Moderators: Please, when you mean to drop a hint, make it clear.

[Foolish]

First off, I'm not trying to b****, complain, or flame. I think you guys (mostly) do a great job around here. I've volunteered to be a mod a couple times myself, but apparently my number hasn't come up.

Now, to the matter at hand:

I don't know if there are specific guidelines Mods are supposed to follow as far as deflecting drama, giving warnings, and dealing out infractions, but it seems there need to be. I got an infraction today, for re-posting something a mod deleted because they thought I was instigating drama. I don't have a problem with it being deleted, I suppose it was drama, but I didn't know where the post went, so I reposted it, and got the infraction for that. If I'd known the post was deleted on purpose, I'd have let it be, but I edited the post at one point, checked the thread hours later, and saw it was gone. I thought I'd accidentally deleted it, so I reposted. Then I got this:

Re: You have received an infraction at Mazda Forums
<hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->
You have received an infraction at Mazda Forums.

Reason: Instigating drama
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The first deleted post was a warning. I guess you can't take a hint. This thread is for positive posting on the CX-9 only. Your negative sarcasm isn't welcome in this thread.
-------

This infraction is worth 3 point(s) and may result in restricted access until it expires. Serious infractions will never expire.

I can't take a hint if I don't know it's a hint.

I'd like to suggest, then, that when a mod deletes a post that the mod should PM the poster, so they know what's happened, to avoid further problems.

Also, the message says: "This infraction is worth 3 point(s) and may result in restricted access until it expires." but doesn't say if my access is restricted, or how, or when it expires. Some information on how this works would be really helpful for members. If I've just missed the explanation, please point it out to me.

Thanks for reading. Please understand that I'm not complaining about getting the infraction (whatever that means) I'm complaining about the total lack of warning that would have prevented me earning it in the first place.

 

[B1GHAM]

Not that Ive received one (yet)

but I agree with foolish... no one even knows how the "infraction" point system works... so its kind of pointless to tell me how many points I have.

...overall though forum "warnings" are hilarious

 

[sanblaster]

'This thread is for positive posting on the CX-9 only. Your negative sarcasm isn't welcome in this thread.'

What?

 

[Foolish]

I'm not even going to get into whether or not my (admittedly) sarcastic post was worthy of deletion. My entire problem with this is that I didn't know it was deleted by a mod, and that was supposed to be my hint.

Notice I also didn't put up the name of the mod. This isn't a personal attack, just a request for some standards.

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

Eric, im sorry you recieved the infraction, you shouldnt have seeing as you were not told before hand that your post was deleted and why it was deleted. We'll get it reversed im sure.

 

[sanblaster]

Misunderstanding and nothing more. It will get taken care of.

 

[Rush]

This definitely should not have happened. You should have either received a PM about having your original post deleted, or some type of response in the actual thread itself about it. Just SOMETHING.

I'm not sure how infractions are 'seen' by people .. I know that when I click on a user's profile, it will show me if that person has any infractions -- and if they do, it'll show me what post the infraction was for, the reason behind it, how many points it was worth, and when those points expire. Does it not show you the same thing as the person who receives the infraction?

If THAT'S the case, then that's extremely retarded. I know that the person receiving the infraction receives a PM for the 'general reason' (in this case, instigating drama) and a personal blurb about it (in this case, the sarcasm remark) .. but you don't get to see how many points the infraction was, or when those points expire?

 

[Foolish]

Actually, this does appear under my "Public Profile." I didn't know that before.
<table class="tborder" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="tcat" colspan="7">

Infractions</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="thead"> </td> <td class="thead">Post</td> <td class="thead">Date</td> <td class="thead">Expires</td> <td class="thead">Points</td> <td class="thead">Reason</td> <td class="thead" nowrap="nowrap">Posted By</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="alt2">

</td> <td class="alt1" width="50%"> Private </td> <td class="alt2" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">10-17-2007
11:26 AM</td> <td class="alt1" nowrap="nowrap"> 12-16-2007
10:26 AM </td> <td class="alt2">3</td> <td class="alt1" width="50%">Instigating drama</td> <td class="alt2">Moderator</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

Oh, and thanks you all for not taking this as an attack!
<!-- / infractions row -->

 

[Rush]

Sure! Constructive criticism is always a good thing.

