Thread Hi Jacking and fourm locking.....uuurrrggghhhh!!!

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I went to a thread I started asking to see what other MRR’ers looked like to see if any new faces have posted and what do I find within the thread.

Someone hijacked the thread for some personal revenge or what ever you want to call it and then because of a few feeling that thread was as good a place as any to air their old dirty laundry the thread got locked???

A thread that I enjoyed so much where I can SEE what other MRR’s look like and by the way, you are a beautiful group!

that’s just great, now anyone wanting to participate in that thread can not because someone decided to stand in the corner of the pool and poop in it and because the pool can’t be cleaned no one gets to swim…I’m wondering how many other threads got locked over this?

I read the reasons why that thread got locked down and because I knew nothing of this war going on and folks being band for breaking the rules (which I understand completely) it still sucks because a good thread has been killed off.

I’m about as different as it gets folks, a half breed with no experience in MRRing and also came from a very poor Rez to build a good life in my own home, but the folks here have been more than great helping me feel my way around this hobby and this site, so I really don’t buy the reasons given by one individual for not “Fitting in”.

So anytime, anywhere on any thread this little hate fest can break out and sabotage any thread and then POOF! there it goes, ah, isn’t that some sort of cyber terrorisium?

Hey, anytime I want to choose to put some one down or start a war of the key boards I can come in under another name and throw a bomb into a thread knowing that the result will be the thread being cancelled, closed down , locked or what ever they want to call it.

To the folks who find entertainment in sabotaging threads with their personal beefs, PLEASE think about what this is doing to the hobby and a great site like Trains.com , this is so sad a

2

Yep! We got a couple full time pool poopers here![V] Sucks! Don’t it? It didn’t used to be this bad 1-2 years ago. It would be even worse than this if we didn’t have a couple deputy moderators.
That was a good thread.[banghead]

3

Hi Jess,

I was upset too that some individuals had to start a “personal argument” up on such a great thread and get it locked down! I’ve been back in this hobby a few years now, and all I have is praise and thanks for all the wonderful folks who have helped me to enjoy this hobby along with them!
I really enjoy the trains.com forum and have learned immensely from it.
Perhaps I’ll have the honor of meeting you someday at a train show somewhere!
Don’t let a couple of guys on here spoil you’re enjoyment of this train site.
I suppose there’s always a couple of bad apples in every apple barrell but that’s just the way life is, but I just ignore them, and enjoy the “good apples”.

Thanks to all of those who have helped make my model train hobby more enjoyable, and helped me over the bumps and and derailments!

Happy MRR’ing to all!

TheK4Kid

Working on the Pennsy

4

Jess,

Don’t get too bummed because of the actions by a few malcontents. You’ll always find them in and on forums - no matter which ones you visit. Just continue to learn from and contribute to the threads that are still open.

Thankfully, for the most part, folks here on the forum know how to converse and even disagree with one another “tactfully” and with civility. Don’t let a few bad apples ruin your orchard. [:)]

Tom

Hmmm…Looks like Ed and I are on the same analogy wave length. [(-D]

5

Unfortunately, there’s quite a bit more behind what went down with that thread than meets the eye.

It involved a visit from a permanently banned member. I should have known better than to engage him, but at first glance, he actually appeared like he wanted to play nice. I have a problem whereby I tend to give folks too many second chances. I thought, for a brief moment, that perhaps the modeler in him wanted to come out from behind the bully. In a few short hours he proved me wrong, going right back to his abusive old tricks.

Whatever role I may have played in the eventual locking of the thread was unintentional, and I’m sorry that it happened; I was enjoying the thread too.

Be advised that posting under a second name is against forum policy. The mods can be specific, but from what I’ve heard it can include suspension of your account. There is no anonymity on the Internet; anyone with a modicum of skill can find out who you are, regardless of how smart you may think you are.

6

[#ditto] To the whole darn thing…

7

Don’t worry about it, it happens. Sometimes when people like him come along, it’s way easier to just lock a thread and leave it alone.

Try restarting the thread. It wasn’t the topic that spawned the problems, so why not have a clean start?

8

I don’t understand why the problem posts can’t be deleted and the thread unlocked and restarted?[%-)]The Atlas forum seems to have gotten rid of him permanently. I wonder if Bergie can contact their moderator to see what they had to do?

9

I am the admin of another forum, and you can block IP adresses also, not just names. That way Al (or others) would have to change his IP to get back on the forums. I don’t know if that is how Al is getting back on.

