Does anyone use the news forum uk.rec.cycling?

The reason I ask is - if you do how do you find it?

I went in there (first time) to ask a question about roundabouts and whilst 
most people were fine, I have never seen so many objectionable people 
responding to my questions.

On 22 Aug, 08:53, "Trevor Brown"  wrote:
> Does anyone use the news forum uk.rec.cycling?
>
> The reason I ask is - if you do how do you find it?
>
> I went in there (first time) to ask a question about roundabouts and whilst
> most people were fine, I have never seen so many objectionable people
> responding to my questions.

I am afraid that you wandered in to u.r.c. in the aftermath of a
rather rough period where there had been a lot of unpleasant debate,
partly as a result of one or two new posters, who were rather
negative, provocative and destructive (I'm not saying that they did
not make some good points, worth debating), which led some of us to
show some of our worst sides. It has produced some paranoia and
distrust of strangers who come in to the group apparently innocently.
You happened to mention the book "Cyclecraft" which had featured
strongly in some of the debate, and this may have raised suspicion of
your motives. Some of us are capable of being unpleasant without any
excuse, of course, but this is true of other groups too. (See Doug
baiting the mob, and the mob baiting Doug, on uk.transport, almost
every day).

I should add that I am only speaking on my own behalf, and that this
is only my own amateur analysis of what happened. It was an
interesting and revealing time.

wrote in message 
news:9cdab27a-5002-4d2c-bcac-95c72bf70a71@a1g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> On 22 Aug, 08:53, "Trevor Brown"  wrote:
>> Does anyone use the news forum uk.rec.cycling?
>>
>> The reason I ask is - if you do how do you find it?
>>
>> I went in there (first time) to ask a question about roundabouts and 
>> whilst
>> most people were fine, I have never seen so many objectionable people
>> responding to my questions.
>
> I am afraid that you wandered in to u.r.c. in the aftermath of a
> rather rough period where there had been a lot of unpleasant debate,
> partly as a result of one or two new posters, who were rather
> negative, provocative and destructive (I'm not saying that they did
> not make some good points, worth debating), which led some of us to
> show some of our worst sides. It has produced some paranoia and
> distrust of strangers who come in to the group apparently innocently.
> You happened to mention the book "Cyclecraft" which had featured
> strongly in some of the debate, and this may have raised suspicion of
> your motives. Some of us are capable of being unpleasant without any
> excuse, of course, but this is true of other groups too. (See Doug
> baiting the mob, and the mob baiting Doug, on uk.transport, almost
> every day).
>
> I should add that I am only speaking on my own behalf, and that this
> is only my own amateur analysis of what happened. It was an
> interesting and revealing time.

Thanks - but I am out of there shortly - there seems to be predominently 
sensible people in there - but then a real sprinkling of cycle fascists (not 
my phrase by the way - one I read elsewhere - but it does seem to be 
appopriate to some of the people who responded)

On 22 Aug, 08:53, "Trevor Brown"  wrote:
> Does anyone use the news forum uk.rec.cycling?
>
> The reason I ask is - if you do how do you find it?
>
> I went in there (first time) to ask a question about roundabouts and whilst
> most people were fine, I have never seen so many objectionable people
> responding to my questions.

It's one of the more useful places to go if you seriously want to talk
about cycling. Whenever you visit a news group for the first time it's
a good idea to follow the discussions for a while and scan the archive
in Google Groups to get a feel for its history and group culture. It's
possible that you are a sincere poster in which case you will be made
very welcome, but I'm afraid your OP and your follow ups did show many
of the hallmarks of a troll. This would have aroused suspicion in any
case but in recent months URC has been  the subject of a sustained
trolling campaign. The thread then developed into a classic troll,
particularly with the entry of further brand new identities and the
gleeful entry of a few well known disruptive ones.

To be taken at face value in news groups you need to establish an
identity and a posting history. Discuss your bikes, post a ride report
or two, show that you are generally interested cycling culture.
Currently you have posted to precisely two threads on Usenet under
your current identity: the roundabouts thread, and this one.

--
Dave...

"So - what" springs to mind? (and it was three actually)

Perhaps you could tell us what brought you here?



"Dave Kahn"  wrote in message 
news:61da887c-520a-448c-aff6-f7da4d828e2d@d77g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> On 22 Aug, 08:53, "Trevor Brown"  wrote:
>> Does anyone use the news forum uk.rec.cycling?
>>
>> The reason I ask is - if you do how do you find it?
>>
>> I went in there (first time) to ask a question about roundabouts and 
>> whilst
>> most people were fine, I have never seen so many objectionable people
>> responding to my questions.
>
> It's one of the more useful places to go if you seriously want to talk
> about cycling. Whenever you visit a news group for the first time it's
> a good idea to follow the discussions for a while and scan the archive
> in Google Groups to get a feel for its history and group culture. It's
> possible that you are a sincere poster in which case you will be made
> very welcome, but I'm afraid your OP and your follow ups did show many
> of the hallmarks of a troll. This would have aroused suspicion in any
> case but in recent months URC has been  the subject of a sustained
> trolling campaign. The thread then developed into a classic troll,
> particularly with the entry of further brand new identities and the
> gleeful entry of a few well known disruptive ones.
>
> To be taken at face value in news groups you need to establish an
> identity and a posting history. Discuss your bikes, post a ride report
> or two, show that you are generally interested cycling culture.
> Currently you have posted to precisely two threads on Usenet under
> your current identity: the roundabouts thread, and this one.