[Closed] So, can Fred/Elfin be allowed back now please?

Those that think elf
is a bad guy with
no idea. should
use the best of STFU.
eat some prawn cocktail crisps.

I was ill a couple of years ago, he took the time to contact me.When he was going off on one on here I always put it in the context of what I had seen of him off forum.And after all,it is only a forum. If you get so wound up that you hate somebody on the basis of something they say to you on the internet,then you are going to make yourself ill.

I think a lot of the comments made here say more about the poster than elfin.

I think a lot of the comments made here say more about the poster than elfin.

So one cannot say they don't like/do like someone, without it reflecting on themselves?

Unless I have misunderstood?

Fragile egos will always blame someone else for their failings

He'll be back under another name.

The veiled references to MA's teaching career weren't clever however.

After the bile directed at Mark post-ban by said individual I would imagine it'll be some time before the mockney reappears (legitimately).

Chance of him coming back = zero, according to A Power That Bees.

Elfinsafety Elfin Safety
@mastiles01 "I'd started to forget he existed. No big deal really as far as I am concerned." Another one! So why follow me on Twitter then?
Feb 03, 1:31 PM via web

Met him thought he was a egotistical twit. His posting on here was destructive to any thread he posted on and mostly not funny to read or serving any purpose.

iirc the last time he got banned he sent a load of abuse to staff at the magazine and i thought he wouldn't be allowed back. After this current band and the psychotic bile he posted to staff at stw he will not be allowed back.

its a non starter. better place without him

He's as harmless as they come

Tell that to the owners of the letterbox he was caught ejaculating into.

For everyone saying how great he is offline, what does that matter to the forum given that his online persona was (in general and with his woodwork thread a great exception) an arse?

I just assumed he was a guy with 'issues' so guessed some of his behaviour was influenced by these, although these issues seem to be an elephant in the room on these threads. I just took him as part of the furniture around here.

Do you actually believe that suggesting one of the STW staff might be a paedophile is (a) acceptable or (b) likely to be forgotten?

but I guess if this is true, it seems fair enough he is banned, it's pretty spiteful and vile.

Didn't know he'd gone, but then I've not been on as much of late due to being busy.

Being one of the ones he tended to jump on straight away, even I didn't mind him for the most. He did become tiresome at times, but then I'd choose to ignore him.

Not fussed either way to be honest.

I think if given the opportunity he'd come back into the fold, chastened and moderated.

Oh, he's been 'rehabilitated' numerous times and comes back all sweet and innocent - he's a serial re-offender though and it isn't long before he's back to his old ways
He simply can't help himself

He didn't upset me but then again, I take internet chat about as seriously as a hole in my sock.
I did get amusement at times watching him expertly lure someone into his trap before unleashing the storm.

Do you actually believe that suggesting one of the STW staff might be a paedophile is (a) acceptable or (b) likely to be forgotten?

Both?

bring him back imho

he may have crossed the line but so it seems did several other abusing him on twitter

i say put all the hysteria and bitchiness and overmodding down to post xmas, winter, longest paymonth blues and get on with the important stw forum business of arguing about what tyres/dropper post/economic model/wheel size/politicalparty is best

I just assumed he was a guy with 'issues' so guessed some of his behaviour was influenced by these, although these issues seem to be an elephant in the room on these threads

Agreed. And I'm surprised that his friends think being allowed back on this forum would be good for him.

40

/40

Best. Troll. Ever. 🙁

[IMG] [/IMG]
[IMG] [/IMG]
Yeah!!.......

Wunhundred!

/ahem

Don't taunt him Jamie.

So, in summary:

Those that met him and stated they liked him in real life (mostly) agree he was nothing like his on line persona and that even they (mostly) found his on line persona a little tiring at times.

Those that had not met him (mostly) found his on line persona tiresome and OTT.

So, here we are, on line and we mostly agree. Group hug.

Well. Cressers got back on eventually, even after The Deep-Fried Potato One saw fit to show him his arse as a goodbye present, so there may be hope for Fred yet.

I was enjoying trainspotting the rhythm of his posts, watching out for the short periods of contrition and then logging the subsequent build-up to his Full Steam Ahead mania and psychedelic usage of emoticons.

Oh well.

Much better without him ruining any thread that doesn't fit with his twisted view of the world. Long may he stay banned.

