[Closed] Big Hitter gets lifetime ban

Well I'll miss him.

I've had plenty of long run-ins with him, but then I specifically come here to discuss things, ask advice and hear people's differing opinions - I kinda thought that was the point?

I understand why he has been banned, but I'm afraid his departure gives me one less reason to come here.

Interesting to hear from all the people who "never post", but are glad he's gone. Somehow I don't think the forum will be improved if we ban all the regulars and whittle it down to the people that never post.

Dog Speed TJ, dog speed.

[img] [/img]

suspect his parents are/were wealthy. His lefty stance seems at odds with that.

Like the 2nd Viscount Stansgate?

Edit: just realised how flattered TJ will be to be compared to him - assuming you're reading this, I'd just like to point out that wasn't intentional.

juan - Member
I am very surprise that people like stoner Z-11, GW who are nasty as possible never get banned. But hey ho each to their own.

Don simon run a business in Spain, said business provide money through advertisement, easy to spot why he's still here.

And Z-11 is a Mavic rep I believe, forum for the boyz in't it 😉 .

As a newcomer to this place my general opinion is that the long-termers on here are very strange people, but at least they are all contained in here.

STW - the Bedlam of the WWW.

so why aren't the folks he's arguing with banned too?

If he can't let a point go, it's because others don't either.

Like any pub/work/internet bore, the best thing to do is ignore them when they start banging on past the point where anyone cares.

I've had plenty differences of opinion with TJ but unlike elfbra, he was rarely nasty or vindictive (although that does appear to have changed of late) and it appeared to be more frustration, or the inability to accept another point of view which turned some potentially good discussions into a borefest.

Pity really and as others have said he, arguing apart, there was a great deal of good input from him.

Well I'll miss him.

I've had plenty of long run-ins with him, but then I specifically come here to discuss things, ask advice and hear people's differing opinions - I kinda thought that was the point?

I understand why he has been banned, but I'm afraid his departure gives me one less reason to come here.

Interesting to hear from all the people who "never post", but are glad he's gone. Somehow I don't think the forum will be improved if we ban all the regulars and whittle it down to the people that never post.

Dog Speed TJ, dog speed.

Not dead.

He'll be back. Thre are ways. Any attempt at supression is DOOMED!

when it is the same person continually arguing with a series of others, it is obvious who the main culprit is.

Mob rule?

You guys take this internet forum stuff way too seriously.

I came on here for a few weeks about a year ago - got into a massive row with TJ with the usual suspects egging him on (the ones now blaming the people he argued with but are just as culpable). I tried to make light of the row and gave him loads of chances to just agree to differ, take the piss a bit and leave it at that. He couldn't - ZERO sense of humor and never took a backward step.

I left it over a year because the place was just too intense to bother. I come back a year later and wouldn't you know - TJ mouthing off still.

Some of you lot (and TJ) need to lighten up a bit. You are not going to change the world by shoving your views down peoples throats on the interweb. This forum could at any minute get shut down and deleted - the lot gone. In the meantime you will put people off joining in because it's just too much like hard work. You find yourself re-reading your posts in case you've given someone fuel to roast you with.

By all means have a barney. But do with it good humor and nobody gets hurt.

he had to ban himself from mleh (as did fred) it was only a matter of time before he pushed the buttons here.

with potential to be funny, helpful, caring, argumentitive, infuriating, obnoxious, pointless and deaf, he added something...

He leaves us with the TJ defence (which the antibullying lobby insist is the Edinburgh defence) for interwebs trolling and a short lived sense that you can talk politics or dog ownership without being ranted at.

Add him to the list.

Not too difficult to spot the new generation of Cressers/Paddeds/TeeJs coming through the ranks.

Is iDave banned btw? He didn't seem to be very recently despite (AFAIK) running off with people's cash.

forum for the boyz in't it.

Oh whoopsie, someone got banned from a forum.

Surely it can't have [i]that[/i] much impact on their life?

Or is the person so addicted to STW, they're already suffering withdrawal symptoms?

You guys take this internet forum stuff way too seriously.

I came on here for a few weeks about a year ago - got into a massive row with TJ with the usual suspects egging him on (the ones now blaming the people he argued with but are just as culpable). I tried to make light of the row and gave him loads of chances to just agree to differ, take the piss a bit and leave it at that. He couldn't - ZERO sense of humor and never took a backward step.

I left it over a year because the place was just too intense to bother. I come back a year later and wouldn't you know - TJ mouthing off still.

Some of you lot (and TJ) need to lighten up a bit. You are not going to change the world by shoving your views down peoples throats on the interweb. This forum could at any minute get shut down and deleted - the lot gone. In the meantime you will put people off joining in because it's just too much like hard work. You find yourself re-reading your posts in case you've given someone fuel to roast you with.

By all means have a barney. But do with it good humor and nobody gets hurt.

