Fitness Forum

Bluefoam

I posted a tread in the fitness forum. I gave allot of information about my situation, but asked a very simple question: where should I seek advice?

My thread was shut down by a mod, please see my response:

I am disgusted by the way I have been treated by a moderator on this forum.

I have spilled my heart out here, trying to get a simple answer to a simple question & have been treated with the same bullying mentality that I have experienced throughout my life.

My question was simply, should I seek advice from a GP or a sports specialist. A question most users on this forum should be well able to give an opinion on. But instead I get an arrogant and curt response from the moderator - who failed to give adequate reasoning for closing the thread & who also blocked me from PM'ing him.

I know some of the forums here are less freindly than others, but for a fitness forum to alienate someone for their lack of fitness & knowledge is very disheartening.

I am very disappointed with this response & equate it to the bullying I have received while playing sports - you are inferior because you are not as fit as us... It is this type of attitude that has forced me not to take part in sports and fitness & has contributed to my current dilemma.

I was not looking for either legal or medical advice, just for an appropriate place to seek the correct help.

Thread location here: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055933615

Miguel_Sanchez

Looks to me like people suggested you talk to a new GP if you have no confidence in your old one. That would be the answer I'd take from that thread.

Where the bullying took place escapes me.

Bluefoam

Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »

Looks to me like people suggested you talk to a new GP if you have no confidence in your old one. That would be the answer I'd take from that thread.

Where the bullying took place escapes me.

The bullying was in the fact that the moderator would not allow any discussion on the matter. There was no logic or reasoning offered in the posts that would allow anyone to make a sound conclusion.

Subsequently, members of the cycling forum were much more helpful & gave a positive answer to my query.

Miguel_Sanchez

Bluefoam wrote: »

The bullying was in the fact that the moderator would not allow any discussion on the matter.

That's not bullying. That's a moderator making a decision based on their own appraisal of the thread. If the moderator was continually locking your threads while leaving other similar ones open then perhaps you would be justified in feeling like you were being bullied.

Bluefoam wrote: »

Subsequently, members of the cycling forum were much more helpful & gave a positive answer to my query.

Excellent I'm glad you got the answer you were looking for.

Bluefoam

Can you tell me why a moderator would close my thread & then put me on their ignore list, having never dealt with me before?

Miguel_Sanchez

Bluefoam wrote: »

Can you tell me why a moderator would close my thread & then put me on their ignore list, having never dealt with me before?

I'm afraid I can't. Are you sure they've blocked you from PMing them?

They might just not have read your PM yet. The thread was only closed a few hours ago so it's quite likely that they haven't been back on boards since then.

Bluefoam

They have put me on their ignor list - I recieved a warning to inform me when I attempted to PM them on the matter.

pickarooney

It reads as though you were asking for medical advice based on the symptoms you describe. Any sensible moderator should advise you to see a trusted GP rather than have you run the risk of following some inapptropriate advice (however well intended) given by someone who has never met you. This is standard across boards as far as I'm aware and in no way amounts to victimisation or bullying - your best interests are ultimately what are taken into account.

On the subject of being added to a moderator's ignore list, you should probably make sure that that is true and if so take it up with another moderator of the fitness board, and failing that, a category moderator of same.

BossArky

Bluefoam - boards.ie is not the place to come for medical advice.

A bunch of faceless, unqualified randomers cannot give better advice than a medical professional. i.e. your GP. If you do not have faith in your current GP, seek a second opinion.

You are not on my ignore list. There is an option in your profile to activate of deactivate PMs. I choose to deactivate PMs.

Khannie

Bluefoam wrote: »

The bullying was in the fact that the moderator would not allow any discussion on the matter.

I just don't see how this is bullying. I think it's moderation. You weren't singled out in any way. The charter is unambiguous about threads which may result in advice of a medical nature. When you say things like this:

Bluefoam wrote: »

I find that I get severe burn in my diaphragm when exercising & have allot of difficulty breathing - also getting coughing fits. The inhaler only seems to provide some very mild relief.

we are obliged to close the thread. That's not bullying. Not in the slightest.

To be honest I really disliked the tone you took in your reported post. Your accusation of bullying was way way way wide of the mark.

Bluefoam

BossArky wrote: »

Bluefoam - boards.ie is not the place to come for medical advice.

Again, if you read my thread you would realise I was not asking for medical advice.

BossArky wrote: »

I choose to deactivate PMs.

Unusual attitude from a moderator...

Miguel_Sanchez

Bluefoam wrote: »

Again, if you read my thread you would realise I was not asking for medical advice.