Much [s]better[/s] of a muchness without him [s]ruining[/s] successfully disputing any thread that doesn't fit with his [s]twisted[/s] down to earth view of the world

FTFY

I have it on very good authority that he still manages to find the time to be appalled by some of the narrow-mindedness displayed in forum members posts..

😀

he still manages to find the time to be appalled by some of the narrow-mindedness displayed in forum members posts..

conversely, I always had him down as being narrow minded and his inability to allow other POV to be aired was his downfall when the ban stick was being polished

is there a smiley for 'shrugs noncomittally'..?

[img] http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSLXbXJtnvrXhPx1B_kC-SeO5Oj6HqtIX0ZcQQoy0_x9WRFn90rvbjnYA [/img]

😀

I have it on very good authority that he still manages to find the time to be appalled by some of the narrow-mindedness displayed in forum members posts..

Christ on a bike! Why would you bother? Seriously, it's a bike forum primarily inhabited by middle age blokes who happen to ride bikes, I struggle to think of much less worthy to get emotional about. I hope his 'friends' help him to realise this, and I hope he gets the support he needs. I wish him my best.

Bring him back.

In so far that this is a democracy my vote would be for his return . Thouygh I have to concede I never saw the posts that led to his ban . If they were as suggested above then I would say any return could only come after a suitability abject apology and be on a probationary basis .

Anyone would thinks those at STW towers should lift the ban on fred after his behaviour needs their head checking. Appeals will fall on deaf ears. To most (not all) on here fred is a character that exists in their ethereal online life. To STW people he is a real person who has been deeply offensive.

If he'd behaved like that in a pub and been barred by the landlord do you think it was any of your's place to plead his return? If someone was barred from my local and I cared enough Id go and drink with them in which ever new pub they'd chosen. Perhaps its time for a chocolatefred forum for his acolytes to go and bathe in his drippings.

Perhaps its time for a chocolatefred forum for his acolytes to go and bathe in his drippings.

yeah, and don't forget to leave your opinions at the door, they won't be welcome

I don't buy the pub analogy...this is a more or less public forum, where many don't behave as they would in a pub, and where there are rules of participation, albeit inconsistently applied.

Fred wasn't banned for his behavior on the evening in question, but for his past

Fred wasn't banned for his behavior on the evening in question, but for his past

Doesn't really matter
If he was starting again, they needed to get rid of him before he takes up all their time moderating him
He was high maintenance and not worth the outlay to control him

is this still a mountain bike forum or is it a doss house for people with too much time on their hands to argue the toss with every veiwpoint and opinion?

I for one am sick of the big hitters (aka wannabe moderators) on here who turn every thread into a 10 page "my points better than your point" thread.

So in short, i really couldn't give a **** who elfin is, what he did or the fact he's not here - ban all the big hitters for a while and I bet this place becomes a nicer place to visit

there, i said it

is this still a mountain bike forum or is it a doss house for people with too much time on their hands to argue the toss with every veiwpoint and opinion?

Who?

Those that met him and stated they liked him in real life (mostly) agree he was nothing like his on line persona ....

I think he is very much like his online persona in real life - kind, considerate, chatty, amusing, interesting, etc. Which explains why Elfie was one of the forum users that STWers most wanted to meet.

In November I made a comment in a post on here that someone close to me had died, immediately Elfie texted me to say how sorry he was to hear it. I texted back saying it was my mother, to which he predictably responded by saying how gutted he was to be told and if needed, not to hesitate to contact him for a chat. He showed exactly the same of level of concern and kindness to others on regular occasions on this forum.

I see that there appears to be a myth being born that Elfie argued all the time, he didn't. If there was a difference with respects to arguing, compared to other average users, it was that when Elfie did sometimes argue, just like everyone else on here, he did it with a lot of passion and was prepared to take unpopular positions - admirable qualities some would say.

His undoing was that he was he rather eloquent and effective, which got right up the backs of some ineffective narrow minded people who due to their inadequacies dealt with it by constantly whingeing and complaining to the mods.

He was also on the receiving end of some very nasty comments, mcboo's reference on this thread of him being a "little turd" was typical, and Flashheart's comments about Elfie's mother was quite possibly the most insulting post I have ever read on here - in fact it significantly changed my perceptions of Flashheart.

.

Do you actually believe that suggesting one of the STW staff might be a paedophile is (a) acceptable or (b) likely to be forgotten?

