Rudeness on this Forum?

[Guest]

I just registered a new account (simply because I'm embarrassed of the old username) so don't attack me as being a "newbie" since I've been a member on the first month when the forums were added onto TPR back in 06 or 05.

 

SO, I've noticed how TPR has changed over the past few years.

 

I LOVE the fact that there are SO many posters on this forum discussing various aspects about what we love, and that the site is constantly updated with Robb/Elissa's invaluable pictures that gives thousands of members a smile on their faces.

 

However, I just feel like the forum has gotten a little bit... unfriendly in some instances.

 

For example, I just saw a locked thread with a link (presumably) to the video of KBF's accident. The Moderator's note was:

Seriously. Do a search. It's being discussed in the thread that was at the TOP OF THE PAGE.

 

Now, was that REALLY necessary? That's just beyond rude in my opinion. A simple, "It's currently being discussed on KBF's thread!" would have been nice. "Seriously" was totally uncalled for.

 

Yes, the person who posted that thread is at fault for not noticing the discussion on the KBF's page, but I definitely don't think rudeness is necessary in those situations...

 

In another instance:

^Do you think Robb really wants/needs to be corrected about that?

 

or

 

Do you think Robb will be ticked off that someone is pointing out a minor inaccuracy after he stays up all hours of the night to provide TPR members content as quickly as possible?

The thing is, the person who "corrected" Robb wasn't even pretentious! His post had a friendly tone in his message, so WHY does somebody have to act as if it's a terrible deed that the person committed?

 

Also, there were many people who criticize those asking "Are there going to be any updates?" or other things in general, and it can get tiring and I've seen many "DUDE ROBB IS SPENDING HOURS OF HIS TIME DOING THESE UPDATES FOR YOU SO STFU AND BE PATIENT" backseat moderating. That I think is not necessary either. Yes, the person needs to know how much time is spent putting together updates for everybody, but again, it should never be an excuse to be rude to somebody. In those cases, "Hey there, just know that Robb is busy and unsurprisingly, TPR isn't everything that Robb is involved with. So give him more time!" would be SO much more preferable to the pretentious aforementioned example.

 

My point is that... Yes, people need to read the Terms of Service and try to do their best not posting a thread about something that's already being discussed or annoy other members. However, TPR probably is the best amusement park-oriented website. Therefore, it's inevitable that many new members will come to this forum who may not be as in-the-know as many of you are, and yes, it's usually the new members who will make those mistakes. But I really don't think rudeness is called for.

 

In conclusion:

 

Can't we all be nice?

[Wes]

We aren't perfect 100% of the time, and we try to address issues that members may have with the moderation/overall tone around here. If you have issues with any moderation issues, please contact a moderator or Robb via PM and let them know.

[larrygator]

Your points are valid, but remember none of us are perfect, including the moderators. We have good days and bad days and with TPR being the busiest theme park website we sometimes see the same problems over and over again.

 

Many times the moderators are moderating during limited breaks we have during work and our responses need to be quick (and sometimes not the most thought out). But at least in the first instance you mention we are not saying. "Hey stupid this is already being discussed right under your nose."

 

Sometimes as moderators we make posts based on the person we are responding too. Since I made the response to Jeremy asking if he thinks Robb wanted to be corrected... let me respond. I would not have made that specific response to a new poster or someone who is not familiar to Robb. If a newbie or non-regular had made the same post as Jeremy, I would have written a different response. Also keep in mind that when posting updates for a previous TPR trip, someone corrected Robb on one of his captions and Robb asked that people not do that as it really frustrates him and makes him not want to post any updates..

 

One other thing to keep in mind is that some of the rude responses from the moderators come after sending PMs trying to the habitual problem posters to correct their ways. If they don't listen to our private pleas to change, then sometimes call them out and do get rude with them.

 

Again we are not perfect and Robb gives us a little latitude to use our judgement so he doesn't have to do all the moderating. Robb will let us know if he thinks we are too over the top in our moderating. I can tell for a fact that every moderator has been reprimanded in the past and apologies have gone out in threads and via PM.