10

That only works if you have a static IP.

The problem is, if you have a dynamic IP then the IP changes every time you open your browser. Your IP could be any one of thousands upon thousands, and to change it, all you have to do is close your browser and open it back up…instant IP change.

11

Well, if it’s any consolation, you’re in the majority, and among friends. That was a good thread, and I checked it many times to see who else added their faces.

The individual who causes these problems, as has been mentioned above, has been around for quite a while. He has been banned from this forum and others for the same kind of mis-bahavior. Unfortunately, the forum software has no way of recognizing him immediately when he starts a new account, so it’s up to all of us to use the Report Abuse button when appropriate.

The volunteer “moderator militia” that keeps things from getting out of hand on weekends have limited magical powers, not full priviliges like Bergie. Locking threads is one of the tools they can use off-hours to control trolls. Unfortunately, many of the really popular threads (like Weekend Photo Fun) are often targeted by the troublemakers.

So, don’t feel bad if it’s your thread that gets locked because of someone else’s childish behavior. In fact, you might even consider it a badge of honor.

12

Congratulations! You have just been officially indoctrinated into a growing fraternity of members who have had the same thing happened to them. Welcome to the Family! [swg]

It’s frustrating for sure. But as Tom already pointed out, it’s not unusual and unfortunately occurs in all forums. In fact, it’s sure to occur many more times here. Just a fact of life on forums.

My advice when dealing with it again - hit the ‘report abuse’ button, report the post, and get out of Dodge! That last part is important because the last thing you want to do (as Dave V already attested) is to give these Bozos any more attention than they are already receiving.

13

I to was sorry to see this thread get locked, and while it would not be real hard to start a new one, or part 2 if you will, i really don’t see the reason we should have to be put to that kind of trouble frankly, IMHO thats what a lot of trolls want any way, run in, start some trouble, then get a good thread locked down so no one else can use it, it seems the electronic equivelant of throwing a rock through a window or church keying a car. Is there no way to just cut out the bad parts of a thread and leave the rest alone?, i guess to sort of change the analogy a little instead of the few bad apples ruining the whole barrel, could we maybe go through the barrel ( thread ) and throw out the bad ones ( posts ) before it does ruin the whole barrel?.

14

OK, I never knew that your IP address can change like that, I play Runescape and my IP is the same every time. I just assumed it was that same for everyone.

15

Jess,Every forum is different and depends on the moderators style…

As a moderator on 4 forums I would have deleted the offending post(s) instead of locking the topic and locked the offending member’s account…IMHO locking a topic should be the last resort because the innocent is being punish for something they have no control over…

All to sadly its much to easy to get a bogus IP Addy and return time after time.This of course complicates the Administrator and moderator’s job of getting rid of a troublesome member…

16

And while I was looking for a pic for that thread, it got locked. (Probably a good thing no one’s computer broke by my pic [(-D]!)

Sorry too the thread went down.

17

Don’t feel too bad about it Jess, it’s happened to me a few times too.

18

Jess,

Unfortunately this happens on all types of forums. I also participate in flight sims forums, r/c aircraft forums, aircraft modeling forums, dodge car forums and high power rocketry forums. There’s always a few a-holes on any forum that ruin it for everyone else. Just a fact you get used to. It doesn’t matter what the hobby is it always seems you have the same personality types participating.

This is the best link I’ve found on how to post (funny but o’ so true):

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

-G-

19

I was enjoying that thread as well. Yes, i have gotten a haircut. I think what you could be referring to is a Flame war. It is sad that folks have to ruin a thread. thanks to all the mods and Admins. here for keeping it to a minium.

Just a thought: If you have a beef with someone, don’t post it, PM that person. then the threads stay open and you can vent to that particular person.

20

It depends on how you are connected to the internet. It is not your browser that is assigned an ip address - it is the network card on your computer.

Usually it takes a little more hasle than just closing and opening your browser to get a new ip address. But blocking ip adresses is a pretty blunt tool. Usually the ISP has a limited range of ip adresses, so the same address gets assigned to different users at different times. If you block the address the perp used last then you may later be denying 100% legitimate users access.

If you see a fairly new poster (registered the same day or withing the last couple of days) who has a low post count, and seems bent on annoying people, just hit “report abuse” and type “Al ?” in the post.

Do not argue with him. Just ignore him and let the moderators lock his account.

Smile,
Stein