Hi all,
 
 
Here’s a bit of my background on this forum and these cars.
 
Waaay back in the day, 1990 or so, I came to Sydney for a holiday, rented an MR2 from some dodgy car rental place in Kings Cross, and drove up to the Blue Mountains for the weekend. The car didn’t want to stay in 5^th on the main drag, burnt my arm trying to check the oil, but he car left an impression the mountain roads.
 
 A few years later, 1994, I read about the ADM GT, wow, sounded awesome, six speaker surround sound cassette deck with a CD player – all for $62000 or so. Wow, imagine having that sort of money for such an exotic!
 
Many years later, forgetting that impractical car dream, now having a mortgage and my own family, riding a motorcycle as a commuter, I have a close call on the bike, I’d prefer to keep my legs working for a bit so I think car again.
 
That week I’m at work and I see an MR2 – that’s it, I’m going to buy one of those! One more seat than the ex police bike BMW I was riding, not much of a bigger motor, and as I was to find out – slightly better wet weather protection than a motorcycle.
 
So I looked for a bit. No luck. Searched for some on-line help and found a forum. Found Glenns’ Mr2 Australia. Gee, a login in name? No idea, just need some help and advice to find a decent car then I’ll be outta here. Hmm, name, no idea dude, whatever, ‘Dudeman’ so stupid but its not like I’ll be using it for long.
 
So, after some good help from a few members and looking a few cars I found a 94 GT ADM. Perfect inside, very good outside. Bought and driven home. Nice car.
 
Sort of made a few posts on the forum here and there, not a mechanic, no good knowledge or advice to share, just some carp jokes and warped sense of humor comments made to a few posts here and there. Not too popular as this free speaking awful joking newcomer. Gee some on the forum are pretty serious!
 
Some are pretty normal too, so end up going to a couple of meets in Sydney, meet some decent people, 2hardtop, Jaemus, Dylan, Jay, the excitable Surok and the reserved Darius not to mention others. Nice crew, come along to a meet now and then.
 
I’m no wall flower, like I say, I don’t have any technical knowledge to offer – if I don’t write gibber, well I wont have anything to write. Turn up to meets without having said anything on the forum? – I guess you’d be half expected to sort of edge your way around a meet, listen in, but not say anything. So bad jokes, bad puns, whatever. That’s me.
 
I did take exception to people being relentlessly targeted on the forum and got involved in some fantastic keyboard warrior moves. None of this scored me any points on the popularity stakes but I don’t believe in kicking someone when they are down and give a hand to the underdog.
 
I even offered to take this keyboard battle to the carparks in a no holds barred challenge of ‘scissors – paper – rock’ to decide on ultimate keyboard warrior. But it didn’t happen. (I was there!)
 
Buy myself one of those fancy JDM type cars, no glass in the roof and a funny hairdryer thing slapped on the engine. With some hands on help from 2hardtop, Jas, parts from Dylan, DB8, SRK, the car is being rebuild and should be on the road soon! (Yeah! 12 months + soon!!) Anyway, couldn’t have happened without hands on help and words of advice from these people and more. Once that car is up and happening I plan to put a 1mz in the ADM GT.
 
Anyway, back to the forum. Theres a split in forums, 98% of the Sydney crew run off to different pastures. Grass over there tasted funny so I stayed here.
 
Forum owner then asked for new moderators. I put my hand up and seemed to get in by default.  Now that put more than a few noses out of joint, lots of protests, lots of pm’s to the forum owner. He persevered and I kept the position. Not one complaint after the first couple of weeks had passed (lots of complaints initially.)
 
So for over the last 14 months or so I had been a moderator here. Resisted any urge for nonsense commentary (After the first week or so anyway) and just did what I thought a moderator should do.
 
I put in a silly amount of time here, the vast majority of what I did was unseen. That is what I think good moderation is about, just keeping it running smooth without anyone feeling any bumps.
 
Flicked some spammers, had to haggle with a group of trolls to find someone else to annoy (ban the user ID? Yeah well that sets them a challenge, a group can invite more and just destroy a small forum like ours so just annoy them to go away – it worked)
 
I have spoken with more than a few members on a personal level with any dramas they were having here and more importantly – how they would prefer to have the situation dealt with.  That and giving advice to anyone who asked me for that type of stuff I know of.
 
So, pretty well much, keeping my head pulled in, spending too much time here, probably annoying the other moderators by jumping on anything before they had the chance to.
 
Until last week.
 
I dealt with a member of the forum and wanted to buy something. I thought he was rude and unreasonable. Pretty obnoxious really. Then a did something I now regret, I went to some old postings of his and gave him thumbs down!! On about 6 posts. Yeah, pretty silly and petty.
 
