I was on the irv2 forum for several years. I have gotten in trouble with their rules a few valid times. But there seems to be a broad and selective brush for the "off topic" ruling. Twice I was chastened for violating this rule and I know was was not out of bounds. I now have the reputation of having a "history" and on the third, this time valid, violation was was charged a permanent "point" with threat of dismissal. That forum is too akin to Hitler's Germany. I am moving on.
So, here I am checking in for the first time.
I have been on the road for almost 12 years. I am a fulltime volunteer with the SOWER Ministry (Servants On Wheels Ever Ready). We have Christian based affiliate hosts from coast to coast and boarder to boarded. We serve camps, nursing homes, conference centers, schools, missionary training centers, etc. We are always looking for new volunteers. I often say: This is the best job I have ever paid to do. And I mean it.
It all began a couple of years after my early retirement from the Verizon after 32 years, starting with AT&T in Boston. I was not adjusting to retired life well. I did not like the me life style. I needed a purpose. A friend at church had camped next to a SOWER and he carried what he had learned to me. I was single at the time and didn't know if I could join. You know how single men are often treated when trying to get involved in some ministries. Well, I applied and was accepted. There was only one pending problem. The office wanted to know what I had for a RV. My reply to them was "When I know I'll tell you". I was without one. Hummm.
Withing a few weeks I found a 2000 Fleetwood Discovery. 38' if I recall. That was the first diesel pusher I had ever been in, let alone drive! After a short road trip, the salesman guided me to a survey shop about 20 miles away. The roads near Cape Code are all widened cow paths. I was a bit challenged behind the wheel but I did well for a new-bee. I bought it.
Now the office was satisfied. I WAS a RVer in a RV ministry. Now I needed a job. They suggested that I work at a project in Virginia. This was good. The first thing I learned about this state is how the statement "rolling hills of Virginia" came to be. If you found a flat spot, God didn't put it there. This all started in September of '05.
I am in my third DP. Constant breakdowns caused me to move on to another rig. We have had this one for about 3 years now and it is treating us fairly well. No home on wheels is without problems over a period of time and many miles.
In my early years on the road I found I was lonely. I was privileged to see how Christian couples functioned and I desired this in my life. I started with the online dating thing. What a bust. I was so disappointed with the field of potential relationship partners. But then I found a lady that seemed to be "real".
I was about 4 years on the road at this time and I was helping build a new camp for handicap children. I met a lady, Melissa, on one of these dating sites who caught my attention. She lived near the camp, relatively speaking, and drove out to see me and what I was doing. She she came back and stayed in one of the new cabins for a few nights, with the owners permission, and helped on the project. We hit it off well and in a few months were married. We are going onto 8 years on the road together now. I inherited many plants, a big dog, Dawson the Belgian Malinois, lots of family and many adventures.
Hope to lend a hand here with my ideas and I look forward to getting your advise when I need it.
Happy trails to all,
Rick Y
LarryW21 said
11:16 AM Apr 9, 2017
Welcome, Rick! Been in trouble myself a couple of times.
RonC said
01:50 PM Apr 9, 2017
The "off topic" guys live here too, but they gently remind you of the rules and never get aggressive. Very friendly group and you'll like it I'm sure.
Rick Y said
03:05 PM Apr 9, 2017
Thanks for the welcome. Like any new community, I'll have to look around a bit to get familiar with things.
TRAILERKING said
08:42 PM Apr 9, 2017
Welcome aboard......I'm happy to say that I've been "Permanently Banned" from there a long time ago.
Rick Y said
05:38 AM Apr 10, 2017
Thank you.
I don't understand how one with good intentions and a desire to help and be helped could be so offensive to a RV forum that "banning" from participation could even be considered. What great offense could a participant commit that would require said person to be, in effect, executed? I could see this happening to me as time went on. My major infractions were from very early on. I took the bate into a short lived political debate. The mediator who flagged me was very nice about it. But this other guy decided that I was off topic publicly, if I recall correctly, and I responded to him... publicly. I didn't notice he was a moderator. Well you know how that went. Then it went private and all I got was chastised for arguing with a moderator. The "intent" of the rule I "violated" in the first place was never addressed. Only the "letter" of the law was applied. And that thinking leads to George Orwell's 1984 Ministry of Love thinking.
I think the purpose of moderators is absolutely critical and essential in any forum. But it is just as essential for the persons in that position of responsibility to be chosen for their compassion, understanding and willingness to discern a bad actor from a clumsily published thought.
So much for that. It is getting near time to start or participate in a topic of assistance.
I hope to have happy trails here, being of service to the community and being helped when I need it.
Rick Y
BiggarView said
06:03 AM Apr 10, 2017
This subject can a be a proverbial "third rail". IRV like this forum are akin to the owners house and if they chose or authorize somebody to boot somebody from their house, that is their right. Many people think that forums are public domains, which they are to a certain degree but they are by no means completely open and unregulated or most importantly, governed by the 1st amendment of the Constitution. So if the environment at IRV is not to your liking, just move on till you find one that is. I occasional surf IRV for info but am not a member, and I have seen the kind of flaming on there that you are talking about and fully understand why it would bother some people. Remember opinions are only worth what you pay for them. Not everyone will agree with you and that is okay... let it be water off a duck's back.
FWIW
-- Edited by BiggarView on Monday 10th of April 2017 06:04:08 AM
Rick Y said
06:35 AM Apr 10, 2017
I understand all of this and I agree to a point. I think I have already stated this. Being respectful is upmost. Arguing is not the purpose in the type of forum. Information seeking and giving is the only worthy goal here. Putting a muzzle on it because it displeases some dictators sense of superiority is not what America is founded on... Your house or mine.
