# Ever give up on another forum



## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Well sometimes its just best to quit on a forum that has no moderators to eliminate spam shite. For years I was part of the Washburn forum but since they were bought by our Canadian Jam industries it seems they do not understand the importance of having a active forum and also of keeping those with knowledge of their instruments for me well I have looked and studied and even bought many pre- war guitars and have tried to share that knowledge with folks looking for information.
There are no moderators left there so every time you get a notice of a new post it turns up as nothing but spam and that can get very annoying to the few left and one of the most knowledgeable folks in the world ( Jim Smith Sr. ) well nobody knows more about Washburn guitars then him and even he has gotten to that point of frustration and once he is gone from there well then its just guessing as to any info given. Jim owns just about every guitar made since the Washburn label was bought back in 1973 hell he even knows more then Washburn reps ( mind you only 1 left from what I understand ) so soon there will be no one person left to share that info.
Mind you I am grateful for them as I was informed of this forum and while there have been ups and downs here at times I have found that its at least one of the very best because even when we don't agree with each other we always have each others back and if we have info to share we do so freely.
Well that's my morning bitch and here is hoping someone from that company ( Jam ) see's this and gets their shite together and fix the damn problem of not spending any money to make it secure from asshole spammers.


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## Razor Tim (Jul 16, 2018)

Post deleted by me. Slightly rant-ish, not helpful.


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

I've had to deal with Jam a couple of times (no choice, sole Canadian distributor, standard Canadian anti-competitive setup). Was not impressed, wouldn't voluntarily deal with them. OP's experience with something they touched is not a surprise.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i left one of the fender forums because it just got sooo annoying. a few others where i have only lasted a few days, or maybe i a few where i am a member but rarely participate.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

I have been keeping a forum alive for more than a year now, while only one other member there regularly throw an eye. The others supposedly went on facebook, but they are not there.

I guess all forums are going down...
I feel owners just get ads money without concern about valued content.
Sad !


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I found the AGF to be really tedious and frequently annoying so I stopped posting there years ago. Too many ass-hurt ninnies there pearl clutching over their bridge pins and which nail polish to use.

If you have a tech question you can usually get it answered here as well as it would be answered anywhere else. In addition the people here are decent and seem to get along pretty good for the most part and the place sort of regulates itself insofar as anyone acting like a jackass gets an earful from other members responding to their posts. So it seems to be working OK to me.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

AGF has a certain quality I don't always enjoy. I wish folks would search topics and read the discussions before starting threads about the same old things. I only post a couple of times a week on average.

I joined AGF 27/12/2001 but didn't post until 16/10/2013, nor did I lurk. Ends up I knew some folks there, but took 12 years to discover the fact.

The original Acoustic Guitar Magazine Forum was pretty good but just disappeared without notice (I think) and I had tons of content there.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I like the AGF, I’ve made friends with Steadly over there and we’re getting along very well. He doesn’t have a clue it’s me though


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I used to hang at the Matsumoku.org forum and had a blast there, we were all friends there... I eventually took a break for 6 years … no more buying instruments or going on the forum to concentrate on other parts of my life... went back and noticed the forum died... Most users migrated over to Facebook on all type of different groups...

Miss that group... courteous and helpful members all around...


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## Gary787 (Aug 27, 2011)

The original Seagull forum was good until it was spammed out (darnRussians) Next was Seagull Spoken Here! When it was on the Acoustic Guitar magazine site and moderated by Judd it was great. AGM got out of forums and the Seagull site was just too hard to navigate. I got sick of the AGF and I took a break. Far too many requests for string recommendations and too snooty with a lot of wood sniffers. I'll probably go back someday but not yet.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Rarely do I give up on a forum, but many times have I had a forum collapse as I held on till the bitter end.


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## TVvoodoo (Feb 17, 2010)

Bear in mind there are two AGFs. 

