Why lock it?

[toolonglegs]

Hot girls on bikes - does it work? ...has been locked?...now we let some really stupid threads run and run and run.Yet this one gets locked and really not one comment is out of line that I can see?...and no reason for locking it posted as well?.So is this is becoming the nanny forum?.
I don't really care either way but I do wonder why such tame post's are locked when they are bike related and some really OT post can be left to fester for ever.

[beanspropulsion]

Yup i'm all for hot chicks on bikes as long as no nudity is involved, it is a family friendly forum after all.

Maybe we can have a hot blokes on bikes thread for the ladies too? Just to balance it out.

[twizzle]

I don't get it - I looked at the thread, and I didn't see any of those girls sweating. (Spoken by a man with a wife and four children... who likes his appendages to stay attached).

But I digress - I can understand WHY the mods would want to lock a thread like that (too much work).... but moving it to the Cafe, or at least explaining WHY it was locked in a post would have been better.

[Parrott]

Some politically correct peabody complained no doubt.

[Christine Tham]

I think the moderators are too scared it will degenerate into a discussion about pink and yellow clashing, with lots of photos of flowers and self-proclaimed experts on colour ...

[Nobody]

Because if you don't, you're bike will get stolen.

[bowie]

Im a hot girl. can i have a bike?

[Christine Tham]

Im a hot girl. can i have a bike?

I'm a hot cyclist. Can I have a girl?

[beanspropulsion]

Im a hot girl. can i have a bike?

I'm a hot cyclist. Can I have a girl?

If that's the way you roll......

[Kalgrm]

Sorry guys, but I've locked the thread. I believe it's objectifying women and is sexist. It's hard enough to get women into cycling and participating on this forum without a thread where a bunch of guys are openly ogling and leering. (This is what I wrote word-for-word in the Moderator's forum explaining why I locked it.)

Another mod has agreed, but no others have commented yet. It may get unlocked after we've discussed it some more. The other mod noted this thread on the BV forum as where our thread is likely to end up.

As to why no reason was given at the time it was locked: I didn't have the time at that moment to do anything except shift it out of the view of non-members and lock it.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Christine Tham]

Sorry guys, but I've locked the thread. I believe it's objectifying women and is sexist. It's hard enough to get women into cycling and participating on this forum without a thread where a bunch of guys are openly ogling and leering. (This is what I wrote word-for-word in the Moderator's forum explaining why I locked it.)

Hi Graeme,

I'm not attacking or defending anyone here, least of all yourself, but I suspect the original poster was alluding to what seems to be double standards.

A thread (admittedly, somewhat tongue-in-cheek) is locked almost immediately (and seemingly without explanation) but then a thread about breasts and aerodynamics enjoyed a very popular run and featured contributions by several moderators.

I personally did not find either thread offensive, but then I like to consider myself as broad minded. If I were to find one thread offensive, I think I would find the other equally as offensive.

[Kalgrm]

A thread (admittedly, somewhat tongue-in-cheek) is locked almost immediately (and seemingly without explanation) but then a thread about breasts and aerodynamics enjoyed a very popular run and featured contributions by several moderators.

I personally did not find either thread offensive, but then I like to consider myself as broad minded. If I were to find one thread offensive, I think I would find the other equally as offensive.

I understand why there is some confusion as to why some threads get locked and others (often much more inane) are allowed to continue. In this case, the biggest problem is the sexist language of the thread title. Had it been "Hot Riders ...." or "Beautiful Riders ... ", and the thread was able to continue as it was going (and may yet), all would have been fine. "Hot Chicks on bikes" is not a thread title in the best interest of the forum, so I locked it.

As I said, it may open again if the mods and the forum owner decide it's okay, but I'll be pushing strongly for a name change at the very least.

Cheers,
Graeme

[wombatK]

Graeme,

While I didn't find the thread offensive, I agree with your stance - it's not worth the risk of upsetting more sensitive female cyclists or forum members. And, as you've rightly pointed out, there is a very long-running BV forum thread where the topic has been done to death.

Cheers

[damhooligan]

Another mod has agreed, but no others have commented yet. It may get unlocked after we've discussed it some more. The other mod noted this thread on the BV forum as where our thread is likely to end up.

