Allowing Banned Members Back on Autopia

**David Fermani** · 05-19-2010, 06:52 PM

With the recent change in ownership here, Autopia has (at least in my opinion) created a new spark of open-mindedness in regards to the sharing of information relevant to the advancement of the online detailing movement. With this concentration and effort by the new forum owners, I feel this community has become even more non-biased than ever before and if properly monitored can keep moving forward. With this said, Iâ€™d like to propose a suggestion to both the forum owners and its members that may or may not strike people equally. Many of the newer members may not even have an opinion to this request. Others may open their arms wide open embracing the gesture and others may revolt for more uknown or even selfish reasons. Iâ€™ve personally followed/reviewed/studied banned forum memberâ€™s posts and many, if not most, have really shared invaluable information that anyone can learn from. Allowing these members back *could* not only reopen the flood gates of excellent information, but advance this forum to an unparalled level that all other forums can only envy to be like. Throughout my search Iâ€™ve compiled a list of these â€œbannedâ€ members and they are listed below. Iâ€™ve personally reached out to a couple of these people to see what they thought and by overwhelming response several have agreed to return. There is no guarantee that all or many of these members will return to Autopia if allowed to. But, at a bear minimum, by lifting their banned status IMHO gives them the respectful gesture to clear their name of possible injustices that led to their termination from the community in the 1st place.

Iâ€™ve created this thread with a voting mechanism so that the results can be monitored and can serve as democratic measurement to show how this community feels as a whole. Please place your vote according to what you truly believe. If you find yourself on the fence about your decision I encourage you to do a search under these membersâ€™ names and review their posts. Please keep an open mind and feel free to add to the list if needed. Forgive me in advance if Iâ€™ve left people from the list.

Bretfraz

ZoranC

Forrest

Grumpy

TOGWT

WilliamHBonney

NozeBleedSpeed

stevet

Burlyq

DetailGirl

TW85 HHI

Shiny Lil Detlr

VIKING

bufferman71

SVR

Holden_C04

VaSuperShine

BillNorth

Greg

GoudyL

Miracle (aka PaulDalton)

Mirrorfinishman

:tribe::tribe::tribe::tribe::tribe:

**Mindflux** · 05-19-2010, 06:56 PM

Some I agree with. Others not so much. I`d welcome back geekysteve and Bretfraz, billnorth and a couple others if they chose to return (and were allowed)

**Strokin04** · 05-19-2010, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by David Fermani

[B]But, at a bear minimum, by lifting their banned status IMHO gives them the respectful gesture to clear their name of possible injustices that led to their termination from the community in the 1st place.

I agree with the above statement and voted yes, worse case scenario is they get banned again.

**Barry Theal** · 05-19-2010, 07:28 PM

There is alot of talent with in that list. I feel Autopia is turning into a great forum since new ownership. I would like to take this time to personally ask the admin to return these fellow automotive enthusiest and detailers back to the forum. I could only hope that all would put aside there differences and allow these members to return. David this is an excellant idea. I am 100% for it.

**imported_DetailDan** · 05-19-2010, 08:01 PM

I only know a few of those guys. Zorans posts were always entertaining.

**gmblack3** · 05-20-2010, 06:04 AM

Bring them all back.

**JaredPointer** · 05-20-2010, 06:10 AM

Forrest? Seriously? Why would someone ban Forrest - a direct link to a product line that probably 80% of the people that visit this board use or have on hand. I mean, yeah - I guess if you were really trying to protect a boutique brand or something you might not want someone from Mother`s here to help with the product, but banning him seems kind of stupid.

A couple of the others I have followed/read their posts in the past, and the community is probably better off without them.

Of course, there`s probably a story with each of them that I`m not privy to, seeing as how I don`t really interact as much as I could. Inner circle of trust and whatnot...

**Mindflux** · 05-20-2010, 06:14 AM

Originally Posted by JaredPointer

Forrest? Seriously? Why would someone ban Forrest - a direct link to a product line that probably 80% of the people that visit this board use or have on hand. I mean, yeah - I guess if you were really trying to protect a boutique brand or something you might not want someone from Mother`s here to help with the product, but banning him seems kind of stupid.

A couple of the others I have followed/read their posts in the past, and the community is probably better off without them.

Of course, there`s probably a story with each of them that I`m not privy to, seeing as how I don`t really interact as much as I could. Inner circle of trust and whatnot...

There are 3 names on that list that are product reps for detail-related companies. (or now defunct companies in one case) I`m sure that was a big part of it was recommending their own product and getting the ban hammer.

That`d be Viking, Forrest and DetailGirl at a minimum.. I`m sure there are more that I`m not thinking of.

Though I remember DetailGirl causing quite a big stir with their product line (and consequently getting sued for it). I could care less if she was back here.