Exactly, It's bordering on being unbelievable that human beings can have this sort of reaction to forum postings. It just doesn't matter at all does it. It's completely inconsequential what is posted in here. It's just a feature of a website to a publication and some of you make out that is some sort of hallowed ground.

You need to take a step back and grow the **** up.

I struggle with long sentences, but for the record, I think TJ had a lot to offer this forum; it was his lack of self-restraint that has led to his demise.

Sounds like you're getting a bit worked up about this fervouredimage. Unbelievable really isn't it?

[quote=bikebouy]
.
I miss elfin.
.

What a strange thing to say.......

considering he was banned for life two months before you registered ?

Mmmmmmm ?????

Sounds like you're getting a bit worked up about this fervouredimage.

I don't know whether laugher constitutes 'getting worked up' but fair enough.

What a strange thing to say.......

considering he was banned for life two months before you registered ?

Mmmmmmm ?????

[img] [/img]

Ah, the Edinburgh defence, fevouredimage. A homage I assume 🙂

Ah, the Edinburgh defence, fevouredimage. A homage I assume

😆 Of course.

Can someone just clear this up, because it's not entirely obvious.

He is still alive right?

Lolled at this a lot 🙂

FWIW it wasn't the arguing that was the problem, I think. It was the total dismissal of any other argument and the constant denigration and character assasination attempts that came with it. I think he didn't realise he was doing it tbh.

A lifetime ban from STW???!!?

Not the end of the world really is it, perhaps the start of some new opportunities?

There are plenty of other cycling forums out there, But maybe internet based time thieves have had their day for TJ and TBH getting some time back for 'Real world' pursuits sounds ideal to my mind, Maybe I should push for a ban myself... I might achieve something useful as a result.

I find it quite odd though that any web forum should choose to ban someone just for holding strong views and simply being robust in their style of argument... Still its their forum they can do as they please.

I don't really find his posts bad TBH, and I think most people on here and elsewhere argue from a fixed or entrenched position, especially on more political topics TJ certainly isn't the only one with strong views that he won't back down on, perhaps in some respecs that is to his credit...

TJs ban just seems like a win for empty headed appathetic types who don't like a bit of 'Web-conflict'... The thing is with Web-fights as heated as they might seem, Nobody actually gets hurt and you can always just wander off onto another thread if it all gets a bit much...

I also love the way so many have started their comments with the [I]"I'm not commenting on the Mods Decision to Ban TJ but..."[/I] and then go and do precisely that... Do STW Mods really wield such awesome power?

I've seen state funerals are finish quicker than this... and those guys are definitely dead.

I presume TJ, whose input was usually pretty interesting, isn't...

If this is like Rangers getting booted out of the SPL, who joins the Tennants Big Hitter League? Please, please, please let me be Dundee.

fervouredimage - Member

....It's just a feature of a website to a publication

Your so wrong 🙄

it's like a community bro'
everyone helping each other out, feeling the love, sharing the rad and no-one getting ripped off by fellow users or anything....

....Oh 😳

Interesting to hear from all the people who "never post", but are glad he's gone.

maybe there's a link there 🙄

What a strange thing to say.......

considering he was banned for life two months before you registered ?

Mmmmmmm ?????

He could have been a [s]stalker[/s] lurker....

Mob rule?

What a strange thing to say.......
considering he was banned for life two months before you registered ?
Mmmmmmm ?????

He could have been a stalker lurker....

That is one possibility.

There are a couple of others that seem more likely.

> Interesting to hear from all the people who "never post", but are glad he's gone.

maybe there's a link there

Maybe. I look forward to hundreds of new regular posters emerging, who had previously cowered in the shadows at TJ's fearsome gaze 😆

The "what brake/hub/rotor mount/handlebar clamp size" threads will be all unbalanced now. Who's going to argue with Poddy and cynic-Al about cup and cone hubs now? 🙁

Suprised that if z-11 is a Mavic rep he doesn't seem to chip in much on wheel threads on the other channel.

Just to confirm, I'm not

I do work in the trade, I don't reveal on here who for as I'm not speaking on behalf of my employer, and I rarely post on product related threads for the same reason, as I think its only fair that I don't comment or slag off other peoples product as it could constitute a conflict of interest.

Hope that helps

k

I'm not

> Interesting to hear from all the people who "never post", but are glad he's gone.
maybe there's a link there
Maybe. I look forward to hundreds of new regular posters emerging, who had previously cowered in the shadows at TJ's fearsome gaze

🙂 I'm sure the frail will find someone else to attach their lack of confidence to.

Suprised that if z-11 is a Mavic rep he doesn't seem to chip in much on wheel threads on the other channel.

Like I said, has he ever contributed on a thread about anything to do with bikes, or mountain biking?

Edit: nice edit

Zulu-Eleven - Member
Just to confirm, I'm not

Mafac ?

