Over the past few days I have been in PM contact with a member here. (I will not provide a name unless he/she comes forward, as I always do.) In general we have discussed current forum events, a possible future, our opinions and how bikers fit into that delicate mix. Here's a parallel example.

Over the past few weeks I joined another biker forum. Not a rare occurance, in the winter I'm always looking to schmooze with other bikers. Recently a founding member told me how his forum began.

LOL. Like most bikers, his forum started with anger, challenges and a fight. I liked the guy already. If you foist yourself as being "open to criticism," then don't be surprised when it's delivered.

He flatly stated this new forum was founded by "banned members." I've heard of this thing before. In yet another forum they refer to themselves as "The Banned of Brothers." The overall idea of this point of view is that a biker should not be censored, deleted or banned just for speaking his mind--even if he rubs up against forum policies.

Yeah, yeah. My rags are backed up with bi-laws. We all suffer from the ideology. Heck, I look at speed limits and stop signs as 'suggestions.' What I do find odd is that same pattern in forums. Follow me. Everyone wants traffic for advertisers. Membership goes up when the place is interesting to read, exposing the banner advertisers to the most lucrative demographic. For my point here, we're discussing real bikers, on real bikes, who ride as much as they polish and haven't been in their mom's basement for several decades.

Oh, and these guys have money and buy stuff. Advertisers take note.

What this group despises in the real world is liars, wannabees, posers, trolls, lint trap cleaners and bi-laws in general. A man who has the cojones to throw a leg o'er actually has a bike and that requires purchasing equipment. If the membership is docile and compliant, then those guys can't buy anything unless their moms gives them an allowance.

As in the case of the "banned," they gravitate toward selective forums. And they drop a forum like a used condom if they sense a bait-n-switch. They find utter contempt when a fellow member is abused by an autocratic owner or mod who swings around his power in a capricious manner. They wind up taking their membership, their friends, all of their wallets and their patronage and they give them to the competing advertisers in another forum. In the case mentioned, they chucked everyone.

I have watched this a dozen times. In my case the biggest knife forums aren't worth reading. And in like manner, a new sharpening forum was created by the guy they abused the most. He sells stuff, and now we buy from him.

When you see a chick talking on her cell phone and you notice her left front fender is dented, you drop back. Obviously she was daydreaming before and hit some other schmuck. You derive this potentially dangerous situation immediately because of your experience over the decades. Well, I have seen people's reputations tarnished, bans issued out of spite, fun forums turned into childish frat houses, with one guy losing his home over gossip when he faced a banner advertiser who had a chip on his shoulder.

I love HRF. I severely dislike trolls, spammers, liars, and the abuses ladled onto friends. I have a wallet, and I buy stuff. I figure I have been banned about 15 times considering all the diverse forums where I've been a member. I don't even think about that as a problem. The first time my nose got broken, it hurt. The second time I didn't even know I was injured. I do have experience in life lessons, as well..

Seriously Tourist, I don't hang around here much because you're the #1 poster. If what you're implying is that the tactics you've used on other forums (which have gotten you banned from 4 or 5 forums that I've seen) should be allowed, then this forum will stay this size if not shrink.


But evidently that's what you need.

Clearly you have a right to your opinion. But when an entire forum is founded by banned members who are all complaining about the same thing, then you have to consider the overall situation.

Do you want an entire forum of bland, bland, bland? Do you want to sign one and find the most stimulating thread is, "What style footpegs are the most comfortable on a '46 knuck?" Is your idea of "proper behavior" for one guy to say, "I like cheese!," and then twenty-five responders post, "Me, too"?

A forum is a gathering for ideas, debate, information and opinions. There are numerous ballroom forums that provide a calm, thoughtful, and restful environment that proves to be a relaxing diversion.

To that, if anything I ever say provokes an objection, just post, "Tourist, I disagree." Then post a rebuttal. Or call HeadMaster.

You've done nothing to me to make me contact a mod., you asked a question I answered it. If I hadn't seen you on other forums I wouldn't have mentioned "your tactics" as an example.
I've seen new members called trolls and ran off by forum thugs before they've even have a chance to settle in. I enjoy a forum that gives a bit of freedom, but a wide open forum would be a mess.

Are you kidding me Tourist is the only reason I keep checking in occasionally. For the most part this place is dead. Who cares if a thread strays a little, it makes it more interesting, I'm also sick to death at all these thin skinned so called bikers that can't seem to take a joke. Jee's some of these guy's need to go back to the scooter forum and post with there mommy's.

That's fine, opposing opinions don't bother me, but anything that chills a debate does. And that can be done in two ways.

As you mentioned, we have sophist trolls or idiots like eddie who just want to tarnish something we enjoy. My belief is that when recognized, the mod should ban them out of hand, immediately. Do that often enough, and kids find someplace else to play.

I've also seen little Hitler moderators. A foodie forum named 'Discuss Cooking' had a guy like that. You either had the same opinion he had or he banned you as a troll. To him, all dissenting opinions were the work of trolls. In fact, my first PM in that forum was from an older member who stated he was a tyrant and not to rock the boat. I went out of my way to make sure I got banned.

But these are two totally differing scenarios. If I spit on the forum's carpeting, then HeadMaster has the right to ban me. However, if I disagree with him on how that rug stain should be cleaned, it's just his hard luck.

Two separate and distinct situations.

You should have called You self Tourist the troll killer. So how much do you think I should charge for my philosophy and rhetoric.

LOL. That's the trouble with 'free advice.' It's worth every penny!

I just don't like trolls and spammers. And I'm developing a real dislike for "the entitled." It appears in forums that you have to instantly roll over and play dead when one of these lint trap cleaners gets his feelings hurt.

Give you an example. I'm at the gym this morning and a guy makes a joke about being so popular he needs a bodyguard. I told him to call Kevin Costner, because he's now free to take on a new gig.

You should have seen that one...

I agree, I even said so in my last post, but a wide open forum would be a mess.