Sorry , but if you look closely on the bv thread you are refering to ,

Sorry guys, but I've locked the thread. I believe it's objectifying women and is sexist.

Both genders are being objectified and therefor not sexist.....

[Mulger bill]

2c as a member.
I'd like to see it reopened with input from all members, I think the majority of us know what is reasonable.

2c as a mod.
I've got a sneaking suspicion that one pic will sneak in fairly quickly to kill the deal. It only takes one. Don't forget the site and forum guidelines.


Last time I locked an inane thread that went tl;dr after the first page, well...

Shaun

[Wayfarer]

This one random advert shows far worse objectification anyway. In fact, the whole beauty industry.... never mind

[Christine Tham]

This one random advert shows far worse objectification anyway. In fact, the whole beauty industry.... never mind

I don't have any issues with that ad. I don't think it's objectification - it's a picture of a beautiful face, but then it is a beauty ad targeted at women. And the message is actually quite self-empowering "The lipstick that lets you take on the world single-handedly ..."

The ad I don't get is the "no birds ..." ad. What exactly does the picture of a pretty girl wearing no clothes or showing a bit of leg have anything to do with renting a car???

[im_no_pro]

Another mod has agreed, but no others have commented yet. It may get unlocked after we've discussed it some more. The other mod noted this thread on the BV forum as where our thread is likely to end up.

Sorry , but if you look closely on the bv thread you are refering to ,

Sorry guys, but I've locked the thread. I believe it's objectifying women and is sexist.

Both genders are being objectified and therefor not sexist.....

FWIW im the one to date who has agreed with Graeme in locking the thread (regardless of the reason). I'm quite familiar with the BV thread as well as multiple other threads of similar nature on various bike forums (most of them linked throughout the BV one). I personally quite enjoy browsing through the BV thread, but there is no way that thread (or any of the others) is within the guidelines of this forum, hence why I agree with locking it. I could link multiple threads which explicity state there is to be no nudity, but you go through the pages and sure enough there is plenty of it.

One point to keep in mind - moderators decisions do not always reflect their personal views, we are charged with assisting Christopher in running the forums under the rules he sets (which he is quite entitled to do, it's his site after all). In my view, I don't believe he would let it run given what has happened to the threads I mentioned above. Sometimes we like to be proactive rather than reactive and shut it down before it goes down the tube. Cant please everyone all the time unfortunately.

[mikesbytes]

Guys/Gals,

Thanks for the feedback. Moderation is not an exact science and there are times where some threads that should of been locked to keep the site family orientated have not, where other times moderation has been used a little preemptive, in the eagerness to keep the site family orientated.

I hear that there has been some secret genetic experimentation occurring deep underground in an unnamed country to develop the perfect Moderator. A picture of the prototype has been leaked and I'm pleased to publish it here.


Click for a closup

[Zynster]

In this case, the biggest problem is the sexist language of the thread title. Had it been "Hot Riders ...." or "Beautiful Riders ... ", and the thread was able to continue as it was going (and may yet), all would have been fine. "Hot Chicks on bikes" is not a thread title in the best interest of the forum, so I locked it.

Just edit the thread title. I'm sure no one will mind.

[hartleymartin]

How about "Cycle-Chic Looking good on your bicycle"

[rustguard]

I had a friend who is a mod of a gaming forum. he was looking at a similar thread when his missus walked in and said "Why are you looking at that" he quickly replied "I'm not I just have to lock this thread cause it is sexist". she replied "oh really lets see you lock it then!"

[ni78ck]

Because if you don't, you're bike will get stolen.

the most correct answer!

[Nate]

yeah i've seen these pop up on car forums etc too...

Given this forum is a "family forum" and aimed at getting everyone cycling etc etc
I think its reasonable to lock it - as the intent of the thread was to paste pics of "hot" girls etc.
The Aero thread was a serious discussion that went south.

As the mods eluded to previously, its not whether its "right" or "wrong" - as there's no standards.
Its a case of creating the most welcome environment to all people.

[sogood]

I agree with Graeme's concerns. I note that aero thread was led by an active female member of the forum and it was of a highly technical nature.