[cfc]

Yes, mods and members do slip from time to time when it comes to manners--all are human. However, I am compelled to politely point something out:

 

17. Once you have registered an account and a screen name it cannot be changed, deleted or removed! Once an account is deleted, any posts or content you have submitted cannot be deleted and will remain on the public forum. So please pick a screen name you are prepared to live with for your existence on Theme Park Review. Please also note that one individual can only have one Theme Park Review account. If you create multiple accounts, this may be grounds for all of your Theme Park Review accounts to be suspended. Registering a new account to bypass an existing ban will result in your IP being banned.

 

Despite what you think of your old screenname, TPR's Terms of Service require that you use it. I'm afraid that this account will be deleted. You must use your original account.

[paintballer]

I'd rather have a forum with sometimes necessarily mean moderators then one with just overall bad mods.

[BelizeIt]

Well its been established that Moderators like Wes eat their own young. So naturally they can be a bit testy from time to time.

 

But, if you have been on a forum that isn't as strictly moderated as TPR, you can see what a mess it becomes. One of the most common problems is that people often don't use the search function, or even bother to look over the front page. So the Moderators often see the same issues over and over again, which is tiresome for anyone.

 

I've been posting on TPR since the beginning, and I've always been impressed with the way its run.

[Thelegendarymatthew]

Look, the Moderators are doing free labor for the site. If they happen to be a bit rude here and there, so be it. Nobody is going to be nice to everyone all the time.

 

I also have more to say, but the people above me have said it before.

 

Moderators, your doing a good job maintaining the site. You don't need to listen to this "newbie"

 

-Matthew K.

[ebl]

In defense of the mods, I'm one on another site, and when you see people doing the same thing over and over, and you warn them over and over, and they keep on doing it, getting frustrated becomes quite easy.

 

My biggest peeve, as everyone knows, is the HORRIBLE spelling and grammar that you see. Makes you wonder how much texting in English class some of those people do/did instead of listening to the teacher and doing the work.

 

The site I mod is fairly easy; here, there are so many more active posters, making the work that much harder.

 

Eric

[Chris Benvenuto]

Well, sometimes the mod's do need a reminder, I'm not against what they're doing but sometimes they do need a check.

 

In defense of the mods here, I was a mod for several shortlived websites in 2005, 2006, 2008. It's a chore keeping track of things and making sure rules are obeyed at all times. Sometimes the rudeness is from rulebreaking posters, and sometimes we've just come off a bad day at school, work, etc.

 

It's not all easy as it seems, most of time it's another job and it can be VERY frustrating too.

 

Just my two cents!

[mcjaco]

Since I'm the one who posted the "rude" closure notice....

 

Honestly guys, there were already four pages of the KBF accident discussion, along with the video. We pulled the video, and the thread in question went up within a half hour of that occurence. The KBF thread, was still the top thread. There was no reason to repost the video, or start a new thread.

 

We're fairly lenient when something gets totally buried, but when the discussion is in the first thread on a page, that's laziness on the poster.

 

And what's said before, sometimes you don't know the history of the poster, and issues we've had in the past.

 

And as for Wes, he's been very busy and not around much at all this summer, so to continue to speak ill of his moderating means you're not paying much attention.

[KPWoCkAxX]

I personally have nothing against the way the forum is run. If a mod needs to be a little harsh then so be it. It's an affective way for people to learn the rules. Alot of people sign up to sites and don't read the rules and just expect to 'waltz' in so to speak and start acting like the boss.

 

There's nothing wrong with being a little bit harsh or rude as long as it's fair.

[ebl]

^ Best post in this topic.

 

Eric

[TheRapidsNerd]

TPR is a good all around group of folks with LOTS of personality. The powers that be really do try hard to keep the forum fun, and managable for all. Sometimes they have to get a bit firm to make a point. And some mods have taken it to a humorous artform.

