General Posting Guidelines and Etiquette

[TheGLForum]

RULES OF CONDUCT

Basically, we like to follow the Golden Rule. Don't post anything about any other member that you would not want another member to post about you.

• No personal insults or attacks
• No profanity
• No pornography (there are plenty of websites out there for that!)
• No religious posts (Note: prayer requests are fine and even encouraged)

Anything of a political nature should be posted on the Off-Topic Forum. In fact, anything non-motorcycle related should go to the OTF.

DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ANOTHER MEMBER ONLINE THAT YOU WOULD NOT SAY TO THEIR FACE

FREE SPEECH VS. CENSORSHIP

America is a great country where we enjoy constitutionally protected rights. Free speech, is one of those rights.

However, speech on TheGLForum.com is not a constitutionally protected right. The site is a private business and its owner has the right to establish rules of behavior for participants.

Participants who agree to follow rules and then don’t may find that inappropriate posts have been deleted. We want everyone to express their opinions, but there are limits. It is OK to disagree, but if your rhetoric descends into a personal attack or insult, can't tolerate that. Play nice.

FLAGGING A POST AS INAPPROPRIATE

If you notice something offensive in a post, you can flag the post and make the moderators aware of the problem. When you click on the Flag icon, you are presented with a dialog where you can enter the nature of your concern.

Flag dialog

If the post is determined to be a serious violation of the posting guidelines, it may be removed.

INAPPROPRIATE IMAGES

If you want to post a photo of an attractive lady on a motorcycle, that's fine, but no nudity will be tolerated. Also, distasteful images are not allowed.

No nudity, semi-nudity, suggestive, seductive or sexual images, film clips or emoticons. No images, clips or emoticons that would be shocking or offensive because of the content. Moderators will err on the side of caution in eliminating questionable images.

Members who quote the inappropriate links/images or comments in their reply, are held equally accountable as the member who originally posted it.

Again, there are plenty of websites that deal in this type of content, but not TheGLForum.com

AVATARS

Images used for avatars should be in good taste. No "babe" pic's, no controversial, suggestive or offensive images or messages are permitted.

Moderators will determine the appropriateness of any avatar, and will remove any avatar deemed in violation.

Images should be limited to no more than 160 pixels wide X 160 pixels tall

No business promotion or logos are allowed in avatars, unless you are a paying sponsor.

NO CROSS POSTING

It is inappropriate to post the same message in multiple sections of the site. Select the correct forum and post your message. If you decide later, another section might have been a better place, ask a moderator to move the thread.

If you believe you have a thread that needs to be in multiple sections at the same time, contact a moderator first and let them know why.

COMMERCIAL POSTS

Supporting vendors pay for the costs to operate TheGLForum site, making it free for the rest of us. In exchange, they get the privilege of using the site to market and promote their goods and services. We allow them to post information on their products and services to members.

As a member, you are welcome to sell a motorcycle or motorcycle parts they purchased for their own personal use. You may also use the Classified section of the forum to purchase items for your personal use. Anything else is considered to be a commercial sale or a commercial purchase for the purpose of re-selling.

You may make mention if you have had a good (or bad, for that matter) experience with a non-supporting vendor. But such mentions cannot be so specific (address, phone number, e-mail address, URL, price, part number, offer to send contact information via PMs, etc.) or so frequent that they become marketing and promotional references.

Only supporting vendors can post Group Purchase threads. Only supporting vendors are permitted to post threads to gauge interest in a product.

You can include a mention of your personal businesses in your signature, so long as the business does not compete with a supporting vendor, is not motorcycle-related and is not so detailed (address, phone number, e-mail address, offer to send contact information via PMs, etc.) or so frequently appended to their posts that it becomes inappropriate marketing and promotion. The same applies on references to other motorcycle forum communities.

[hparsons]

At the risk of stirring the pot... NO religious posts? At all? Keep in mind, asking for prayers for a fallen rider is a religious post. And even further, does that mean deeper actual discussions about religion are completely off-limits, even in the Off-Topic section?

[TheGLForum]

First, you are not stirring the pot. These kinds of questions are encouraged because we want everyone to feel comfortable with the guidelines.

Prayer requests are fine and even encouraged. I will update the text above to reflect that. We are much more tolerant of political and religious subjects in the OT. We kind of consider it a "enter at your own risk" area, sort of like the Wild West. We have the rules in place so that if it gets too extreme, we can step in if necessary. For example, if someone were to post some crazy Jihad stuff, that is not going to be tolerated. We just don't want to see any discussion get into personal attacks, insults and/or threats.

I don't want to run this forum with an iron fist. I don't want members to live in constant fear of being banned for saying the wrong thing. I am already seeing a few posts where members are wondering if they are overstepping. Relax and enjoy the forum. We are all adults, and as long as we all act like it, I think everyone is going to like this place.

We are sort of learning as we go. I tend to lean more toward letting people speak their mind, but there is a way to make your point without name-calling or descending into libel.

[hparsons]

Great response, thanks. I really sort of figured that prayer requests were OK, but sort of had the impression that religious discussions wouldn't be allowed in the OT. Good to know it's all good.

[kniterider]

WOW I AGREE that was a GREAT response ,, well balanced and even handed!!! WOW NOT SURE HOW TO ACT

[networkguy3]

WOW I AGREE that was a GREAT response ,, well balanced and even handed!!! WOW NOT SURE HOW TO ACT

Be thankful and post. Maybe this can be a place where we can discuss things without descending to calling people names like, "You yellow-bellied-sapsucker you!" I never was very good at calling people names. . . . .

[PeteSelf]

So glad to see this site, thanks Mr Dikmen for the time spent!

[Retired Army]

Thanks to all responsible for getting and keeping this forum up and running. May it progress and prosper in the spirit it was intended.

[HBarlow]

First, you are not stirring the pot. These kinds of questions are encouraged because we want everyone to feel comfortable with the guidelines.

Prayer requests are fine and even encouraged. I will update the text above to reflect that. We are much more tolerant of political and religious subjects in the OT. We kind of consider it a "enter at your own risk" area, sort of like the Wild West. We have the rules in place so that if it gets too extreme, we can step in if necessary. For example, if someone were to post some crazy Jihad stuff, that is not going to be tolerated. We just don't want to see any discussion get into personal attacks, insults and/or threats.

I don't want to run this forum with an iron fist. I don't want members to live in constant fear of being banned for saying the wrong thing. I am already seeing a few posts where members are wondering if they are overstepping. Relax and enjoy the forum. We are all adults, and as long as we all act like it, I think everyone is going to like this place.

We are sort of learning as we go. I tend to lean more toward letting people speak their mind, but there is a way to make your point without name-calling or descending into libel.

I sincerely appreciate your management philosophy. We all understand yours is a difficult job but it seems to me you are starting out with an excellent approach.