Hi All,
This post is not designed to upset anyone but maybe I can shed some light on all this as the concept of this club was my idea initially !.
From day one MRC was designed first and foremost as a "doing things club for Rotary fans" that would use the internet as no European based club had previously had to provide information and promote the Rotary for all enthusiasts who are like minded.
When I asked Glenn if he would build the internet side of the club I only had one stipulation for the name and that was that it would have .com on the end, this was to ensure that we would attract Rotary people from all over the world who would hopefully bring not only information but also become aware that although a long way behind in terms of tuning compared to the rest of the world, that there was a Rotary following here in the U/K and felt that if we were only a .co.uk that the world would never even bother with us.
The big thing here is to remember we are not first a forum and second a club but the other way around and that without the club this forum would not exist.
Whatever people may say this is a members club because without paying members there is no club and because of this they have the right to dictate the direction and use of their club as witnessed at this years AGM, the results of which will upset many non-members.
Having said the above Glenn and myself share very similar views on making the Club as accessible to as many Rotary enthusiasts indeed the one thing that has plagued this club rightly or wrongly is that certain members have even wanted Rotaries turned away from the club stand at events that we hold throughout the year.
This is something that I have always disagreed with indeed in our very first year some members who are no longer with the club insisted and got very ugly about wanting no non-members or FDUK people on the stands.
The one thing all these people forget is that someone would have to ask the people turning up if they are MRC members and if they are not they must go away and this is something that I will never ever do as I have always preferred to welcome all rotary enthusiasts in the hope that they will wish to join MRC as a paid up member and become a full part of its Rotary community.
So what does a person get from paying money other than the feeling of "belonging to the MRC community".
First of all they will hopefully obtain cheaper insurance through the company\'s we have negotiated discounts with and if they wish valuations on there cars we will supply the nessaccery letters to make this so.
Discounts on AA or RAC membership and its also worth knowing that if you go for the home start packages they offer and you have problems they will transport your car to the specialist of your choice because its a Rotary and requires specialist attention.
We aim to pay back members monies across the year to make owning your Rotary more enjoyable this includes free entrance to The Brooklands Spring Rotor Show, Rotorstock which would not take place at all without members money, reduced admission to rotorstock for MRC members, a fully subsidised Christmas meal, last year we paid partially for members to have a Rolling Road day out, and coming up will be Trackdays with the first and Brands being subsidised to the tune of £20, and also don\'t forget the Forum itself costs around £1500 per year to operate out on the internet due to it\'s fees etc.
In spite of my wishes to keep MRC as accessible as possible to all Rotary people I can totally see why Full Members get miffed about the forum multi users who even go as far to imply stuff you lot I\'m not paying.
I will now ask the non-members reading this to picture this.
You are standing in the queue at Asda\'s and the man behind you has just had the same value of goods go through the check out as you did that you had just paid for and yet after he has loaded his bags he is told "off you go, no need to pay".
No imagine how you would feel, this describes how I know many members feel about people taking advantage of the facilities of the club.
At the AGM without our direction the members decided the main club changes would be that as of the 1st March non-members will not be able to start new treads unless they were starting a for sale thread and would not be able to publish e-mail details to get around the no access to PM\'s.
We will however make it clear that we are in no way taking anything of technical content away from non-members as the search facilaty on the site will still assist people even if they are not able to start posts.
I also had reservations that this would deter overseas users of the forum.
Other changes that should also be mentioned are that if any members are obnoxious, abuseive or are downright rude to other members the post will be removed and the access of the person posting will be reviewed, this will also apply if the post is deemed to be bringing the club into disrepute.
This has come about due to members voting that they do not want offensive posts appearing on MRC that have appeared of late.
