Originally Posted by FuelCutOff
I feel the same way. I should have never had that thread deleted. Doing what I considered right at the time just came back to bite me on the ass and everyone else who this guy screwed. He's owes a bunch of folks money and parts that we'll never see.
I feel the same way. I should have never had that thread deleted. Doing what I considered right at the time just came back to bite me on the ass and everyone else who this guy screwed. He's owes a bunch of folks money and parts that we'll never see.
The internet and Car Forums are a fantastic tool for automotive enthusiasts. Where the hell am I gonna find a whole bunch of other SR20 nuts in my local vicinity? Just run into them by chance? Several dozen, a couple hundred or a thousand of them? Nowhere except on-line, it ain't gonna happen.
That is the positives. All you other honest, hard working, guys that share my passion for the platform. The ability to "group together" to create a market, and interest vendors in supplying us. The internet allows us to share our knowledge and help each other out, to save on parts, locate sources, and yes, to make real friends with like-minded folks even across vast distances.
The flipside is the scammers. Leaches, con-artists, and theives. The internet allows them to flourish, at least for a time. It is much harder to judge folks over the internet, to assess their character, and determine their worth as a human being. For those of poor character, or shady pasts, or ill-intentions, the internet allows them to hide in plain site, then to disappear. Only to pop up somewhere else to ply their dispicable trade.
Luckily, in my mind, the pros outweigh the cons (pun intentional). I've been burned on a 3-point FSTB that never materialized (Vendor banned...). And I see my fellow Community Members that have also suffered injustices numerous times at the hands of flat-out crooks.
It is not perfect, but all we can do is the best we can to cover each others backs. Expose and drive out the scumbags as soon as possible. While still giving people or Vendors the benefit of the doubt and/or chance to "make things right" or fix situations that went south. Which means "taking a chance" on our fellow forum members or Vendors. Nothing can go downhill, no one can get scammed, the dishonest do not "show their hand", until a deal is actually made.
We have to stick together, and watch out for each other as a tight-knit Community. All we really have of any value on this forum is solidarity and it is our strength against those with ill-intentions and no moral fiber.
Shawn B