Slippery Slope

[sherm]

When I had my R1 I participated in the R1 forum, and I still do occasionally. I saw how that forum got captured by a few loud mouthed, hot tempered, know-it-alls who love to use the F word as much as they can.

The way to capture a forum is to jump in on every thread whether or not you have something to contribute; change the direction of the thread if you don't like it or are not interested; put down other posters every chance you get; and by all means use the F word as much as possible. These techniques go a long way to discourage other people from participating and before you know you own the forum - or what's left of it.

In the last couple of weeks this forum has headed down this road - with a police escort.
Lets make a u-turn.

I'd like to make a few proposals:

1- immediately stop the good cop/bad cop/phony cop business. Its gotten very ugly and is spreading like wildfire.

2- If you are not interested in a thread or have nothing to contribute, stay out.

3- Don't try to change the subject of a thread. Start a new one if you have a subject you want to talk about.

4- Don't ever put a forum participant down because you don't agree with his or her view. State you own view.

5- Go cold turkey on the F word. We all know it and use it but it's not cool or hip, it's just easy. This is a public forum not a locker room or a bar.

Food for thought.

 

[OB_ducmanic]

Sherm,
Your behavioural psychology tendencies are showing. How many of the
"Grandstanders" even own Bussa's? This list was nearly destroyed once already by one
person. Most of us are laid back enough not to let it happen again. Im outta' here- Gone for blast on the badest bike of all - Bussa'.
ducmanic
Los Angeles

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Sherm I certainly agree with your well-stated case on most points, but I think that if they were followed to the letter, we would end up with a somewhat boring site.

Isn't it interesting to have an easy target like the FC? Doesn't it make us think seriously about the weaknesses of web forums and chat rooms in terms of people's ability to mis-represent themselves and screw with strangers' heads? Not just this forum, but every forum.

Your comments about the way members change the direction of threads is a subject I've thought about often, too. But discussions that start off in one valid direction often find valid new directions to follow... tangents, corolleries, non-sequitors... they're the very stuff of creative dialogue.

And in order to prevent those digressions from causing the loss of useful thinking, this site has a pretty effective search function.

Your point number 4 I cannot disagree with. However you have to recognize that as one of the more reasonable members (probably Frank) suggested to me long ago, we bike riders tend to have a lot of inherent testosterone-induced competitive attitude to us...it's the main thing that distinguishes us from The Citizens...and that's to be celebrated, not suppressed.

Hell if I met you on the street on our bikes Sherm, I'd do my damndest to grind you into the dirt (riding-wise) and you'd probably do the same to me.

The F word? Well sometimes there's just no substitute for it.

HOW'S THIS FOR A GUIDELINE, SHERM? Let's never say anything to each other on this site that we wouldn't say to one another face to face.

The web is an anonymous place, like the driver's seat of a car, and sometimes we get sucked into the cyber equivalent of road rage.

Obviously I'm no innocent, but I recognize that it's certainly becoming an issue to us all.

And we don't want any good contributors bailing because the place has become a trailer park.

For all it's self evident failings, this site has tremendous strengths: We have members with highly developed expertises sharing their knowledge patiently with those less knowledgeable...for what reward? We have members with little education speaking on terms of intellectual equality with professionals. The young joke and share with the old. And guys from Norway, Japan, California, Australia, and even Joisey find a reason to come back to the site again and again without fear of being punished for their accents or attitudes.

Like tires, human communication is a complex matrix of compromises.

Thanks for your gentle influence on this matter.

 

[OB_VegasDude]

Dirty Pete.......what was that?........lol

 

[Guest]

Sherm, I will follow your suggestions. There is too many good ideas on this site not to.

 

[OB_KawAbuser]

There are some very nice people who live in trailer parks.......................

I agree swearing is not very nice even it directed to the anonymous, but if that happens to be someones daily vocabulary then so be it. In real life you can pick your friends but you can't REALLY pick them here on the web. I have to say that honestly that I have meet other Hayabusa owners in real life that I met here, all agree that this site is informative and sometimes humorous. It is like television if you don't like it change the channel.

So is the slope slicker going up or down?

Do you really think FC sits there and picks on Kawasaki riders, REALLY?

 

[OB_FalconCOP161]

Kawabuser..you're right I've Arrested Rather Nice people from trailer parks.

161 ®

 

[OB_KawAbuser]

FalconCop161 are you any relation to "Car 54 where are you"?

Perhaps a little before you time.

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Oh Vegas c'mon...get in there and sling a little mud.

Or sand, or stardust, or whatever you guys heave down there in Lost Wages.

You're much too nice and considerate and informative all the time!

To answer your question straight, it was raining like a hurricane last night so I could only ride my desk. I blew a joint and got a little philosphical on yez.

But that's free speech for you...

Question from a backwoods Canadian...what's that LOL thing at the end of everyone's postings?

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

I understand it means "Laughing Out Loud".
I agree with Sherm...he's learned something in his 97 years.
That's what the moderator is for.

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

Damn Pete, I just read your other post. That must be some good poop.

 

[OB_gsx1300rguy]

Damn I love this site.