*Acoustic Guitar Forum* (never been)

*A Guitar Forum* (used to be known as the Agile Guitar Forum, but a didn't want to limit the community, so it underwent a bit of a name change a couple years ago)
Longtime member in reasonably good standing - and one of the best/friendliest guitar communities

I am a member of a rather embarrassing number of guitar forums, but not all of them. Gee I wonder how many there are?


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## capnjim (Aug 19, 2011)

I've been kicked off of The Gear Page 4 times now. It was kind of a hobby at one point. The is also a certain Fender Forum that got very ridiculous so I quit...er, got kicked out of.
I don't know how I have lasted so long here.
Talkbass used to be great, now its ok but mostly the same threads over and over and over again.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I rarely visit The Gear Page because they're so touchy about cussing and so self-righteous about the clique. They've tossed me for less than their everyday bullshit. Used to follow the Telecaster forum but there wasn't enough acoustic content for me.

In the early forums days you'd see folks like Frank Ford and Rick Turner, but not so much anymore.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

I've never left any forums out of spite. I've left because they lost critical mass and were down to one or two useless posts a day. Or, because the forum wasn't of use to me anymore (no longer had the vehicle, no longer had brand the forum focused on, etc).


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I was pretty active on an F1 forum a couple of decades ago. It peaked around the era of 'the Two Austrias', when lots of Schumacher fans left (the heat was pretty high on them). Five years later, there was probably only a dozen or so members when I left. But I left largely because F1 changed its focus and lost me, not because the forum was a shadow of its former self. I looked for it a year later and it was long gone.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I was on a American guitar forum and the BS was just too much. I got kicked off toute suite because of what I said about Trump. Actually there were Trump supporters on this forum and they hated me. Oh well, I really don’t give a shit. 

I think I will join the Parker Guitar forum. I am going to check it out.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

Some forums just get boring after a while. At least here I know several members and have met them in person.


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

I gave up MLP after a few years and over 20G posts. Got boring after a few guys left.


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum-what a nasty bunch-firstly they got rid of the founder Steve Stallings-until some sort of agreement was reached. Secondly they have strange rules for posting for sale items. If you delete your ad and replace it a day later because you made changes-you get a stern warning. If you do it twice,they suspend you for 30 days. I had forgotten about this nonsense about 3 years later I posted, deleted,reposted and I got banned for life.

I no longer own a Martin so I never visit there, however it is a favourite for the bluegrass fascists.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

SaucyJack said:


> I gave up MLP after a few years and over 20G posts. Got boring after a few guys left.


Or because your the only female on board the guys became hostile and belligerent, would burn me at the stake at any given chance. The guys couldn’t stand that I was very tenacious, persistent and would not tolerate any sexist stuff. I stuck up for myself and my beliefs. After a while I just said, fuck it. Not worth the effort being there. Got kicked out anyhow!

GC is a different kettle of fish. I am an equal on this forum and still the only female. everything is good. There are few who wouldn’t agree but they are insignificant anyways.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Well AGF has changed a lot of the so called knowledge people just got frustrated and left and now its got a ton of new folks who already ( well maybe not ) know everything there is to know about acoustic guitars and I must admit I miss the old style they had there when builders would post on the acoustic section and that would fire folks up and they got much more support from the builders and it was a great way of discovering builders.
Well I just get bugged as all the knowledge that I and others have will be lost and then you have those that think they know something and only get it part right ( not that I am perfect far from it but I have put in my money and mouth to learn ) just to bad JAM doesn't listen but they will pay for the stupidity they show for not supporting the site or the people that worked for Washburn for years on end.
They really do need to rethink most forums and be more like here we may not always agree with each other but its better then most, thanks Scott for that.


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

I'm not the least bit suprised. I spent the vast majority of my time there in the "Other Les Pauls" section where everybody, for the most part, was friendly. I still pop in occasionally for a look and pass on information on MIJ guitars if necessary.



