Re: Kid \'97 GTS RIP 1999-2001
I guess I qualify now as one of the 'old timers'?
Anyways,
I've talked to Kid a few times before, and I really like the guy - he's funny, but helpful. I say he absolutely, positively should be allowed back onto the board without any hesitation or delay.
In addition to that, I have also noticed that threads seem to get locked or removed a LOT more quickly than they ever did before. I'd like to hear from the administrators of this site why that is the case? Maybe we have a new moderator who is a little trigger happy? Maybe something has happened or changed to make this so? The reason I say this is the post where the guy wanted the email address of the CEO of Chrysler. I was slightly harsh in my reply and said he had no beef with Chrysler, etc. That thread was locked.... still don't know why - (Vipermad, can you answer that one or was it someone else?)
I think, as a group, we need to have a good delineation between being responsible and mature, and being a bunch of snooty old men (and women). I notice that it was only recently that people like Kid, BigJim, and Treynor would post information about folk they raced on the street. I personally have no problem with that, I think we have all partaken in the stoplight grand prix to beat the next guy. I know I have. Having said that, we need to be careful not to endorse such behaviour, and we need to know when enough is enough. A story about going 140 on the highway zipping in and out of traffic is stupid, and should be criticized as such. A story about beating a Vette off the line from a stoplight (assuming that it went to 10 over the limit, say) is not stupid and shouldn't be beaten to death as silly and irresponsible. I think as a group we are smart enough to know what is reasonable and should be allowed and what is unreasonable and should be criticized.
Now, in defense of the board and the moderators, they are all people who have "real" jobs. Vipermad is not the ONLY person who has moderator priviledges, even though he is the most visible and active. I would like to propose that we do something I've seen on the Corvette Forum. Whenever a topic is closed, the person who closed it should identify themselves and post WHY it was closed. Just locking DOES make it look like we are living in **** world... not that we are, it just gives the appearance of it. Alot of members have stepped up here and said they feel the same way, and that outpouring of agreement on the issue NEEDS to be dealt with. If it's not, this board will wither and die.
I give all the kudos in the world to Tony, Joe, Jay and the others who run this board. It is a thankless and difficult job. In addition, I would strongly recommend that any administrator or moderator who feels the need to close, move, or remove a thread, acknowledge that they are doing so, why, and who to contact if there is a problem. My 'backup' for saying that is that I completely do not understand why the thread asking for the CEO of Chrysler's email address was locked. I don't know whether to take it as something personal (like my response was too harsh), or whether the original poster was just being silly. A LOT of hard feelings could be eased if it was set in stone that ALL posts being administratively changed MUST have a post by the moderator detailing what happened and why.
Can I get a "hell yeah" on that at least?
Oh, and I also vote for bringing Kid97GTS back pronto! He is a valuable member of this board, and I think banning him (whether temporarily or permanently) was a mistake. The only thing that should determine whether one is banned is PUBLIC actions on this board. If he did nothing too bad ON THE BOARD, he should NOT be banned. If a moderator banned him because of a personal problem, then I think we need to make sure that moderator understands the limit of his/her powers in this forum. Administrative priviledges should never, ever, be used as a way to exact personal revenge. That is the very height of corruption.
My 0.02 (plus some)