While you might not have been looking for it your inclusion of physical symptoms might have prompted people to give medical advice and so the thread was closed.

But you did receive an answer on the thread. Several people advised you to find a new GP and talk to them about it.

I don't see the problem.

AckwelFoley

BossArky wrote: »

There is an option in your profile to activate of deactivate PMs. I choose to deactivate PMs.

While i have no problem why the threads were closed, as you were acting within the bounds of reason, personally i think its improper that moderators should have the option of de activating their pm's.

If a member opens a feedback thread wondering why their thread was closed or post deleted, most of the time they will get the "did you pm the moderator" response, which in itself is reasonable for what i think are obvious reasons

Tigger

i think its a fresh and honest approach its not like he was going to change his mind after a pm

Dudess

Deactivate PM's? Why on earth would you do that as a mod? PM-ing is a facility you kinda need as a mod, I'd have thought...

And yeah, while I don't think the response was bullying or a message that you're inferior because you're not as physically fit, it could have been a bit more pleasant and informative.

pwd

Bluefoam wrote: »

Can you tell me why a moderator would close my thread & then put me on their ignore list, having never dealt with me before?

I could...

I'm putting you on my ignore list.

Magenta

snyper wrote: »

While i have no problem why the threads were closed, as you were acting within the bounds of reason, personally i think its improper that moderators should have the option of de activating their pm's.

If a member opens a feedback thread wondering why their thread was closed or post deleted, most of the time they will get the "did you pm the moderator" response, which in itself is reasonable for what i think are obvious reasons

Dudess wrote: »

Deactivate PM's? Why on earth would you do that as a mod? PM-ing is a facility you kinda need as a mod, I'd have thought...

And yeah, while I don't think the response was bullying or a message that you're inferior because you're not as physically fit, it could have been a bit more pleasant and informative.

Completely agree. The first step of the grievance process is for the user to PM the mod.
(Edit- I have actually started a thread about this now, I don't want to drag this one off topic).

Zaph

BossArky wrote: »

You are not on my ignore list. There is an option in your profile to activate of deactivate PMs. I choose to deactivate PMs.

I'd be interested in knowing how you work with PMs disabled, as personally I couldn't moderate properly without them. My own opinion is that PMs are an important mod tool and, as has been mentioned above, PMing the mod is the first step of the DRP. Do you use some other form of communication instead?

BossArky

Don’t see what the big deal is here. There is an option to disable PMs – so what if a mod uses it?

Over the years I’ve read about, and had, a number of experiences with posters sending abusive PMs over trivial matters. I’m not interested in arguing with people. I visit boards.ie for pleasure. If over the course of my time here I can clean up and keep things on the rails then all the better.

To mod with PM’s deactivated try the following:

• Thread closed due to spam/advertising – PM poster and ask them to contact hello@boards.ie should they wish to advertise formally
• Banning someone – PM poster with reason and direct towards feedback should they have concerns over the circumstances surrounding the ban
• Medical advice (pops up all the time on the fitness forum) – lock thread and direct user towards a medical professional.

Definitely something for the mods to discuss in the mod forum.

Gordon

BossArky wrote: »

• Banning someone – PM poster with reason and direct towards feedback should they have concerns over the circumstances surrounding the ban

Yo, that's not the up to date process dude! Can you change your system?!

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Dispute resolution procedure

1. If you have a problem with a post, thread or a ban from a forum, the first step should be a PM to the moderator in question. If you are not comfortable with PM'ing that particular mod, you can PM the other mods of that forum. You will find the list of the mods at the bottom of the forum in question. If you have been banned from a forum it is still possible to enter it to see who the mods are by logging out of boards.ie first.
   
2. If you are not happy with the outcome of the above, then next step is to PM the Category Moderators. They are listed alongside the regular mods.
3. Failing that, you can then take it to Help Desk forum where an Admin can become involved and give an opinion on the matter.

Things not to do

1. Argue with a mod on thread - This is just so that the thread doesn't become derailed by something other than the topic of the thread
2. Start a new thread in the forum you are having a problem in
3. Start a thread in Feedback
4. Start a thread in Boards.ie Help Desk until all other avenues for resolution have been exhausted
5. Send abusive PMs (this will earn you a siteban)

Essentially the Dispute Resolution Procedure that everyone is trying to work off states that the user should PM you, or your co mod. So having your PMs switched off goes against that DRP. Shunting everyone off to Feedback just breeds witch hunts and lolcat threads that end up undermining the users issue, hence the DRP.