**POPPAJ** · 05-20-2010, 06:28 AM

There are a few on the list that I would like to see back. The one that stands out the most is TOGWT, Jon has been and continues to be a wealth of information on other sites. New owners, new attitude, let them back if they wish. We`re not all perfeckt.

**JaredPointer** · 05-20-2010, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by Mindflux

There are 3 names on that list that are product reps for detail-related companies. (or now defunct companies in one case) I`m sure that was a big part of it was recommending their own product and getting the ban hammer.

That`d be Viking, Forrest and DetailGirl at a minimum.. I`m sure there are more that I`m not thinking of.

Though I remember DetailGirl causing quite a big stir with their product line (and consequently getting sued for it). I could care less if she was back here.

I can`t speak for the other two, but of all the places I see Forrest as a member of, I can`t recall a time where he ever jumped in and suggested a Mother`s product. Heck, I can`t even recall anytimes where he even really posts unless there`s a question directed at him or Mother`s specifically - and I`m thinking of a board Mother`s even sponsors/supports.

All I`m saying is that for a place to pride itself on open discussion, problem solving, etc - to get rid of a direct source of info is kinda dumb. It just goes to show that it`s not (or wasn`t) as free-information as people claimed they wanted it to be. On the other hand, I can understand a place wanting to protect it`s income too. Just has to be a fine line between banning a helpful rep of a product line that`s possibly not a money maker for you but is an asset to the community versus banning a shill. Then again, I`m not paying to run this or any other board either.

**Mindflux** · 05-20-2010, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by JaredPointer

I can`t speak for the other two, but of all the places I see Forrest as a member of, I can`t recall a time where he ever jumped in and suggested a Mother`s product. Heck, I can`t even recall anytimes where he even really posts unless there`s a question directed at him or Mother`s specifically - and I`m thinking of a board Mother`s even sponsors/supports.

All I`m saying is that for a place to pride itself on open discussion, problem solving, etc - to get rid of a direct source of info is kinda dumb. It just goes to show that it`s not (or wasn`t) as free-information as people claimed they wanted it to be. On the other hand, I can understand a place wanting to protect it`s income too. Just has to be a fine line between banning a helpful rep of a product line that`s possibly not a money maker for you but is an asset to the community versus banning a shill. Then again, I`m not paying to run this or any other board either.

Don`t get me wrong, Forrest is one of my favorite people from autopia (I`m fond of everyone from the 2001-2002 era for the most part). I`d have no qualms if he was let back and posted regularly.

**MrCLRider** · 05-20-2010, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by POPPAJ

There are a few on the list that I would like to see back. The one that stands out the most is TOGWT, Jon has been and continues to be a wealth of information on other sites. New owners, new attitude, let them back if they wish. We`re not all perfeckt.

I totally agree with POPPAJ, why in the world would you ban Jon for? He has the most unbiased opinion of any member that I have ever read from.

I do not know any of the other members, but like someone said before me that if all else fails ban them again. What is the saying "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me".

**Mindflux** · 05-20-2010, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by JaredPointer

I can`t speak for the other two, but of all the places I see Forrest as a member of, I can`t recall a time where he ever jumped in and suggested a Mother`s product. Heck, I can`t even recall anytimes where he even really posts unless there`s a question directed at him or Mother`s specifically - and I`m thinking of a board Mother`s even sponsors/supports.

All I`m saying is that for a place to pride itself on open discussion, problem solving, etc - to get rid of a direct source of info is kinda dumb. It just goes to show that it`s not (or wasn`t) as free-information as people claimed they wanted it to be. On the other hand, I can understand a place wanting to protect it`s income too. Just has to be a fine line between banning a helpful rep of a product line that`s possibly not a money maker for you but is an asset to the community versus banning a shill. Then again, I`m not paying to run this or any other board either.

Originally Posted by mrclrider

I totally agree with POPPAJ, why in the world would you ban Jon for? He has the most unbiased opinion of any member that I have ever read from.

I do not know any of the other members, but like someone said before me that if all else fails ban them again. What is the saying "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me".

I`m hazy on specifics, but if I remember right TOGWT was caught/accused plagiarizing things that were in his `detailing book` (which to my recollection is still not out).

searching google for keywords "togwt plagiarizing" yields discussions on this very topic.

**todd@bsaw** · 05-20-2010, 07:28 AM

Hmm, some of those I didn`t even realize they were banned.

I agree we could let them back... ban them again if need be. I don`t really see an issue.

**Scottwax** · 05-20-2010, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by POPPAJ

There are a few on the list that I would like to see back. The one that stands out the most is TOGWT, Jon has been and continues to be a wealth of information on other sites. New owners, new attitude, let them back if they wish. We`re not all perfeckt.

I believe he was banned because what he was posting wasn`t his own words but lifted word for word from others. Not sure how that was determined though.

Personally, I don`t really care one way or the other. If someone rubs me the wrong way, I just tend to ignore their posts.