The future of the TOC and this forum

[Anonymous]

We have seen a fair bit of discontent and displeasure on here. Is it justified?

Personally I think it is. We have a bunch of people running our club who have for whatever reason decided that the internet is a bad thing. They are saying the use of this forum is for matters relating to car restoration only. Who gave them the right to say that? They are putting the site development into the hands of a third party picked by them so that the subjects listed and content can be controlled by them, again who gave them this right? Who has given the green light to put the forum and web development out to a third party which will charge for their services?

If being a member of the Traction Moaners Club as it was so put in the last edition of FP means I do not just sit back and take the crumbs offered then so be it. The attitude shown is beyond belief, we are meant to be a club and should be helping each other and listening to concerns not sitting there passing judgement and passing orders down to others.

Since we have now lost long standing members and others who were a great benefit to the club those in charge are happy. Perhaps we now need a proper meeting to discuss all this and secure the future of a free and open forum.

[Anonymous]

I (and the rest of the committee) would be very interested to hear other member’s views on the running of the forum and the club generally.

To clarify a few of your points
On the “Board Index” page of this forum the objectives of the forum are clearly stated –“This is a forum for Members of the Traction Owners Club to share and discuss information regarding their cars.” This was written when the forum was launched.
The committee is elected by the members to run the club and as such gives them right to make decisions for the functioning of the club.
The forum is not being put out to a third party. The website is however changing developers, we have been paying for development and, unless we get a volunteer with the necessary skills, this will have to continue.
Nobody is happy that people leave the club.
We always encourage members to attend the AGM so that open discussions can take place about the running and future of the club.
 

[Anonymous]

Encouraging people to attend the AGM is well and good, but some of us are from out of country, and the chances of my ever attending any club event are near zero. I don’t expect a national club to cater to an overseas market, but still, with a tool as simple as a forum why wouldn’t you? I moderate a local board that is easily run by a couple of volunteers.

So why join at all if I’ll never go to an event? This appeared to be the only English language forum about, and from other forums I’ve used, a good on-line community can be very nearly as good as a ‘real life’ one. If the discussion is strictly limited to technical discussion that leaves little chance for community to develop. It’s been disappointing to see some of the main contributors go, and I’ve had a question up for a couple of days with no response so that isn’t speaking well for the technical usefulness of the forum. If the forum dies there’s little point in continuing my membership. The magazine is fine for a quick read, but it won’t help me keep my car going or interact with the membership in any real way.

[Anonymous]

Hello ‘Admin 1’ do you have a name? If so, it would be great to know who you are.
Best wishes, Norman Anderson

[Anonymous]

@Fjord wrote:

If the forum dies there’s little point in continuing my membership. The magazine is fine for a quick read, but it won’t help me keep my car going or interact with the membership in any real way.

Bruce, you sum up my sentiments very neatly.
It’s terribly sad to see some of the excellent contributors chased away, it has lessened the value of this forum and indeed my membership.
I hope that by saying this, I won’t be banned.

[Anonymous]

@Admin1 wrote:

I (and the rest of the committee) would be very interested to hear other member’s views on the running of the forum and the club generally.

To clarify a few of your points
On the “Board Index” page of this forum the objectives of the forum are clearly stated –“This is a forum for Members of the Traction Owners Club to share and discuss information regarding their cars.” This was written when the forum was launched.
The committee is elected by the members to run the club and as such gives them right to make decisions for the functioning of the club.
The forum is not being put out to a third party. The website is however changing developers, we have been paying for development and, unless we get a volunteer with the necessary skills, this will have to continue.
Nobody is happy that people leave the club.
We always encourage members to attend the AGM so that open discussions can take place about the running and future of the club.
 

Board index shows many headings. Why limit to discussion on technical issues only? Who said it was only meant for that? As there are overseas members this forum is a way for them to interact. It just shows once again how those running the show have no thought for the ordinary member. By the way not all of us have unlimited free time to attend meetings so the forum could once again be used to allow more people to get involved. I take it the costs of changing developers will be published before they are engaged to do any work or will it be like the fiasco of the front wings? It seems that those in charge do not care one way or another if people leave, if they did they would not be insulting them in FP.

[Anonymous]

bazessex – your points have been covered in previous posts and I do not want to keep repeating myself.
The topic is the future, not the past, so what suggestions do you have for improving the TOC for all members in the future?

[Anonymous]

@Admin1 wrote:

so what suggestions do you have for improving the TOC for all members in the future?

