tristate vs other forums

[db8integra]

Im doing a sociology project on car culture. I was hoping to get your opinions on local forums (like tst) vs the other forums. What do you think the differences are in how people act, and why do you think this is?
Id share my own opinion but i dont want to influence yours, besides i would guess that most of you would say about the same.

Also if you have any opinions on car specific forums vs general automotive forums. and what the hell if you want to talk about domestic vs import thats great too.

so what im looking for is how people act towards each other and why.

thanks

[~Brian~]

I moderate on a site called wrxlinks.com. For the most part, its a pretty quiet place. Although we have members from all over the country and also members from other countries, we are a very tight knit group. There is almost no fighting. I cant even remember the last time I had to lock a thread. And on my last count, I have only had to ban two people- one was a spammer and one was somebody who screwed over another member on a sale.

[TGilb2007]

I am a member on several different sites, all them them more specific towards one car, or one manufacturer of cars.


J-Body.org - Site is dedicated to the J-Body platform from General Motors (Cavalier, Sunfire... that stuff). There is a TON of useful information on that site, but the biggest problem lies a lot within a couple of things. First of, the moderaters really do not watch over the site that well, and there gets to be a LOT of useless threads that are opened, and never closed. People argue, banter, piss, whine and complain a LOT on that site too. Also, it seems that the SAME EXACT question will get asked hundreds of times. Also, a lot of the senior members stopped offering helpful tips, and now usually spend their time on there making fun of the newer members, or mods done to cars that they do not agree with.

VWVortex.com - VW/Audi site. Awesome site for anything Volkswagon and Audi. TON of information for ANY of the cars. Lots of awesome people, and a lot less complaining about other members, less scamming, and all in all, a lot cooler of a site to visit if you have one of their cars, or basically anything. Ive actually asked members on that site about my Legacy, since several of them are also Subaru owners for their DD. Mods are pretty cool, take good care of the site. It is a tad cumbersome to navigate at first if you are looking for ONE thing, but once you get used to it, its pretty easy. There also really isnt any specific FS/WTB subforums for stuff, but people there manage to get around that just by making a thread saying something like, "FS: MK3 Jetta".

LegacyGT.com - Good site, obviously for the Legacy. My only real complaint is that they do not have too many people on there with older Legacys, so finding information that you need may take more time/effort. Seems like a pretty awesome place, I dont really see a lot of people getting stupid threads locked for no reason.




I have some more, just dont feel like typing info on all 10 or so forums I am a member of.

[db8integra]

thanks for the replies.

Do you guys feel that smaller or larger forums have a better atmosphere?

Some forums turn in to just bashing threads, what do you think causes this? lack of moderation? Ive noticed on some forums, like team-integra, if you dont follow there specific recipe for what looks good, they wont like your car. Its all pretty much the same car over and over on that website, perhaps its the overbearing mods? you either agree with them or get banned?

It seems to me that smaller forums and local forums are much friendlier (i wasnt sure that was a word, but it got past spell check haha)

[Keeper1343]

I think that smaller local forums are better cause you kinda feel like a group of friends. You don't have thousands are people talking **** over the web cause they don't know who these people are... It kinda keeps alot of drama away. Honda-tech is a place i only go for info. And half the time, you get some one that replys just to tell you to search for the question you just asked. Its quite annoying. Tri-state isn't a bad website at all except for the fact that you can't get any tech info on a car period. Well maybe if you own a WRX or EVO ( no offense ).

[bmatyeah]

mr2oc. has to be the best forum ever so much information. so many thigns for sale. the people on there are so nice. That forum gives hope to large forums. Its hard to say what is better. This site is pretty good, its worth my money to buy a hoodie, there are some people who just suck but over all its one of the better ones out there. There is one for my local music scene abotu 100 peopel actiev on it. They just are complete douchebags and then when you go to a show you see them.

moderation is key. but look into mr2oc mr2 owners are such nice dudes. Talk to dpancoast or justinlansdale they have been usign that site for a while.

[assault187]

Lack of moderation leads to bashing... A forum like DSMTuners.com is a great forum and well moderated to keep stupid gossip and bashing to a minimum. Also very well organized so you find what you need. TST is a gossip forum for the most part, If someone posts a For Sale ad everyone feels the need to comment on the thread with useless remarks. I find few threads that relate to "tuning".

[pearl]

This forum aims at social aspects and gatherings in the local car field.

Forums like Honda-tech have just about EVERY single problem, check engine light, every possible swap combination you could possibly have in their database of questions and builds. It takes time to find these, but they are in on the site.

Depends on what kind of forum you want to visit, you will get that atmopshere.

[piknockout]

I tend to find that the moderators/owners set the tone for the entire forum. If you nip it from the beginning, then the type of people that will become active on that forum and the way they will act will be of a similar attitude, or at least a forced attitude if someone wants to be a part of the community.

On the other hand, if you allow tons of bashing and as a moderator are a real di(k and bash people yourself, present a rude attitude, etc. then others will do the same...kind of a mob mentality almost. It also attracts all the douche bags who enjoy saying what they want, keeps new members from wanting to be involved, and causes many current members to leave. Then you have the demise of a forum since nobody wants to be a part of it. See www.thevboard.com for example. Oh wait, it no longer exists.