This is our Members Club and we must respect their wishes because without them there is NO club.
hi clive have just read ur post and have to say i am very dissapointed.i do now fully understand why u have a membership fee as most likely the numbers do not allow for the running of the forum solely from sponsorship.
without non members making new posts i have a fear the site may become a lonely place,as i have posted before that mrc and fduk need to have united stands at trax/japfest etc.the rotary scene is not big enough to sustain a split community and that is why when u go to these shows the turnout is maybe not as good as it could be.excluding non members from posting and the like will possibly leave the mrc stand at shows looking very sad and sparce as i feel there will be a bit of a backlash from non members.i hope to still show my face as i enjoy these shows,but i am not into trackdays etc so the discounts were never really the issue,same for insurance.
i may be wrong but i think this is a bad move by mrc :(
Rx7 you are correct, sponsorship alone does not pay for the clubs online facilities.
Since my first visit to this site up till now, the people on this forum have helped me no end, whether it be with advice, parts or just general info and history about our cars.
There has been many occasions when I and many other (if not all) people on this forum have needed advice, which has been delivered.
Think of all the parts that are offered on the site, where else can you source such a selection of specialist parts? And from people who are trustworthy (and traceable)?
Yes we are a small but growing community, all with the same interest, we should and for the most part do share our experiences and comments.
I would like to reiterate what Clive said above: ‘WE ARE A CLUB’ not a just forum or sales area.
We have a very precious commodity in the wealth of knowledge and experience; this should not be taken for granted.
And if i have to pay £25, (half a tank of fuel) for the forum so that we can communicate to one another, then I reckon that’s more than a fair price to pay.
(forgetting the savings I make on parts, in advice where I can DIY instead of going to a tuner ect.ect)
My 2p Worth
Nick
Quote from: rx7veilsidei do now fully understand why u have a membership fee as most likely the numbers do not allow for the running of the forum solely from sponsorship.:(
If this is the case,why not pay the paltry amount that\'s being asked for???
Don\'t tell me it\'s because there\'s nothing in it for you,that\'s just a cop out :2Rolleyes If we all had this attitude there would be no club. :(
Agreed Satch,if you can afford to buy and run an RX-7 then 25 quid for membership to a great club like this is pocket change and worth every penny.
I don\'t think £25 pounds is the issue.
I think the attitude of some members to non members is the issue.
People have rights, they can either become a club member or not. The forum access to non members has over a period of time been limited and looks as if it will be limited yet further. Whether this is right or wrong ? people will have there own opinion about it. But the lack of respect, and sometimes being treated like a child, or some low down outcast is not what this club is about, but of late that is the attitude of some club members towards non memebers in their posts. Then we wonder why people can\'t be bothered to renew their membership and stuff.
When the club originally wanted to encourage forums users to become members of the club itself and not just the forum, they were encouraged to do so by friendliness, and by making people feel both welcome and part of a community in which they could benefit from further by becoming full members.
Now the stance seem much more aggressive, people aren\'t friendly, they don\'t make non members feel welcome, or part of the community in which they can benefit from further by becoming full members, they aren\'t treated with respect and are pressured rather than encouraged to become club memebers. This isn\'t even from the people who run the club, this from the ones who think they run the club who don\'t.
QuoteAgreed Satch,if you can afford to buy and run an RX-7 then 25 quid for membership to a great club like this is pocket change and worth every penny.
Agreed too! these aren\'t cheap cars to maintain - so a membership fee of £25 (£20 on subsequent membership fees) is not a lot to ask for.
u dont get the point..brian is able to look at this from both aspects but the other posts border on aggressive..rolling eyes and frown on the posts..nothing so far to encourage me to join,shame as i have allways enjoyed myself on the forum and have given info as well as taken it..apart from brian replying to my orig post about afr..the info was supplied on fduk and rx7club with no sermon attatched
I think we are moving away from the point of this thread a little here. As far as I\'m aware non members will still be able to post, but your ability to create your own threads will be curtailed.
:)
As a new \'non member\' [for my own personal reasons] I do tend to agree with rx7veilside, this I feel will most likely alienate perspective members, having been a member from the outset I too have seen this club grow into what it is today, I do think by these restrictions you are likey to slow the growth of the club.