 

[RacerXGirl]

Hmmm. I've had to edit people's posts because of inappropriate content, but I put the reason right in the thread. When I had to give an infraction, I gave the person a fairly detailed reason why they were getting an infraction, with a link to the rules of the forum. I think most mods give a PM to the forum member first, too...

 

[B1GHAM]

Actually, this does appear under my "Public Profile." I didn't know that before.
<table class="tborder" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="tcat" colspan="7">

Infractions</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="thead"> </td> <td class="thead">Post</td> <td class="thead">Date</td> <td class="thead">Expires</td> <td class="thead">Points</td> <td class="thead">Reason</td> <td class="thead" nowrap="nowrap">Posted By</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="alt2">

</td> <td class="alt1" width="50%"> Private </td> <td class="alt2" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">10-17-2007
11:26 AM</td> <td class="alt1" nowrap="nowrap"> 12-16-2007
10:26 AM </td> <td class="alt2">3</td> <td class="alt1" width="50%">Instigating drama</td> <td class="alt2">Moderator</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

Oh, and thanks you all for not taking this as an attack!
<!-- / infractions row -->

Actually, that is only viewable by yourself and the other moderators... I cant see any of your actual infractions if I goto your public profile. Im assuming its for the user to view at their own discretion. That being said Im sure its in your user CP as well.

My questions are: What constitutes a certain value of points, how many do you receive before there is an actual consequence, and whats the expiration of such "points"? If its spelled out somewhere, Ive never seen it.

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

Insulted Other Member(s): 1 point, expires in 15 days.
Signature Rule Violation: 1 point, expires in 15 days.
Inappropriate Language: 1 point, expires in 15 days.
Posted Nudity: 2 points, expire in 30 days.
Instigating Drama: 3 points, expire in 60 days.
Blatant Disregard of Forum Rules & Policies: 3 points, expire in 60 days.
Spammed Advertisements: 5 points, never expire.

Accumulation of ten points results in a 3-day ban. All information regarding received infractions is listed under a user's Personal Profile.

 

[sanblaster]

My questions are: What constitutes a certain value of points, how many do you receive before there is an actual consequence, and whats the expiration of such "points"? If its spelled out somewhere, Ive never seen it.

We are going to have a discussion on this and hopefully a thread that answers all these questions.


Edit: Thanks evilmonkey.

 

[Rush]

^^ What he said. We're talking about having a sticky made to be put .. somewhere .. with all that information, so people aren't at a loss as to WTF is going on.

Any suggestions as to where we should put the sticky?

 

[kudakev615]

its cool that ppl on this board can talk about this situation with out getting all up in arms and acting childish. thats why i think this board is the best car forums on the web. i have been members on many boards and 24/7 def has to be the most organized and repectful structure that ive seen. hope this gets resolved and we can go back to happy family we are

 

[B1GHAM]

^^ What he said. We're talking about having a sticky made to be put .. somewhere .. with all that information, so people aren't at a loss as to WTF is going on.

Any suggestions as to where we should put the sticky?

In all honesty, Im suprised we dont have a "new member/start here" style forum separate from all the others where we can post FAQs, Rules, Regulations, etc... Only other 2 places I see it being relavent to post would be in the news or offtopic areas...

Unless you post it in ALL the welcome subsections...

 

[aMaff]

Oh, and thanks you all for not taking this as an attack!

Don't make me hit you with another one!


Yeah...that's pretty ridiculous... sorry 'bout that man.

 

[Rush]

In all honesty, Im suprised we dont have a "new member/start here" style forum separate from all the others where we can post FAQs, Rules, Regulations, etc... Only other 2 places I see it being relavent to post would be in the news or offtopic areas...

Unless you post it in ALL the welcome subsections...

THAT is actually a friggin' fabulous idea. I'll definitely mention it. Thanks!

 

[Foolish]

That being said Im sure its in your user CP as well.

Well, it's my first infraction, I had no idea where it shows up and to who. It is in my User CP, down at the bottom, I just hadn't noticed it.

its cool that ppl on this board can talk about this situation with out getting all up in arms and acting childish.

I can't tell you how relieved I am. I've seen things turn ugly around here before, unfortunately even in cases where moderators were involved.

Thanks again for all the helpful replies.

I think people are generally ok with rules and punishments, as long as they know what the rules are, and what the punishments are going to be.

 

[joka1]

Foolish you have been around for ever, This will be taken care of and mods have been relieved for putting points/banning people for bad reasons!!

Rob