Lola said:


> Or because your the only female on board the guys became hostile and belligerent, would burn me at the stake at any given chance. The guys couldn’t stand that I was very tenacious, persistent and would not tolerate any sexist stuff. I stuck up for myself and my beliefs. After a while I just said, fuck it. Not worth the effort being there. Got kicked out anyhow!
> 
> GC is a different kettle of fish. I am an equal on this forum and still the only female. everything is good. There are few who wouldn’t agree but they are insignificant anyways.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Nope.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

I have been a member of about half a dozen or so forums - mostly guitar, but also fish-keeping and bicycle touring. These days, I'm down to this one, and occasionally TalkBass - though I haven't checked in there for a while.

I didn't give up on them so much as just drifted away. Some were too small and didn't have enough activity to hold my interest. Most were too big - with too many "experts" who clearly didn't have a faint clue and posted far more content than they read. I don't mind wading through a bit of BS, but when the BS outweighs the useful (and/or entertaining) content, I'll find other ways to waste my time.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I quit harmony and TGP. I didn't like the way they were run.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Harmony Central was like some sort of weird alternate reality. Neither harmonious or centred.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I quit one that got taken over by a bunch of Cobain worshipers.
Almost literally


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I’ve been on two car forums that were completely unmoderated. One in the US and one here. It was flame wars all the time but after you’d won a few battles it got easier. That was a long time ago and I’m still friends with many of those people today.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Lola said:


> Or because your the only female on board the guys became hostile and belligerent, would burn me at the stake at any given chance. The guys couldn’t stand that I was very tenacious, persistent and would not tolerate any sexist stuff. I stuck up for myself and my beliefs. After a while I just said, fuck it. Not worth the effort being there. Got kicked out anyhow!
> 
> GC is a different kettle of fish. I am an equal on this forum and still the only female. everything is good. There are few who wouldn’t agree but they are insignificant anyways.


I didn’t even know you were female until you mentioned it. I don’t pay attention to forum names. Glad you feel welcome here.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Well Lola no need to worry here most of us get it that its harder for women who get outnumbered by guys often by 100 to 1 and while most are respectful there are always going to be those that don't respect women for their own reason ( I call them shrunken penis syndrome boys ) a real man doesn't need to put any female down to make them self's look more superior and frankly we are all equal and honestly I can wear pink great on my olive skin because I believe in myself and am happy to have your opinion here.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

bw66 said:


> <snip> Most were too big - with too many "experts" who clearly didn't have a faint clue and posted far more content than they read. I don't mind wading through a bit of BS, but when the BS outweighs the useful (and/or entertaining) content, I'll find other ways to waste my time.


That bugs me, too. I like to try and gain a bit of knowledge or information about things I don't know much (or anything) about. But when I see technical comments, stuff I know about and statements I know are incorrect, posted from people who want to look like they know something but don't, I come to realize I really can't count on the information I'm trying to get on the stuff I don't know anything about. Why don't people admit when they don't really know that much about a topic, instead of shouting their ignorance from a soapbox? What's the old saying about '.....than open your mouth and remove all doubt'?

You have to know the commentors / posters and their bona fides. That's hard to keep a grip on with the larger sites.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Ship of fools said:


> Well Lola no need to worry here most of us get it that its harder for women who get outnumbered by guys often by 100 to 1 and while most are respectful there are always going to be those that don't respect women for their own reason ( I call them shrunken penis syndrome boys ) a real man doesn't need to put any female down to make them self's look more superior and frankly we are all equal and honestly I can wear pink great on my olive skin because I believe in myself and am happy to have your opinion here.


Thank you kindly for your sage and truthful insights.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Lola's actually not the only femme here, but I doubt most would find the place especially inviting...


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Budda said:


> Lola's actually not the only femme here, but I doubt most would find the place especially inviting...


But you make situation what you want it to be.

You have to be able to adapt to the environment. 

