Forum rules. Why do we break them?

[Cicli]

It bums me out to see this place have so many locked threads.
I dont think politics or religeon should be discussed at all here. This is a bicycle forum. There are places on the internet for that garbage.
Cant we keep it cycling related? I hate to see good members move on because of this crap.
Mods,
You guys are awesome but I think we need a heavier hand and a zero tolerance for this type of stuff.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by Cicli

It bums me out to see this place have so many locked threads.
I dont think politics or religeon should be discussed at all here. This is a bicycle forum. There are places on the internet for that garbage.
Cant we keep it cycling related? I hate to see good members move on because of this crap.
Mods,
You guys are awesome but I think we need a heavier hand and a zero tolerance for this type of stuff.

Because there are only so many time friends can talk about wheels, stems, and binder bolts. Because we are a community (more so than any other forum I've been part of, save one), because when crap goes crazy in the world, you want to talk about it with your friends.
The real question is: Why can't we discuss things without people taking it so damn personal? I don't agree with some folks here on some topics & likely never will, but just like in my "real life", I can discuss them.

If we kept this as bikes ONLY - no OT subjects at all, this place would have massive member turnover within a year.

[GOTHBROOKS]

“silence is golden but screaming is fun” was something i read in the liner notes to the first spice girls cd when i was 10 or 11.

[93KgBike]

The giro/camelbak thread has unfortunately ignited a sophomoric debate about the the US Const. 2nd amendment. But it began as bike-related, nonetheless.

I'm not going to read or post in it further. But leave paceline because of it? Not me.

[bshell]

they make it a better forum.

I can always not click (or close a window) on something I'm not into....

ps. Happy to have more information regarding who supports what so that I can vote w/my $.

[Cicli]

Originally Posted by makoti

Because there are only so many time friends can talk about wheels, stems, and binder bolts. Because we are a community (more so than any other forum I've been part of, save one), because when crap goes crazy in the world, you want to talk about it with your friends.
The real question is: Why can't we discuss things without people taking it so damn personal? I don't agree with some folks here on some topics & likely never will, but just like in my "real life", I can discuss them.

If we kept this as bikes ONLY - no OT subjects at all, this place would have massive member turnover within a year.

Fair enough. I still dont think this is the place for it. People cant help themselves. I have my beliefs as well, I dont discuss them with people I like. They are mine and I am not budging. I dont need to make enemies out of people I otherwise like.

[ftf]

Originally Posted by makoti

Because there are only so many time friends can talk about wheels, stems, and binder bolts. Because we are a community (more so than any other forum I've been part of, save one), because when crap goes crazy in the world, you want to talk about it with your friends.
The real question is: Why can't we discuss things without people taking it so damn personal? I don't agree with some folks here on some topics & likely never will, but just like in my "real life", I can discuss them.

If we kept this as bikes ONLY - no OT subjects at all, this place would have massive member turnover within a year.

This and we live in a purportedly democratic society, shouldn't our institutions mirror this? If we silence anything that we personally disagree with, it will damage our society as a whole. People have to discuss things from a point of commonality, just having random people discuss politics is frankly pointless.

Anyways.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by GOTHBROOKS

“silence is golden but screaming is fun” was something i read in the liner notes to the first spice girls cd when i was 10 or 11.

“Sporty” Spice and I have the same last name....cousin!

[FlashUNC]

You spend a couple hours in a paceline with guys, conversation drifts all around. Nature of the beast.

[nesteel]

Originally Posted by Cicli

Fair enough. I still dont think this is the place for it. People cant help themselves. I have my beliefs as well, I dont discuss them with people I like. They are mine and I am not budging. I dont need to make enemies out of people I otherwise like.

I like to think my friends and I are adult enough to discuss topics we have differing views on. It's what spurs debate, and breeds new ideas on compromise. If I just hung out with people who saw everything the same way I do; well that would be incredibly boring.
The difference is; all that take place face to face.
It's incredibly easy to say ignorant, stupid crap across a keyboard.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Cicli

It bums me out to see this place have so many locked threads.
I dont think politics or religeon should be discussed at all here. This is a bicycle forum. There are places on the internet for that garbage.
Cant we keep it cycling related? I hate to see good members move on because of this crap.
Mods,
You guys are awesome but I think we need a heavier hand and a zero tolerance for this type of stuff.

If you have ‘zero tolerance’, then don’t participate in those threads. Read or don’t read and ignore...or not. Your choice, not mine and not mods...I view this place as people standing around in groups and yaking...if somebody says something you don’t like, make yer point or walk away...but don’t make rules about what each group can talk about. Imho of course

[Tickdoc]

I love stirring the pot, and the varying opinions here. Such a nice group of people that know so much in so many diverse areas. I have learned a lot just reading the ot posts.

But...I don’t get bent out of shape when one person has a differing view. You don’t like trump? Fine by me.

You think only electric cars are cool? Fine by me.

You like sram? That’s your problem, not mine.

I know I don’t share the same position as most of you on any number of hot button issues, but I don’t mind hearing your views and I would still love to go for a ride with you regardless.

I always think of my bro-in-law who shut down Christmas dinner early one year because the discussion turned political. I’ve never seen anyone explode like that over differing opinions. Maybe I should admire him for having such strong views when I don’t. I’m passionate about bikes, not politics.

None of this really matters, don’t ya know?

[beeatnik]

I only know two people who don't share my "progressive" values. They're both cycling pals. Occasionally they post memes which I find distasteful. When I discuss these situations with my wife and friends, they immediately tell me to unfriend them. I'm on the left coast and I've read that my type of "echo chamber" is the norm in Seattle, SF, Boston and NYC. In the middle of the country, it seems there's a different approach to political and religious discourse which mirrors Paceline's policy. Be nice and avoid controversial topics. Short story long, it's easy to believe that people who share a hobby share values. Paceline has helped me accept that in these divisive times, it's crucial to humanize those who hold dangerous, regressive or reactionary beliefs. I mean, I never would have known that nice people who ride bikes believe that cyclists aren't victims when they're terrorized by motor vehicles.

GothB, remember when Baby Spice was the hot one?

[Cicli]

Originally Posted by Tickdoc

I love stirring the pot, and the varying opinions here. Such a nice group of people that know so much in so many diverse areas. I have learned a lot just reading the ot posts.

But...I don’t get bent out of shape when one person has a differing view. You don’t like trump? Fine by me.

You think only electric cars are cool? Fine by me.

You like sram? That’s your problem, not mine.

I know I don’t share the same position as most of you on any number of hot button issues, but I don’t mind hearing your views and I would still love to go for a ride with you regardless.

I always think of my bro-in-law who shut down Christmas dinner early one year because the discussion turned political. I’ve never seen anyone explode like that over differing opinions. Maybe I should admire him for having such strong views when I don’t. I’m passionate about bikes, not politics.

None of this really matters, don’t ya know?

My new signature is in this post. Thank you.

[gdw]

Sometimes people need to blow off some steam when it comes to a current event. We had two threads hijacked by members wanting to discuss the boycott and two started about it before the mods allowed us to discuss it. I think it was a good decision and the last thread ran for longer than most of us probably expected before it went off topic and got snarky. Hopefully we can now move on.