Re: Ralphie’s Rehab
Alas, I must comment at this point simply because somebody else needs to chime in. If you think
she is long-winded, you better grab a six pack and a comfortable chair. I don't believe in "hit and run" type of posts.
First off, the two "detractors" realize as much as anybody else that they can simply pass by those threads that offend, bore, or that they simply don't like. Instead, they choose to bash the author in some bizarre attempt at intimidation. Now were this on viper.alley, I would say BASH AWAY! After all, those forums are generally not for playful musings about Viper ownership - not by a long shot. Austin is at home in those forums, as Viper ownership (or the observations thereof) is really quite unnecessary.
In contrast, these VCA forums are often correctly referred to as .morgue, as they revolve around Viper ownership in almost every respect and the social banter is pretty much at a standstill. While I eagerly look forward to reading the latest on Paxton supercharger results and the further exploits of our favorite tuners, it can be pretty dry commentary indeed. Adding a little "flavor" to the mix isn't a bad thing by any means, especially when you can choose to pass by that flavor without so much as a peep. I suspect that those very few that feel that they must comment on the author and not the content (why, I have no idea) truly do feel threatened in some vague way. It's ironic, as that "other" site feeds off of the censorship found here, yet some still find even the cleanest of posts to be offensive to them personally.
Now don't kid yourself, I will admit right here and now that I was less than thrilled when the first posts came from this... person. She asked many questions about modifying an SRT that could have been easily searched on the site. More importantly (to me), was that this flurry of questions seemed to be generated with nothing given in return. Who was this person to constantly inundate "real" Viper owners with these questions without so much as an introduction or "proud to be a new Viper owner" post? Indeed, I even wrote to this person and suggested she really try to make use of the search feature of the site rather than have everybody repeat themselves. Undaunted, she continued to ask the questions.
Imagine my surprise when she wrote her first novella: Unlike the information leaches I have seen come and go over the past several years, she was actually contributing something to the boards. And what a contribution it was! Deadpan humor combined with some very accurate (and not always flattering) commentary about Viper ownership and sportscar ownership in general. That surprise turned to horror when I realized that her wit and writing ability had easily outclassed my meager ramblings and I was out of a job, as worthless as it was.
Now with an acknowledged level of narcissism myself, it would have been easy to dismiss her writings as ramblings of a newbie. Nor to this day do I know how long she will remain a Viper owner, as her entire ownership experience seems to move so incredibly quick. Yep, it would have been very easy to dismiss it privately with no real reason to bash her in public. After all, by bashing her in public it would state in some small way that I felt threatened by a new Viper owner - and a
female one at that. "Insecure" pretty much sums it up.
Instead, I continued to read her musings and found myself smiling more than a few times. Crap! How could I dislike somebody that was actually contributing a LOT to my hobby (Vipers) and making my ownership experience that much more fun? The fact that it was a well written perspective from a female owner was, dammit, actually
refreshing. Oh don't kid yourself, I love Janni to death, but she is a track rat and her posts offer far better technical commentary than many that attempt it every day. Likewise, if you want a REAL window into the way the VCA should work just turn to Janni. Other female Viper owners that post here? Let's see, there is um, uh - nobody. Barbara owns more Vipers than most of us and rarely posts. We effectively ran off one female owner who truly did feel the world revolved around her. A similar one reared her head not too long ago and was soundly trounced on every forum on every Viper website (and deserved it).
The bottom line is that the Viper Club needs diversity, both in perspectives and in gender. I am not a track rat and I don't have a garage queen. I don't take my Viper to every car show I can find and I don't have a big slush fund for mods. And I don't slight any of the above owners. I want to continue to read the latest about superchargers (someday I will have one, dang it) and I want to know what other owners experience. Even if it is a long-winded embellished account that surpasses what I can conjure up from my magic keyboard. That is why I come here and why 95% of the other visitors come here as well - to enjoy their time on the site. Why a couple people feel threatened by this is just mind-boggling, especially when all they have to do is ignore it.
If Alice sells her Viper tomorrow and never looks back she will still have contributed some great stuff to these forums. And to VIPER Magazine. I hope she continues for many moons to come, as it gives me more free time to drive my Viper and skip writing my own diatribes - like this one.
Chris
