[Closed] So, can Fred/Elfin be allowed back now please?

For everyone saying how great he is offline, what does that matter to the forum given that his online persona was (in general and with his woodwork thread a great exception) an arse?

I just assumed he was a guy with 'issues' so guessed some of his behaviour was influenced by these, although these issues seem to be an elephant in the room on these threads. I just took him as part of the furniture around here.

Do you actually believe that suggesting one of the STW staff might be a paedophile is (a) acceptable or (b) likely to be forgotten?

but I guess if this is true, it seems fair enough he is banned, it's pretty spiteful and vile.

Didn't know he'd gone, but then I've not been on as much of late due to being busy.

Being one of the ones he tended to jump on straight away, even I didn't mind him for the most. He did become tiresome at times, but then I'd choose to ignore him.

Not fussed either way to be honest.

I think if given the opportunity he'd come back into the fold, chastened and moderated.

Oh, he's been 'rehabilitated' numerous times and comes back all sweet and innocent - he's a serial re-offender though and it isn't long before he's back to his old ways
He simply can't help himself

He didn't upset me but then again, I take internet chat about as seriously as a hole in my sock.
I did get amusement at times watching him expertly lure someone into his trap before unleashing the storm.

Do you actually believe that suggesting one of the STW staff might be a paedophile is (a) acceptable or (b) likely to be forgotten?

Both?

bring him back imho

he may have crossed the line but so it seems did several other abusing him on twitter

i say put all the hysteria and bitchiness and overmodding down to post xmas, winter, longest paymonth blues and get on with the important stw forum business of arguing about what tyres/dropper post/economic model/wheel size/politicalparty is best

I just assumed he was a guy with 'issues' so guessed some of his behaviour was influenced by these, although these issues seem to be an elephant in the room on these threads

Agreed. And I'm surprised that his friends think being allowed back on this forum would be good for him.

40

/40

Best. Troll. Ever. 🙁

[IMG] [/IMG]
[IMG] [/IMG]
Yeah!!.......

Wunhundred!

/ahem

Don't taunt him Jamie.

So, in summary:

Those that met him and stated they liked him in real life (mostly) agree he was nothing like his on line persona and that even they (mostly) found his on line persona a little tiring at times.

Those that had not met him (mostly) found his on line persona tiresome and OTT.

So, here we are, on line and we mostly agree. Group hug.

Well. Cressers got back on eventually, even after The Deep-Fried Potato One saw fit to show him his arse as a goodbye present, so there may be hope for Fred yet.

I was enjoying trainspotting the rhythm of his posts, watching out for the short periods of contrition and then logging the subsequent build-up to his Full Steam Ahead mania and psychedelic usage of emoticons.

Oh well.

Much better without him ruining any thread that doesn't fit with his twisted view of the world. Long may he stay banned.

Much [s]better[/s] of a muchness without him [s]ruining[/s] successfully disputing any thread that doesn't fit with his [s]twisted[/s] down to earth view of the world

FTFY

I have it on very good authority that he still manages to find the time to be appalled by some of the narrow-mindedness displayed in forum members posts..

😀

he still manages to find the time to be appalled by some of the narrow-mindedness displayed in forum members posts..

conversely, I always had him down as being narrow minded and his inability to allow other POV to be aired was his downfall when the ban stick was being polished

is there a smiley for 'shrugs noncomittally'..?

[img] http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSLXbXJtnvrXhPx1B_kC-SeO5Oj6HqtIX0ZcQQoy0_x9WRFn90rvbjnYA [/img]

😀

I have it on very good authority that he still manages to find the time to be appalled by some of the narrow-mindedness displayed in forum members posts..

Christ on a bike! Why would you bother? Seriously, it's a bike forum primarily inhabited by middle age blokes who happen to ride bikes, I struggle to think of much less worthy to get emotional about. I hope his 'friends' help him to realise this, and I hope he gets the support he needs. I wish him my best.

Bring him back.

In so far that this is a democracy my vote would be for his return . Thouygh I have to concede I never saw the posts that led to his ban . If they were as suggested above then I would say any return could only come after a suitability abject apology and be on a probationary basis .

Anyone would thinks those at STW towers should lift the ban on fred after his behaviour needs their head checking. Appeals will fall on deaf ears. To most (not all) on here fred is a character that exists in their ethereal online life. To STW people he is a real person who has been deeply offensive.

If he'd behaved like that in a pub and been barred by the landlord do you think it was any of your's place to plead his return? If someone was barred from my local and I cared enough Id go and drink with them in which ever new pub they'd chosen. Perhaps its time for a chocolatefred forum for his acolytes to go and bathe in his drippings.

Perhaps its time for a chocolatefred forum for his acolytes to go and bathe in his drippings.

yeah, and don't forget to leave your opinions at the door, they won't be welcome

I don't buy the pub analogy...this is a more or less public forum, where many don't behave as they would in a pub, and where there are rules of participation, albeit inconsistently applied.

Fred wasn't banned for his behavior on the evening in question, but for his past

Fred wasn't banned for his behavior on the evening in question, but for his past

Doesn't really matter
If he was starting again, they needed to get rid of him before he takes up all their time moderating him
He was high maintenance and not worth the outlay to control him

is this still a mountain bike forum or is it a doss house for people with too much time on their hands to argue the toss with every veiwpoint and opinion?

I for one am sick of the big hitters (aka wannabe moderators) on here who turn every thread into a 10 page "my points better than your point" thread.

So in short, i really couldn't give a **** who elfin is, what he did or the fact he's not here - ban all the big hitters for a while and I bet this place becomes a nicer place to visit

there, i said it

is this still a mountain bike forum or is it a doss house for people with too much time on their hands to argue the toss with every veiwpoint and opinion?