Think about this, someone from the Japanese car community comes up with a blinding deal be it a new meet, venue, special offer on goods how is he going to convey this without the ability to post a new thread.
I have a love of rotary\'s and most likey always will and hopefully will see you guys over the comming years.
Best of luck with your exclusivity
but this all started when i asked about afr readings etc..now had someone then replied then anyone both non member and members alike would have benefitted from the knowledge of what afr is good at idle and what is not that is what it is all about to me.the sharing of info whether a member or not.if someone took objection to me posting why then post a sarcastic reply rather than ignore my post.i would have been less offended if no one had replied than i have been about being called a freeloader etc.i have a lot of experience over a vast amount of cars as i have had everying from a ford anglia to an impreza p1.if i can share any knowledge i have built up then i will willingly do it regardless of who is asking..even if it was the person calling me a freeloader.i only manage if lucky to attend a couple of shows a year due to being a shift worker at heathrow..that is japfest where i bothered to turn up in the rain to support the club(vast amount of people didnt maybe about 20 cars max non members included)and trax which was on fduk stand.i must say this has left a very bitter taste in my mouth
I will not benifit from any of the financial benifits,discounts ect as Im not in the UK.I thought about becoming a member and decided not to as I dont see how it would benifit me apart from total access to the forum. I recently posted on the forum looking for some help and advice and got almost no interest ? Maybe it was just bad luck or was it because I am a non member ?
Why would anyone pay to join a club without seeing what is about first and if it will benifit them,for instance I only have my FC a couple of weeks and if I sell it on in a few months it would be a waste of money,at least if I get to use the forum first and am keeping my car then I would know what im paying for...
I can understand where this is coming from but if you limit the club too much it will have no members.
If it changes I will not be able to post if I have a problem or have some advice to share....?
Quote from: 2qk4uI will not benifit from any of the financial benifits,discounts ect as Im not in the UK.I thought about becoming a member and decided not to as I dont see how it would benifit me apart from total access to the forum. I recently posted on the forum looking for some help and advice and got almost no interest ? Maybe it was just bad luck or was it because I am a non member ?
Why would anyone pay to join a club without seeing what is about first and if it will benifit them,for instance I only have my FC a couple of weeks and if I sell it on in a few months it would be a waste of money,at least if I get to use the forum first and am keeping my car then I would know what im paying for...
I can understand where this is coming from but if you limit the club too much it will have no members.
If it changes I will not be able to post if I have a problem or have some advice to share....?
Overseas members are catered for,they will recieve a guest membership because they will not be able to get any financial benefits as those in the UK.
Regards
Carl
Quote from: rx7veilsidebut this all started when i asked about afr readings etc..now had someone then replied then anyone both non member and members alike would have benefitted from the knowledge of what afr is good at idle and what is not that is what it is all about to me.the sharing of info whether a member or not.if someone took objection to me posting why then post a sarcastic reply rather than ignore my post.i would have been less offended if no one had replied than i have been about being called a freeloader etc.i have a lot of experience over a vast amount of cars as i have had everying from a ford anglia to an impreza p1.if i can share any knowledge i have built up then i will willingly do it regardless of who is asking..even if it was the person calling me a freeloader.i only manage if lucky to attend a couple of shows a year due to being a shift worker at heathrow..that is japfest where i bothered to turn up in the rain to support the club(vast amount of people didnt maybe about 20 cars max non members included)and trax which was on fduk stand.i must say this has left a very bitter taste in my mouth
But you are having a free time of it while others are paying for you to have the priviledge.
I think that you would be a great asset to the club as a member so please join usand we can party! :Party :chat
Regards
Carl
Can I have a guest membership please ?
I\'m not on some sort of witch hunt here,i certainly don\'t agree with other members alienating non members at all,that\'s not my intention (or point).Have i not got a point then?,Am i wrong for suggesting that people contribute (financially) towards this club??