There might be other “femmes” here but they’re not active or are they?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Well one of them builds guitars for a living. Shes posted lately.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

I left OverClocked ReMix after the whole Gamergate fiasco. I used to be a moderator there (2004-2008) and I did step down on good terms but the admin's uptake of Gamergate five years later did it in for me. I left after that.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

jdto said:


> Some forums just get boring after a while. At least here I know several members and have met them in person.


 a few years ago when I wanted to improve my morning shaving experience (always hated shaving) I went on Badger&Blade for a couple months. Its interesting at first, but that became really tiresome. I don't know how anyone can be a regular there for years and have 10,000+ posts about shaving.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

Diablo said:


> a few years ago when I wanted to improve my morning shaving experience (always hated shaving) I went on Badger&Blade for a couple months. Its interesting at first, but that became really tiresome. I don't know how anyone can be a regular there for years and have 10,000+ posts about shaving.


I am a member there, too, but ran into the same thing. I got a lot of information, but after a while, it got very repetitive. Straight Razor Place, too.


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## BMW-KTM (Apr 7, 2015)

deleted


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

BMW-KTM said:


> Digging up this old thread because I recently got punted off the Fender Forum.
> Admin Brad Traweek didn't like the way I spoke to a new troll and took the troll's side over that of a respected 12 year member.
> I did a bit of lurking today and judging by the sudden cessation of posts, I suspect two others were also punted, presumably for the same reason.
> I guess the life lesson here is, watch what you say to trolls because you never know when an admin will take their side against yours.
> The loss is theirs.


given your post history here I suspect you may be just as much at fault as the 'troll', but yea, probably their loss and I'm sure they'll come crawling back


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## BMW-KTM (Apr 7, 2015)

You're one to talk.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

BMW-KTM said:


> You're one to talk.


exactly. I have experience so I’m probably right


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Not forums but I recently unfollowed all the camping groups I am on on Facebook. Just found they were super repetitive and too many people arguing about dumb things.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Was anyone on alt.guitar on Usenet?

FLAME WARS!

Lard Valve rings a bell.

I was young and full of piss and vinegar back then.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

I left Harmony Central years ago.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

I witnessed one implode once.

Around '03 I was a member of Guitar dot com, an obvious guitar forum.
It was a pretty good site and the "Open Mic" section was probably the busiest spot and full of non players, I believe.

Everything was Ok until the site changed hands and they decided to start changing things.
The crowd from the "Misc" sectiontook exception to that and decided to hack the site.
Chaos ensued and the site ended up folding shortly after the changeover.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

These forums are delicate communities due to many reasons imo. It’s like a narrow road. Easy to veer off the side. Change of ownership, a big-ass fight, even a change in platform can make a fatal break. 

This place has diminished since Scott sold it. (No fault of his). There are still some great posts. I like the ignore button. Don’t have many ignores going on. That button makes visites enjoyable again. 

Happy to see good conversations here. I would like to find out if the attrition is only from the forum or from guitar playing.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

I was on a Harley site for a while which was basically an offshoot of HOG. I got tired of being asked and then told I had to join HOG, have a certain style of Harley, go to meetings etc.. I finally got really tired of it and sent them a nasty pic. and left. For about 2 months after that I kept on getting e-mails asking if I was coming back. They got classified as junk. As far as the ignore button goes, it works. Every once in a while I'll open say the open mic section and under last message for a thread it will say Ignored Member. Nothing else. Anything that member post, I don't see.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

We need a ‘who do you have on ignore’ thread going.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Electraglide said:


> Every once in a while I'll open say the open mic section and under last message for a thread it will say Ignored Member. Nothing else. Anything that member post, I don't see.


I can't believe all that 'ol' boys tough' talk and constant distain for technology has finally become old lions and using an app to adult the internet for you. sad times


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

What can I expect if I buy bridge pins made from fossilized walrus snot and put them on my guitar. Will it sound better than it does now.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

I give up on this forum constantly but the train wrecks keep me coming back.


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## Spellcaster (Jan 7, 2008)

I was one of a small group that was keeping a forum alive, but it closed unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago. I'd had stuff happen over the years.....joined Telemodders and it went dormant, joined Squier 51 and it disappeared, joined TalkStratocaster and it folded, and most recently was a member of AxeTalk when it shut down. I'm having trouble finding a place to call home, but I've been visiting here a bit more often and trying to soak up the atmosphere.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

butterknucket said:


> I left Harmony Central years ago.


