises does not have any physical stop outside Clerys,but instead has a Staff Member placed there to ensure their Drivers ignore the elements of the Road Traffic Acts relating to licenced services and approved stops as well as sundry other "minor" elements such as,parking on the approach to a junction (Sackville Place),parking on or close to a Pedestrian Crossing,or parking in a manner causing obstruction to other road users,particularly drivers exiting from Sackville Place...all minor non actionable infringements for the past few years.

The Company concerned does indeed have a licenced Stop (1A,I believe) positioned on Abbey Street itself,however it's route no longer serves this route but the Stop remains.

Within the last month,weekend drivers on O Connell St have had the added joy of a "Road Train Tour of Dublin" parking up directly behind the Tour Bus operating from the Humanoid Stop,which thus ensures a physical barrier across the pedestrian crossing itself.

That particular Garda must only have returned from an extended period of absence and thus not be aware of whatever "Arrangements" are in place to studiously ignore 11 mtrs of illegality permanently at this location.

The question arises as to why one company adheres to it's route licence conditions,even though these may be commercially damaging,yet the other company openly flouts the same conditions with long-lived impunity...It surely is a mystery ?

So,in summary,Well Done that Garda for firstly having the knowledge of the Tour Stops on the Street and,secondly,for robustly dealing with the situation in a manner which underlines the seriousness of the situation.

The City simply does not have the road-space to cater for the number of vehicles the various operators would wish to deploy each day,so,some level of cooperation,commonsense and respect for the law HAS to be demanded...and huzzah to that Garda for so demanding !

The (preferred) alternative is,of course, to do nothing,and then express sadness,horror and sympathy when the fatality finally occurs.

The thread's direction and tenor was,to me,quite calm and without rancour,I took issue with Coolemon's interpretation of the Traffic Garda's action and posted as much...Victor had issued some general,rather non-specific warnings,none of which I could see as being directed towards my posts.

The specific issue of the Safety concerns surrounding the behaviour of the Tour Company at the location mentioned IS a live one and can be witnessed any day by anybody with the interest to spend a few minutes observing proceedings at Sackville Place-O Connell St Junction

Coolemon specifically stated that he had not seen the initial encounter between the Garda and the Busdriver,yet felt empowered to describe the Garda's actions as thuggish,something which I have issue with and posted as much.

So there it lies....

Thanks for the oportunity to plead my case.

A S.

AlekSmart

The response I recieved today from Buffybot,whilst a model of clarity,is,I'm afraid,not alone negative,but I contend actually pursues an unnecessarily confrontational and threatening attitude.

Buffybot: Hi there,

The OP isn't in question. If you had such an issue with it, you would have reported it, and not responsed to it.

This is your 6th moderation action in the C&T forum. That's not a record to be proud of, and like others before you, continuation on that path means that you will end up with more serious action against you. As stated, that's the way the site works. You have the choice on which way you want to continue.

Thanks,
BB

The inference being that I should have reported the post from Coolemon rather than responded to it.
Whilst I did indeed disagree with Coolemeon's post (and still do),there was nothing in it's composition which I would see as reportable,all that was necessary was to correct or otherwise take issue with it's content.

Buffybot quotes my "Rap-Sheet" of 6 Mod actions on C&T,as being something not to be proud of,an opinion I actually challenge,as I feel that is a VERY low level of Mod Intervention given the robust nature of Discussion Fora.

In addition,and given that I have engaged here with the "Dispute Resolution" process,I am somewhat disappointed to note the threat of "More serious action" before any final sign-off on my appeal.

Taltos

Hi Alex

I will be handling your ban dispute here. Please allow us some time to both review this thread, your post as well as your prior history in C&T.

Thanks
Taltos

Taltos

Hi Alek

I have reviewed this with the forum mods and Scofflaw our other catmod.
While action was required as you called out above you have been posting below the radar for quite some time now, taking this into consideration we are reducing the ban to one week (but instead of waiting until tomorrow I am lifting it now).

If you are still unhappy with this we can request the Admin team to review, otherwise we will mark this DRP as resolved.

Thanks
Taltos

AlekSmart

Taltos. Thank you and the Mod team for the review and action.I'm a wee bit uncertain as to the "Posting under the radar" reference,but happy to accept the revised arrangements.Marking as resolved is ok with me.