LandyLive! Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse 7-8 June 2014

I think at 03.53 you should be tucked up in bad young Tom....!

fwiw 'spamming' has undertones of criticism which I'm not 100% are deserved by your efforts/ventures, but one man band or not it is broadly 'promoting' a commercial venture..... but hey, luckily I have nothing to do with moderating whatsoever....! Good luck with the show - could be tempted.... A

Reckon you're right “agew”, 03.53 was a bit daft. Started reading my old posts then realised I was being pilloried unfairly for past posts … so bit. Rather than just lie down and take it, decided to stand my corner.

A serious question moderators - why can't you have a section for:-

a) Events

b) Off-road pay 'n' play sites ???

Surely this would kill all this spam thingy stone dead. I could be deceitful and get my mates to join the forum and after a while post, "Off to Stratford Racecouse for the XXXXXX Show on XXXXX date, anybody going?" I'm just not like that, but I'm sure organisers have done this in the past - it's so obvious.

Shows and events, including commercial off-road centre's play days, are core activities within our pastime. How can somebody start up and operate a new off-road course (like “thecomblad” … no, I don’t know the bloke), unless he informs folk it’s exists? Financially it is just not possible to advertise in all the mags, on internet sites, club websites and open forums like LZ. So the result is … off-road sites get closed down by the NIMBYS and they’re not replaced. Why? Because financially nobody can afford to take the risk, especially these days with all the health & safety requirements, public liability insurance, access problems, neighbours moaning, etc, etc.

I am in exactly the same boat. I don’t have the budgets of the big boys, then again I don’t want to charge their extortionate rates for the campers, traders and the like. By having a section specifically for events and off-road sites, folk can see what’s out there and judge for themselves … surely?

I’ve said it a million times - events and activities are not the same as selling products like winch bumpers, spot lights or roof tents. I really don’t understand what gives moderators the right to censor information – because that is exactly what it is – thus denying users the facts so they can make up their own minds? That's the thin end of the wedge, after all it affects all of us.

Strewth, there are enough people out there ready and willing to give us a good kicking, so why on earth would we want to do this to ourselves? Fewer off-road courses, shows and events would result in greenlanes having even more numptys taking to them, how the ramblers would love that. Closures aplenty would ensue!

I just don’t get it? An events section whether commercial or otherwise (there is always a grey area with charity events for instance) wouldn’t be detrimental to the forum, if anything it would enhance it – or am I totally wrong?

Firstly my comment about 'just' posting your events may have been unfair. All lot of your posts are event related and I haven't the time to research whether they're yours, your mates or just general interest but on your word I'm happy to take it back.

We have an (underused) events calender and I've already suggested you use it. You'll also notice your thread has not disappeared even though it is an issue as a commercial promotion.

Have you inquired about forum sponsorship before deciding to 'fight your corner'? Did you think to ask if it was ok to advertise? How would you feel if we turned up with the club stand and declsred we were staying but didn't see why we should need tickets and hadn't thought to ask?

Unfortunately forums, like events, cost money to run, even ones that dont charge a membership fee.

As for Pay and Play sites the issues are similar. Yes it's good of members to get the information but using LZ purely to advertise for commercial gain is taking the mick.

The recent thread I assume you are referring to is slightly different. The OP was not forthcoming or honest, tried to be deceitful and when caught out had the nerve to question the integrety of one of the other mods.

Am I going to allow someone who has shown himself to be a liar to advertise an event at a site that has been out of use for years, needs work and for all I know is unsafe so he can make money whether now or later, and wont consider making any sort of donation in return?

Like hell I am

As for freedom of information....

You'll notice your threads still here

It's a grey area. Where is the line between wanting members to know whats going on and preventing the forum becoming every advertisers favourite place to get there hands on members cash?

It's not a power trip, it's something dull and boring I deal with every day, ee're a very attractive target. Most of them I dont bother engaging with. When there's a question mark over whether it's good or not depends to a large degree on the attitude of the OP, whether they'be asked, whether they're prepared to discuss making a donation, whether they can even to bothered to PM accywingy to see if something can be worked out.

Most can't but can sometimes summon the energy to spit their dummy and cry about how unfair it all is. At least that makes the decision easy

You'll notice your threads still here.....


Dunno if it will be in an hour or so mind

You'll notice your threads still here.....


Dunno if it will be in an hour or so mind

Yep, re. the pay 'n' play site, I did notice that the 'free offer' to LZ members suddenly materialised out of thin air after he'd been pulled up on it.

I still think a commercial section would keep all the dross away from the main chat section. It's worked a treat on my forum, leaving the rest absolutely clear. If somebody in China for instance advertises 4x4 stuff (winches, LED lights or whatever) by blatantly slipping something into a chat section, it gets deleted and the user banner - well they were warned. Worth experimenting I would suggest.

"How would you feel if we turned up with the club stand and declsred we were staying but didn't see why we should need tickets and hadn't thought to ask?"

See what you're saying, but a bad example. From Day One I invited LZ a free display stand at LandyLive! - a pitch that included complimentary passes - the offer's still on the table BTW - unlike the pay 'n' play guy who couldn't understand why folk were having a pop, then thought a freebie would calm the waters.

I do however accept that a third was an invite, a third was an announcement and a third could be viewed as indirect advertising ... so for the latter I apologise. I shall PM a mod in future to see what's acceptable and what's not.

I tell you, in many ways it was easier before the internet existed, precisely because there were no "grey areas". I would simply send in a Press Release to the magazines (which everyone used to buy because they were affordable - not now!!!) and if I could afford it, the tiniest of adverts at the back, plus mail out invitations to all the LR/4x4 clubs (which weren't so plentiful of course). From there the word would spread like wildfire amongst the enthusiasts. Now there are a million and one forums/message-boards/social media sites, magazine sales are at an all time low, and the price of stamps are bordering on criminal. I bought 24 x 2nd class stamps today, it cost £12.72 ... that's 53p per poxy stamp!!! :mad2::mad2::mad2:

Rant over! Bring back the 'good ol' days'.