No Manners, No Comment: How To Get Banned At TTAC

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Shaikh Jalal Ahmad wrote a very informative series on car suspensions. Sgeffe called it “an interesting (and timely) series.” Felix Hoennikker could not “wait for the next one.” JuniperBug welcomed the series from “a highly respected suspension tuner/builder.” But it takes only one drunk or rude guest to ruin a whole party. We are about to lose a valuable and knowledgeable contributor, just because commenters forgot their manners.

Willman wrote something that would have triggered a very robust response would he have said it in my face.

I would like to direct your attention to TTAC’s Commenting Policy, which states:

There are two very simple guiding rules to commenting on TTAC

  1. When commenting, picture yourself being invited to a dinner party with a roomful of strangers. You probably will not attack or insult the host, or the other guests. You will get annoyed by rude and uncivilized guests. You will understand that the host will not invite people back who violate simple rules of civility. Attacking the host could mean an end of the dinner before deserts are served.
  2. You have a right to your opinion, you are immediately wrong if you are rude. Rude, uncivilized remarks mean an immediate loss of the argument. They also can mean a loss of commenting privileges.

For those who need extra amplification, it says:

No personal attacks on other commenters or TTAC authors. Disagreement is no attack, name calling is. You may make a robust argument, but you may not insult the other person. To provide for a safe workplace for TTAC authors, there are increased standards. “

We will not tolerate the abuse of our authors. Willman has been banned for violating a simple, and clearly stated rule of TTAC. I apologize for the rude and uncivilized behavior of a TTAC commenter. Please note that this is not about what you say. It is strictly about how you say it. Commenters have a right to their opinion, and we will fight for that right. There is no right to a lack of manners.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Dantes_inferno Dantes_inferno on Oct 16, 2012

    Correct me if I'm wrong - I was under the impression that this site was called "The Truth About Cars" as opposed to "The Politically Correct Truth About Cars".

    • See 2 previous
    • Danio3834 Danio3834 on Oct 18, 2012

      @danio3834 dante, you're right, the logic runs true. The dick example was just that, an example. Not an indictment.

  • INeon INeon on Oct 18, 2012

    The tone in which you receive your news will eventually become the tone with which you deliver your news. As far as I'm concerned, a banning is simply addressing a symptom, not the disease. We all know the disease, but we value our discussions of your work more than to be banned for citing the progressing lack of skill or vision around here. If you are a gossiping fishwife, droning incessantly-- every day-- about every thing; you will run out of things to say. When you run out of things to say, you will invent things to say. Inventions are not all successful-- in fact, InventHelp™ has a television commercial which has a disclaimer to exactly this effect. What we've got here, TTAC boys, is a lack of content causing the commentariat agony. We've endured The BoothBabe. We've endured rants about Christian symbology offending youall. We know the size of Baruth's penis. We know you writers worth a damn have walked-away already. That familiarity breeds contempt. We feel contempt from every one of youall, very nearly daily-- and, we as a group are simply lobbing the ball back to youall. Don't hate the player-- hate the game, yo.

    • TireIrony TireIrony on Oct 18, 2012

      Lack of content is an excuse for bad commenter behavior? No. When you run out of things to say, you should walk away. If you can't, that's YOUR problem, not the site's. There will be some people for whom no amount of fodder for good comments is enough. (Think of Homer Simpson in hell with donuts.) Some people will always run out of things to say, and it is then time for them to stop talking. Management has said before (and recently) that they do not welcome comments about what articles they should NOT post. Take that to heart. If content is lacking, suggest what you want to read, or walk away. Finish the phrase: "If you haven't got anything nice to say..." Google it if you have to.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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