 

If you get a chance, meet some of these folks in person. You might think differently.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

I remember when I created my account and was careless about capitalization and punctuation. I thought "Who cares? it's the f!@#ing internet?" And I was addressed by the mods who brought it to my attention that my posts made me sound like an idiot. This could have been interpreted as being mean, but in the long run it saves you from everyone else calling you an idiot for having poor quality posts. This is one of the rather neater forums and that's do to the moderation staff. Ain't perfect but I couldn't do what they do...so as long as people aren't getting banned for saying that Knott's Berry Farm can s*ck it (as I occassionally do) all's well.

[mcjaco]

Ain't perfect

 

Quoted for truth. None of us are perfect.

[ebl]

Most annoying are the ones who deliberately do the all lower case posting, omit punctuation, or do the HeRe Is My PoSt... thing.

 

I like to say that it's OK to have your own "style" when it comes to posting, but show your style in the content and quality of your post, not in its appearance.

 

Eric

[atem122]

I find it necessary for the mods to burn people as it highly discourages the offender to repeat his or her actions.

For instance, I now know to:

Read 3 page threads, even if they're about an emailing service

Not be stupid (though I still frequently am)

And most importantly, not give Wes any material as he will eat me alive!

 

But the mods do a great job of keeping this forum relatively free of idiots (strange how I'm still on here though), and I highly commend them for that!

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^And I commend the mods for giving me the freedom to say that Knott's Berry Farm can s*ck it...

[Chris Benvenuto]

And most importantly, everyone should not give Wes any material as he will eat us alive!

 

 

Fixed.

[redwolfie]

I'm afraid that I kind of agree with the original poster. I love this site and appreciate the time and energy that goes into it, yet I don't post because certain members (not necessarily mods) just seem a bit too testy and snappy.

I don't want to get involved with arguments so I just look at the pictures.

 

Going back to lurking now....

[Manny In England]

^ Don't go back to lurking, looking at that post, you're a great member. You have opinions, which you put in the right thread, grammar and punctuation are good. Arguments only really start on hot topic issues, which he mods suppress for all the right reasons. Up to you.

[larrygator]

I'm afraid that I kind of agree with the original poster. I love this site and appreciate the time and energy that goes into it, yet I don't post because certain members (not necessarily mods) just seem a bit too testy and snappy.

I don't want to get involved with arguments so I just look at the pictures.

 

Going back to lurking now....

 

We certainly don't want anyone afraid to post here because a couple of people are over-opinionated and feel a need to respond to everyone who disagrees with them.

 

If anyone ever feels that they are being harassed by another member let the moderators know via PM. We can't always catch everything on our own. If the moderators think your own actions are causing people to get frusutrated with you, we will let you know.

 

However, in this day and age it never hurts to be thick skinned when posting in forums as you have internet bullies and idiots who hide behind their anonymity. This is not anything special to TPR.

[redwolfie]

I appreciate your comments guys. I'd hate for you to think I'm a shrinking violet. On the contrary, I've got a stubborn side too and I've been involved in the odd flame throwing exercise elsewhere!

I suppose I just like this place for its content and I'm quite happy not to make/take things personal.

 

I do think that the mods do a great job here, it must be hard to keep such a busy forum so well ordered.

[Imhotep]

I agree that the mods on the site do a great job, and they have a ton on their plate.. Repeat offenders could cause frustrations, so I can understand sarcasm. But maybe a healthy compromise would be to have all the mods use 'canned responses' to common issues . That way, you dont have to worry about smart comments that could possibly drive away members... And its faster for them, because they just copy/paste a reply instead of having to type out a response.

 

The KBF discussion is a good example. A thread was bound to get created, because not everyone catches the topic description (mistakes, we're only human, etc). Whomever caught and locked the topic could have used a canned response, something like

 

"This perticular issue is already being discussed here:

 

(url of thread)

 

Click the link to join the discussion!"

 

Maybe its a thought. I have never been a mod myself, so I dont know how much of a pain something like this would be.. But I know at my job, it makes work in my department easier. We all use canned phrases for those frustrating issues we face, or for those reps that come to us repeatedly that just don't seem to get it

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^Effective, though I'd wager to say not nearly as fun.