I was one of the originals there too, back when they had a few hundred posts. A bunch of us migrated to the guitarist forum startup in 2000 or so, when Scott sold Harmony Central, then to the guitar diner a couple years later. Thing kind of fizzled out there once Facebook and stuff came along, and the owner just let it die. I still keep in touch with some of those internet pals from 20 years ago.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Spellcaster said:


> I was one of a small group that was keeping a forum alive, but it closed unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago. I'd had stuff happen over the years.....joined Telemodders and it went dormant, joined Squier 51 and it disappeared, joined TalkStratocaster and it folded, and most recently was a member of AxeTalk when it shut down. I'm having trouble finding a place to call home, but I've been visiting here a bit more often and trying to soak up the atmosphere.


I was part of AxeTalk as well, and probably one of us was the last to post there before it shut down--or dB
But hey--there is this place


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Sneaky said:


> I was one of the originals there too, back when they had a few hundred posts. A bunch of us migrated to the guitarist forum startup in 2000 or so, when Scott sold Harmony Central, then to the guitar diner a couple years later. Thing kind of fizzled out there once Facebook and stuff came along, and the owner just let it die. I still keep in touch with some of those internet pals from 20 years ago.


I was there in 99 (I don't know if that was the very beginning, but it was pretty early on). 

I remember all the threatening PM's from Scott.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

vadsy said:


> We need a ‘who do you have on ignore’ thread going.


I wonder who would be #1 for at least three pages. lol


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

laristotle said:


> I wonder who would be #1 for at least three pages. lol


that person deserves a prize for all the hard work. I’ll supply the winner with a years supply of strings. ..,


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

Threw the towel in on The Tokai Forum after being there for about a month. Didn't find that a friendly place at all.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Ever tried to close your account on some forums. Damn near impossible. They want to hang onto your information etc.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

nothing stops you from "modifying" your personal info to something different before you leave quietly ....


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

oldjoat said:


> nothing stops you from "modifying" your personal info to something different before you leave quietly ....


exactly. beside, who enters everything in truthfully? and what are these places asking for, names of your kids and SIN numbers? you can usually get by with a nickname and a date picked randomly


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

You can't close your GC account. Try it.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Distortion said:


> You can't close your GC account. Try it.


why? I don't want to


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

vadsy said:


> why? I don't want to


If you did want to you can't . Try it


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Distortion said:


> If you did want to you can't . Try it


but why would I want to? I don’t wanna leave


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

ahhhhhh ! trapped forever , surrounded by guitars and amps !
have mercy , I didn't know ....

you can check out , but you can never leave .....


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

oldjoat said:


> ...,, surrounded by guitars and amps !
> have mercy , I didn't know ....


you may be confusing this place with another. this place is more about the social aspect of our daily goings on


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)




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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

DILLIGAF .... 

the scenery is fine with me ... 
if things get out of hand , I'll just take the other pill.
( not the one that mother gives you )


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## SG-Rocker (Dec 30, 2007)

Distortion said:


> You can't close your GC account. Try it.


It's easy, just piss off an unstable mod.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

oldjoat said:


> DILLIGAF ....
> 
> the scenery is fine with me ...
> if things get out of hand , I'll just take the other pill.
> ( not the one that mother gives you )











Now you can GAF


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

There is a troll on one of the other forums and he started to rip me a new one cuz he thought I thought I was better then everyone else on the planet.! And the stuff that came out if my mouth was essentially verbal diarrhoea. What a fucking asshole. I 

He’s on my ignore list permanently.

That person has some really serious mental issues.

Glad I have a thick skin. I am woman, I am tenacious.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Lola said:


> There is a troll on one of the other forums and he started to rip me a new one cuz he thought I thought I was better then everyone else on the planet.! And the stuff that came out if my mouth was essentially verbal diarrhoea. What a fucking asshole. I
> 
> He’s on my ignore list permanently.
> 
> ...


any chance we could hear his side of the story?


