cranky old dude

...or has anyone else noticed that almost every thread in 50+ develops into an argument. Have we all turned into a bunch of old fuddy-duddies with a "My way or the hiway" attitude?

ie. a guy reports about an embarrassing moment trying to help a lady inflate her tire and within 10 responses a name calling war breaks out.

I think I'm getting to be too young for all this surly, bitter, know-it-all bickering. There has to be a more light hearted place to have fun. I know it ain't much fun around here lately.

See ya when/if this place ever becomes more hospitable.

Planemaker

Kind of reminds of the golf forums during silly season (the time of year when it's cold and everybody has cabin fever. With hot weather maybe we all need to get more miles in.

FYI - I felt the you do a few days ago and realized I needed to buck up a little.

So, If I can give you some advice don't go anywhere I enjoy your posts.

Loose Chain

When a man is young is should not have opinions as they cannot be based on anything, when a man has some years, he should have opinions lest he be thought daft. Something like that.

Most people seek consensus and agreement. They want consensus and they want agreement with themselves from the heard, like cattle munching in unison. This provides us the heard think feel good, all is right with the world. Not everybody cares for consensus and some in fact go out of their way not to join the heard, mooo, moooo. Free range cattle.

Reference thread on communication.

LC

DnvrFox

In that silly argument about the 10 - 85 lb tire pressure and helping the lady, I wanted to post

"STOP IT" children.

I didn't.

Now I ask the mods to close any thread I start that takes the seemingly inevitable turn from topic discussion to ad hominem attacks.

And, yes, I am guilty, also.

Let's all try and stop.

Mobile 155

Well it might not be just you but it isn't as bad as some other forums. If you decide to leave and wait till everyone becomes light hearted I wish you luck. Cycling for some is a passion and like anything that people are passionate about there will be disagreement. Rather than getting concerned with the tone of the debate if I find a thread I don't care for I don't click on it. Like not watching some TV stations because I don't like their attitude. My remote does my talking for me.

Gerryattrick

Whether it's an internet forum or a chat down the pub, there's always someone who is happy to disagree and show off their superiority. Some people could cause an argument in an empty lift (elevator?). (It won't be long before they emerge on this thread ). Plus a few minutes research on the internet allows everyone to pretend they're a genius, even on topics they know little about.

Ignore 'em, keep up your sense of humour and treat them like annoying flies buzzing around, they're not worth the bother.

ModeratedUser150120149

Perhaps there is a bit of Ripple Rosy in some people. You know, the person who, for whatever reason, just throws stones in the pool to see the ripples. In other arenas I've seen people admit to deliberately creating problems just for their entertainment. A few just pick someone, or someones, to bully and harass, just for the fun of it. Of course they are the only one having fun.

My suspicion is that societal polarization and heart hardening has its' effect in this and other places. But, also there is a measure of Ripple Rosy involved too.

Retro Grouch 

On the other hand, we also had a thread about the best way to fix a buggered left crank arm. Two or three posters got into a lenghtly discussion about the definition of "precession" (I might not have spelled that right.). While the discussion got a little heated at times, everybody seemed to maintain their sense of humor and I rather enjoyed the parts that I understood. Every disagreement isn't a cause for termination.

Gnosis

The old adage, “only a fool argues with a fool” often comes to mind as I read various narrow-minded responses of those who insist upon concurrence with their limited point of view.

Electing to simply ignore the responses of such individuals sets a far greater precedence than lowering one’s self to their level. Such individuals typically possess one-tracked mindsets which render them virtually incorrigible. If everyone simply ignored them, they’d eventually go away or wise up and learn how to communicate in a civil, intelligent manner however, there’s always another fool willing to argue with the fool, and such perpetuates their limited childlike behavior.

Learn to simply ignore the simpletons amongst the multitude and you’ll work toward either promoting their improved behavior or discovering their eventual exit when they can no longer agitate the crowd.

B. Carfree

Ack! If I agree with the OP, then I am saying we have become a bunch of disagreeable old cranks. If I disagree, then I am being a disagreeable old crank. Decisions, decisions...

chasm54

Another year, another thread started by cranky old dude complaining about the crankiness of the 50+ forums. Plus ca change...

stapfam

I have to agree with Cranky and I also link it to the How Do You Communicate on Forums vs Face-to-Face Thread. How some of the threads do get argumentative-I cannot understand. If I disagree with a point made then I "May" respond to it to give my opinion and try to make it understood that it is my opinion, Sometimes I remark in jest that could be taken as Abusive but I do at the same time attempt to make people understand it is in jest with Emoticons--

But some threads do get personal and as soon as they do-I stop visiting that thread.

Zinger

This place is a breath of civility compared to an un-moderated private boxing forum. And I actually manage to stay out of most of the personal "polemics" that happen there. I wouldn't worry about crazy spells in here too much until they start questioning your sexual orientation.....Oh yeah, seen that happen in the Pro racing forum now that I think about it. Water off a ducks back as they say.

cranky old dude

What is your point?

Everyone else voiced an opinion, you made an observation.

Is it that I am such an interesting poster that you remember all my posts, or are you just trying to start another one of your arguments?

chasm54

My point is that it is what it is. You clearly want a forum in which people amicably share experiences, pictures, chat about their kids etc. Others don't. There is nothing right or wrong about this, and nothing personal or malicious about it.

The only thing we have in common, here, is an interest in cycling. We come from different places, and cultures, and even if we didn't, we'd still be very different people. And this is an internet forum, not a pub or cafe. In a pub or cafe you'd be able to sit at the corner table with your like-minded friends and converse in the manner that has become comfortable over the years. Here, your table has an unlimited number of seats and any incomer, however inimical, can interject into your conversation. Wishing it were otherwise is, simply, pie-in-the-sky.

cranky old dude

Then why didn't you just say it instead of copping an attitude?? Even now I have a hard time getting this opinion...

...from this post...

Perhaps I'm just a dullard like your friend's wife.

chasm54

I wouldn't dream of calling you a dullard. But let me attempt a pithier translation of my first post. There is no point in repeatedly ***** ing about things you cannot possibly change or control.

cuzzinit

Would the last 4 posts be what the OP was talking about ?

chasm54

Don't be silly. If you have something to contribute to the conversation, contribute. Failed attempts at being a smart-alec simply don't cut it.

Dudelsack 

mkane77g

Reads like a Cal-Guns forum.

cranky old dude

I did get him to clearly state his opinion though.

Reviewing the replies, it does appear that I am in the minority and if I'm looking for enjoyment and friendly banter I'll have to stick to the other three cycling forums that I frequent. Oh well. This used to be a really fun and supportive place to visit but as change occurs, it appears that those of us who don't enjoy it just need to move on rather than turning the forum into a battle ground.

I have better ways to spend my time than sifting the friendly and informative posts from all of this overload of nastiness.

Three locked threads on the front page. Gimme a break, we used to be ashamed to have three locked threads in a year!!

I've vented!

I'm done!

ModeratedUser150120149

Or maybe, if a person is Really Upset one of these might be on point:

"Don't wrestle with a pig. You get all dirty and the pig loves it."
or
"Do it for Fun. Do it for Survival. Or Don't do it at all."

Dudelsack 

Relax.

I figured it out. This is the key.

Great Britain is 6-9 hours ahead of the States. If we post after 6 PM he'll be sound asleep and we can say whatever we want without fear of pointless argument.

I'll probably get called out for this post. It won't be the first time. Oh well......

Frankfast

Something tells me you're not finished. After all you are the OP.