The way in which Troll has managed this forum has created an environment for people to express their opinions, while keeping the bashing to a minimum. As a site grows, you're more likely to get more douche bags. While TST has grown tremendously since I first signed up and things seemed to start heading in the wrong direction, Brian set the rules/attitude of the forum and things have continued to go smoothly.

Just my $0.02 so take it for what it's worth.

[Uberu]

I also belong to a couple of forums and each on does something different. TST really is nice because its small and it points out a lot of local meets and other local opportunities. Nasioc is nice because you can find out pretty much anything you want to about your subaru and modding it (especially because of unabomber) but has a lot of know-it-all douche-licks who's only response is to NA guys is "shoulda bought a rex". RS25 is nice because its car specific, and has a good marketplace. Hope that helps at all.

[db8integra]

thanks guys this stuff helps. does anyone think that the fact the other members are local you might meet them one day any effect on the attitude? like you might bash someone and they see your car in your sig or av or something and then you see them at a meet or on the road?
i also think that with the smaller and local forums its easier to identify someone as a person and not just another n00b. On the big forums like honda-tech its easy to dismiss someone new as a moron. But on a smaller or local one, they are often encouraged as someone entering cardom.

[MPowerKai]

I'm guessing the forum that applies to me the the metro section of s2ki since everyone is like 15 minutes away from me. I don't act or type any different on this forum than I do on any other.

[lownslow95]

I belong to a couple different forums. I am on a ranger forum mostly because if something happens to my truck, that others have happend to them also, its a good place to check out. TST is mainly ok, come on, see whats goin on, usually just to see if something funny has popped up in the off-topic section, or if a car that looks decent to purchase. But the other forum that I am on, that is geared towards makin new friends, which I have done, just haven't gotten out in a while to meet these people because no one ever goes on there any more.

[TGilb2007]

Originally Posted by db8integra

thanks guys this stuff helps. does anyone think that the fact the other members are local you might meet them one day any effect on the attitude? like you might bash someone and they see your car in your sig or av or something and then you see them at a meet or on the road?
i also think that with the smaller and local forums its easier to identify someone as a person and not just another n00b. On the big forums like honda-tech its easy to dismiss someone new as a moron. But on a smaller or local one, they are often encouraged as someone entering cardom.

I kinda got to agree with that. Its easy for someone to talk trash to someone who you KNOW is not local to you, b/c chances are, you will never meet that person in real life. Something like TST, where almost all of the members are located really within a couple hundred miles of each other, and with all the local meets that happen, the trash talking a lot less, b/c you know this person aside of a computer screen.


Also, as others have noted, Moderation is a HUGE part of a successful web forum. Here, Troll, Pete, and the two new mods "in training" are keeping a good eye on the content, and allowing social threads to take place, but at the same time, keep a lot of useless bantering off of the forum.

One thing I do really like about this site too is the "Ask the Law" forum, espically when someone is here to answer intelligent questions, such as various tint law, tickets that carry over, and something of that nature.

The only thing though concerning idiots that come on to web forums is that it is really unaviodable. Sometimes though, their attitude does change, and they start becoming a more respectable member. Others continue to be idiots, get banned, then trash talk about this place on other forums, get banned, and so on.


But anyway, I can go on for days about this.

[97eclipse]

i think tst is a very good forum. it is a place where everyone can talk and get info on their car. we are all local so we can set up meets to look at each others cars and meet new people. but the other forums i am on are for dsm's so i can get more indepth with problems and there are more opinions there bc they all have the same car and mabey had the same problem.

[jcrsrt4]

i have a b.a. degree in sociology....TST is a very friendly place and i guess that is because the mods do a very good job and for the most part members follow the rules....it is also a very small sample compared to srtforums.com....i spend most of my time over there.....you want to meet some interesting people and view some random crazy threads? go to offtopic over there....better have thick skin

[RSX Type-Slow]

if you really want a good laugh check out clubrsx.com

naked pics, talk of underage girls, a "birds and the bee's" forum and about 180,000 E-thugs bashing everyone. It's hilarity at it's finest but i still love the site.

and TST is awesome due to the fact that everyone is really cool and everyone drives different cars that i normally wouldn't check out.

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by RSX Type-Slow

naked pics, talk of underage girls

we have that here too

but in all seriousness... I like this forum than any of the others I've been on. SRTforums.com is a joke. I like the relatively mature environment here. I enjoy that it is a local forum as well. It gives me the choice as to whether or not to make friends with people on here outside of the forum.

Which I'm finally taking advantage of by going to the meets. Thanks to everyone pretty much wanting to keep the local PD from arresting everyone, or kicking us out, its a nice tolerable and enjoyable experience meeting fellow peoples on the net from here

[TGilb2007]

Originally Posted by jcrsrt4

i have a b.a. degree in sociology....TST is a very friendly place and i guess that is because the mods do a very good job and for the most part members follow the rules....it is also a very small sample compared to srtforums.com....i spend most of my time over there.....you want to meet some interesting people and view some random crazy threads? go to offtopic over there....better have thick skin

JBO isnt that much better anymore. A lot of the new people to the site will post something in OT, and get DESTROYED within minutes by about 5 or 6 different members. From there, either the new person leaves and never posts again, or will attempt to fight back.

[roccobladr]

i think on here its a little more personal because some people know each other and we have meet ups and such. i go on bodybuilding.com mess boards and its alot more say what you want and make fun of people because its not like you will run into them in person.