WTF? Ben Just got banned!
05-07-2008, 02:28 PM
#32
Race Car
I've never found Ben's attitude to be entertaining. He was not amusing, he was offensive as often as he could possibly manage. He was not helpful, he was not nice. He had few redeeming qualities in his time here on Rennlist.
Ben went onto my ignore list within a week of arriving here. I would occasionally check his posts to see if he was calming down and never surprised when I saw no change.
In recent weeks he decided he wanted to get onto a popularlity trick and tried to be nice. Anyone who has to publicly announce that they have "turned over a new leaf" is a jackass. He didn't change, he was just playing nice, as recent posts have shown. I"m glad to have him out of here so that we can clear the air and have Rennlist back to the fun place we've grown used to. I commented a few days ago how I was seeing less of the regulars - that's because we're all getting tired of him and posting less. I know my post rate has gone down a lot in the last month or so and his acidic attitude was part of it.
I hope that the newbies that have joined in the last couple of months will now see that this behavior is not acceptable. Ben was a bad example. John just set a good example by booting him out. Bravo!
Ben went onto my ignore list within a week of arriving here. I would occasionally check his posts to see if he was calming down and never surprised when I saw no change.
In recent weeks he decided he wanted to get onto a popularlity trick and tried to be nice. Anyone who has to publicly announce that they have "turned over a new leaf" is a jackass. He didn't change, he was just playing nice, as recent posts have shown. I"m glad to have him out of here so that we can clear the air and have Rennlist back to the fun place we've grown used to. I commented a few days ago how I was seeing less of the regulars - that's because we're all getting tired of him and posting less. I know my post rate has gone down a lot in the last month or so and his acidic attitude was part of it.
I hope that the newbies that have joined in the last couple of months will now see that this behavior is not acceptable. Ben was a bad example. John just set a good example by booting him out. Bravo!
John, is the ban 'permanent' or can a blacklisted member regain his/her good standing? Not that I'm planning anything, mind you.
05-07-2008, 02:29 PM
#33
Racer
Join Date: Feb 2007
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05-07-2008, 02:52 PM
#34
Rennlist Member
OK. For those ambulance chasers out there, it's in the "It's Official, My Engine's Blown" thread. Like I've said, Orrin's a RL friend of mine and I think he saw his thread spin out of control. If he's like me and wears his feelings on his sleeve (especially after finding out he had a motor replacement staring him in the face), he probably took offense. We've forgotten about him. Read the posts and see how you would feel if it was your motor, not Bruce or Ben's.
I just think several members had bad days and decided not to let certain comments go that they may otherwise had. One chose to quit and one got fired.
As for me? I stay away from the personal crap. All I have to do is not respond and it stops.
Luckily for me, I've been treated pretty fairly here.
I just think several members had bad days and decided not to let certain comments go that they may otherwise had. One chose to quit and one got fired.
As for me? I stay away from the personal crap. All I have to do is not respond and it stops.
Luckily for me, I've been treated pretty fairly here.
05-07-2008, 03:37 PM
#36
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Jan 2007
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i absolutely agree with John D. that in an open forum it ok to disagree to a post, but this is not the place to insult or personally attack an individual because of what was written. This personal attack thing occurs every once in a while on some of the other sites here and i hope that John warns these individuals as well. its not fun, but actually a turn off, when you here people calling other people names here..it takes away from the enjoyment of this site..
05-07-2008, 03:53 PM
#37
Banned
Anyway - it really isn't my decision?? Rather - it is Ben's decision - or anyone's decision who has been "black flagged"? Typically - one of three things will happen...
1- I'll see posts on other Forums about me/Rennlist - whatever - and I'm typically the devil re-incarnated; and/or
2- I'll get a flame to my admin e-mail address, sometimes litigious, sometimes not - but it's the kind of e-mail that makes you step away from the computer
; or3- I'll get an e-mail that opens the door to let them back on. Usually, there are a few dozen e-mails sent back and forth - but, bottom line - the folks who take that approach are treated like gentlemen and we reach a common understanding.
But, again - it's his choice - or anyones choice on which option they exercise? In any case - folks need to be made responsible for their actions, if you know what I mean?
As an aside - banning someone is my "least favorite" part of running this site - and it has been the worst part since it started in May of 1998. So, I really don't ban folks too often (except for the SPAMBOTS - those I delight in banning
). And remember - I'm just like you - just simply a Porsche enthusiast, so I treat the site, it's members/users, visitors as I'd want to be treated. And it seems to work, I guess? If it didn't - I'd be posting this, and only I'd be reading it 
Anyway - great question - and again, sorry for the delayed reply..!
John
05-07-2008, 04:45 PM
#38
Race Car
Thanks John - excellent response and I think, right on mark. From #3, certainly sounds like an outed member can come to you with an explanation/apology and be considered for reinstatement, which I think is fair.
BTW, I posted at 1:28 and you answered me an hour later - hardly qualifies as a delayed reply!!
BTW, I posted at 1:28 and you answered me an hour later - hardly qualifies as a delayed reply!!
05-07-2008, 05:09 PM
#40
Pro
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It was certainly like watching a train wreck in slo mo and reminds me of an episode in my younger days. I was the hotshot at work, made the bucks, had the smarts (but not the wisdom), and stomped on some very big toes because I needed to be right just one too many times. I wasn't fired, but the local veep sent me home for a week while he decided what to do with me. It was THE turning point of my life. I got help. I hope Ben does, too.
05-07-2008, 05:20 PM
#41
Team Owner
05-07-2008, 05:32 PM
#43
Ironman 140.6
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
LOL...yeah, I just shook my head when I read his last response. It was obvious that John had his finger on the "ban" button for a little while--well, obvious to everyone but Ben, I suppose. When John told him to reread the post in the morning, anyone with a high school psychology class under their belt should have been able to see that that was his polite way of saying "I'll give you one more chance before I mash this button hard."
I thought the same thing when I saw his last post.
It's sad to see Bruce drop his membership and Ben banned over this.
Ben and I had more than a few battles, but I think he also occasionally made some positive contributions.
That being said I respect what John has built at Rennlist and Ben did not give him any room with this decision. (John gave him more than one opportunity to let it go gracefully).
05-07-2008, 05:35 PM
#44
Three Wheelin'
I think we're all jumping to conclusions about why Ben acted the way he did on here, and I doubt any of us would like the analyses of strangers on our own personal lives. Even if much of what is being said resonates with us, I think we all need to take some of our own medicine and not speculate on or attack the real person behind the handle here, regardless of how we may have individually felt about his behavior. Personal should be off limits. He and I didn't agree on many things, and on some things we did, but I believe it's incumbent upon us to hold ourselves personally to the standards to which we would hold others.
Last edited by htny; 05-07-2008 at 06:09 PM.
05-07-2008, 05:37 PM
#45
Rennlist Member
It's funny, a few months ago I would've been all too glad to see Ben get the ax (the post in which he called a member's wife a "transvestite" always comes to mind); but then he seemed to get better and reach out to members, with the "head shots" thread and in his improved posting demeanor.
So I guess I have mixed feelings now, though the banning was certainly justified by his most recent posts in the offending thread. He often comes off as a complete *******, but I bet there's a "good Joe" underneath there somewhere. Peace.
So I guess I have mixed feelings now, though the banning was certainly justified by his most recent posts in the offending thread. He often comes off as a complete *******, but I bet there's a "good Joe" underneath there somewhere. Peace.