Blessing,
Rick Y
PIEERE said
08:48 AM Apr 10, 2017
The only qualm I have is that in the beginning of forums everyone seems to relate well and then as it grows like this it gets more impersonal! I was on zzzzzz. RV site for about a 1.5 yr. time and then got chastised for mildly disagreeing with an administrator. I have been on many others and never been reprimanded. This one has its rules too but most seem to just give a friendly reminder!.
I was on the irv2 forum for several years. I have gotten in trouble with their rules a few valid times. But there seems to be a broad and selective brush for the "off topic" ruling. Twice I was chastened for violating this rule and I know was was not out of bounds. I now have the reputation of having a "history" and on the third, this time valid, violation was was charged a permanent "point" with threat of dismissal. That forum is too akin to Hitler's Germany. I am moving on.
So, here I am checking in for the first time.
I have been on the road for almost 12 years. I am a fulltime volunteer with the SOWER Ministry (Servants On Wheels Ever Ready). We have Christian based affiliate hosts from coast to coast and boarder to boarded. We serve camps, nursing homes, conference centers, schools, missionary training centers, etc. We are always looking for new volunteers. I often say: This is the best job I have ever paid to do. And I mean it.
It all began a couple of years after my early retirement from the Verizon after 32 years, starting with AT&T in Boston. I was not adjusting to retired life well. I did not like the me life style. I needed a purpose. A friend at church had camped next to a SOWER and he carried what he had learned to me. I was single at the time and didn't know if I could join. You know how single men are often treated when trying to get involved in some ministries. Well, I applied and was accepted. There was only one pending problem. The office wanted to know what I had for a RV. My reply to them was "When I know I'll tell you". I was without one. Hummm.
Withing a few weeks I found a 2000 Fleetwood Discovery. 38' if I recall. That was the first diesel pusher I had ever been in, let alone drive! After a short road trip, the salesman guided me to a survey shop about 20 miles away. The roads near Cape Code are all widened cow paths. I was a bit challenged behind the wheel but I did well for a new-bee. I bought it.
Now the office was satisfied. I WAS a RVer in a RV ministry. Now I needed a job. They suggested that I work at a project in Virginia. This was good. The first thing I learned about this state is how the statement "rolling hills of Virginia" came to be. If you found a flat spot, God didn't put it there.
This all started in September of '05.
I am in my third DP. Constant breakdowns caused me to move on to another rig. We have had this one for about 3 years now and it is treating us fairly well. No home on wheels is without problems over a period of time and many miles.
In my early years on the road I found I was lonely. I was privileged to see how Christian couples functioned and I desired this in my life. I started with the online dating thing. What a bust. I was so disappointed with the field of potential relationship partners. But then I found a lady that seemed to be "real".
I was about 4 years on the road at this time and I was helping build a new camp for handicap children. I met a lady, Melissa, on one of these dating sites who caught my attention. She lived near the camp, relatively speaking, and drove out to see me and what I was doing. She she came back and stayed in one of the new cabins for a few nights, with the owners permission, and helped on the project. We hit it off well and in a few months were married. We are going onto 8 years on the road together now. I inherited many plants, a big dog, Dawson the Belgian Malinois, lots of family and many adventures.
Hope to lend a hand here with my ideas and I look forward to getting your advise when I need it.
Happy trails to all,
Rick Y
Thank you.
I don't understand how one with good intentions and a desire to help and be helped could be so offensive to a RV forum that "banning" from participation could even be considered. What great offense could a participant commit that would require said person to be, in effect, executed? I could see this happening to me as time went on. My major infractions were from very early on. I took the bate into a short lived political debate. The mediator who flagged me was very nice about it. But this other guy decided that I was off topic publicly, if I recall correctly, and I responded to him... publicly. I didn't notice he was a moderator. Well you know how that went. Then it went private and all I got was chastised for arguing with a moderator. The "intent" of the rule I "violated" in the first place was never addressed. Only the "letter" of the law was applied. And that thinking leads to George Orwell's 1984 Ministry of Love thinking.
I think the purpose of moderators is absolutely critical and essential in any forum. But it is just as essential for the persons in that position of responsibility to be chosen for their compassion, understanding and willingness to discern a bad actor from a clumsily published thought.
So much for that. It is getting near time to start or participate in a topic of assistance.
I hope to have happy trails here, being of service to the community and being helped when I need it.
Rick Y
This subject can a be a proverbial "third rail". IRV like this forum are akin to the owners house and if they chose or authorize somebody to boot somebody from their house, that is their right. Many people think that forums are public domains, which they are to a certain degree but they are by no means completely open and unregulated or most importantly, governed by the 1st amendment of the Constitution. So if the environment at IRV is not to your liking, just move on till you find one that is. I occasional surf IRV for info but am not a member, and I have seen the kind of flaming on there that you are talking about and fully understand why it would bother some people. Remember opinions are only worth what you pay for them. Not everyone will agree with you and that is okay... let it be water off a duck's back.
FWIW
-- Edited by BiggarView on Monday 10th of April 2017 06:04:08 AM
I understand all of this and I agree to a point. I think I have already stated this. Being respectful is upmost. Arguing is not the purpose in the type of forum. Information seeking and giving is the only worthy goal here. Putting a muzzle on it because it displeases some dictators sense of superiority is not what America is founded on... Your house or mine.
Blessing,
Rick Y