Any one on two wheels is a friend

I opted out of having to trawl through the bitching and shit slinging to find information here a long time ago.

And there's the mistake: thinking that trawling through bitching and shit slinging is a necessary part of finding any information on here.

Information's easy to find. You just use the fucking search, you cunt. [/view emoticon you want to see here]

How do you know they stumbled across the forum looking for bike bling? I, for one, first came here looking for information about decent parts needed to put together a fixed gear bike. Generalisation?

Deadjoe. Most of the greiff given and taken on hear is either among poeple who know each other in real life and have been chatting on hear for a while.

Granted there are a fue people who come on here and get flamed streight away. This is useualy because they seem to have a bad attitude (they probably dont but after reading this forum for a while they beleve this is the way to get involved) or they say something stupid and get pounced on (this really isnt fair as a lot of people on here seem to forget that they were new and less knoledgeable once and is maybe a bit of a problem).

So, come along to a drinks (Norths is tonight at the flask in highgate, Easts tomorrow, ect) meet some people. That is what makes this forum amazing.

Well, that and pointing out how bad Everton and Liverpool are on the football thread.

Anyway, how can you moan about 'bitching and shit slinging' if you've got Larry fucking David as your avatar?

I know we are a community, and I partook of the generousity of that community last night at souths and it was a marvellous thing.
Deadjoe has a point, the forum can be spectacularly inflammatory and competitive in terms of sarcastic, funny, stupid comments and it takes a while to get into the flow of that, some threads are more stupid than others, some have a bit more moderation, usually from the OP, when I read the comments on the blog I immediately was protective of the forum, and wanted to comment, but then decided not to.
I don't know how to put the genie back in the bottle, or whether we can. But the forum grows ever larger and I feel for good or ill, the tone has been set, and everyone has fallen in step with that tone. I generally feel those that think the forum is unfriendly are the ones who aren't based in london, who never get the chance to meet up personally, or be included in the rides, events, that we organise as this seems to mitigate the harshness of the banter on here.
I was saying to skully on the way to souths last night (in relation to the amount of cyclists there are on the roads, but its relevant to this point) that its like being a fan of a band, which are really cool and underground, and only those select few know about it, then they become a big success and everyone loves them, so you fall a little out of love with them because of all the "dicks" who are now fans, and the attention they are getting, and for me the forum is like that, it used to be this really small community, that has grown and grown and grown and I think a lot of people have fallen out of love with the forum, and so calming presences are lost and you just get left with those who can shout the loudest, or swear the filthiest, with no comeback so they by default become leaders, and people follow.
I don't know how to change it, and I'm not sure I'd want to, as those who fail to "get" the forum I'd like to believe realise that it is their loss. We are a vibrant community who are putting ourselves out there and making it clear that cycling is fun, it always was, and always will be and we will continue to have fun on our bikes, whether you like the fun we're having or not...

I know we are a community, and I partook of the generousity of that community last night at souths and it was a marvellous thing.

Deadjoe has a point, the forum can be spectacularly inflammatory and competitive in terms of sarcastic, funny, stupid comments and it takes a while to get into the flow of that, some threads are more stupid than others, some have a bit more moderation, usually from the OP, when I read the comments on the blog I immediately was protective of the forum, and wanted to comment, but then decided not to.

I don't know how to put the genie back in the bottle, or whether we can. But the forum grows ever larger and I feel for good or ill, the tone has been set, and everyone has fallen in step with that tone. I generally feel those that think the forum is unfriendly are the ones who aren't based in london, who never get the chance to meet up personally, or be included in the rides, events, that we organise as this seems to mitigate the harshness of the banter on here.

I was saying to skully on the way to souths last night (in relation to the amount of cyclists there are on the roads, but its relevant to this point) that its like being a fan of a band, which are really cool and underground, and only those select few know about it, then they become a big success and everyone loves them, so you fall a little out of love with them because of all the "dicks" who are now fans, and the attention they are getting, and for me the forum is like that, it used to be this really small community, that has grown and grown and grown and I think a lot of people have fallen out of love with the forum, and so calming presences are lost and you just get left with those who can shout the loudest, or swear the filthiest, with no comeback so they by default become leaders, and people follow.

