So just served my first ever ban – a whole week up to Thursday night! Judging from previous threads, this is appears to be some kind of rite-of-passage – STW’s version of an ASBO. Is there a symbol that goes next to your name like a premium subscriber’s badge?

Of course, at first it seems a bit irritating especially when the reason given – arguing – is an every day occurrence. But it quickly becomes quite a blessing. How easy is it to become slightly addicted to internet forums? In most sports cases, you start with an interest in the sport and focus on those threads (equipment, training, events, technique etc) Not surprisingly, given that there is, in reality, a limited amount of genuinely interesting things to say, this does not take too long to lose it appeal (few weeks/months). Then there is the little demon of the various off-topic/chat rooms…… 😈 C’mon, let’s have a debate, you know you want to….. 😈

Despite the fact that a ban (at least here) seems remarkably easy to circumvent, it is actually so refreshing. Far more time for constructive things – riding for one, especially with last week’s weather. Then there are also other forums to read (hey, Northwind Bike Radar has some interesting stuff!!), time to spend with friends, read a book ie, time to get a life!! So thank you mods, a week off has cured the addiction. No longer even interested in pricking the persistent, pompous posturing of a particular poster!

But I guess that bans become self-defeating – given that there is very little new stuff to write about mtb (despite the attempts of manufacturers to fool punter with spurious upgrades?) or most sports for that matter, mag’s need other ways to raise money. So they and the related forums are the main advertising revenue sources. Maximising revenues requires (among other things) high usage figures. High usage figures lead to off-topic sections and so on…….until…… debates/arguments etc. Perhaps this is why, so many other arguments carried on unchecked over the past week? Volume stat’s?

Anyway time for a ride.

p.s. Z11 – loved the photo!!

No longer even interested in pricking the persistent, pompous posturing of a particular poster!

Welcome to the big hitters club
I have alos been banned with arguing with him and he has been banned for arguing

I dont think anyone ever understand the rationale every time and it is a proper shitty job to do – I imagine anyway
IMHO the forum needs mods and I do support them in principle if not individual decisions.

😆

No idea if I’ve ever been banned, I don’t post every day anyway and I don’t often read my emails.

JY true. Mods do a good job and keep forums going. And remind us not to waste too much time here!!! 😉

2 possible answers:

1. I will be antagonistic just like a big hitter until the thread is closed

2. I for one agree with everything the mods do and welcome our new mod overlords *slurp* “ooh, has moddy mod been working out? please don’t hurt me”

It’s generally a good forum, but some people could do with getting out in the sunshine a bit more rather than spending all their free time arguing the toss and ruining what could be interesting threads because they’re gutted they’ve not been asked to be a mod themselves

The mods just like their “it’s my forum and I make up the rules as I go along ego massaging power trip” and they take critism very personally…. oops, here comes another!

THM – Now now, you are not adverse to a bit of pomposity yourself. Having said that, fine alliteration.

Just wow.

Far more time for constructive things – riding for one, especially with last week’s weather.

I was always under the impression that this was something we did in between riding or when for whatever reason we couldn’t go out on our bikes, not instead of it. Well done THM, you seem to be up there with the ‘big hitters’ now. Take that whichever way you want.

I was always under the impression that this was something we did in between riding or when for whatever reason we couldn’t go out on our bikes, not instead of it.

I’m always amazed how much time the ping-pong posters spend online for our entertainment, well done chaps 😆

I was going to type something, but You’ve Been Framed is just starting and I’ve forgotten what it was now.

It’s a TV programme featuring members of the public having hilarious and often very painful-looking accidents, but that’s not important right now……..

😆 at onion and this thread in general.

He was right you now. Rather amusing.

I got banned recently for directing naughty words at somone. I see youpoint. I didnt misd it. I was a littledisappointed thata mod went to the effort of warning me and i carried on because i dont read emails to that account much any more. If he/she made the effort i should have responded. I think the mods do a good job on here.

I got banned for speaking the truth. I still sat at the interent pressing F5 until the week was up.