So, whatever that ‘score’ thing meant, I decreased his by six! (Oh yeah, then by another six or so a few days later – but by that time there was a small backing chorus of downward thumbing by some others but don’t go there…)
 
Now this ‘thumbs down’ thing, well, it has been pretty soundly abused against some people here. I let the forum owner know when it was happening and I tried to delete the downward thumb from that persons profile (Not the obnoxious persons one, the person who had a troll problem) but I couldn’t change the members ‘thumbing’ to be more upward.
 
So I didn’t really think the thumbs counted for much at all. But really I should have been more forward and instead and sticking a few sneaky thumbs I should have been more forward and said, “Steve, I think you are obnoxious and unreasonable” (and apparently you have quite a comical squeaky voice and enjoy riding on bandwagons)
 
Then there was the ‘someone has been giving me thumbs down’ conspiracy thread and my subsequent fall from the great lofty heights of Moderator  to those of member.
 
So.
 
I’m not a moderator any longer. I did like being a moderator and thought I did a pretty decent job of it. No over-editing of threads or postings, no random or unwarranted deletions. People booted yes, posts deleted yes. Complaints 0. Thumbs down? Too many!!
 
Anyway, for me it’s about the cars, always has been. They are great to drive, and I’m looking forward to my turbo being a very nice car (It better be with the amount of $$ in it now) The NSW club is great and Darius and the committee are doing a fantastic job keeping it alive and DVST8R plans great trips. (Can someone let Dylan know when the runs are on??) 
 
Love you’s all (Not you squeaky)
 
DM.
 
 
 
 

I have to agree, this forum is a bit more...for lack of a better word "sensible" than other forums, not mentioning any names *cough* nissansilvia *cough*. But actually I prefer this to the other ones. I don't mind silly posts but "sensible" just reinforces the MR2 as a gentlemen's car.
Pity the forum got split tho, I never really understood why but must admit the other Aussie forum is quite high tech hehe (sorry Admin haha). Somehow I thought this forum upgraded to that lol. This is still my "home" forum tho, simply cos I cbf and spend enough time here already!
Ultimately because it split, I feel the online Australian MR2 community is less effective since there can be ppl who are members of one but not the other, reducing our nation scale teamwork.
Dudeman I don't know what happened between you and Steve but it was a bit immature as you said it yourself, you should have taken it up to him one on one, preferably outside the forum. Maybe you were trying to protect other ppl, but from Admin's view it could be seen as power abuse/troll.
But I also think Steve (purple5ive?) took the scores a bit too seriously...I think others agree but I suppose if you were the victim you wouldn't be happy/laughing either...
Sucks that you got demoted as everything has been smooth for me so far so all the moderators or were moderators have done a good job IMO as well. Just goes to show that one silly mistake can wind up messy I guess...
Anyways this is just my rant hope you continue to stick around cos you seem like an alright guy to me so far and congrats on the turbo build, I know how it feels as I'm in a similar-ish situation hehe

I initially thought the other forum was a new set up, thats why i subscribed.
 
Frankly im not on it after continual harassment. Couldnt give a ****. If they or i could remove all my posts i would. Not interested as one turkey things his Gods ANSWER.
Life is too short to waste time on Neanderthals !
Sad to see a small mistake taken so far where as continual abuse and nothing was done, hey i guess it makes a difference if you run the forum !
I love my car and do things others would not. I show what i do so others might take a few ideas and see what can be done.  I can live without  being in a forum as i do things that please me , not because of a herd of members patting themselves on the back and believe they are right and heaven forbid someone does something different.
 
 

That was an entertaining little rant Dudeman. Sorry you were demoted, but it's not like you were getting paid & took a cut @ least Good to know you'll be sticking around. Yes you made a boo-boo, but respect for manning up to it.
 
As with all communities, some people just clash & don't get along. Part of life. Having 2 seperate forums is testament to that. Frankly, I find it annoying to browse 2 AU MR2 forums instead of 1 & damaging to the local MR2 community. MR2 meets are seldom even mentioned here, threads are duplicated & information is scattered. MR2 enthusiasts just can't enter into discussion as efficiently as they should. I'd like to see it revert back to 1, but to be honest, the owners of both forums are probably too stubborn to ever meet halfway (or they hate each other passionately).

"Do you see what happens when you mess with the warrior?"

Dudeman... I thought that when you got voted in to be a moderator, you would be rubbish at it, but to be honest, I thought you did pretty well – much to my surprise! So I hope whoever "unmoderated" you let's you off the hook and reinstates you after your 'fessing up about this recent transgression.
 
 

Hey dudeman quick question were you the one that posted up "too many dicks" song by Tripod back yonks ago?

MR2QIK 
.... but to be honest, the owners of both forums are probably too stubborn to ever meet halfway (or they hate each other passionately).

