This will be longer than most of my posts so ignore me if it is better for you but this topic and the recent thread by Denver on the tone recently struck a chord with me. I joined BF because I read posts in this forum for several days before making the commitment to participate. I had moderated (Senior and Super Moderator) at a dirt bike forum for a few years. The younger members, mainly the 20-35 crowd could push my buttons faster than any group. I tried a sabbatical and then returning but it was worse so I asked to become a simple participating member there and I still am. It is more relaxing that way.
The 50+ Forum is more mature and can handle the give and take, with a few exceptions, very well. I have found more useful information from the participants in this forum than any other message board I participate in regularly. The maturity and the experience has "mellowed" most of us and made us better at the give and take.
Learning that this is just the internet and a message board/forum and, we are by and large not going to meet the bulk of the members with some exceptions, has been my biggest self improvement. Loosing my temper o a web site message board is akin to yelling at a news reporter or a newspaper article if I don't agree with what is said.
After being here since December 2008 I want to make a 50+ ride or 3 and actually meet the people that have provided me so much good information and friendly support in helping me make decisions. The members here actually inspire me to keep on with my bicycling and helped me decide my wife's idea of returning to bicycling would be good.
The caring replies to posts about the travails of aging and health problems is important to me. The cohesion here reminds me of how units in the Marines bonded during my short time of service. When members do post a humorous jibe in a thread it is taken as it is intended by most of us.
Yes we do have little word battles but they are short and pretty much sedate when you look at threads in other forums that the moderators have to get involved in or close. I imagine we are the least of the moderator's worries here at BF. Sorry for the length of my reply but the 50+ forum has become important to me and is one of the only two message boards I visit and is my favorite by far, and I participate much more here than at the other board. I feel good about being accepted here on the 50+ forum and at BF as a whole. Thanks for reading my input and I won't hijack the thread any further. I just felt this was a good topic to discuss and I will be interested in reading other's replies.
Respectfully,
Bill