I don't know how to change it, and I'm not sure I'd want to, as those who fail to "get" the forum I'd like to believe realise that it is their loss. We are a vibrant community who are putting ourselves out there and making it clear that cycling is fun, it always was, and always will be and we will continue to have fun on our bikes, whether you like the fun we're having or not...

Had to do that...I read a sentence just the other day that was two and a half pages long - was written by a Spaniard, but the character was british. Clearly mocking our punctuation. Bastards.

To weed out the bedwetters and wetlips, we should have a subscription

Everyone pays a monthly fee(£2 each?) and at the end of the year we have a big LFGSS Christmas piss-up, Bright Times etc... any left overs can go in a big envelope for David & Hippy to go and buy some new Rapha clobber

Problem solved, everyone's a winner

After Ditchling do you want to be weeded out? ;)

Zing !!

After Ditchling do you want to be weeded out? ;)

Be careful tonight on the TNRC, wouldn't want your tyres getting slashed!

Its alright, I will be getting pissed at norths.

Have a good ride. See you at a norths soon?

^ What did silly bollocks say?

Corny is hitting the nail, if not on the head, then certainly not on his thumb.

I see the the banter and bitchiness as self-policing. It ensures that if you can get past it, we're going to get along just fine.

Piss-taking, banter and bitchiness is how men bond. (It's not how women bond, I'll grant you, but I'm not a woman so it's not for me to comment on how a woman might find it.) Anyway to get back to the point, if you can talk to and be talked to like that with a smile on your face and in your heart then it's a sure sign you are good friends. If you don't get this then are you that interested in being mates? Because if not, if you're not going to come on rides, come to drinks, lend tools or help, or any of the things that mates do, then not only is the forum not for you, you're not for the forum.

However it definitely goes too far sometimes, and I despair when newbies are pounced on. Perhaps if everyone's first 5 posts were visible directly on their profile pages then they might be reminded that they were new once, and more likely than not, their first posts were not miracles of literary insight.

See the unfreindly and harsh nature of this forum at its worst.

I want a spoke card that says:

 I 

(heart)
LFGSS

C Perhaps if everyone's first 5 posts were visible directly on their profile pages then they might be reminded that they were new once, and more likely than not, their first posts were not miracles of literary insight.

Hahahah yeah that's a great idea. Makes me wish I was in London reading some of the posts on here but being 250 miles north means I only get down to L-town every now and then. Ner mind, maybe one day I'll get my ass to a london drinks sesh.

... I generally feel those that think the forum is unfriendly are the ones who aren't based in london, who never get the chance to meet up personally, or be included in the rides, events, that we organise as this seems to mitigate the harshness of the banter on here.
...

I think you have got it there - if people were to come along to rides and meet up etc then the posts have more perspective and seem less harsh. Obviously with the forum having grown so much there are an awful lot of non-Londoners who can't easily come along to drinks etc..

However I would wager that those posts are probably also putting people off from attending events - thinking along the lines of "argh what if they are like that in real life, no way I am going to go and meet up with those weirdos" which is a real shame.

I just hope that it doesn't get to the point where it is self fulfilling

.

danb, you can make the offer to people to come out, but you can't make them accept.
I'm with pisti on this one, most of the bods that refuse to come out are a bunch of bedwetters, its been reiterated time and time again that we are not dragons in real life, and if you can't man up enough to show your face at least once, and see if its for you, don't whine about how unfriendly it is to all and sundry off/on forum.
I understand for some, you're not living in london its impossible to meet up, but for those that do live in london, pull finger out, and if after meeting up its still not for you, and doesn't change your perception of the forum and the people that frequent it fair enough.

Perhaps if everyone's first 5 posts were visible directly on their profile pages then they might be reminded that they were new once, and more likely than not, their first posts were not miracles of literary insight.

Says the man who edited his first post only four days ago.

Ooooof!

Just read the complete thread here and it great reading (well most of it)...i first joined for a number of reasons firstly i knew a few riders on here and secondly to offer my wheels etc at a "deal price" to a good bunch of blokes that would appreciate what i was doing...

Having read Velocio's earlier thread about people joining and then being put off by the banter and especially as a newbie joining i could see that.. However its almost like an initiation that you either choose to take on (ignore the shit comments and tough it out) That said im sure the forum will have missed out on some real good info, advice etc that could have been scared off, you never really know who you are talking too/about etc.