All i was saying was,fairs fair,we\'ve all gained something from this club,lets give something back(pretty please :InLove )
Quote from: satchI\'m not on some sort of witch hunt here,i certainly don\'t agree with other members alienating non members at all,that\'s not my intention (or point).Have i not got a point then?,Am i wrong for suggesting that people contribute (financially) towards this club??
All i was saying was,fairs fair,we\'ve all gained something from this club,lets give something back(pretty please :InLove )
Satch I think you misinterpreted some of things I said they were in no shape or form directed at you.
Quote from: rotaryimports.comSatch I think you misinterpreted some of things I said they were in no shape or form directed at you.
Ok,that\'s cool :cheers
Quote from: 2qk4uI recently posted on the forum looking for some help and advice and got almost no interest ? Maybe it was just bad luck or was it because I am a non member ?
Dont think it was anything personal or directed to being a member or not. The forum can sometimes be a little hit or miss.
Fish
I hope it was only bad luck because I am a real fan of owners sites/clubs,I think they are great...
I recently became a member of the club after making roughly 800 odd posts. Alot of great info has been learned by myself from people helping out. I never felt intimidated or excluded for being a non-member which I am greatfull for. I have also made some good friends who are both helpfull and dependable. In fact most of my morris minor/rotory project has come from tis site. In particular the for sale department. But then for me new parts for the car are sometimes nothing without free and helpfull advice to go with them.
Due to me living in a bit of a remote place I doubt if I will be able to go to many club events which is a shame. But I do love reading about them and seeing the photos of which cars turned up.(almost a 2nd best to being there).
I am not too sure limiting certain areas is such a good idea, such as new posts but I do fully realise the nececity to generate income to fund this forum abd the clubs off computer activities. And for what it is worth for all the help I have recieved £25 is bloody cheap.
cheers, Michael.
Quote from: 2qk4uI hope it was only bad luck because I am a real fan of owners sites/clubs,I think they are great...
I would like to think that the question that you asked was not based on any type of non-member prejudice because I can certainly say that if I would have seen it and been able to answer I would have.
We unfortunately cant give you "overseas" membership because you live in Ireland because we have quite a few paid up members from Ireland and always have had, the overseas thing is really intended for people a little more distant, sorry.
I am also sorry to see that Mr rx7veilside is not happy as he knows he has always been welcomed at our events in the past.
I find it interesting and accurate about Brian\'s perception of the club\'s operation and he knows from the past that I personally do not care if people join or not because I want people to join because they want to rather than feel they have to.
Glenn and myself views and feeling on this emotive subject have never altered since day one till now, and have chosen to try and make this club as attractive as we can for members so that non-members will want to join, however we are also elected to the positions we hold within the club and must as best as we can honour our paying members wishes.
I will however reiterate that the day I turn a Mazda rotary away from an event because the owner is a non member is the day I resign !
Hopefully this is now an end to this debate. :cheers
So if it changes that only paid up members may start posts,I will have to pay just to post ?
Quote from: 2qk4uI hope it was only bad luck because I am a real fan of owners sites/clubs,I think they are great...
It\'s likely the case that noone with the right knowledge read the post - we don\'t all read all the posts, probably more true for others with real knowledge who are buys folks!
Quote from: rotaryimports.comI think the attitude of some members to non members is the issue.
You\'re right Brian and, whether they have a point or not, it\'s not right to continually lambast someone for posting just because they\'re not a member. :spank
Iain
It was mentioned by the thread starter that this is a CLUB first and then a FORUM....In my limited experience of holding club membership from i.e.Golf Clubs,Shooting Clubs,Motor Racing Clubs,Motor Vehicle Owners Clubs,Gyms and so forth......ALL the clubs catered for MEMBERS and NON MEMBERS,MEMBERS had unlimited access to all facilities and NON MEMBERS had restricted access to facilities.The reason being is that when you become a MEMBER of a club it is because YOU want to become a member.YOU want to be part of a small community\\congregation of people who share that same interests.MEMBERS are people who are enthusiastic about their club and the fellowship it offers because you go out of your way to be social with the other MEMBERS.It also becomes a pride issue to say you are part of a club.
