Any one on two wheels is a friend

+1

How could you lump Scobletron in with those two!?

I have no useful comment, beyond I find it difficult to keep up with the forum these days. Too many people = Too many posts.

It's definitely best to go meet all these people, I find half the time I wonder what all the on forum bitching is about, since the people are quite nice in real life

Oh god.

So we're fightening/rude/a boys' club/boring.

I really don't think, Mr Ever Beneficient Fuhrer, that you're wise to take one person's opinion of the forum as a fact, though I guess he or she may be reinforcing and confirming something you're already feeling, in which case fair enough. Do please try to steer us to a slightly better place. I for one will do my best to promote that atmosphere of self impovement, tolerance, whatever it is we need to do.

I think as reputations go, you have to look at the facts: We're intimidating or boring or whatever (or at least some very vociferous members are) but we have thousands upon thousands of active members. Not just people trying to buy and sell, either. So we can't be that horrible.

Objects thing about having the whole damn place except Polo on ignore seems fair enough, since as an early adopter he's been prretty tolerant of the bullshit here for some time. He probably wouldn't be here if the Polo crew got their own forum together, but I for one would miss the crossover from that part of the forum. Let's try to keep all the great things, and lose some of the stupid habits. I think the learner plate idea is flawed, though. We need to just be a bit less aggressive all round.

One 'Big Church' is I guess what I'm saying we are. I've not read the blogger you mention yet, but I don't really want to. Why would I? I love this place and pretty much everyone on it. Even the pratts. Especially the pratts, in a way. Except Will, he's just picking on me now.

He was passing himself off as Lord Skully at the time. Young, dashing, pocket sized, how could I resist? Most shameful of all was my discovery that in the heart of even the most hardened socialist beats a quivering respect, nay a yearning, for the nobility. He had me at "How do you do?".

See?

In would go further, Skully. WW is bullying you. Oh yes.

(Muhahahahhahaha)

Ironically, I ignore the polo forum, as to me it is the place where all the most cliquey, backbiting and bitchy aspect of the forum originated (or retreated to):? viz "no polo no talk".

Oh no you didn't!

Well said Skully.

I ignore the polo forum too, but only because I've got nothing to contribute to the discussion over there, and want my 'today's posts' screen as uncluttered and non-distracting as possible.

"Some of my best forum friends are polo players." [/institutionalised poloism]

For the record, the no polo no talk thing has a certain rationality. I.e., times when people post stuff about kit and gear that should be used in polo, or imagined rules, or imagined techniques, or try to sell their bike (or whatever) because it would be "perfect for polo" without having ever played a game.

I don't go to the track forum and give advice on how to go around in circles quicker (although... That is pretty much what polo is... Hmmmm). Or the bike training thread and tell people how to ride bikes.

Of course, it's also said just to piss people off some times.

But now that I know how you feel: if I ever see you at the Orwell again, BQ, you're dead. That's a polo bar. We have mallets. Watch out.

Ironically, I ignore the polo forum, as to me it is the place where all the most cliquey, backbiting and bitchy aspect of the forum originated (or retreated to):? viz "no polo no talk".
ha, quote that for austerity.
polo people see each other the most, which evidently makes us/them cliquey?!

ha, quote that for austerity.

Ha, quote that for posterity.

i originally had it at posterity but changed it, as i'm a cunninglinguist ;)

ha!

i originally had it at posterity but changed it, as i'm a cunninglinguist ;)

Going down on your own hand for practice doesn't really count, Dale.

Dale, Adrienne wants one of your drying racks.

Just fyi.

:P

I do find it mildly amusing that the opinion of one lone blogger can cause so much squabbling and disorder within our forum.

One guy brands us as the "The world's most unfriendly bike forum." and all of a sudden everyone is at each other throat.

In the words of the great coppi that... "sorry if I missed something"

Velocio's having another mid-life crisis. Humour him, and it will pass.

Dale, Adrienne wants one of your drying racks.

Just fyi.

:P

done.

After reading some of this thread, i see the need to stop certain members flaming new people straight away, but banning for banter seems a bad thing.
How about making an actual 'Nursery' forum for new members to ask all the silly question we all probably asked when joining, those who enjoyed helping could go their to answer their questions and everyone else could ignore it.
If anyone was seriously rude there they could be banned from this sub-forum only.

I do find it mildly amusing that the opinion of one lone blogger can cause so much squabbling and disorder within our forum.

One guy brands us as the "The world's most unfriendly bike forum." and all of a sudden everyone is at each other throat.

In the words of the great coppi that... "sorry if I missed something"
Agreed! This should actually lead to solidarity and not to in-fighting.

I think there is a saying along the lines of: if you try to please everyone you'll never achieve anything.
Basically, if youre doing something right, youll piss off some people.

Please can someone correct my sayings - my memory is shit.

You're shit.

Ironically, I ignore the polo forum, as to me it is the place where all the most cliquey, backbiting and bitchy aspect of the forum originated (or retreated to):? viz "no polo no talk".

You know I often disagree with you Niall but really....
the polo forum is a model of what the whole forum should be like. It's the exact opposite of what you describe; it's not a clique, anyone who is involved in polo (eg even twerps like me who don't play) is welcome, and there is a distinct lack of backbiting and bitchiness. There's banter and argument but it never really gets unpleasant and people would be called out on it very quickly.
Perhaps it works because it is small, the people involved can't really afford to fall out and so are more willing to reign themselves in, they are bound by mutual self-interest. The no polo-no talk has been successful at keeping the polo forum from degenerating in to too much digression or bullshit. All that phrase is asking is that people show the consideration, respect and common sense they should show anyway.
I doubt very much that the forum as a whole can work the way the polo forum does but it can certainly learn a lot from it.