CC Guidelines

[Shaun]

Hello Everyone,

CycleChat has grown steadily over the past few years, and we now have a large and vibrant community.

There's been some discussion recently about how CycleChat is moderated, so I thought it would be a good idea to work with the moderators to collate our many notes and guidelines into something we can formally publish for everyone to see and use:

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/index.php?pid=rules

They are what we have worked to for some time, but we thought it would help the forum membership to understand how some decisions are made, and also help to maintain the friendly atmosphere.

The rules and guidelines are a natural progression from the way the forums are already moderated, and now that they are published it should hopefully make modding decisions clearer.

Don't forget, if you see something that you think needs moderating just use the Report Post feature (red triangle) and we'll look into it for you.

Please take some time to review the rules and guidelines, and take them into consideration when using the forums.

Many thanks,
Shaun

 

[Danny]

All sounds very sensible - but have a question and comment...

Question - what the heck is an Affiliate Program?

Comment - I would urge some moderation (pun deliberate) in how you apply your slightly sinister sounding BOS policy. Personally I think that it is possible that some miscreants might have turned over a new leaf before come back in, so it might be better for the MODS to turn a blind eye until you have seen whether the person has mended their way. Alternatively perhaps you should provide a route for banned people to legitimately apply for readmission so that they don't have to sneak in under a new name.

 

[661-Pete]

Looks good to me. Just one point:

Do not post others' phone numbers, addresses, pictures, instant messenger aliases, email addresses, etc., without their permission. Respect the privacy of other community members.

CCers often join in group rides (some of them organized within CC) and other social events, photos are inevitably taken and posted up on the forum, without everyone's permission having been explicitly sought. Personally I don't see any harm in that. What would be the sensible way forward here?

 

[ColinJ]

Question - what the heck is an Affiliate Program?

An 'affiliate program' is a way of marketing products by getting 'affiliates' to advertise products in return for sales commissions (or sometimes just commissions for leads). An affiliate uses special links which identify him/her as the referrer of the customer.

Something like this (fake) one:

greatbikestuff.com/tyres/special-offer-on-best-tyre-in-the-world.html?ColinJ-sent-me-so-pay-him-his-cut

I'm dabbling in it on my website and have made about £2 on bike parts so far!!!

I did have some affiliate links in my signature but removed them yesterday when the guidelines were published.

I think the rules are fair enough. I was slightly alarmed at the way that Randochap was dealt with recently until it was explained quite how much personalised linking that he was doing. Everything in moderation. (Pun in there somewhere?)

I still hope that I will be allowed to put up links, where relevant, to pages including affiliate links. It wouldn't be relevant to do it here, that would be sneaky and is the sort of thing that should be banned so I'm not linking to the page I mention below.

I reviewed a product yesterday that people on here and other cycling forums are asking questions about. If I interpret what Shaun (Admin) wrote a while back correctly I would be allowed to do this:

Here's some useful information

• Fab info
• Super info
• Brilliant info

For even more information, visit my webpage [which includes an affiliate link to that product].

But it would not be okay to do this:

Interesting question - forget CycleChat, visit my webpage [which includes an affiliate link to that product].

CCers often join in group rides (some of them organized within CC) and other social events, photos are inevitably taken and posted up on the forum, without everyone's permission having been explicitly sought. Personally I don't see any harm in that. What would be the sensible way forward here?

I usually do ask the other riders if they mind, but I think the obvious answer is that the pictures have to be removed if anybody on them objects. It would be OTT to have to get written permission from everyone first.

 

[Shaun]

Looks good to me. Just one point:

CCers often join in group rides (some of them organized within CC) and other social events, photos are inevitably taken and posted up on the forum, without everyone's permission having been explicitly sought. Personally I don't see any harm in that. What would be the sensible way forward here?

Unless someone complains, then I don't see any need to do anything different than we always have done.

However, if we do get a specific complaint we can refer the poster to the guidelines and discuss it with the respective parties and hopefully resolve it without too much trouble.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[ianrauk]

As a poster who helps organise rides and takes pictures to post. If anyone on the ride was to ask not to have a picture published or want one that has been published removed then I am happy to remove said picture. People on our rides are usually aware and quite happy that pictures will be taken and published. No one has ever complained. (so far)

 

[marinyork]

One point about the guidelines. There are guidelines for specific forums. I cannot fathom out why you picked on those forums. For example I don't think the cafe needs those things saying, or to be honest P&L. I can't see why you haven't included say beginners, commuting (the nastiest bit of the forum) and Road Rides, Audax and Sportives. I'm also not sure of how wise it is saying what the guidelines for those forums are because each of their areas has their own cliques, distinct rules and so on.