graeme wrote:Firstly, I have no authority here. Not a mod, never will be. I've been an SEer for 5 and a bit years, and this following is just my view.
Second, I firmly believe in the inclusive nature of SE. Nobody should be cast out or excluded or victimised. Some may exclude themselves through their actions, but I hope nobody would every be driven out when the alternative is somebody just saying it like it is and getting the whole thing sorted out. So here goes.
The reputation of this group is absolutely NOT a load of bollocks. That's not up for debate in my mind. We have an excellent reputation with KH, other car clubs (lotus and non-lotus, UK and international), the police, campsite owners in far-flung places, villagers of towns we pass though, other road users...etc etc.
If you upset just one person from any of the above, it wouldn't take them more than a quick Google to find this forum and every post on it and every member's profile. Word got back to me from one of my sister's friends of an SE run upsetting some locals by not slowing for a town one weekend in 2006. Unfounded? Who knows. The point is it doesn't take much. There's always somebody who knows somebody...
It is absolutely compulsory that this group's reputation should be upheld. If you post here, or wear an SE T-Shirt or have an SE sticker on your car you have a responsibility to every one of your fellow members not to embarrass them with your driving or general demeanor, or any admissions of stupidity or illegal behavior. You may be right that other car groups don't give a stuff, I don't know, but we (not that I have any authority to speak for the SE group) most certainly do.
Don't be put off by it. If you think about it, it's actually quite a respectable, friendly, fun thing to be a part of; something you can be proud of in a not-too-patronising way. It's not cliquey, it's not exclusive or elitist, and it's fairly democratic. I've made a lot of friends here (yes, I think I can call some of the old-timers friends by now). I for one would be pleased to see you and a few others think before you post, come to a trackday or two, drive responsibly (or at least don't talk about irresponsible driving on the forum). Similarly, it's no skin off my nose if you think our reputation is bollocks and decide to leave, though I hope you won't. Be clear though that you can't stick around under your own rules, or the backlash will continue.
You'd be right to point out (and I think this is important everyone!) that a lot of the dos and don'ts of this group are not to be found written down anywhere, so nobody should really have a go at you for learning the hard way what to say and what not to, and how to behave around SE.
I look forward to 5 years from now when you are quietly PMing the newbies to welcome them in and offer a few words of experience when they post something inadvisable.
So, what do you say Jamie?
And to the rest of the group, I put it to everyone that the best way to avoid conflict is to state in a clear, concise way to new members what our values are and a clear list of do's and don'ts. Keeping quiet and waiting for newbies to hang themselves is not constructive.
Anyone got any views on whether some sort of, oh I don't know, club charter or something would be good?
Okay you answered my question pretty well there , I simply asked who this reputation effected and I now have a better idea.
I obviously dont commit to the group in the same way as others so I am kinda blind in some respects.
The club charter thing is a bloody good idea , how is anyone suppost to know that the SE forum is so "different" to others?
when joining , a forum is a forum to me , not some way of life , SE is clearly alot more than your average forum , if someone could have pointed this out to me in the first place instead of waitng for me to hang myself as you stated , then perhaps I wouldnt have offended so many folks.
Sorry if I come across arrogent , if I ever do meet any of you you see I'am total opossite
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