Banned for being right eh? Heard that before!

Well I’m just back from a ban for the same incident. In my case being banned for excessive arguing is probably bang to rights. 😆

I’d better not say owt more on the subject

Yes, you should.

🙂

he is right TJ, answer the question 😉

posting pictures of african men with massive testicles got me banned recently…

been banned a fair bit.

Bans don’t work.

All in all… better than wasting time on facebook ne? 😉

I once got banned for posting a picture of a man in a latex rubber horse suit…

What, like a pantomime horse “horse suit” ?

That sounds seriously depraved and sick 😐

Personally I just cant understand why anybody is interested in arguing with some randomer on the internet, as said by dogbert so many interesting threads get ruined by the usual suspects wading in coz they fancy a bit of a keyboard rumble, ruins the forum imho.

davidjones15 – Member
Bans don’t work.

Whats a ban supposed to achieve though, not sure how to gauge effectiveness without knowing what the aim of a ban is.

Its like saying prison doesn’t work – if you’ve never been locked up then prison has been very effective indeed.

Maybe someone from STW towers could give an insight into what percentage of those banned return, personally if I copped a ban I don’t think I’d come back. It strikes me theres something a bit desperate and sad about being banned repeatedly.

I think you fail to understand the mentality of the frequently banned. Few seem to adopt the attitude of the OP and recognise that it was earned, so they then bear a bit of an ongoing grudge against the mods and it’s then a bit of a battle of attrition……

But mine weren’t earned

😛

Mine was! 😀

if you’ve never been locked up then prison has been very effective indeed

I’ve never been in prison, but it’s a lot more than the threat of going to prison which has kept me out of them. If murder was legalised I’m fairly certain that I wouldn’t kill anyone because the threat of punishment no longer existed – to take a rather extreme example. Prison has been very ineffective in moulding my behavour. I suspect that is true for the overwhelming majority of people – there’s a lot more issues involved.

Having said that, bans have, I guess, had some effect on me. But only because almost all of them, quite possibly all, have been due to my sometimes slightly impolite language (although unbelievably I recently got banned for calling someone a “git”). But it’s a fair comment. If I’m honest, I’ve had a tendency to use colourful language forgetting that it isn’t always quite as socially acceptable in different types of environments. The rather bizarre “arguing again” allegations which have recently been added as an extra excuse appear to have had no effect – I can’t say that I argue any more or less as a result. Although no ban ever worries me (might leave me a little bemused sometimes though) as I never forget that I don’t have to post if I don’t want to. And that no one can force me to say things which I don’t want to say. It’s that simple really imo.

maccruiskeen – Member

Its like saying prison doesn’t work – if you’ve never been locked up then prison has been very effective indeed.

It may be only the fear of prison that stops you from doing wrong, but not me, nor most others I think.

I have been banned for creating a user id randompedantry…banned for 100038 years and 4 months still,so fairly draconian. The people on here I would argue with, I have learned to not rise to or bother with. The ultimate insult to a “big hitter” is ignoring them and I am sure if you do it, they hit the report post button

Stop spending so much time here or forums and
get a life?

Getting banned will help you lot realise how much
time you waste!

Get on yer bike!

ernie_lynch – Member
What, like a pantomime horse “horse suit” ?

No – a suit for one. Tight. With knobbly bits… 😯

down with this kind of thing.

Banned for posting the video of that womens racist rant on a tram few months back

Also banned for a week for calling someone a ‘nonce’

second one fair enough I guess, first one was OTT IMO

I’ve never been banned. I’ve had a few warnings though, most but not all of which I felt were justified.

My only gripe really is that I dislike intensely the one-way discourse and anonymity with which these things are delivered. It’s all a bit judge, jury and hooded executioner; if you’re going to tell someone off, at least have the spine to stick your bloody name on it.

Anonymity is essential, otherwise it just gets personal.

Careful now!

Don’t forget it’s simply an administrator preventing you from posting things on the forum they run. It’s not a personal attack, or a telling off.