Why forums are a "No go area" for some people?

[Spoked Wheels]

Yesterday my Sunday ride partner was a good friend of mine. We talked bikes and he was impressed how much I've learnt about fixing bikes. In fact, I started cycling long after I met him, hence his surprise I guess. I said I had learnt a lot from reading this and other forums. He told me his experience of forums,a football forum that Sky used to host some years ago and since then he won't go near a forum. He is very critical so much that made me feel a little silly spending time here
To end the conversation and move to another topic I told him that the idea to learn to build wheels started from reading forums and now he was benefiting from riding a pair of hand built wheels built by yours truly - I don't think he will be joining a forum anytime soon.

He is not the first person I've come across with a very negative views on forums.

I've come across one or two people here that I wouldn't give them the time of the day in real life but the immense majority are well intended and helpful people.

I must confess though that without the "ignore list" this forum would not be as enjoyable as it is.

 

[Beebo]

Have you ever read a football forum? or any sporting forum for that matter.
They are awful places, just dont go there.
CC is a very civil place

 

[Hill Wimp]

CC is my first foray into a forum, i don't even do FB. So far i have been impressed but that maybe because i can no longer see CAD

I actually think CC is "what it says on the tin" " A fun and friendly online cycling community" and i like the mix of people on here.

 

[ianrauk]

Some people just don't like internet forums. It's as simple as that.

And I echo what my learned friend @Beebo said. Football forums.. I spent over 10 years on a football forum and by golly Cycle Chat (and cycling forums in general) are tame beyond belief when compared.

 

[Leodis]

Have you ever read a football forum? or any sporting forum for that matter.
They are awful places, just dont go there.
CC is a very civil place

f365 Awoooga not for a long time

 

[ScotiaLass]

I used to moderate forums and chat rooms - there's a lot of nasty trolls out there, who like nothing better than to spoil the enjoyment of others. The sports forums/chat rooms were almost certainly the worst!
I've found the ignore button rather useful (not here I may add!)

It's like anything in life, you won't get along with everyone you meet, including those online, so best just to be polite and move on (something I tell my kids all the time). I have better things to do with my life than waste my precious time on those who are abusive and nasty

 

[ohnovino]

Forums do seem to bring out the worst in people. It's to be expected on controversial topics, but when even the "found a bargain" thread on here descends into petty arguments it should be a sign that people need to chill out.

I'm now spending less time on forums and more on Reddit - their voting system seems to do a pretty good job of drowning out the negativity.

 

[Fnaar]

This is the only forum I'm on (though I used to go on a very good music one, for a particular band). My experience is very positive


I have luddite/technophobe friends who say 'why would you want to share your private matters with strangers?' My answer is that I don't, unless I'm happy for it to be shared. I used facebook a lot, and share photos, music, stuff about cycling. That's about it. I also use twitter, but use that mainly for following news etc, not for sharing what I had for dinner etc.

 

[winjim]

 

[MontyVeda]

I'd assume a football forum would be one of the most venomous corners of the internet... even in the real world my friends and acquaintances only use terms like "You **stards" and "Cheating ***ts" when football is being discussed... I shudder think what online footy chat is like.

I've tried other forums with various degrees of success... some are so cliquey it takes months for the regulars to decide you're not another spammer, and then, maybe then, they might start talking.

I also gave Face Book a bash, but found myself banging my head on my keyboard when my friends... my proper friends whom i know and love, drink with, party with, visit and am visited by... feel the need to post a comment about every bite of their 'yummy' sandwich, every sip of tea (oh i needed that cuppa!), how they're feeling 'a bit bored today'... my cousin posting raunchy photos of herself, an old workmate posting photos of big bags of weed and the inevitable 'look at this cute kitten' followed by numerous 'look at another cute kitten' posts. then every w@nker I've ever met playing a numbers game to get as many friends as possible... a friend request from the bloke who bullied me for five whole years at school! Eff Off!! So no, FaceBook didn't really provide a 'fun and friendly online community'. Cyclechat, on the other hand

 

[XRHYSX]

CC is my first foray into a forum, i don't even do FB. So far i have been impressed but that maybe because i can no longer see CAD

I actually think CC is "what it says on the tin" " A fun and friendly online cycling community" and i like the mix of people on here.

I didn't know you could ignore whole fourms on here! wow this is going to be so much better,
good bye CD and CAD thank you HW

 

[_aD]

I can't even look into the computery sub-forums here...the nonsense "advice" being spewed out there verges on terrifying. Generally speaking, forums giving out advice on any topic tend to be alright in my experience, but as soon as computers are the subject of the help, it goes downhill very quickly.

Yo ho ho and a bottle of RAM.

 

[Beebo]

What did you have for dinner Fnaar?

@Fnaar only eats pork in cider followed by spotted dick

 

[ScotiaLass]

@Fnaar only eats pork in cider followed by spotted dick

You can get cream for tha.....oh wait, wrong thread....

 

[cosmicbike]

I think it depends on the subject matter. I spent the last 25 years designing, building and flying RC model aircraft (call them toys if you wish, but with price tags akin to Froome or Cavs Pinarello perhaps not), and the flying forums are as civil as this place. As with all forums there are the stirrers, trolls etc, but learn to get over them. Most important thing to remember, only type what you would say to an individual (or groups) face, don't hide behind the keyboard..