Surely that depends on how well someone knows Mark ? If I were Mark I would positively relish the opportunity to do just that. And why not ? I can't see a problem, I would be merely reinforcing to myself what a great awesome guy I am. In fact I would take it as an insult the very suggestion that I was incapable of such a thing. Based on the little I know about Mark he seems an OK sort of guy to me.

More than I can say for a lot of the spineless, boring, backstabbers that you come across here.

Well, if it's so bad, you know where the door is. Don't let it bang you on the arse on the way out etc...

His undoing was that he was he rather [s]eloquent[/s] illiterate and ineffective with his childish mockney prose, which got right up the backs of some [s]ineffective narrow minded[/s] people with a mental age higher than three, who,[s] due[/s] to their [s]inadequacies[/s] credit, dealt with it by [s]constantly whingeing and complaining to[/s] informing the mods.

FIFY

At the risk of annoying the elf fan club, I disagree he was eloquent and effective. More like dogged, possessing an over-inflated opinion of his own intellect and dismissive of others imho.

I suppose, Ernie, you could be like RealMan here, and say that it's clear that roughly 50% of the posters on the thread are on your side. 😆

Which reminds me - did that guy ever get his money back?

i don't know the guy, other than from his posts on here, but i assume he has a life which, in order for him to be happy, doesn't require writing stuff on a random internet forum set up by a niche magazine covering a niche sport?

so does he actually really want to be "allowed" back?

If the answer is yes, then maybe he needs some time away from the internet. If the answer is no, then why are people begging that he be allowed back?

zokes - Member

FIFY

How about not fixing my posts and coming up with something of your own to say ?

Feel free to disagree with me but try to 'construct an argument', a more challenging alternative I know, but potentially also more satisfying. Give it a go and see 💡

How about not fixing my posts and coming up with something of your own to say ?

No argument required. It's quite clear that the majority on this thread don't want dear Fred back. No need to go insulting some of them.

Ohh heck he's sent me a direct message on Twitter telling me he has blocked me. I din't know why because I never use it.

I have always had time for him but he does seem to have spat his dummy out because my online friendship with him was, by my admission, rather unimportant to me. And that response makes me see him in the same way others have experienced his mood swings and odd behaviour.

But he did offer me the same condolences as he did Ernie when my mum died last year so I do accept he has a great heart - just don't take EVERYTHING to heart Fred...

Ohh heck he's sent me a direct message on Twitter telling me he has blocked me

I've just blocked you too - it'll come into effect just as soon as I open a Twitter account

No argument required. It's quite clear that the majority on this thread don't want dear Fred back.

Obviously you disagree with your own statement as you clearly felt compelled to respond to my post.

No need to go insulting some of them.

And yet you feel it is vital for your case to continue insulting Elfie with references to "illiterate", "childish mockney", and "mental age higher than three".

"illiterate",

We all know he's supposedly intelligent. He chose to spell incorrectly, hence seeming illiterate.

"childish mockney",

Was his usual method of expressing himself.

"mental age higher than three".

Most people older than three at least make some attempt to speak coherently when trying to argue a point.

Very few find the concept of a grown adult deliberately pretending to be illiterate by typing in childish mockney even vaguely amusing.

And yet you feel it is vital for your case to continue insulting Elfie

why are you calling him Elfie?
you seem to have taken on HIS persona ernie.
are you playing games as usual?

Very few find the concept of a grown adult deliberately pretending to be illiterate by typing in childish mockney even vaguely amusing.

And yet the response to it is utterly hilarious 🙂

Sounds like you're missing him very much ernie, I admire the depth of your passion and your ability to express it.

Just skim read some of this and this came to mind

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/amusing-self-flagellation-in-the-mail

Sorry.

so does he actually really want to be "allowed" back?

If the answer is yes, then maybe he needs some time away from the internet. If the answer is no, then why are people begging that he be allowed back?

This was my point too.

I'm trying not to be confrontational about it, but perhaps his friends should ask themselves if STW might have been bad for him.

If he was an alcoholic would they be arguing with the landlord to let him back in that hypothetical pub people were talking about above?

I'm trying not to be confrontational about it, but perhaps his friends should ask themselves if STW might have been bad for him.

It's almost like some want Fred to come back, purely because he annoys the people that annoy themselves.

Winding up by proxy if you will.

