Aaaaarghhhh! The sort of illiteracy that makes me smirk when I see others committing it.Originally Posted by anthonykay
Aaaaarghhhh! The sort of illiteracy that makes me smirk when I see others committing it.
I think the question that should be asked is why you would NOT want people to know who you are and I suggest there are few acceptable reasons that are not mischievous or malevolent, although I defer to Mossdog.
I had quite a lot of interesting PM exchanges with Oracle including on why he chose to keep his identity secret, although he said that I did actually know who he was and we had met!
Nevertheless, he had to go.
Do not think that some of us did not notice.
Well the forum is completely open for anyone to view. I think there are probably still some people who just like to live a private life without having their lives easily viewed by all and sundry on the internet. Nothing mischeavious at all, some people are just more private. Simple.
There are also many levels of personal safety to consider. These days it could be relatively easy to find out where someone lives, given their real name etc. If person X says that they will be doing a particular race on a given day, then they have effectively broadcast to the world that their home will be empty and all their Walshes* easily stolen.
Marco has outlined some of the more serious reasons why a reasonable person may not want to broadcast their identity.
*minus the pair being used for the race.
Last edited by PiesAreGood; 05-11-2021 at 02:08 PM. Reason: spelling
I specially agree with point 4, which would see me out of here. I gave up my FRA membership a few years back when I thought the fell runners association had finally morphed into the fell racers association. As I barely ever raced it seemed pointless to continue with membership and I haven't missed it in the slightest.
Much as I enjoy poking about in this forum (as an independent fell jogger) I will know when I am no longer wanted - Moley no mates 🙁.
Well the forum is completely open for anyone to view. I think there are probably still some people who just like to live a private life without having their lives easily viewed by all and sundry on the internet. Nothing mischeavious at all, some people are just more private. Simple.
There are also many levels of personal safety to consider. These days it could be relatively easy to find out where someone lives, given their real name etc. If person X says that they will be doing a particular race on a given day, then they have effectively broadcast to the world that their home will be empty and all their Walshes* easily stolen.
Marco has outlined some of the more serious reasons why a reasonable person may not want to broadcast their identity.
*minus the pair being used for the race.
Agree with this, feels very old skool to insist on peoples identity being known to all and sundry (including a picture!). I think this would put more people off than it would attract.
In that case, this forum must be pre-old skool...very few users ever used their name and/or a pic. T'was never an issue.
You say that, but once we're able to upload pictures, it will be worth the membership fee for that alone.
But seriously, don't you miss the fellrunner mag? It's very nice these days, better paper and more likely to look at home on a coffee table.
Ian, having been out all day I have had time to think of something else which is worthy of discussion
Whilst all the noise has been about identity, there is a part of members details that I think, and at least hope, we can all agree on.
I am talking about 'Location'. Whilst I'm not sure it's the best word, (but I can't think of a better one), that is not my point. What I wish to raise, is that 1) some members leave this blank. 2) Some members put something humorous or accurate-but-not-that-helpful like 'near the dark stuff' 3) Some members, particularly our Welsh members, put their city/town/village, and 4) some people put a general location. I have put 'Flat SE Staffordshire' to identify the roughly 30 square mile area to the north east of Birmingham, and Mossdog has put Teesdale.
My suggestion is that all members should set a location using either the third or fourth option. I can't see any obvious reason why people wouldn't want to use at least the fourth option, although if anyone can come up with a reason please bring it up.
I think this would make the forum friendlier, and more useful, without being controversial. It would also not require an alteration to the forum, and we could do it tomorrow by a voluntary agreement.
I said I thought it would make the forum friendlier and more useful for some clear reasons, car sharing being the obvious one. But there's more. If a prospective member is living in Oldham, and they converse with someone who is from Rochdale, they could go running and training together.
When I moved into fell I was, like Travs, living to the east of Birmingham in the flatlands. Although, (also like Travs), I was a club runner there was no fell culture, knowledge, or known-to-me runners in the area. Running, alone, on the equivalent of CM or CL courses around Cannock Chase didn't really give me much idea as to whether I'd be any good, (or even get around the course). If I had been able to run with a fell runner, even if they were a different level of talent to me, then I think I might have come to the sport earlier.
This leads onto another point, that I'm not sure I've ever seen here before: mentoring. I am not suggesting any organised scheme or anything like that. I think that where there are cases of a novice/inexperienced runner living close to an experienced one, then if reasonably accurate locations were used then some of this would happen naturally. My fell experience is not as great as most people on here, but the people I have met have been warm and friendly, and helpful.
If we wish to attract new members then we have to think about what information they need. The ability to make 'friends' online is not difficult, but the ability to meet people 'in the flesh' is something that is more difficult. Llani Boy has mentioned where his group meet; I don't think he's actually said 'everyone welcome', but I'm sure that is what he meant. If people mentioned where their club's runs met, and when, on here then it would attract some more people into the sport (it was what I was looking for 12.5 years ago). It's a win-win too, it would attract some more members to clubs, and consequently some of them would join the FRA too. Best thing, though, is that it wouldn't cost anything just a bit of time and thought
Sorry it's turned into a book, thanks for getting this far
I really enjoy your contributions on here, your knowledge of obscure parts of Wales and your support of the Dragons back. I lurked on here for years before I finally bit the bullit and payed up.
Please don't go (in the words of a song)
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