Safe Speed Forums

I'm pretty disappointed that folk are using the anonymous forum to snipe at us from positions of great ignorance.

I intended the Anonymous Forum to be used for whistle blowers and anyone that actually needed anonymity. It isn't supposed to provide cover for snipers.

What should I do?

* Let it run as it is?
* Make all anonymous submission "write only" so they can't be read in public?
* Introduce rules and delete non-complying messages?
* I could make the anonymous forum only readable by registered forum users. Then the snipers couldn't read what they had written until they registered.

I welcome debate, and especially informed debate, but I think this is getting silly. It's probably literally just a waste of time.

Any comments?

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I'd go with the 'write-only, not visible by anyone else' route, personally. Having said that, if you go down that road, you might as well stick with the current form you have...

Removing posts will result in cries of censorship, and as it is, it's far too open to abuse.

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Carl Prescott

I've found another option that may help.

Anonymous visitors cannot now reply in the forum, and I've posted some rules. If they break the rules I'll delete the messages. Simple as that.

We'll see how it goes.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Trouble is Paul - lots of people have opposing point of view.

Now you know mine (and the wife's - since you do visit PH ). But I would say that the Mrs Law Abiders should still be entitled to post a response to their rantings - if only to give me a good laugh ! In any case, how will we ever know if we did make her think a little more about her views.

"Trolls", pro-scammers will have opinions. They may not want to register for their own reasons. If we gag them - they will accuse us all the more of being "arrogant and selfish - unwilling to listen" etc, etc. If we let them respond to us, and discuss the points raised and not go down to their level of abuse - we will do much for our PR and our cause. After all, I would say that these posters on the site have been far more damaging to their own argument than ours.

Of course, Mrs Law Abiding and Cageybaiter types may never wish to negotiate or acknowledge the logic of another point of view. But really, we should be rising to their challenges, with firm, polite and slightly bantering responses which show us in a good light and show up the "trolls" in the worst light possible.

So - they take a pop at us! We pop right back at them with reasoned polite argument. Our PR, tact and diplomacy will show polish and refined thinking, and win us more support as the sensible folk we all are, and they will just show themselves up as the "twazaks" we know and love

Just a few thoughts on a tricky subject - because I know these types are vindictive, unreasonable and have resorted to spamming in the past!

I welcome opposing points of view. Anyone will be welcome to come and express their opinion and especially so if that opinion is carefully considered.

But we were being sniped at in the anonymous forum by folk without the courage or decency to even say who they are. That was just pointless.

Anyone with an opposing point of view can still join the forum, and I'll do my best to make them welcome so long as they stick to decent behaviour.

I hope that clarifies the issue.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety