(18-06-2015, 11:36 AM)wsn03 Wrote: Believe it or not Tom I do get why people don't use their real names. I've actually witnessed someone on the last forum expressing how he was looking forward to meeting me at a forum meeting in a very sinister way, I note he never mentioned he would be with 4 of his friends (I spotted in another thread) - had I been able to get to the forum meeting he'd have had a pleasant surprise waiting for him if he was up to no good (not only from me, but I'm a local lad with a lot of handy friends on tap).
There are so many oddballs online that some people don't want to be stalked by them.

What I have noticed though is that the genuine people get in touch via pm to those they want to and share all the relevant information. I have met so many of the anonymous names that way, including stopping in to visit one in Holland having never met in person before, I've made so many face to face friends on the forum - Sticky, Amsterdam, Steddy Eddy, Helmand TT..... the list goes on.

Full regristration to the forum owner, payment (for his time and effort), signing a contract or user agreement, and making the forum visible to users only would solve most of Malcolm's problems. Anyone serious would do this. Would I give up £10 or whatever Pounds to talk bikes and TT to the likes of you? Too right, not a lot else interests me.
But I don't want the lunatics / bike thieves etc stalking me particularly.

Real Road Racing tried that a while ago and it failed. People won't part with money, someone will just come up with another forum for the TT, it may or may not flourish, it may or may not have similar problems.

Registered users only viewing will help, as it would null a lot of the slanderous content being available for legal action, so the administrator wouldn't have to read every post with a view to protecting themselves from any litigation with regard to what people say, look at FB and Twit you can and people regularly do, say anything they want, whether true or not.

People will always have disagreements about things, varying backgrounds, varying reasons for going to the TT, different opinions about how things should be run, the governing bodies etc. The list would go on and on. So there will sometimes be robust debate on any forum, a good thing I think, even though the common subject is a passion for all. Unfortunately and as you have alluded to, some will get personally abusive and this is where it breaks down.

Its a shame Malcolm has decided to shut down the forum (Not the regular updates) but with a team of people behind him it would be far easier to police the board, its too much time to do on your own.

Good luck though whatever he decides to do.