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Lola said:


> Glad I have a thick skin. I am woman, I am tenacious.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

> ="Lola, post: 2538642, member: 13493"]There is a troll on one of the other forums and he started to rip me a new one cuz he thought I thought I was better then everyone else on the planet.! And the stuff that came out if my mouth was essentially verbal diarrhoea. What a fucking asshole. I
> 
> He’s on my ignore list permanently.
> 
> ...


I am man. I don't ever need to ask for directions.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Guncho said:


> I am man. I don't ever need to ask for directions.


Is that why cars and phones and the like have GPS in them? All you need to do is follow this sign until you get to the bridge and then keep on driving to the big boat.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Exactly and you must obey the gps' directions no matter what.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)




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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

laristotle said:


>


Glad I watched that to the end before I shared it on Facebook. Someone drove off the bluff and died here two days ago. It might be too soon.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Guncho said:


> Exactly and you must obey the gps' directions no matter what.


Or ignore them and get rid of the GPS. But if you just can't exist without GPSs and forums, here you go. 
GPS Forums


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

GPS as in Google maps.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Guncho said:


> GPS as in Google maps.


According to google maps on my laptop I live about 10 blocks from where I actually live and the last time I checked the street view of the house I rented still shows the house. The lot has been part of a parking lot for the last 7 years. Google maps is useless if you don't have a cell connection with data. Get in a place with no cell service and no google maps which when you check is a lot of Canada. It's one of the first things I disconnect or remove on any mobile device I have.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Electraglide said:


> According to google maps on my laptop I live about 10 blocks from where I actually live and the last time I checked the street view of the house I rented still shows the house. The lot has been part of a parking lot for the last 7 years. Google maps is useless if you don't have a cell connection with data. Get in a place with no cell service and no google maps which when you check is a lot of Canada. It's one of the first things I disconnect or remove on any mobile device I have.


maybe you’re using it wrong


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

People have cell phones without data? In 2019? I have 7GB a month.

Last weekend I knew I was going to be without service on a three night houseboat trip on Lake Temagami so in google maps, I downloaded an offline map of the area. GPS works without data service. We knew where we were cause we can read a map but it's nice to have a backup.

To each his own but I can't imagine driving without google maps/android auto. It gets real time traffic data and if it discovers a faster route it will ask you if you want to take the faster route. I can see on the screen any traffic problems coming up. The maps and app are constantly updated, for free automatically. It shows me my speed and the speed limit and warns me if I go over the limit by an amount I determine. Through android auto I can also control Spotify, Podcast Addict, make and receive phone calls and control it all with my voice. I can also get in any car, rental, etc and it's exactly the same.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Guncho said:


> People have cell phones without data? In 2019? I have 7GB a month.
> 
> Last weekend I knew I was going to be without service on a three night houseboat trip on Lake Temagami so in google maps, I downloaded an offline map of the area. GPS works without data service. We knew where we were cause we can read a map but it's nice to have a backup.
> 
> To each his own but I can't imagine driving without google maps/android auto. It gets real time traffic data and if it discovers a faster route it will ask you if you want to take the faster route. I can see on the screen any traffic problems coming up. The maps and app are constantly updated, for free automatically. It shows me my speed and the speed limit and warns me if I go over the limit by an amount I determine. Through android auto I can also control Spotify, Podcast Addict, make and receive phone calls and control it all with my voice. I can also get in any car, rental, etc and it's exactly the same.


Your car doesn't have a speedometer? Next you'll have one of those cars that drives itself while you sit in the back seat. Doesn't looking at your phone and checking google maps and things like that while you are driving come under the distracted driving laws. I'm pretty sure it does in BC and Ab. Personally I'm glad all my phone does is phone calls and texts and not much of those. To me it seems a sad thing that you can't go without your phone for three days, especially when you're on something like a houseboat trip. You would figure the rental company could supply you with charts that would show among other things shipping and water hazards, not too sure if google maps does that. Does GPS work without cell service? Or when the phone can only "see" one satellite? People without data on there cell phones? I know quite a few.....also know people without cell phones. In 2019. But as you say, to each his own. Can't see the point myself.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