Hi ‘Admin1’ you could start off by offering the board users your name.
But, you are correct about the future of this once useful forum and the TOC in general. How about making the annual rally open (and welcome) to all, not just a select few? How about offering an open, sincere apology to those hugely experienced and intelligent contributors that have been chased away? Ask them (with a degree of humility) if they would be kind enough re join.
Without their contribution, advice and guidance, I’m struggling to find value for my membership. A dead forum, a glossy mag with great pics of away trips, and of course the ‘President’s Ponderings’ column with deeply patronising comments about forum users, and of course an unwillingness to engage via anything other than letters addressed to the Secretary. Come on, it’s 2016. You should be encouraging new, young members. Our cars may have been built in the past, but we don’t have to live there.

[Anonymous]

Hi this is from another post, its getting even more out of hand!
I do not agree with what has happened and I do not fully understand the first paragraph but can we please post under one topic.
Its just jumping all over the forum

Re: November/December
Postby Admin1 » Tue May 31, 2016 5:29 pm

Hi Den, it is John Oates currently doing the admin role (for others I am a long time TOC member and membership secretary). Forgot about the trial period, a period of 1 month I believe, yes it will continue.

Bazessex – I have been completely honest and to be accused otherwise is offensive. Having only one side of the argument does not make it necessarily fact, some of the remarks made in the topic I deleted were offensive and parts of it were untrue. I restate that I have only deleted that 1 topic and 2 separate posts in other topics one of which was reported by another forum member (with no connection to me or the committee). Topics have been deleted by their originator and that will delete any posts made by you within that post. No other member of the committee has deleted posts or topics. There is no intention of putting the forum out to a charging company, technically the forum is functioning correctly.
I do not have “masters”!

Dave

[Anonymous]

To Admin.
Here is a idea why not start by offering new members a mentor for the first year? Someone who knows the way the club works and a name and face the new member associates with from the start?

Open up the whole club to the internet, how are we ever going to get new younger members when the club hides away? When I was looking for information on the internet before getting my car the TOC did not appear at all, I had many hits for clubs abroad but none for the UK. I was lucky I had a friend on FB who I remembered had a Traction so I contacted her and her husband. Without that contact I would have been stuck.

Revamp FP it is it seems every issue full of info on meetings held with scarce mention of what was actually discussed. The Presidents ponderings in the last issue were frankly insulting to some of us. A story about a damaged screen took over half a page because it was in a massive font and double spaced. It went on about the trials and tribulations of the disaster but failed to mention a visit to a glass shop with the frame and a new screen could have been cut from laminated glass in a matter of minutes. Then we have full pages of adverts for the next bash which to be honest after the experience of trying to go on the birthday bash and the comments made by the said President and others makes me less inclined to even attempt to attend.

Make our stand at shows a bit more interesting and have people on it that actually want to talk to new members asking for help or promote the club. Not sit at a table having a party and dismissing questions with as few words as possible. Also get the stand out a many more smaller shows around the country by asking members to make use of it in their local area.

It seems we have lost the only few members who actually were of any use to me and some others. Ian Wright went and sorted a car in France for a new member his reward for being a great contributor and a massive help to others was to be forced off the forum and out of the club. Mick Popka a member for years and who used to run this forum has left for what reasons I do not fully understand but he obviously felt he was undermined and treated badly. Speaking to other long term members there are a few who do not like the way things are and how they see them going either so will we see them leaving too?

I am not leaving yet because I feel it is possible to make the club more appealing to others and I am willing to help even though a few of the old school may not want that.

[Anonymous]

@Admin1 wrote:

bazessex – your points have been covered in previous posts and I do not want to keep repeating myself.
The topic is the future, not the past, so what suggestions do you have for improving the TOC for all members in the future?

This reply sums up the attitude of many in charge here. Please point me to where the costs and details of who is taking over the forum development is as I seem to have missed it.

[Anonymous]

Bazessex

It is good to see a club member brimming with ideas on how he would like to see the club develop.

It is perhaps worth remarking that the club committee is entirely made up from volunteers, they give of their time freely for no reward save for seeing a job well done. New blood is always welcome, and you would seem be particularly keen to support the committee in their work – just the sort of person we need.

May I suggest that you give the club chairman a call and ask if you may attend the next committee meeting. I can assure you that all your ideas will be carefully listened to .

I note that you have some firm views on how a club stand should be manned and I assume that you would be willing to support the club at the NEC this year? Pete Simper is co organiser of the stand so give him a ring (01784 559867) and let him know that you are available.

Martin de Little.

[Anonymous]

Martin,

May I have the courtesy of a reply to my posts addressed to you regarding your TOC photo’s?

Den

[Anonymous]

Den of course you may have a reply.

However I see nothing on this thread from you to me about photographs. Have I missed something ?

As I rarely visit the forum please email your enquiry to me directly and I shall do my best to answer your enquiry.

ATB

Martin

[Anonymous]

Martin,

Please look at the TOC Photo’s topic and as they apply to all members please put your replies on it.

Thanks

Den

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