Rage @ forum users with no account info!

[Mr R 360]

So, the story goes - I had a good time at the last VW track day. I met some nice people and had some friendly "dog-fighting" on the track.... I thought I'd jump on the forum and get in touch with said person.... Or so I thought.

What I found was a surprising number of users with nothing more than a random forum alias. I mean there was no avatar picture... No signature describing the car they had... No info in the "About me" section... No location or contact info... Nothing!

So, I thought what is the point of a forum/car club like this?

Aren't we on here to meet other like-minded people, make friends, share info & stories etc?
Because if you're not going to put important relevant info on your account then you might as well call yourselves "Random#0001" "Random#0002 etc.
It's the same as going to a meet and just standing in the corner, not saying a word to anyone... It's pretty much pointless & you might as well not go.

End rant.

[Transporter]

I agree with you.

If someone can have the facebook account, he/she can put some info in theirs profile.



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[Ryan_R]

So what's your name, Mr TTS?

Had an elaborate sig for a while and got tired of always updating it, the main posters in the Mk6 section know what I've done anyway. Also this thread isn't only available to like-minded people, so I like to leave a few gaps of missing info on purpose (don't have FB or other social accounts as well).

[Mk3 AAA]

I think people are just enjoying the last flavours of anonymity left without having to publish their personal details. I feel the forum is a means to discuss and to meet people, not a directory. You could simply ask what their forum name is when you meet them. If you missed them post up your experience e.g. spotted R32 at track day, and if they want to make themselves known they can. As for the car details, there's probably a bit of hierarchy with new v old, modified v factory, expensive v cheap, old v young that people can remove themselves from by leaving out the details of their cars and selves and have the merit of their comments judged individually. If there wasn't that element of anonymity on these forums, as transparent as it may be, there'd be fewer people on here and they'd be less likely to voice opinions if their essentially published comments could be immediately associated with their real name/car etc

Sometimes I feel there are cases where people use their cars as trophies to somehow justify themselves in being an authority or giving them an eligibility to comment on certain topics, or to try and trump people in some sort of whizzing contest. Of course this can be impossible to distinguish from those who are just proud or seeking to contribute.

I do have facebook but at least I can filter and decide who sees my info, this site turns up in Google searches and you don't have that same level of control... so my personal approach is to match that by decreasing access to personal details.

I appreciate your drive for involvement in the forum, but you shouldn't really be horrified at people wanting to keep themselves at arms length until they actually know you a little.

[OEM G60]

I think people are just enjoying the last flavours of animosity left without having to publish their personal details. I feel the forum is a means to discuss and to meet people, not a directory. You could simply ask what their forum name is when you meet them. If you missed them post up your experience e.g. spotted R32 at track day, and if they want to make thenselves known they can. As for the car details, there's probably a bit of hierarchy with new v old, modified v factory, expensive v cheap, old v young that people can remove themselves from by leaving out the details of their cars and selves and have the merit of their comments judged individually. If there wasn't that element of anonymity on these forums, as transparent as it may be, there'd be fewer people on here and they'd be less likely to voice opinions if their essentially published comments could be immediately associated with their real name/car etc

Sometimes I feel there are cases where people use their cars as trophies to somehow justify themselves in being an authority or giving them an eligibility to comment on certain topics, or to try and trump people in some sort of whizzing contest. Of course this can be impossible to distinguish from those who are just proud or seeking to contribute.

I do have facebook but at least I can filter and decide who sees my info, this site turns up in Google searches and you don't have that same level of control... so my personal approach is to match that by decreasing access to personal details.

I appreciate your drive for involvement in the forum, but you shouldn't really be horrified at people wanting to keep themselves at arms length until they actually know you a little.

^ Nail on head ^

Different strokes for different folks.

[Guest001]

Personally I prefer to only include the bare necessities.

I dont have a Facebook account, dont know how to use Twitter and don't want to learn.

There is far too much heartache caused by people using others information posted on websites.

Therefore I work on the theory of Tell them nothing and I wont have problems.

[brad]

Mk3 AAA
anonimity apart from that, you're on the money.

I'm a member of another forum & we are all good mates. Found out each others "details" by going on cruises together. VWwc leaves me a bit cold to be honest.

[Transporter]

Well, the Facebook has the access to your contacts in the phone and use them and you give them the permission to do that.

I've almost signed up on Facebook from my Blackberry phone while ago, but the bb people are more protective of their clients privacy and present them with the privacy policy flipped around a bit - the important stuff first (your privacy) and after reading just a few lines, I had to click NO.

If you're in your 20' there is a lot of info about you on the net that your schools you were attending wrote about you, so you privacy is somehow already compromised. If you buy from internet using your credit card then the latest hit is that your bank verify the transaction you've made by asking on net to fill in the form your name and dob as well as all your account details, how stupid is that and they call it "enjoy safe shopping experience around the world" .

[Ben J]

Yeah I'd say it's a personal thing for sure, I don't care if people can figure out who I am over here (I'd be concerned if they couldn't) and have fairly loose privacy settings on Facebook etc. I'm not a 15 year old girl so I'm not too concerned about the wrong people finding me, and if I wouldn't say something in person, I wont say it online behind an shield of anonymity. I've made some friends through here and love it when other VW enthusiasts find me and add me on Facebook and such or pm me questions on the forum after meeting at meets.