I would love a car that drive itself while I nap. Sign me up. As long as you don't touch your phone you're not breaking any laws. Everything works with voice recognition. I brought the phone on the trip to take pictures and as a backup map. Yes GPS works without cell service. You need data to load the maps hence the offline map.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Guncho said:


> I would love a car that drive itself while I nap. Sign me up. As long as you don't touch your phone you're not breaking any laws. Everything works with voice recognition. I brought the phone on the trip to take pictures and as a backup map. Yes GPS works without cell service. You need data to load the maps hence the offline map.


Just wondering about the GPS because there seems to be a lot of places going from here to Van and back where it doesn't seem to work when you're on motorcycles. That's what I've gathered from guys who've tried to use theirs, either on phone or as a separate unit. Can't see any reason why you'd need it. Kinda hard to get lost when there's not a lot of other routes to choose from. 
BTW this is part of BC's distracted driving as far as I know. 
" having a phone mounted on the dash — which is legal if the driver is not interacting with the device — is more distracting than having a phone in the centre console. Mounted phones are also legally allowed to operate as GPS devices as long as the route is pre-programmed before driving and voice directions are coming through the vehicle's speakers." It's from here
What you can and cannot do with your phone when driving | CBC News


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Legal if you don't touch it here.

Kind of silly really when you can use and touch an integrated navigation system.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Guncho said:


> Legal if you don't touch it here.
> 
> Kind of silly really when you can use and touch an integrated navigation system.


Go figure. If I have a cup holder on my bike I can drink coffee, water or what ever, as long as it's a legal drink, as I ride along. A tank pouch is not considered a cup holder. Has to be attached to the bars.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Electraglide said:


> Is that why cars and phones and the like have GPS in them? All you need to do is follow this sign until you get to the bridge and then keep on driving to the big boat.


Boat or Boot?


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

zontar said:


> Boat or Boot?


Boat. One of the Queens will take you across to Nanaimo then it's on to Long Beach. As far as I know the big boot is in edmonton.


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## HD2000 (Jul 24, 2008)

Actually... GPS and/or online maps are becoming kind of a necessity (for me anyway). I was in Southern California (LA area) a couple of years ago and eventually gave up trying to buy a street map - every place I went in to looked at me like I was crazy when I asked where I could purchase a map.
trying to navigate California cities isn't quite as simple as jumping on the Trans Canada highway and heading west until you hit the ocean


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

HD2000 said:


> Actually... GPS and/or online maps are becoming kind of a necessity (for me anyway). I was in Southern California (LA area) a couple of years ago and eventually gave up trying to buy a street map - every place I went in to looked at me like I was crazy when I asked where I could purchase a map.
> trying to navigate California cities isn't quite as simple as jumping on the Trans Canada highway and heading west until you hit the ocean


I spent most of a year a bunch of years back in Sacramento. Had no problem at all getting around there or 'Frisco or L.A. or San Diego. Mind you in LA and Frisco I had a couple of guides. The smaller places were even easier. Just depends on who and where you asked. I find transit maps are good. Car rental places and big hotels are good too. I guess if you're there for a short period of time and in a rush they might come in handy. The biggest problem I had in some of the big cities was not how to get places but what places to avoid. Not too sure if Google Maps or GPS will tell you that. 
Unless the hiway system there has changed most hiways heading west eventually will hit the Pacific.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Google maps warns me if there's a traffic jam ahead and reroutes me around if a there's a faster way to go. Will a map tell you that?


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## HD2000 (Jul 24, 2008)

Electraglide said:


> I spent most of a year a bunch of years back in Sacramento. Had no problem at all getting around there or 'Frisco or L.A. or San Diego. Mind you in LA and Frisco I had a couple of guides. The smaller places were even easier. Just depends on who and where you asked. I find transit maps are good. Car rental places and big hotels are good too. I guess if you're there for a short period of time and in a rush they might come in handy. The biggest problem I had in some of the big cities was not how to get places but what places to avoid. Not too sure if Google Maps or GPS will tell you that.
> Unless the hiway system there has changed most hiways heading west eventually will hit the Pacific.