NON MEMBERS do not share this as they are not committed to the club and come and go as they please,they will normaly drift in and drift out of a club knowing they do not have to be committed in any way,they also have no intentions of being committed.Free access is the thing.
I had numerous posts and got involved in the club at the ROLLING ROAD at REWORX,I then realised what a great club and cameraderie there existed.
I wanted to be known as a MAZDAROTARYCLUB.COM member,I wanted to be part of the club.I paid my membership fees.
In saying that,I am maybe very fortunate because I can get along with my MAZDA\'s repairs and servicing without the help of the club.The club is not a source of income for me as well.That is maybe tongue in cheek cos I have used the club....I am trying to make a point........I WANT TO BE PART OF A CLUB.........
So if the NON MEMBERS have not got this feeling to be part of the club,then so be it,it will be a loss if they stop posting and move along.BUT I would rather be part of a club with committed members,than a club where the NON MEMBERS jump up and down when they do not get there way.
Pay your fees and come along to the AGM and let your voice be heard !
Thank you for reading this post
Era (oldone)
:cheers
:Hammer HHHHEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPP... wHY HAVE i BEEN DE-MEMBERISED........... i ONLY JOINED IN jANUARY 2006............................................................................ :Hammer
Quote from: alban1973:Hammer HHHHEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPP... wHY HAVE i BEEN DE-MEMBERISED........... i ONLY JOINED IN jANUARY 2006............................................................................ :Hammer
Looks to me like you are a member...........best of luck.
PPPPHHHUUU i HAVE NOW BEEN RE-MEMBERIZED.. MANYTHANKS
I think part of the point of paying up the membership for the club has been lost by a hell of alot of people. This is the beginning of the 3rd year of membership i\'ve had and this club has been great. The membership helped me to get better insurance, it gave me money towards an IOM trackday and many other things.
I think people miss that the stronger the club gets, the more events that can be done during the year. The more the Rotary will be respected by other marks and we can have the same kind of amazing competition on the drag strips and tracks as in usa and aus. Its events like this that keep the passion high.
Ok, I would agree some people may have gone to far with non-members, but at the end of the day if people didn\'t pay for the club there wouldn\'t be a forum.
Its hard to see where all this is going for the club. We are all very friendly and extremly helpful when possible to whoever asks the questions. It something that can never be lost.
Ok, reducing the rights of non-members is a good primer for more people to join, as they should. However it still needs to be their decision or it will just cause petty bickering and degrade the forum.
Shaun
I find it disappointing on this forum that recently there have been a large number of threads that have turned into a Member picking on Non Member situations and lets be honest its usually the same people that start it.
It doesnt help to show MRC as a friendly \'welcoming\' place. It seems also that Non Member threads seem to be answered only by Non Members.
I\'ve been a Non Payed Member of both Skyline club sites and not once have I ever been questioned or moaned at about being a Non Member, I am even attending a Track Day with their club with no issues from any of them.
I do agree that Non Members cars shouldnt be on MRC stands.
Now I would like to point out that I didnt join MRC because I was pressured to it or the members benefits, it was purely because I got a lot of advice and support from MRC when I was a Non Member so I thought I\'d like to give something back to the club.
This I am sure isnt the view of everyone and after all £25 isnt a lot of money.
But on the flipside there are plenty of Non Members out there that give valuable advice to both Non Members and Members and that is what will help keep the club/forum running. Maybe it would be worth running a report to see how many threads have been started by Non Members or how many Member threads have been answered by Non Members.
For a club that we are trying to promote why arent we listed in J-Tuners club section ?!!?