Who?

Those that met him and stated they liked him in real life (mostly) agree he was nothing like his on line persona ....

I think he is very much like his online persona in real life - kind, considerate, chatty, amusing, interesting, etc. Which explains why Elfie was one of the forum users that STWers most wanted to meet.

In November I made a comment in a post on here that someone close to me had died, immediately Elfie texted me to say how sorry he was to hear it. I texted back saying it was my mother, to which he predictably responded by saying how gutted he was to be told and if needed, not to hesitate to contact him for a chat. He showed exactly the same of level of concern and kindness to others on regular occasions on this forum.

I see that there appears to be a myth being born that Elfie argued all the time, he didn't. If there was a difference with respects to arguing, compared to other average users, it was that when Elfie did sometimes argue, just like everyone else on here, he did it with a lot of passion and was prepared to take unpopular positions - admirable qualities some would say.

His undoing was that he was he rather eloquent and effective, which got right up the backs of some ineffective narrow minded people who due to their inadequacies dealt with it by constantly whingeing and complaining to the mods.

He was also on the receiving end of some very nasty comments, mcboo's reference on this thread of him being a "little turd" was typical, and Flashheart's comments about Elfie's mother was quite possibly the most insulting post I have ever read on here - in fact it significantly changed my perceptions of Flashheart.

.

Do you actually believe that suggesting one of the STW staff might be a paedophile is (a) acceptable or (b) likely to be forgotten?

Surely that depends on how well someone knows Mark ? If I were Mark I would positively relish the opportunity to do just that. And why not ? I can't see a problem, I would be merely reinforcing to myself what a great awesome guy I am. In fact I would take it as an insult the very suggestion that I was incapable of such a thing. Based on the little I know about Mark he seems an OK sort of guy to me.

More than I can say for a lot of the spineless, boring, backstabbers that you come across here.

Well, if it's so bad, you know where the door is. Don't let it bang you on the arse on the way out etc...

His undoing was that he was he rather [s]eloquent[/s] illiterate and ineffective with his childish mockney prose, which got right up the backs of some [s]ineffective narrow minded[/s] people with a mental age higher than three, who,[s] due[/s] to their [s]inadequacies[/s] credit, dealt with it by [s]constantly whingeing and complaining to[/s] informing the mods.

FIFY

At the risk of annoying the elf fan club, I disagree he was eloquent and effective. More like dogged, possessing an over-inflated opinion of his own intellect and dismissive of others imho.

I suppose, Ernie, you could be like RealMan here, and say that it's clear that roughly 50% of the posters on the thread are on your side. 😆

Which reminds me - did that guy ever get his money back?

i don't know the guy, other than from his posts on here, but i assume he has a life which, in order for him to be happy, doesn't require writing stuff on a random internet forum set up by a niche magazine covering a niche sport?

so does he actually really want to be "allowed" back?

If the answer is yes, then maybe he needs some time away from the internet. If the answer is no, then why are people begging that he be allowed back?

zokes - Member

FIFY

How about not fixing my posts and coming up with something of your own to say ?

Feel free to disagree with me but try to 'construct an argument', a more challenging alternative I know, but potentially also more satisfying. Give it a go and see 💡

How about not fixing my posts and coming up with something of your own to say ?

No argument required. It's quite clear that the majority on this thread don't want dear Fred back. No need to go insulting some of them.

Ohh heck he's sent me a direct message on Twitter telling me he has blocked me. I din't know why because I never use it.

I have always had time for him but he does seem to have spat his dummy out because my online friendship with him was, by my admission, rather unimportant to me. And that response makes me see him in the same way others have experienced his mood swings and odd behaviour.

But he did offer me the same condolences as he did Ernie when my mum died last year so I do accept he has a great heart - just don't take EVERYTHING to heart Fred...

Ohh heck he's sent me a direct message on Twitter telling me he has blocked me

I've just blocked you too - it'll come into effect just as soon as I open a Twitter account

No argument required. It's quite clear that the majority on this thread don't want dear Fred back.

Obviously you disagree with your own statement as you clearly felt compelled to respond to my post.

No need to go insulting some of them.

And yet you feel it is vital for your case to continue insulting Elfie with references to "illiterate", "childish mockney", and "mental age higher than three".

"illiterate",

We all know he's supposedly intelligent. He chose to spell incorrectly, hence seeming illiterate.

"childish mockney",

Was his usual method of expressing himself.

"mental age higher than three".

Most people older than three at least make some attempt to speak coherently when trying to argue a point.

Very few find the concept of a grown adult deliberately pretending to be illiterate by typing in childish mockney even vaguely amusing.

And yet you feel it is vital for your case to continue insulting Elfie

why are you calling him Elfie?
you seem to have taken on HIS persona ernie.
are you playing games as usual?

Very few find the concept of a grown adult deliberately pretending to be illiterate by typing in childish mockney even vaguely amusing.

And yet the response to it is utterly hilarious 🙂

Sounds like you're missing him very much ernie, I admire the depth of your passion and your ability to express it.

Just skim read some of this and this came to mind

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/amusing-self-flagellation-in-the-mail

Sorry.

so does he actually really want to be "allowed" back?

If the answer is yes, then maybe he needs some time away from the internet. If the answer is no, then why are people begging that he be allowed back?

This was my point too.

I'm trying not to be confrontational about it, but perhaps his friends should ask themselves if STW might have been bad for him.

If he was an alcoholic would they be arguing with the landlord to let him back in that hypothetical pub people were talking about above?