That said, I don't care if people try and hide their info on here. The person you met may not even have been a forum member and could have heard from a friend or something...

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[Mk3 AAA]

Mk3 AAA
anonimity apart from that, you're on the money.

I'm a member of another forum & we are all good mates. Found out each others "details" by going on cruises together. VWwc leaves me a bit cold to be honest.

Haha, I typed all that on a phone using a swipe keyboard/predictive at 1 am... I also wrote 'thenselves' somehow. But thanks, will ensure to proofread in future.

[Umai Naa!!]

One of the things I've found with forums is that you can remain as anonymous as you like, but there will always be people clever enough to read between the lines, or do a bit of internet detective work. I've been guilty of it myself.

Have had customers of previous employers contact me through forums, etc to assist with their grievances, even though I've not known them from a bar of soap, saying "Oh, but you used to/or still do work there. You must be able to help me out", or "You c-words f-worded my car!".

It's a pretty small world now that we have the internet.

[ziggyboy]

Have you ever thought and asked yourself that not everyone is after the same thing in an online forum? I have never attended a VW meetup and don't intend to. I'm on here to talk about VW's online. I guess I'm not that into cars to feel the need to meetup with people in person.

You have asked - what's the point?

People like me do research before buying a car, so I ask my quesitons here. I read up on people's problems with their cars, and see if they're significant enough to make me not buy one. After I've bought mine, I use the forum to ask more questions. I also log on here to voice opinions on topics posted by others (eg. GolfMK7 has come out, do you think it looks nice?). I don't think it's necesary to divulge anything about myself to state an opinion.

Have you been to an online newspaper? People comment on articles, doesn't mean they want anything more than just post an opinion. It would be bizarre for someone to get annoyed that all they've provided is a first name.

I'm by no means against people like you, because you keep the "hobby" alive, but I don't feel the need to attack people because they prefer to be anonymous.

[Bel]

Nothing wrong with a VC commodore I learnt to drive in one (253 with a 'Brock' exhaust, sounded beasty haha)

[Mk3 AAA]

The grey golf thing is true, but I'm sure if you said the grey Golf R32 on BBS CH at Willow Park around 2:30PM Tuesday who saw me waving from a Red Mk2 GTI with the union jack on the back window... THAT could narrow it down,

I see your point. But...

I've never been one for the 'something to hide' argument in withholding personal information, it has a naivety to it, it implies sinister behaviour when it could just be a sensible response.

We've had cars stolen before, mates have had houses and cars targeted for certain items or parts. One family friend even had their family threatened simply because the crooks wanted their car, and didn't want to be reported.

Perhaps you annoy the wrong person, they know your car, they find it on the site, they link it to your phone number, your friends your address, your facebook and details... can't you see how that could go pear shaped in any way? It's your right to give up your own privacy, much more so than any assumed right to privacy... but some people like others to jump through a few hoops before trusting them with their own information.

You could tailor a scam so well that people think they've actually met you.

Alternatively, some people just can't be bothered with forums, there's politics (oh you can't say that about random#08 he's been on here since 1984), competitiveness/one-upmanship, snobbery...

It's a bit different when forums have sections you have to log into and you can open up a bit more as the audience is filtered down, but I guess this has to be balanced against bringing in new people and leaving this open for the assistance of the wider community.

but MOST importantly... TWO MAGNAS! Are you mad? (it's ok it's ok, we had one, we had one)

[Mr R 360]

Have you ever thought and asked yourself that not everyone is after the same thing in an online forum? I have never attended a VW meetup and don't intend to. I'm on here to talk about VW's online. I guess I'm not that into cars to feel the need to meetup with people in person.

You have asked - what's the point?

Yes I realise not everyone here is after the same thing however I explained at the start that this person was into the car scene and regularly attends our track days.

What's the point?
Well I'm not sure what you are referring to here but I wanted to have a good natured rant and get other peoples opinions/ideas on the matter. At no stage was I dictating that everyone should do as I do. Rather I made a suggestion that it would help if users put something in their profiles.

Have you been to an online newspaper? People comment on articles, doesn't mean they want anything more than just post an opinion. It would be bizarre for someone to get annoyed that all they've provided is a first name.

I'm by no means against people like you, because you keep the "hobby" alive, but I don't feel the need to attack people because they prefer to be anonymous.

I agree with you in regards to people getting upset if only a name was on a newspaper comment, that's just weird but I see VWwatercooled as a car club with a forum, not just some random online only forum.

I realise everyone perceives things differently (especially text) and unfortunately you have seen my comments as an attack. This is not the case and I tried to convey this with the use of smiley faces etc. It was nothing more than a good-natured rant at my frustrations in finding a fellow car enthusiast.

The grey golf thing is true, but I'm sure if you said the grey Golf R32 on BBS CH at Willow Park around 2:30PM Tuesday who saw me waving from a Red Mk2 GTI with the union jack on the back window... THAT could narrow it down,


but MOST importantly... TWO MAGNAS! Are you mad? (it's ok it's ok, we had one, we had one)

lol the two magnas were a result of unfinished business. You see I had a brand new TJ VRX back in 2002 and it was written off by a red light runner within 6 months of purchasing it.... Long story short, I always felt like I didn't have "closure" or something. So I got another one and enjoyed it for 12 months and it helped me get past a fear/uneasy feeling when ever I went through "that" intersection.