fiestaturbo.com

[Ollybee]

Should we be informed of why a thread is locked, otherwise people will not learn? Maybe I'm showing my ignorance but I can't see why this has been locked. It may have deserved a move to Technical but locked forever!

For example: decent-tyre-stretch-vt160535/

[dontpannic]

Agreed, I thought it was a policy to inform people why a thread was locked, all we saw there was *clicky* which could mean anything? I wouldn't have even said it was in the wrong forum...?

[Ollybee]

[M1K3Y_B]

I agree we should be getting a explanation as to why a thread is locked.

[dontpannic]

See? Now classic example!!

ofac-map-sensor-vt161329/

I know you're doing your best to tidy this place up but he's got 3 posts, he's new! Some kind of mod-rules should be set up here rather than mods just locking threads with no posts explaining why it has been locked...

Just PM'ed some mods to draw some attention to this thread...

Nick

[andymac]

Agreed, I thought it was a policy to inform people why a thread was locked, all we saw there was *clicky* which could mean anything? I wouldn't have even said it was in the wrong forum...?

There's a vast difference between thinking something and knowing something

Was either thread in the right forum ? Most certainly not. Why is that ? Because the thread starter didn't think about what they were asking and where they were asking it. While you might think "Oooh the mods are bing nasty to us" you might all like to bear in mind that the mods give their time freely, receive no benefit at all for helping keep the site organised and yet are seen as some oppressive power curtailing topics of conversation at a whim and for no good reason.

Was that thread a discussion about tyre stretching in general or was a specific technical question about which tyres would be suited to that particular application ? I think the first post answers that question quite well and to try to insinuate that the thread was on topic is just being plain bloody daft.

I for one am fed up (I strongly suspect so are the other mods) of continually moving crap that is posted by people being lazy, thoughtless or who think that posting in general will get a quicker answer. There are posting guidelines at the top of every forum - the only excuse for not reading them is sheer laziness.

There have been many, many, many warnings about posting off topic messages, if you guys can't be bothered to try keep things organised then I can't guarantee that the moderators will put the extra effort in to move topics that are posted incorrectly - they'll be subject to their discretion and if they're busy, short of time or can't be bothered because they've moved half a dozen already then the threads will most likely be locked or deleted

The posting guidelines are announcement topics at the top of every forum. There's no good reason for not at least skimming them (most of the guidelines are common sense anyway).

[M1K3Y_B]

I would be a mod if your sick of it mate

I am on here all the time.

[Ollybee]

Andy,

Although I'm not a mod I get thoroughly annoyed by the stupidly posted threads as well. I also think that the regular users of the site appreciate the contribution made yourself and the others. As you say the "I'm just posting in general to get a quick response" is extremely annoying. I started this thread for some clarification not to have a go at anyone or all of the mods and quite frankly I think that would be one of the most counter-productive things to attempt!!

The example I gave though I think is a good one and even though we have agreed it was posted in the wrong forum you posted twice and didn't mention the position. I think to then allow the thread to continue into two pages of genuine discussion and to simply lock it is rather abrupt. I'm not telling you how to moderate the site, Andy; I just think that if a similar situation appears a brief note explaining the actions might be appropriate.

[andymac]

The tyre stretching thread was borderline tech post and by the time I saw it it had turned into a discussion on the subject in general. However after one or two comments were posted by people which were, shall we say, not in the usual jovial spirit of the board there was a little bit of post snippage and the thread was locked.

If I'd seen it earlier then it would have been locked right off - but by the time I saw it (following comments by dawsfezzie) it had turned into something else.

Sometimes a tech help post will turn into a general discussion which is useful and productive, however more often than not the post will be responded to and will never make it "on topic". If I see a post which is off topic I'll lock it, unless it's changed from where it started (the stretchy one was locked for other reasons).

I'm fairly straightforward about the movement and locking of threads and while folks may feel it harsh to lock a n00bs thread, if I move it they won't learn. As a child you don't understand why you don't run across roads until something really drives it home. If it's off topic then it'll get a padlock. It's not a subject that's open to dicussion and because of the limited time I have to keep an eye on the board you'll find it a near impossible to persuade me to take a more leniant tack. To be honest, the ability to one-time move your own thread would be a very, very useful feature (I've posted in the wrong forum by mistake plenty of times while forum-hopping, fortuntely I get to deal with my 'conquering device'-ups), it could save work for all concerned.

