Look, the fact is, once politics and religion got their own forum (i.e. The Wacky World), things rapidly slid downhill. There can be a lounge, with strict enforcement and clear rules, as long as they are applied evenly and consistently. That's kind of the problem; 'people' have learned that there are no actual consequences for their shameful actions, so 'anything goes'. Bans are incredibly rare, and almost all of them except spammers are lifted anyway. I could see that removing Wacky permanently would solve 99% of the problems, mostly because the main offender(s) would tire of the site and blow away. The other issues would dissolve once the rules are properly applied and enforced. No doubt you're not dumb. No one is doing this thinking they are getting one over on the site leadership. The offenses are constantly repeated because there are no real consequences. Fix that, and you fix the site.
Because they don't act like grown adults. Unfortunately it's repeated itself far too many times to wonder why it happens.
If there's gonna be a lounge then I think access should be restricted to only those drinking brandy and wearing an ascot while smoking a meercham pipe.
There is a downside to getting rid of the most popular section of the site. How much of one is to be seen. I can imagine that the backchannel efforts to get people to complain about topics they disagreed with was quite tiresome.
Would like to see Motorcycle, firearms, and other vehicle help back. Other than that am more than happy with the work you guys do for us in maintaining the site. Will be happy to live with what you put up, and what you don't.
Like FF said, for years we had the Lounge, where we could discuss things like car shows, business trips, kids, surgery, et al. Then some religion and politics was injected, from time to time, and tempers flared, so Whacky was started. Everyone has their own political and religious views, and nobody's views will every change because of something posted on a car forum. It is when people are ridiculed for their beliefs, repeatedly, that problems started. I agree, remove Whacky, and if politics or religion are brought up in other threads, give a warning then a ban. No politics, no fighting. No religion, no fighting. It's really that simple.
Thou shalt not converse on topics of sex, politics, religion nor the bosses' wife... <wise policy from before the internet>
My granddad told me a long time ago that you don't talk politics or religion in a bar unless you want to get into a fight. At the same time, bars weren't bars, they were referred to as gin mills.
What are you talking about. There is backbiting going on even in tech threads now. Snide comments and insinuation.
