PriusChat Contributors

Funny that you finish off your rant with a political statement. 'Rights' never exist in a vacuum. One person's 'right' is someone else's obligation. Do you really think that a forced obligation will occur without comment ?

You first

Oh, and who dare I ask, is the arbiter of what concerns pass the legitimacy test ?

 

I would not trust a forum which deleted, or discouraged negative posts about the subject matter.

As for off-topic negative posts, this thread is an example, should it have been moderated into oblivion?

 

Negative motivators tend to be stronger than positive. For example, you seldom see someone picketing a car dealership with a sign stating "THIS DEALER MADE ME AN INCREDIBLE DEAL!" However, the opposite is more likely. It's just human nature.

I find PriusChat more positive and civil than much of what I witness in human interaction. Would I like to see it even more civil? Certainly, but it's not too bad right now.

Tom

 

Human interaction is very different when it comes to internet. Online public forums tend to be less positive and civil than what you would witness in person. Lots of things people say here won't necessarily be said to a person's face as they're behind the computer screen. I observe the same thing when it comes to email or phone.

Other forums are much worse with cool story, bro posters (which I can't stand). At least the moderators here don't tolerate rude behavior, even if they allow trolls to run amok.

 

With 7 billion people (310 million in the US) we are at a higher density and tend to "bump into" each other more easily, verbally and physically. Courtesy, protocol and sticking to the topic go a long way toward good communication and a successful life. Just look at US politics for disfunction. We need highly functional interaction. Any poorly educated or poorly informed person can fumble their way through life and alienate others.

 

I'm sorry, I don't agree. Problems always surface more obviously than when things are going great or without incident.

To me? If the problem is legitmate..then the post is legitmate whether that post is positive in tone or negative.

For example, if your Prius is relatively quiet and rattle squeak free? Then you're not likely to create a post...My Prius is Quiet...

But if you purchase a Prius and discover an annoying amount of rattles and squeaks...then you ARE going to probably create a post (concievably negative in tone) about the problem.

I don't believe Prius Chat would be a better enviroment if only positive commentary about The Prius was fostered and allowed. If you have a negative experience and it is legitimate? Then discussion of it should be part of Prius Chat. We don't need a Polly Anna enviroment where any criticism of the "Finest Engineering Marvel" of personal ownership is met with disdain.

To me the litmas test is legitamacy. If it really is a problem? Then bring it to the table...and I'm NOT going to fault someone upset about Rattles...for being upset about rattles.

Even your other example. What do you Hate About Your Prius?...why is anyone afraid of that question? If you don't hate anything about your Prius? Then give that as your answer.

The full picture includes shadows and light...I'm a supporter and big fan of Prius Chat and Prius...but you have to allow for the entire spectrum of conversation which will include criticism and negativity from time to time. As much as many would not like to admit, The Prius does not always drive in perfectly green fields with happy 70's folk music playing while nature salutes it's passing.....

Without what I think was a very constant stream of criticism and concern, often negatively expressed within this forum and to Toyota, I don't think the Gen 3 Prius would of gotten the Brake Software Update...so sometimes there is value in being the squeaky wheel. Yes, The Prius may be an egineering marvel...but there is always room for improvement. It starts with being honest about it's strengths and weaknesses, which means allowing for criticism.

 

How about make a seperate area for complaints about the prius and negative comments, that way if you don"t want to see or read the negative posts stay out of that area. Kind of like the internet and tv something for everyone and you can choose what to check out or become involved in.

 

I just vote with my feet. I have never opened either of the two threads Felt listed. I like to read Prius criticism, but I avoid whining or melodrama. Those two titles sounded to me like the latter. I tend to read the vast majority of posts in the Prius and Enviro forums, and a few of the FHOP threads.

I would be very happy if I could exclude certain sub-forums from the 'recent posts' page.

 

i tend to kinda agree with the OP from time to time.. things seem harsh... but if you don't have the bad post, the people thinking those bad things can't find a post through google that solves their bad point of view.

example.

A wanna-be news company puts out a statement saying it "...won't stop"... people google "...won't stop" and find those articles copy and pasted from news headlines to wanna-be news headlines... they then find a post labeled "my prius won't stop" here on priuschat... which is full of useful information regarding that subject.

i've seen how other forums look at this car (not good)... it's a car.. they are all cars... ours is new design in it's beginning stages (vs geared transmissions which are still improving). it gets slander. anything new gets slander from someone or another.

point being: at least we discuss it all here. There are gear-heads from every nature on this forum. some people love to scream troll and not help though. it's rather difficult at times when the 1st page is people screaming troll.

 

This is my opinion. Feel free to disagree.

But I hate that reaction.

I think it's a problem with our culture and society that has grown along with the tools of our communication. Nobody wants to hear, what they don't want to hear. And the internet and computers and our tools of communication allow us to tailor our informational input to fit our personal beliefs.

I don't the want the opinion I don't agree with shut off, or put in a box, or put somewhere I don't have to look.

We've created a culture that allows for the adaptation of personal information enviroments. Liberal? Only hear or see liberal opinion....Conservative? Only hear or see conservative opinion...

Prius Optimist? Just don't go to the "Negative Prius" Forum...

Sorry, I think it's dangerous and limiting. It's better if dialogue is as open and free as possible.

What the worse that can happen? A spirited debate? Someone might illuminate either a positive or negative that hasn't before been mentioned?

No...we have enough self imposed censorship...

 

I would rather have a separate forum for people who only want to see praise of their Prius. The motto could be "Fair and Balanced"

I find the problem discussions interesting, even though I haven't had any significant problems (other than weak points that I noticed on my test drives or had previously read about). The more out of line rants do occasionally get shut down.

I'm more interested in learning about potential problems and finding solutions to them if they occur than I am in fanboi praise of my choice of cars.

Modifications are always interesting to me too (even the ones that make me gag usually have something to learn in them) and a modification implies that there was a deficiency.

 

I knew my post would be taken wrong. I put forth a possible solution. Do i agree with what i posted ? no there should be no changes to the forum. Now we come to a word used in a previous post "INTENT". I really get a kick out of people who try and identify the intent of the person speaking or writing. Reminds me how many people says what the writer of a song was trying to get across or their inspiration and are dead wrong ,when the writer is interviewed. But i don't take things personal and agree to disagree that is what makes our country great that freedom and the sum of all the melting pot of people, cultures and opinions.

 

How about a fuzzy logic filter that tracks members likes and dislikes, much like the "recommended" feature on Netflix. With that in place place, we can make sure that we see only posts that exactly match our individual points of view, thereby avoiding any offense to our delicate sensibilities. Without the conflict of dissenting opinions, we would also be spared the effort of thinking. This could be a win-win situation.



Tom

 

I don't like it, with only 2 or 3 people reading my posts I wouldn't be getting as many thanks

 

I wish more of you fuddy-duds would join the Modifications discussion. But even then almost every thread here puts me to sleep now. PriusChat is just losing my interest. ...I haven't posted or signed in for days! See?

Maybe I burnt out. Too many posts in too short of time. As my participation tapers, I fully expect to be retired from PriusChat in a matter of weeks or months so that's one less member you'll have to worry about negative posts from.

 

^^ I don't talk with whipper-snappers like yourself until you hit 70 mpg for a full tank.