And yes, people here do know me, and know that I used to be the northern england coordinator for IMBA before taking a job in the trade, and i'm happy that I can maintain a seperation between talking balls in the political threads, when I may take pleasure in challenging peoples entrenched positions or biases with equally ridiculous counterpoints, and offering advice on bikes and trails, that people who've been around here for a while know I've done a lot of.

Edit - At the same time I don't think that other people can necessarily see or draw that division, between the 'personal' hat and the 'official' hat as we've seen on some occasions here in the past, hence I withdraw from the arena.

Regards TJ - I've had more than a few arguments with him, generally when I've chosen to highlight either rank hypocrisy or challence something he's said that I think is complete balls - and while TJ may entrench himself in a position to his detriment, I don't think he's often unnessesarily offensive or abusive, and I think he has always given as good as he's gotten, and vice versa.

zulu: fair enough. I suppose you have to be toally upfront about who you are and who you work for so people know,(ctbm, richiesilverfish etc) or keep right out of it.

It must be a bit frustratinging for you when you look on the bike forum and see ill-informed guff being earnestly written by one happy/angry customer about whatever product(s) is you are involved in selling, or indeed the 'competition'. I stay out of quite a few threads on the chat side that pertain to my own professional life for similar reasons.

when I may take pleasure in challenging peoples entrenched positions or biases with equally ridiculous counterpoints

Wow, you're, like, so clever.

It takes two (or more) people for an argument,

TJ could start an argument in an empty room. He creates arguements from innocent statements then fans the fires.

It's just a feature of a website to a publication

Though some of us have been here long enough to remember the website from before the publication - in fact the publication would never have existed had some of us not been so keen on it that we put up money in advance to get the publication going (yes I was one of them, but I'm not looking for a medal or anything, just pointing out that the user community came first).

That does remind me though of some who were on Go-Far, but I can't think I've ever seen on here, or at least not for a long time - anybody heard from Myra VI for instance?

the user community came first

Blimey I had no idea.

I may take pleasure in challenging peoples entrenched positions or biases with equally ridiculous counterpoints

AKA trolling, which I believe is against forum rules.

offering advice on bikes and trails, that people who've been around here for a while know I've done a lot of.

Really? When was the last time you did that then?

Some of you lot (and TJ) need to lighten up a bit. You are not going to change the world by shoving your views down peoples throats on the interweb. This forum could at any minute get shut down and deleted - the lot gone. In the meantime you will put people off joining in because it's just too much like hard work. You find yourself re-reading your posts in case you've given someone fuel to roast you with.

This ^^

FWIW I mentioned BikeMagic earlier - this is exactly the reason there are 10/12 not 30/40 regulars posting on there these days, and new blood seems hard to come by. The arguing has slacked off some recently, and the bike content increased so hopefully it'll grow, but it should serve as a warning to STW.

Also though, the BM Mods are less tough than on here but do seem to spot the line between "opinion" and "insult" better.

Here's the last you'll see of me for a week probably but - I found it particularly galling to have been warned by the mods for here using a
word beginning with "T" on the forum, but then to see words beginning with "S" and "P" an recent copies of the Mag. WTF eh...?

banning everyone who's posted on this thread would go a long way to making this a better place.

[img] [/img]

word beginning with "T" on the forum, but then to see words beginning with "S" and "P" an recent copies of the Mag. WTF eh...?

I moderate another forum and I make a concerted effort to keep swearing down. Not because I'm a prude, but because I want to keep the forum useable for people while they are at work and at the mercy of swear filters.

Really? When was the last time you did that then?

In defence, he has sent me useful information about trails around the Scottish borders in the past.

philconsequence - Member
banning everyone who's posted on this thread would [s]go a long way to making[/s] make this a empty place.

FTFY.

banning everyone who's posted on this thread would go a long way to making this a better place.

Bye then 😉

No he was right first time Kryton.

So much hot air and navel gazing, so little self-awareness.

I realise I've put myself at risk by posting on this thread now, but I'll take one for the team if need be.

90% of the governments' budget is spent independently of political incumbents.

phew, that felt good.

I'm hungry, what's for lunch?

I'm hungry, what's for lunch?

[img] [/img]

mmmmmm pie

The posturing bullies have won. Congratulations.

I'm sure the frail will find someone else to attach their lack of confidence to.

Never a truer word spoken

(yes I was one of them, but I'm not looking for a medal or anything, just pointing out that the user community came first).

So am I and I [i]would[/i] like a medal. It's all I'm likely to get one for, and everyone else seems to be getting one the past couple of weeks 🙂

I was expecting more arguing on this thread!

I was expecting more arguing on this thread!

Thats cos we are all nice and full of praise for TJ

Typical sheep mentality this or Red Top journalism. Kick em down then all go ahhhh what a shame he's such a nice guy blah blah blah. Wer'nt so nice when kicking him ?