Belive me cycling a small sport/pastime in the big world and we need as much help as possible to keep us on the roads and tracks and have the respect im sure we all deserve..

To me its all about respect and getting on.

V

Corny is hitting the nail, if not on the head, then certainly not on his thumb.

I see the the banter and bitchiness as self-policing. It ensures that if you can get past it, we're going to get along just fine.

Piss-taking, banter and bitchiness is how men bond. (It's not how women bond, I'll grant you, but I'm not a woman so it's not for me to comment on how a woman might find it.) Anyway to get back to the point, if you can talk to and be talked to like that with a smile on your face and in your heart then it's a sure sign you are good friends. If you don't get this then are you that interested in being mates? Because if not, if you're not going to come on rides, come to drinks, lend tools or help, or any of the things that mates do, then not only is the forum not for you, you're not for the forum.

However it definitely goes too far sometimes, and I despair when newbies are pounced on. Perhaps if everyone's first 5 posts were visible directly on their profile pages then they might be reminded that they were new once, and more likely than not, their first posts were not miracles of literary insight.
+1 And this is coming from a true gentleman.

danb, you can make the offer to people to come out, but you can't make them accept.
I'm with pisti on this one, most of the bods that refuse to come out are a bunch of bedwetters, its been reiterated time and time again that we are not dragons in real life, and if you can't man up enough to show your face at least once, and see if its for you, don't whine about how unfriendly it is to all and sundry off/on forum.
I understand for some, you're not living in london its impossible to meet up, but for those that do live in london, pull finger out, and if after meeting up its still not for you, and doesn't change your perception of the forum and the people that frequent it fair enough.

Thread Ends

a lot of people have fallen out of love with the forum, and so calming presences are lost and you just get left with those who can shout the loudest, or swear the filthiest, with no comeback so they by default become leaders, and people follow.

... and call it "freedom of speech" and "expressing an opinion" but translate as "look at ME! and if you don't tell me I'm wonderful I'll beat you down".

Most of us ignore it but it is not right.

Are people that aren't in London/people that can't/don't go to events not an equally valid part of the forum? If you just want that, why have the forum at all, or at least make it so open/public?

I joined because although I was living in Spain at the time thought I was moving to London and enjoyed having english spoken diversion from being surrounded by Spanish all day, this since has fallen through, so I can't do what I'd like and meet people in the flesh. I don't do facebook etc and have an ambivalent attitute to the whole 'online culture' thing. Still the site is very vibrant , lots of people, lots of posts, lots of info, I stuck around and now get most of the jokes and banter, have gotten some really great info from genuinely nice friendly folks, and hopefully have contributed too. I hope to be moving to London in the near future to meet them in person... I'm sure there's loads of folks in a similar position to me.

It's also been made clear at various instances there are folk who seem to wait on here with baited breath specifically for drama and arguments and jump on any mistake or faux pas just because they can. At various points I've not logged in for a month at a time because I just couldn't be fucked reading it and it seemed to be a constant feature of the forum, and it definitely discourages from posting as I for one don't get kicks of spending my time arguing on the interwebs and am more than happy to leave others to it if that's what they want.

I find it interesting that new members and the size of the forum are blamed for this-it's pretty much always the same core of people who are the most intolerant, that do the most bickering and flaming, and in the most harsh manner. They then rip people for being 'bedwetters' if they disagree or complain and advocate going on community led events to meet folk as if this constitutes a defence that they don't behave the same way in real life. I don't want to go into this or make this about one person or group of people, this is just an example of how online carries over to real life but recent 'popcorn' was a pretty good indication that folk are every bit as capable of being just as harsh and unfriendly in the real as they are online. I'm sure not everyone is like this, but sadly its the most visible people that create the biggest impression and if you're new, or maybe like a lot of people, aren't enormously confident and outgoing, you'll just not bother.

I'm not saying this place should be sanitised, like BlueQuinn says, banter and taking the piss is important, it can be really funny, we're not perfect all of the time, and 99% of people have the social skills to actually moderate their own behaviour and recognise if they make a mistake or carried something too far. Some don't, and as Velocio clearly recognises in starting this discussion, this can create a nasty, negative atmosphere that has clearly spilled over into lfgss's public image.