Why own a dog and bark yourself perhaps?

oh look, another fredthread !

FWIW, I like fred and his opinions are often interesting but his post rate/count is what gets tiresome. The bannings seem to come when those reach a peak - atrition is not a [s]good[/s] forum friendly way to argue and tends to end in tedious repetition and ultimately descends into insults

(he ain't the only one, though he becomes far the most obvious example by "ban-time")

Weird - if people get so wound up by a forum user, why don't they just use the blocking software, instead of reading everything they post like some kind of Mary Whitehouse "I will be outraged" type weirdo?
I found someone's attitude annoying on a couple of threads, now all I get is "Blahblah said something stupid".
I found it doesn't make much difference to forum use so never bothered removing the filter.
BTW, elfin only made the half hearted paedo reference [i]after[/i] he was baned.

[i]BTW, elfin only made the half hearted paedo reference after he was baned.[/i]

Which presumably makes it perfectly acceptable? 🙄

Promised myself i wasn'y going to comment on this but...

"half-hearted paedo reference"

This sort of thing can't be 'half hearted' IMHO. It has the potential to ruin lives and careers so is a very dangerous accusation to make.

Jamie said something stupid.

Narrow it down a bit for us Jamie

[i]This sort of thing can't be 'half hearted' IMHO. It has the potential to ruin lives and careers so is a very dangerous accusation to make. [/i]

Exactly.

..and all those 'Aww poor lickle Elfin, let him back cos he's my mate' types should really have a look at what they are defending; no one else would get away with that kind of thing.

Narrow it down a bit for us Jamie

Be easier to nail fog to the wall, TGA.

🙂

actually, it'd be a great way of "banning" people if the forum read as normal to them but returned "(banned person) said something stupid" for everyone else.

Being apparently ignored by everyone would probably do some members some good (never did me any harm & I've been here for years ( 🙁 ))

I've just blocked you too - it'll come into effect just as soon as I open a Twitter account

Very few find the concept of a grown adult deliberately pretending to be illiterate by typing in childish mockney even vaguely amusing.

That's fair enough, it was just that so many folk chose to get really wound up by it, seemingly like you.

He's a stranger on the internet, GET OVER YOURSELF.

can we lock all the moaning hard done by fannies in a room together.. naked.. for six weeks.. with no food.. armed with knives..

call it Big Bother..

poor me I didn't like his funny accent.. poor me I miss his witty repertoire.. poor me I got fed up of him being right all the time.. poor me he insinuated my mate had hives.. poor me he had a heart of gold.. poor me he gave my granny worms.. poor me he'd never hurt a fly.. poor me he said posh people don't wash their teeth and balls.. poor me he washed my teeth and balls..

poor fred

posh people don't wash their teeth and balls..

Being apparently ignored by everyone would probably do some members some good (never did me any harm & I've been here for years ( ))

Sorry, but anyone who has the time to post more than a dozen times a week or so should be questioning their life and then be getting one. Forums are much better places without most of these over-regulars irrespective of the views or peculiarities.

I missed the thread that got him this ban, but I was just thinking the other day what a long time his current pseudonym had lasted. I don't find him any more annoying than any of the othe 'big hitters', so I'd be happy to see him back. It is time for a new name though.

His undoing was that he was he rather eloquent and effective

Oh, purleeeeeze. You can do so much better than that. Or did you mean to come across as a sycophantic wetpants with that post? If that was your intention, please accept my apology.

Sorry, but anyone who has the time to post more than a dozen times a week or so should be questioning their life and then be getting one

Oh, I dunno
Some of us get paid quite well to keep posting all day every day, we can't all have a job that keeps us to the grindstone all day.
As much as we'd like to be micro managed into filling every second with profit making input, some of us just have to face the fact that we'll never have a 'proper' job and just put up with getting well paid to post here.

It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

[i]Which presumably makes it perfectly acceptable? [/i]

Presumably? why presumably? I only mentioned it as someone asked if that was why he was banned.
Course its not f-in acceptable you eye rolling twonk

joyless conservatives don't like it up 'em..

Is he not already on here under another username?

Sorry, but anyone who has the time to post more than a dozen times a week or so should be questioning their life and then be getting one. Forums are much better places without most of these over-regulars irrespective of the views or peculiarities.

You do realise you have posted 7 times in the last 5 days, right?