bruce19

Recently some threads that I have started here in 50+ have been moved to the A&S forum because there are some who believe "that is where they belong." I think this misses the point of 50+. Every forum in Bike Forums is established by content (Framebuilders, A&S, Hybrid bicycles, Mountain biking, et. al.) However there is one exception and that is 50+. It is created by demographic. And, I make the assumption, that is to allow us to express our views with a perspective that may only come with age and (hopefully) wisdom. Virtually any cycling related topic in 50+ can be put in another forum based on content. This is a slippery slope. When does it stop? And, ultimately, if we keep moving topics to other fora why even have a 50+ forum? Is this what we who inhabit 50+ really want? I think it is for us to make our wishes known. If we, as a group want to keep reporting and moving threads, then so be it. In my opinion it will diminish and potentially end 50+ but that's just my opinion. I will be happy to move on to other fora or websites but something unique will have been lost in my opinion. Thanks for listening.

ftwelder

I went to the list of posts you started and read a couple. One had nothing but a link to a newspaper article and no content. I would have deleted that one (I am not a source of good opinions however). I also would have deleted any frame builder post as I am a frame builder and wouldn't respond in this forum so that is sort of pointless in my book also. It could be that you are bringing a lot of good information and topics but they are a bit too specifically NOT about your age group and may be more useful to a different or wider audience. I think the goal of the mods is to prevent very relevant and active 50's topics from slipping off the top.

OldTryGuy

Postings I do are done with the knowledge that there exists a higher power with the power to delete, edit, move, whatever...... I throw them out there and let the words hit the blades.

bruce19

I guess I saw the link as the content. I've seen this done many times on the various sites I go to. But, my threads are irrelevant to the topic of this thread. They just have served to raise the larger question that I am raising. I am not taking this personally.

Wanderer

I agree and disagree.

Posts relating to 50+ should be kept here for their value to us geezers.

A link is not a post with content - and belongs wherever it belongs.

Moral of the story - 50+ posts should have content and points of view, relating to our way of thinking. (according to my granddaughter, that would be old fashioned.)

OldsCOOL

I had a "50+ relevant" thread locked. I wont dispute it but will add that my posting (whether anyone judges value of said input) since then has been in other forums except for random (when I'm bored) perusal. This thread will have a short life.

Biker395 

He, that's poetic!

I look at it the same way ... I just do my best to make it relevant and thank my lucky stars it's my job to be the final arbiter.

One could make the argument that the only topic that belongs here is one that is particularly relevant to the 50+;

or

One could make the argument that ANY cycling topic is relevant and what makes it suitable for this subgroup is that you'll get a 50+ perspective on that topic. In other words, the audience response is what make it relevant.

IMHO, both have value, and I think the mods try to account for that. They can move any of my threads, and my feelings won't be hurt. Heck, I've posted some stuff here, realized it was really Pub51 stuff and moved it myself.

Frankly, I hang out here because I like the people here ... not because we're all geezers.

-=(8)=-

[h=2]Why does 50+ exist?[/h]One could say "Why does Fixie SS exist? (kid specific)
Or any of the demo-specific forums?
Old cyclists have issues and outlooks on stuff that is very different than younger people.

BlazingPedals

For better or worse, moderation seems to be an ongoing issue on this forum. I think the checkpoint is, whether or not the thread is primarily to 50+ interests. Sometimes the topic is a little murky in that respect and if it's not clear, then yes the moderators move it to something that seems a better fit. Unless there's a violation of a rule, I'd rather see under-moderation than over.

At least when they're moved, we get a link to the new location. I like that, so I can follow it if I want to.

rydabent

I like the 50+ forum. First of all it is generally less contensious than other threads. And us older riders look at cycling from a different perspective. I enjoy the viewpoint of older riders, and it covers subjects of little or no interest to young riders.

Gerryattrick

Why does this question even arise. The answer is obvious and given in the writing under the sub-forum title. Of the 63 sub-forums in BF only 9 have a greater number of posts. That means 53 sections are less popular but no one questions why they exist - and that is how it should be.


The number of contributors show there is a strong demand for the 50+.


Some threads get moved because the mods think they are more specifically related to another sub-forum. That is almost bound to happen in a general topic section but it's not a problem, mods are essential and do a good job the vast majority of the time.


I read and contribute to the 50+ most of the time, because I have issues on various topics on which I appreciate the input of people with similar concerns and broadly similar experience - gained over many years e.g. my thread on older people solo riding far from home, where, rightly or wrongly, I am less interested in what a 20 year old might do.


On the other hand I browse, and occasionally contribute to other sections, and if a 50+ thread is moved I can still follow it.

Dudelsack 

1. The goosey-gander principle. If the forum is moderated at all, the guidelines need to be fairly administered. Your two A&S threads just were not relevent to this forum. BTW, I did not report either one of them, so don't blame me.