Read the fist page and thought WTF.

Worse than the soaps on the tv

No doubt i will get flamed for this but he ho, i have an off button.

And breathe, bad day today (Sorry) 😳

 

Can I just add that the Laffer curve ROCKS!

301!!! I'm late

The posturing bullies have won. Congratulations.

how can getting banned be winning?

I'm amazed that some people have the time to post as much drivel as they do on here.
Admittedly, I used to do the same many years ago, but gradually the knobjockery and biletwittery on here became less and less tolerable so I only pop my head around the door occasionally these days.

(The period of time when that Elf character was at his peak and also someone claiming Hit the North was some kind of neo-nazi rally were particular low points that convinced me I'd made the right choice to bugger off)

Probably best thing that ever happended to TJ...he'll have about an extra 10 hours a week free time...

[quote=terrahawk said]someone claiming Hit the North was some kind of neo-nazi rally

Splutters on latte

(The period of time when that Elf character was at his peak and also someone claiming Hit the North was some kind of neo-nazi rally were particular low points that convinced me I'd made the right choice to bugger off)

Wait, whut?

It's a shame I've used my quota of Mal reaction gifs today. 🙁

So I'm reading through this thread as its moved on somewhat since I posted earlier this morning and I've noticed that there are quite a few posters names I don't recognise.
Another interesting development.

Moving back to a point I made earlier, without those that speak up, this place will turn stale and die.
Last year it was full of varied subjects and photo posts from all walks of life, now it's turning into a 20 topic set and pick one to talk about.. Bit like an A level in English.

Characters, that's what makes forums, not a selective few tied into single thought.

Where's the architectural threads...? Exactly, my point exactly.

someone claiming Hit the North was some kind of neo-nazi rally

[img] [/img]

someone claiming Hit the North was some kind of neo-nazi rally

can one just not start a new account with a different email address? how does a lifetime ban work?

*packs Jackboots and gives Prince Harry a call about next year's HtN*

[i]Where's the architectural threads...? Exactly, my point exactly. [/i]

I don't think Elf had a monopoly on starting threads about buildings?

can one just not start a new account with a different email address? how does a lifetime ban work?

{content modded by mods so as not to reveal mods' moderation techniques}

can one just not start a new account with a different email address? how does a lifetime ban work?

It would appear so.

As I said earlier, bikebuoy misses Elf, who was banned Two months before bikebuoy even registered.

*wonders who Bikebuoy used to be before he re-registered ?*

I think if TJ came back it would only take 1 helmet thread to get him out

Cheers Captain! 😀

now it's turning into a 20 topic set and pick one to talk about..

I don't think Elf had a monopoly on starting threads about buildings?

I just wanted to highlight the other line in that post where he blames other people for the lack of variation in topics. Unfortunately, he probably thinks irony is another metal, a bit like coppery.

This month we've reached a pinnacle of website traffic. We've gone past 850,000 unique users & displayed over 8 million page impressions. That's our best performance ever. With 85% of our traffic being in the forum I'm not sure there's any evidence for the argument the forum is becoming stale and isn't as good as it once was. The traffic figures have been rising for 12 years, with a rapid period of growth over the last 2. There is no discernible effect in any of the stats we have to show that the presence or otherwise of an individual makes any difference at all. We provide the forum for the general population of mountain bikers at large. Our continued success is dependent on maintaining the forum and the site for as wide a section of the population as possible. That means no one person (or minority group) can be allowed to dominate the forum in a negative way as this puts off a huge number of potential users from posting anything at all. I have evidence here that shows the behaviour of forum individuals has directly lead to the canceling of subscriptions and the loss of revenue to us. My job is to take that seriously and no matter what the opinions of long standing regulars or otherwise to act to prevent that from happening in the future.

If you contribute nothing but argument.. If you enjoy winding up other forum users.. if you are abusive, rude or generally disrespectful of other forum users then you will not be welcome here. This is our long standing attitude and we believe sticking to that principal has gained us the following and the popularity that we currently enjoy.

This forum is an amazing place. It is unquestionably supportive and generous when we are presented with genuine need for help. It is hilarious on a daily basis and the vast, VAST majority of the thousands of daily posts are respectful and positive. The vast majority of arguments are done with thought and respect. But a minority of users come here principally to find an argument. They enjoy taking the opposite or pedantic standpoint and they pursue that in order to try and break their 'opponent' or to boost their own fragile egos. These people are not welcome here. These people are easy to spot, principally because they are vocal but also, thankfully, because there are very few of them. But they have a voice loud enough to taint the entire forum with their negativity. The people I am describing will all recognise themselves and they should think very carefully about what they contribute to our community in the future as their lead has now become very short, as SEVERAL have already found out in the last 24 hours.

Here endeth the thread.