Competition Break through in Technology thread removed

[Timbeaux38]

There are other forums where Trash talk is allowed...

I just have not seen them do very well.

As an owner of a forum myself, I'm on the fence about trash talk because as much as I enjoy the banter, it is hard to police. If a thread gets out of hand and you have to shut it down, you are accused of playing favorites. If another forum is set up here, that would be great as long as everyone follows the posted rules and doesn't cry when the rules are enforced. That type of in-fighting can tear a site apart quick- just ask the chevy crowd. I have talked to sveral people who have told me they will not renew TDR memberships when they run out because of this forum. That being said, you have to weigh options.

a) Let the banter continue and run the risk of ailenating members -Or b) Stop the banter and be accused of being a censor or a post Nazi



You see the position that Admin is put in? To be honest, when I fist signed up on this board, I loved the Comp forum. It had great info. I still see great info but, I have to wade through trash talk (which I enjoy) that does not provide info to those who don't know, or are seeking info. It seems as if we can hardly start a thread without it derailing and digressing into a ribbing session. I'm just as guilty as anyone on here, but we need to try our best to keep on topic and take the trash talk to the other(off topic) forum



My 2 cents

-Tim

 

[KBennett]

I vote to let the banter continue. There have been some things said in this forum that made me wince a little but most of the time it is in good taste.

 

[RacinDuallie]

Now-post the name of the crybaby(s) so's we can give em' the TAR AND FEATHER treatment!!!!
:-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf



it's a joke-just kidding... ... ... .

 

[R-N-R]

I think many tend to forget that this public accessed website is privately owned and therefore can be operated however is deemed appropriate by the owners. For me, membership is a privilege, not a right. All in all, there are very few threads locked and posts removed. Who knows, but I'll bet it is well under 1%. If the staff feels it is appropriate to take an action then so be it, we enjoy 99%+ of what we come here for. Things quiet down for a relatively short period of time after an action like this, just be patient it won't be long until the crap starts up again.



I enjoy the my Dodge is better than your Ford or my tupperware is better than your sledder, etc... It would be a lot easier though if maturity prevailed and personal attacks were kept in PMs or phone calls.



On the favoritism comment, I too have been amazed at the level of baiting that one long time member seems to enjoy. But then reprimands are not made in the public forums. I also wonder if the moderation force know the individuals that have been members for a while and therefore know what context to take the comments. However they do not know the newer members as well and do not correctly perceive the comment's intended context. Understanding this, if at all accurate, does not make it right.



btw, this topic, and the corresponding comments, renews itself annually.

Can't we just have a rule that states we have to use when attacking each other??? :-laf

 

[GIT-R-DONE]

I too think this forum is fine. We are all different people here and some can spell while others feel free to put the hammer on those that dont back up what they say. So be it. It doesn't matter and those that tend to take things personally will have to learn to get over it, or not come to read threads that dont pertain to them. Is this the ACLU here ?



I saw the original post and didn't think much of it. So now you dont want to know what opinions are out there or what the paying members have to say ?



If something gets too personal via threats or terroristic language, then it needs to stop but I haven't seen anything like that in here and other instances where that occurred, it was handled promptly without complaints, by both moderators and members.



Leave the forum alone is my opinion, too much censorship will drive members away..... just remember that.

 

[RacinDuallie]

If something gets too personal via threats or terroristic language, then it needs to stop

Leave the forum alone is my opinion, too much censorship will drive members away..... just remember that.

For this I give you an: AMEN BROTHER!!

And I'm a member who himself slung some mud, and had plenty thrown back at me... ... ... ...

I think these two sentences quoted above say it all... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .


For all the Competition Forum readers reading this thread NOW is the time to speak out-



Another thought:Steve,

Why are you trying to fix something that isn't broke??

 

[Todd T]

My first perception/impression of the "competition" forum was that is was a place to share racing tricks and talk about whats working for who and how.



At first I tried a few times to find out basic things like tire selection and gearing. they tend to have fallen on deaf ears so i gave up.