Actually - I occasionally find myself digging out the GPS even around town here in Calgary. Get in to these residential neighborhoods full of curved streets and themed street names (all streets are variations of the neighborhood name with a different designator Street, Avenue, Way, Close, BLVD, Trail, etc.) and I easily get lost trying to navigate that last few blocks to the destination


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Guncho said:


> Google maps warns me if there's a traffic jam ahead and reroutes me around if a there's a faster way to go. Will a map tell you that?


Probably not but I never did use maps around most towns I've lived in. Doesn't google maps need someone to tell them where the traffic jams, accidents etc. are? If nobody tells them then nobody knows and there you are stuck in traffic. And if you're stuck in traffic anyway because others won't for instance let you change lanes to go 3 over to the right then you're stuck.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Electraglide said:


> Probably not but I never did use maps around most towns I've lived in. Doesn't google maps need someone to tell them where the traffic jams, accidents etc. are? If nobody tells them then nobody knows and there you are stuck in traffic. And if you're stuck in traffic anyway because others won't for instance let you change lanes to go 3 over to the right then you're stuck.


They all get info from the local traffic cams etc as far as I can tell. GPS can do it too but it might not be quite as real-time.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Budda said:


> They all get info from the local traffic cams etc as far as I can tell. GPS can do it too but it might not be quite as real-time.


Not too sure about where you are but around here if you're not on a main route like Hiway 1 or 2 there doesn't seem to be a lot of local traffic cams. What there is I don't think are real time either. What there does seem to be around here is a lot of enforcement cams which have nothing to do with traffic flow.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Electraglide said:


> Boat. One of the Queens will take you across to Nanaimo then it's on to Long Beach. As far as I know the big boot is in edmonton.


Ok--just checking


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I can't believe people used to spend hundreds of dollars on separate GPS units that were outdated in a month or two. Now phones allow you to get the same thing for free provided you have a data plan. On top of plain ol' Apple or Google maps we have paid and free apps galore. Has anyone used Waze while travelling? It's a Google developed app that has been a lifesaver right out of the rental parking lot at the airport. I remember my parents getting the AMA printouts that was clipped together and highlighted for our summer trips.



Electraglide said:


> Not too sure about where you are but around here if you're not on a main route like Hiway 1 or 2 there doesn't seem to be a lot of local traffic cams. What there is I don't think are real time either. What there does seem to be around here is a lot of enforcement cams which have nothing to do with traffic flow.


I'm pretty sure you have me on ignore because you and Lola trigger over similar things I say but hopefully someone can convey to you that Calgary is full of traffic cams. A quick peek at the city website and you can pretty much see all, 120+ and almost certainly growing. Many cities and even smaller municipalities are buying into these systems, big brother is watching. It's one thing to dislike technology but just making shit up because you don't know seems like dumb thing to do.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

When my dad goes on road trips, he prints out directions from Mapquest despite me buying him a gps for Christmas a while back. lol


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

As for google maps knowing where there are traffic jams, my phone knows how fast I am going, what the speed limit is and where I am. If suddenly hundreds of people are going well below the speed limit it doesn't' seem like a stretch that google has computer code to indicate to them that there is a traffic jam. You can also report it on google maps which does require touching the screen and BREAKING THE LAW, BREAKING THE LAW!


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Guncho said:


> As for google maps knowing where there are traffic jams, my phone knows how fast I am going, what the speed limit is and where I am. If suddenly hundreds of people are going well below the speed limit it doesn't' seem like a stretch that google has computer code to indicate to them that there is a traffic jam. You can also report it on google maps which does require touching the screen and BREAKING THE LAW, BREAKING THE LAW!


I guess google is big enough to be able to report what's going on in the traffic in say Oakville instantaneously. I also guess that if google has the codes to keep track of your phone and your ass 24/7 then they can tell you where to go.


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