You guys may have gathered that I just want the forum to (mostly) run itself. I just see myself as the guy running the software and keeping the server going. I don't have any issues with the guys on the other forum though one in particular when here was particularly obnoxious causing me to over react a couple of times which I do regret and have since learnt from. That won't happen again.
I too would like there to only be one forum. There is much more activity here so it makes sense to be this one though that just isn't going to happen.
Even if this forum lost all its members, I would still run it. As I have said before, I like doing it.
What the guys on the other forum didn't understand or see what that this forum IS run by its members. I have asked all of the moderators to only intervene when it is absolutely necessary. I want this to be a place of free speech where we all get along. I think this has been achieved and that we are far more easy going than a lot of other forums.
Content on this forum is owned by the members and I am always more than happy to help out in structuring the forum the way the majority of users want.
Regarding Dudeman - I am happy to reinstate him as a moderator if the will of the forum members request it to be so. After all the flak I received after he was originally appointed, I assumed that he was still seen as an untrusted member of the community. I am happy to be re-educated.
Thank you again Dudeman for all of the effort you have put into the community. It is definitely appreciated.
If any of you think that Dudeman should not be made a moderator again, please PM me.
Thanks,
Admin

dylmrt

"Do you see what happens when you mess with the warrior?"

I'm not sure if that is meant for me or not. No need to reply.

Cool Story Dude.
i tried to stay out of this thread so as not to let another internet keyboard slanging match happen.
but the i think a few things that have been said about me need to be sorted out.
 

Dudeman
Until last week.
I dealt with a member of the forum and wanted to buy something. I thought he was rude and unreasonable. Pretty obnoxious really.

Ive been a member here since 2007 and since then i have sold and bought from many people here , many from interstate as well, ive never had anyone call me rude, unreasonable or obnoxious. your the first one to do it..
im sure theres many people here who can vouch for me on this behalf
 
just so evryone knows what ACTUALLY  happened .
heres the PM thats started the problem according to me (anyway)
this is a copy and paste
 

purple5ive

 
 
I need payment to be made first before I start packaging everything up.

Cheers

 
You are joking, right?
Do you think if after seeing the pics and agreeing to buy it i'll back out once its packed?? Its not quite like I'm a brand new member who no-one has bought from or sold to.

 
Now up and until the PM was recieved everything was fine. ( and just to note, no mention about how or when payment was to be made was discussed until this PM) but a price was agreed on by both of us.
 
all is said to him was i will have the package ready to go if he gave me a few days notice for me to pack it up as i come home late in the evening and leave early in the morning for work..and payment needed to be made before i start to package thing up and i get a response like this.
 
 
i replied to the offending PM saying that stranger things have happened before, and that this is how i have always operated when selling and buying things over the internet, forums (here and elsewhere). and that if he is still interested i will send my banking details, or if he wants more pics of the front lip with the scratches so that he can make up his mind properly wethere he wants to buy it or not. if not please dont waste my time as im very very busy.
 
i dont get a reply back and thought that he has decided not to waste my time, however a day later i log on the forums and find out that my points have been decreased by a fair bit, i didnt think much of it then but i seen a post in the for sale section wanting to buy a front lip and then i thought maybe this guy has cracked it with me and he is the one who maybe gave me a minus but the problem is i couldnt find any of my recent posts with a (-),which prompted me to start the POINTS THREAD. and you guys know what happened after that .
 
so dudeman
firstly if your going going to accuse someone of being a rude, unreasonable and obnoxius then make sure you have your facts right before doing so.
 
now for this
 

So, whatever that ‘score’ thing meant, I decreased his by six! (Oh yeah, then by another six or so a few days later – but by that time there was a small backing chorus of downward thumbing by some others but don’t go there…)

 
you decreased my points one day then came back and did it again ,, whyyyyyyy??????? didnt you have enough of fun the first time. oh wait you did it a second time after seeing the post i made about it , so you did it twice just to get back at me and done in such a way that it couldnt be traced, sneaky bugger

apparently you have quite a comical squeaky voice and enjoy riding on bandwagons

i really dont give a rats @rse what you think of me. but thanks for doing the research
and Apparently you have a habit of misusing your moderator status to tamper with peoples post and points when your pissed off with them.
 

I did like being a moderator and thought I did a pretty decent job of it

if you call tampering with people points, and editing locked threads so that you can still post your reply when no-one else can good moderating then you need your head checked and pulled out of your @rse...
 

I’m not a moderator any longer

clearly my issue was the last straw out of many problems you have created here, and you got what you deserved.
 
 
 
i can go on again, but ive had enough, but kudos to you for admitting that you actually did somethign wrong.
 
i really dont know how you do business on the internet mate, ive never bought or sold to you before and its only fair on my part to make sure payment has been made first prior to shipping or organising for a courier to come and collect the stuff , but if you expect people to package and ship stuff without recieving payment first then you got to be dreaming DUDE.
 
if anyone thinks thats theres somethign wrong i did or handled the situation badly please correct me.
ive had numerous people buy from me and ive bought many things from people here without any hassles im sure they will vough for me.
 
cheers DUDE.