[dontpannic]

As I said in PM's Andy mate, I don't think you're doing a bad job and I certainly don't want you thinking we're complaining. What I meant is that I didn't know why a particular thread was locked and thought, as a suggestion that when a mod closes a thread he / she should post a short comment detailing why it was locked. No more, no less. I only posted the second link as I remembered back to Alex's post about locking / moving threads and he said he, along with other mods will Lock or Delete threads when the particular thread starter should have known better about where to put it, but the link I posted the guy had 3 posts, and I think that newbies should at least be told what they've done, so they can learn from thier mistakes.

Sorry if it sounded like I was having a go, truly I wasn't, and I wouldn't wish to offend anyone

Thanks,

Nick

[filtra]

LOL, tbh its SO blatently obvious why threads are locked with the use of the words such a *snippy*, infact...

*snippy*... oh hang on ... I don't have the power captain

[Capri]

Hello, my bit now

Sorry, I'm way too tired at the moment so this might not be cohesive but I just wanted to add my thoughts.

Nick, you're right in that I've explained how I would deal with posts in the wrong forum. However, the other mods don't have to stick to that; the steps I laid out don't necessarily apply to Andy or the other mods - after all, we're all human and judgement counts for a lot, so every situation has to be dealt with differently. I've got my way of doing things, and so has everyone else. Our role here is to keep the forum tidy, while making sure people stick to the rules - the end result is the same, although the means may differ from mod to mod.

Yes, one of our key goals is to make sure people get the idea about the way the forums work. As such, we've laid out clearly marked forum FAQs and guidelines to help people along the way. Some people don't bother to read those, which means that we end up locking their posts. And sometimes that's done without explanation, because explaining things that have already been clearly set out for people is time-consuming and rather tedious. I'm prepared to do it most of the time, but Andy isn't, which I totally support; at the end of the day, if people aren't prepared to have the courtesy to read the posts that we've written as guidelines for them, then I don't believe the mods should be expected to do those people the courtesy of explaining why their posts have been locked. As for the question of whether people will learn if we don't, I know the first thing I'd do is check the guidelines if one of my posts was locked, and then I'd have my answer. And indeed, explaining things doesn't necessarily mean people will learn either - I can think of more than one user to whom I've explained the concept of posting in the correct forum on more than one occasion.

At the end of the day, though, keep to the rules, keep the forum tidy, don't post in the wrong forum and don't contribute to a topic going off-topic, and we won't need to do anything about your posts in the first place. That's the way to aim to be.

Anyway, no offence taken on my part, but I hope you guys understand better now the reasoning behind our actions. It may not be immediately apparent, but we do have our reasons for doing what we do.

[jayrs]

Should we be informed of why a thread is locked, otherwise people will not learn? Maybe I'm showing my ignorance but I can't see why this has been locked. It may have deserved a move to Technical but locked forever!

For example: decent-tyre-stretch-vt160535/

i saw that post when it first started and stayed away after i slated stretched tyres last time.
from what i read, someone or a few got there ass in a cramp over somethign and it turned into a bitching contest, hence my reason for staying out of it, but i didnt really all the replys, just most of the first page, and i reckon the mod's had had enough as it was going no where and locked it to stop it carring on, as everyone has a opition and when someone thats real commited dont like what they read they just carry on till it has to be stoped.
but then again, a health debate never hurt anyone

[andymac]

Indeed, but healthy debate is one thing - that thread was degenerating into a right royal row.

[jayrs]

yeah i know , i saw it going that way last time

[andymac]

People always polarise about that sort of thing though - you tend to get five types of people

1. The people who want to do something / support something / have a cause at heart

2. The people who think the folks in category 1 are being foolish for (usually) good reasons (they are not impassioned, instead, they are reasoned)

3. The people who don't think that the people in category 2 should be allowed to tell the people in category 1 they are being foolish, saying that the people in category 1 have a right to an opinion too

4. The people who (are often in category 2 but don't bother commenting) think that the people in category 3 are hypocritical and morally reprehensible as a result

5. Everyone else

It's a recipe for an argument (as opposed to a discussion), mainly because of the folks in category 3 who'll try to drag the thread off topic.

[jayrs]

too true mate, im sure ive prob at some point been in them too

[andymac]

Should we be informed of why a thread is locked, otherwise people will not learn? Maybe I'm showing my ignorance but I can't see why this has been locked. It may have deserved a move to Technical but locked forever!

For example: decent-tyre-stretch-vt160535/

Ironic really, considering the PM I sent earlier. If people insist on replying to off-topic threads in general I will start locking and deleting without explanation. Why should I waste my time clearing up the mess created by the lazy and ignorant.

Feel free to whinge at the folks who cross / mis-post. Maybe the message "Keep it tidy" will get in there if enough people ignore them and tell 'em to sort it out.