Calsun

Evidently the conservative moderators running this website are offended by "political" posts. As advocacy cannot be discussed in a non-political manner when all the decisions about our environment in which we ride is determined by politicians and the people they take money from, it escapes me why this subforum exists at all.

Siu Blue Wind

You are welcome to join P and R where politics and Religion have a place

11111energy

It's possible that the moderators of the website have certain guidelines or rules in place regarding political discussions. They may have decided to focus on advocacy, which is the act of supporting a particular cause or issue, without getting into the realm of partisan politics. This could be an attempt to create a space for productive and constructive dialogue around specific issues, without devolving into partisan arguments and personal attacks.

FBinNY 

It's possible to be an advocate here while not crossing the line into politics.

The.key is focus. This is a BICYCLE forum so stick to the bicycle related issues within the context of your worldview.

So, if you want to talk about climate change, talk about how to increase bicycling vs. driving instead.

Or, do as the other person said and move to P&R.


FWIW bicycling is what we all share, but for all practical purposes may be the ONLY thing we share. Outside of this we probably span the full spectrum of opinions, running from the most woke to the most right. People here need to be mindful to stay with what binds us rather than with what divides us.

shelbyfv

I appreciate the effort to keep politics in P&R. I think you are incorrect to conflate mod cleanup with their personal political persuasions. I figure it's demographics but if you really want to get riled up, visit an RV forum.

FBinNY 

FWIW I believe that the OP's reference to conservative Mods didn't mean politically, as in right wing.

I read it as conservative, as in restrictive in content, ie. sex, language, tone, etc.

If I'm wrong, then so is the OP, because I'm willing to bet any number of imported beers that most of the Mods lean to left of center.

BillyD

Spot on, accurate responses to the original post. Thank you, gentlemen!

RCMoeur 

This is why BF is the closest thing to "social media" I participate in anymore. No shadowbanning, "curating", algorithms, or pushed feeds - just as little or as much of the fire hose of postings as one wants at their own selection and discretion, focused on bicycles and the nuts that hold down the handlebars, and from a remarkable variety of viewpoints and experiences.

I thank the mods for keeping politics over in P&R, and addressing situations where a commentor decides to mix politics into cycling issues.

njkayaker

There is no evidence of them being "conservative" or that they are "offended",

Instead, it could be that dealing with political threads, which not-infrequently get out of hand, are too much work to moderate.

(I'm pretty sure the moderators are volunteers. So, what more do you want for free?)

https://memecreator.org/static/images/memes/5050967.jpg

robobike316 

Since joining, I have seen no evidence of any bias one way or the other from the moderators. If there was any reasonably obvious bias, I would leave quickly.

jon c. 

There's an old saying that all politics is local. Which practically speaking tends to be true of politics involving cycling advocacy. And local politics can usually be discussed without adding the partisan rancor that makes them "political."

Road Fan

And we have my town, Ann Arbor, which is so solidly Democratic that while rancor is possible between local officers, its MUCH more based on the elements of local issues and their points than on weighing the Democratic versus Republican issues.

livedarklions

A&S has an uncomfortable boundary line because it really is impossible to discuss policy without some discussion of politics. I think the mods do a good job of being reasonable about this, essentially limiting the discussion of politics to the minimum needed to understand the issues involved in transportation and/or safety policy and not allowing it to slop into more generalized statements of tribal partisan politics.

A simple example--it's literally impossible to discuss meaningfully why you don't see more on-street parking bans in downtown areas without discussing the interest groups involved. It is not, however, necessary to invoke the evils of capitalism or the horrors of wokeism or whatever to have that discussion, and the mods would no doubt cut that bit out.

Paul Barnard

On balance, I think the moderation of this group is pretty darned good, and that's coming from a guy who has been banned and received infractions. The moderation is tighter than it is on some of the forums I play in, but you know that up front, and it's consistent from what I can tell.

homeless in ca.

To control the opposition. You can talk politics. But that discussion will be censored to avoid things getting too radical.

SurferRosa

Is it political to advocate to bring back the gibbeting cage? For offensive drivers and other riff raff, I mean.

delbiker1 

I am a member that believes the mods do a consistent, good job. I had a post that was deleted by one of the mods as being unrelated to the original post. I questioned the reason for the deletion, explained why I thought it was relevant, the post was re-instated. I have had other posts that were deleted, in which I understood and accepted the reasoning. It is, IMO, a job in which not everyone is going to be pleased with some decisions. That comes with the territory.

JoeyBike

I'm not doing my "job" if I'm not getting a post deleted from A&S now and then.