2. The A&S types posts here are in reality just slightly veneered political posts. I'm really tired of politics right about now. Let's keep that stuff off this forum.

3. I can guarandamntee you the thread involving the 24 year old cyclist would have gone Godwin within ten posts. It had no business here.

4. People come here for the tenor of the conversation. I've noticed the snarkier posts on the roadie forum are often delivered by over 50 folks who don't venture over here much. I think that's a good thing.

My 2 cents worth.

ModeratedUser150120149

Considering this web site is called Bike Forums and there are categories for things that have nothing to do with biking, like P&R, it amazes me someone would challenge this particular category. It brings people who want to share their thoughts on a variety of subjects. It brings stats for the owner's marketing efforts. What's not to like.?

But, it is clear the moderators have a great deal of difficulty dealing with a generalist site when it isn't officially a place for Anything Goes like P&R.

10 Wheels

Riders of All ages would appreciate your thoughts.

daihard 

If someone starts a thread with the intention of discussing a topic among the "50+ people" to get their feedback rather than among the general public, I argue that the intention should be respected.

crazyb

Then any other category should be able to discuss any topic also. Correct? Or 50 plus has special privileges because they are old?

bruce19

This is the way I feel about it as well. And, my forays into A&S as a result of threads being moved as pretty much reinforced the idea that other fora posters are more prone to be contentious. FWIW, when I raised the issue to a mod I was told that they move threads when they have been reported and the mods then agree that they should be moved. I can't imagine myself reporting someone else's thread.

daihard 

I'm not following you. The "50+" forum is different than other forums in that it is demographically categorized rather than topically, but I wouldn't call it a privilege. In a demographically organised forum such as "50+," I'd assume the posters expect to be able to discuss things from their own perspectives, and I find that to be a perfectly valid expectation.

wphamilton

The question is "why not". As long as people are posting there, and seem to enjoy whatever it is that makes it "50+", it makes sense for the forum.

Personally I'm fine with whatever the forum moderators specify as their rules of posting, within the general environment of Bike Forums. The only thing that kind of bugs me is a meta-discussion about what a forum means, its users and so on. So I'm making an exception just saying this - because my particular perspective is unlikely to be represented in this type of thread. FWIW.

crazyb

How many recumbent forum members do you think are under 50? How many fixie members aren't hipsters? How many fifty + members aren't 50+? Demographic?

Gerryattrick

Fixie sub-forum is defined by a specific topic - Fixies
Recumbent sub-forum is defined by a specific topic - Recumbents
50+ is defined by a demographic group - People aged 50 or over!

The fact that most Fixie riders may be young, or most Recumbent riders may be old is not the point of the sub-forum, whereas the fact that most 50+ members are older is the whole point of the sub-forum.

What's not to understand?

StephenH

My opinion:
Some of the forums here are divided by topic so people can find items of interest or find other readers who can maybe help with the question.
It seems to me that the A&S, the Foo, P&R and perhaps a few others were created more with the idea of removing a lot of irrelevant clutter from the other forums. So it's not worded that way, but it's similar to a spam filter in your email.

Let me give you an example: Bicycle Rider gets Hit by Car and gets Killed. How often does that happen? I'm thinking it's like 700 times a year in the US? But, no offense, I just really don't want to log onto a bicycle forum just so I can read about who got killed where each day. So if that only ever happened one time, sure, let's post the news so we can all see it. But if it's a never ending flood of who got wrecked/killed/busted/arrested/argued/had confrontation etc., let's clear it out of the useful forums, and if somebody wants to read that, well there it is, and the rest of us can enjoy life.

I think it'd be similar on a car forum, a motorcycle forum, etc. There's thousands of wrecks, thousands of people killed, but if you opened up Car and Driver Magazine and all that was in it was the obituaries of people that got killed driving, you'd go read something else.

hurricane harry

Because after fifty years of life you still need a moderator to tell you what to do and how to do it

daihard 

+100

NOS88

I think the thing is that any moderator on any forum will have his or her worldview of the way things are and the way they should be. Hence, how he or she organizes things, the concepts they process, the choices they make will be instantly understood by some and instantly misunderstood by others. What I trust about Bikeforums as a whole is that no moderator is acting capriciously or with malevolence. Hence, I don't question why there is a section called Foo, or one called Introductions, or one called Fixed Gear Freestyle. I just shop around for the ones that interest me and where the exchange is to my liking. I think if we try to second guess everything, we're likely to never be happy with what's available. I mean I don't for the life of me understand why someone would want to ride a fixed gear, yet I know that they do. I'm OK with that, and I'm OK with having two fixed gear forums and the occasional spill over into other forums not dedicated to fixed gear. It's just the way things are when you're dealing with a lot of different people with different ideas, backgrounds, experiences, values, etc. No one will ever be completely satisfied and there will never be a time when everyone agrees.