Off Topic is Temporarily CLOSED - [EDIT: BACK OPEN]... read this thread for more info
 

We have been having a serious problem with users starting threads in Off Topic when they clearly belong elsewhere. It is really important when you have nearly 15,000 threads that they stay organized, and posting your thread in the proper section is the first step.
Off topic should only be used for topics that dont belong elsewhere and have nothing to do with cars at all (otherwise it would go in General Car Chat).
Moderators have been spending more time moving threads out of Off Topic lately than anything else, and the problem is getting worse. Since nothing else has seemed to get through to everyone, I'm hoping you'll take notice now that I have made it so no new posts can be made in Off Topic. This is a temporary situation and you can still reply to current threads.
We just need everyone to get the message and make the effort to stop and think for a moment if they can avoid posting their new thread in Off Topic.
So, not trying to ruffle anyones feathers and this is a very temporary situation.
Thanks,
Bryan
p.s. I'll leave this thread open for replies, but I am looking for positive and/or serious feedback only. Please leave your negativity at the door.

I totally agree i think thread like... My Car is broken in offtopic is so stupid.

Most people feel that if they post in off topic they will get a response faster. If i have a question that is audio related it wont be answered as quickly as if i would have posted it in here so that is why maybe you see more threads in here that don't belong. just my .02

i agree.... also posts like "my car is on ebay" , "just test drove a new ....." etc... **** like that belongs in other forums.

sooo troll.... when is this opening back up?

So OFF-Topic has moved to this thread? That's OK. I'll start.....
My car is borked so I was wundring if anyone drinks coffee from Dunkin Donuts and what kinda of rims go with my car blah...blah...blah....

you got my full support on that one

My fault. No really, I posted a thread like that. Honestly I forgot about the Car Chat forum.

EDIT: I see you've moved it. Thanks.

Over the last month you guys have had to move around 25 threads out of OT, roughly 10% of all active OT threads since May 1st. About one thread a day.

I can see how frustrating it can be if you have to keep moving threads, but I think the way you are handling it is a little off the wall. Punishing the masses for the mistakes of a few.

I say you light off topic on fire and do away with it. This is a car forum, there are forums for everything else out there that falls into off topic. I hate having to crawl through the hideous amounts of threads that just refer to the most stupid things such as: myspace, Im dRunK, etc etc. It would be even worse if you didnt have off topic in regards to having to police the forum up, so it has to stay IMO, sucks though.

I can see why it would be frustrating Bryan, but would you really want the posts somewhere else where they could be even more 'off topic'?

What was the whole point of the 'off topic' room? I thought it was to BS around and not disturb the general chat or other specific chatrooms. Maybe I'm wrong, just wondering.

OT isn't closed for good, just for a bit. More as a "see those other forums, yeah, well, you can post there too". We may have moved 25 posts, but I would bet there were another 10-20 that should have been moved that got lost in the fray, or we just didn't feel like moving a fifth thread that day.

Buck up campers, we'll be back in the pool eventually...just need to make sure we skim all the leaves.

-Cliff

this definitely isnt intended as punishment or anything of the sort, so i hope no one takes it that way. in fact i want to reopen OT asap, i just feel like i havent been getting through when i ask people to not post in off topic unless it doesnt belong anywhere else, and this may catch the attention of some members that i probably couldnt reach otherwise.
i'd really like to reopen it tomorrow night as to not disrupt the regular flow of the forum, but i'd like to ask everyone who has read this thread to please make an effort and try to keep others who dont know/care in line as well...
so thanks in advance for that.


dont take this personally because i feel you're not the only one who thinks like this, but that is the kind of attitude that will perpetuate this problem and make it worse and worse. for example, if every audio thread was posted in the audio section then the audio section would have a lot more activity in it and therefore would get more attention. its a vicious cycle...

you know every forum out there has off topic. doing away with ot wont take away ot stuff. and all the thing you named are things that belong in off topic. but people should know where to post things and not be dumb about. just my 2 cents.

I understand what your doing it for and I agree completely.

The Off-Topic (correct me if I'm wrong) should be used for more automotive things that don't fit somewhere else.

It is EASY to use it for its NOT purpose just becuase of its sheer population...but I'm really not sure how you can control this. With the site growing more and more by the week, are you going to have to keep moving things yourself...maybe assign more moderators...maybe make the rules a little sharper or more widely posted (I already know they are in each section)...I'm not sure what a good conclusion would be...but with the rapid expansion I've gotta feeling it'll keep happening.

it should used for anything not relating to cars, tech, ice. its for anything else. like hey i got fired or what do you guys think about movie x

Actually that isn't true. Automotive threads that dont fit in designated forums go into the "General Automotive" forum. Offtopic is for Offtopic.

Ahh I stand corrected...but I think you knew what I meant...kinda??

i agree with u 100%. i am glad u decided to close ot for a while cuase it will give everybody time to learn where toplace things.

I don't know why people would think its not gonna get seen as often. most people when they come here click on new post correct? thats gonna list all threads no matter what section they put it in.

+1 No threads go unseen.