I didn really care, it just took me a few posts to figure out this forum is not the place for sharing racing secrets, rather just to antagonize the "COMPETITION".



Thats fine with me. everybody has to let off a little steam. I just ignore the ones with the huge egos and move on. just dont move my posts from other forums to here when they relate to racing setups and competition how to's.

 

[Cumminsman]

i enjoy the competitive spirit. there are those who will always take some things to personally. oh well. let the competition forum live!!!! jmo, nick

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Another thought:Steve,



Why are you trying to fix something that isn't broke??

Whether it's broke or not depends on where you sit. In your opinion it isn't broke. In MANY others it is! I'm getting more complaints on the competition forum than all the other forums combined. Take this post above for example:

I have talked to sveral people who have told me they will not renew TDR memberships when they run out because of this forum.

and

My first perception/impression of the "competition" forum was that is was a place to share racing tricks and talk about whats working for who and how.



At first I tried a few times to find out basic things like tire selection and gearing. they tend to have fallen on deaf ears so i gave up.



I didn really care, it just took me a few posts to figure out this forum is not the place for sharing racing secrets, rather just to antagonize the "COMPETITION".

Todd's first "perception/impression" of the competition forum was exactly the reason the forum was created - and was what it was for a long time. It started heading down the road it's on now about a year ago. We are taking everyones input into account. We are currently collecting information and tossing around some ideas of how to make the largest # of members happy as possible (aren't you glad you don't have my job?). I will be in Indy over the weekend having fun so I won't be around to respond to anything until next week. We will most likely be implementing change of some kind next week.



-Steve

 

[Twisted Shifter]

I moderate several different sites, so what I am saying is not from the lack of experience.

... . The occasion "trash talk" will still be permitted, as long as it doesn't get personal. Personal attacks will get it locked... ...

Correct me if I am wrong but I think this is a segment of the rules put in place by the moderators for this board? SO I challenge them to play by the rules set forth and not make them up as we go.



You claim that you are getting complaints about the goings on in the Competition forums? I have yet to see a single person post to shut down the trash talk. This tells me that either you the moderator are making this up because you don’t like who is getting “picked on” or they don’t have the spine to speak up.



The bottom line is that no rules were broken yet the post was censored!

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

The guidelines are:

2. 1 Repeatedly post any material that the moderators feel is antagonistic to others or instigates non-productive conflict between users as well as vendors.

Note gitchesum said the occasional (mispelled but that's what he meant). What we've had here in the competition forum has not been occasional. 99% of the complaints are done in private messages and reporting to the moderators - it's always been that way and always will. IMO rules have been broken a LOT in this forum by a lot of people and we've turned a blind eye to it for a long time. We truly try to give a VERY long leash when it comes to the guidelines but there comes a time when we need to correct the ship. When we are getting many users stating that they will not renew their subscription due to activities outside the guidelines something needs to be done for sure. We should have done something earlier but we didn't - that was my mistake and I apologize for it. As I said above we will be implementing some change soon that will try to make as many users happy as possible (including those that wish to engage in the "trash talk").

 

[jwilliams3]

How does the saying go?

"if you cant handle the heat, get out of the kitchen"



Steve,

With all due respect to your position here; there alot that enjoy the competition forum and what it is and stands for.



Still today, if someone posts a question that is legitimite about a subject you will often get a more than reasonable answer/solution from another TDR member(s).

If someone starts trouble or baits, then someone answers back.

Yes, there has been more "action" here lately.

But, to be honest, this site needs some action and heat every once in a while.

Cup holder threads and how do you change the oil threads are not very entertaining IMO.



Both types of threads need to be welcomed in my opinion.

Most of the people that threaten to "let there membership expire" are usually just trying to make up an excuse not be a member anymore anyways.



Then there are the ones who threaten to leave, just to hear people beg them to stay



I say good riddance. If you want go, then go.



I like the site ALOT! and think it is VERY self policing.

 

[marksmith]

Threat it is not.



Leave I dont want too...



agree with the way policies are enforced for some and not others. . DEFINATELY NOT.



The competition forum is the only one I drop in and look at. Now were being told that like the other parts of this we have to be PC and watch whom we 'trash' ... ... ... COME ON!!! Let racers be racers... pullers be pullers.



After all the dust settles and the smoke clears everyone will still sit in a circle, tell war stories, and drink a beverage of choice.

 

[TxDieselKid]

This site is owned by people who do not want personal attacks. I can understand that and respect that.



On AllDieselMotorsports there is a more relaxed enforcment of this rule. I think Diesel-Central is the same way.



The owners of those sites run it the way that they want to, just like the owners of this one run it the way they see fit.



Steve is simply enforceing the rules set forth by this site.



This is far from the first time the rules have been enforced here. They have also been enforced on one of the said sites.

 

[Tomeygun]

The guidelines are:

When we are getting many users stating that they will not renew their subscription due to activities outside the guidelines something needs to be done for sure.

I remember in the first post on this thread you said some of the complaints are coming from people that are not even posting in the threads...



But they are the ones that want it censored?



The only logical reason is that maybe they come in the COMP forum looking for a good thread and find only heated ribbing, etc... It that regard I can see, but it seems unreasonable that someone would not renew because they are unhappy with one forum among 13 other great forums - Heck I would stay if you only had 2nd gen forums, its that good!

 

[bgilbert]

My first perception/impression of the "competition" forum was that is was a place to share racing tricks and talk about whats working for who and how.



At first I tried a few times to find out basic things like tire selection and gearing. they tend to have fallen on deaf ears so i gave up.



I didn really care, it just took me a few posts to figure out this forum is not the place for sharing racing secrets, rather just to antagonize the "COMPETITION".

Amen brother.

It started heading down the road it's on now about a year ago.

Hmm close to the time Comp joined the site.

 

[RacinDuallie]

COME ON!!! Let racers be racers... pullers be pullers.

After all the dust settles and the smoke clears everyone will still sit in a circle, tell war stories, and drink a beverage of choice.

No truer words could be spoken... ... ... .....


I consider all my brothers on the comp forum exactly that BROTHERS.....


I can't think of any type of motorsports- where grudging and trash talk and ribbing isn't taking place... ... ... .

The Comp Forum should be left alone until someone gets personal with threats ect.

 

[Jetpilot]

I have been a member on this site for quite some time. Personally I like the forum "the way it used to be"... . Currently there isn't much useful information being exchanged its mainly about my stick is bigger than yours. I feel as though the competition forum should be for exchanging information or talking about accomplishments, not putting down folks about what they are or are not doing.



Just my $. 02 worth,



Doug

 

[tall1]

The guidelines are:







Note gitchesum said the occasional (mispelled but that's what he meant). What we've had here in the competition forum has not been occasional. 99% of the complaints are done in private messages and reporting to the moderators - it's always been that way and always will. IMO rules have been broken a LOT in this forum by a lot of people and we've turned a blind eye to it for a long time. We truly try to give a VERY long leash when it comes to the guidelines but there comes a time when we need to correct the ship. When we are getting many users stating that they will not renew their subscription due to activities outside the guidelines something needs to be done for sure. We should have done something earlier but we didn't - that was my mistake and I apologize for it. As I said above we will be implementing some change soon that will try to make as many users happy as possible (including those that wish to engage in the "trash talk").

It's great that your so impartial, hell even your comments on the NHRA comp class thread back in February showed that, You wrote a 10 paragraph post ridiculing Greg's word usage and add ional comments contaminating mind sets for the DHRA. I think it's great that you can change your practices daily, YOU SHOULD BE PUT CHARGE…. OF…. . SOMETHING

 

[JVolpe]

I agree with Jetpilot. I have only been a member for 9 months or so. I have been visiting the site for about 2 years. I really dont care what people post that is up to them. I have noticed the changes in the content and loss of any real information over the last 6 - 8 months in this and other forums as well. I just don't visit the site near as much now. I will decide if the Magazines are worth the money when my year subscription is up. There are other sites available.



Just my . 02.