Lets face it there are always going to be people who dont want to be involved in a club but I dont feel we should make them any less welcome, after all we are all Rotary Fanatics and share the same passion !!!
Gareth
Shaun and Gareth,your input is brilliant,your views are those of real \'menschen\',..........but somewhere the line had to be drawn.There are also other factors which led to the decision of restricting non members.After the ripples have subsided,I am positive all will return to normal.The club will grow even more.
If it does not,I will put my hand up and say I have voted wrong.
Quote from: gmogle.
For a club that we are trying to promote why arent we listed in J-Tuners club section ?!!?
Gareth
Sorry Gareth,
Top middle, page 113 issue 10 March 2006 Jtuner, Mazdarotaryclub :yes
I hope the bickering will subside and hopefully it will make the club stronger without degrading the forum.
After looking on other sites this is by far the friendliest, please we don\'t want to loose that at any cost.
We have to grow and show what the real potential of the rotary actually is !
Shaun
Quote from: LisaSorry Gareth,
Top middle, page 113 issue 10 March 2006 Jtuner, Mazdarotaryclub :yes
Ah, apologies Lisa, its under L so thats why I didnt see it.
Whats a \'menschen\' ? Is it good or bad lol
Gareth
I am probably going to get flamed, but I think we have the balance correct at the moment of what non-members can and cant do. Clive has a good atiitude to not turn anyone away from a club meet, but I really think this ought to extend to the forum as well. Any attempt to bully or manipulate someone to join is going to turn people away, I\'m afraid.
The club made the forum, but I really think that the forum is the best way to get people to join the club. I think if we restrict the forum any more, we start restricting our potential to get members to join.
Clive forgot to mention another benefit of being a member, you get the Mazda magazine, which would nearly cost you £25 a year anyway.
There, I had my say, (Oldone, I hope I voted wrong !).
non members, please dont be discouraged, we NEED you on the forum. Of course it would be nice if you joined, if you wanted to.
:-)))))))))))))))))))))))))
Quote from: MartinyI am probably going to get flamed, but I think we have the balance correct at the moment of what non-members can and cant do. Clive has a good atiitude to not turn anyone away from a club meet, but I really think this ought to extend to the forum as well. Any attempt to bully or manipulate someone to join is going to turn people away, I\'m afraid.
The club made the forum, but I really think that the forum is the best way to get people to join the club. I think if we restrict the forum any more, we start restricting our potential to get members to join.
Clive forgot to mention another benefit of being a member, you get the Mazda magazine, which would nearly cost you £25 a year anyway.
There, I had my say, (Oldone, I hope I voted wrong !).
non members, please dont be discouraged, we NEED you on the forum. Of course it would be nice if you joined, if you wanted to.
:-)))))))))))))))))))))))))
Well said that man, :god :)
Let me first say that my experience with MRC has been completely positive, as a non-member, and I have benefitted from the experience and knowledge of others and in turn attempted to provide help to others as best I can. I have not owned my rx7 long, and unfortunately will be selling in the not too distant future. Tbh I have never wanted to pay the membership fees as I tend only to use the forum, but I appreciate that to help things tick over etc fees are required which is why this situation has come about. I also see the benefit of being a member for those of you who are longer term rx7 owners with regard to insurance, good offers on parts etc. I am a member of FDUK and also other car forums where there is no requirement to pay fees, especially £25, which in essence I would be paying only to post up threads etc on the forum. I have read previous posters comments about £25 being "not much" but for those of us who use the forum more over than the other benefits of the club, and I assume there are a fair number of people who do this, it seems pretty steep. I am sorry to see that things have come to this, but I for one will not be paying the membership so that I can post up new threads. At this point it seems too pressured and not in keeping with the supposed friendly approach that most MRC members are proud to stand by. Good luck for the future and I hope the club does continue to grow despite this apparent mexican stand off that has recently developed. Regards,
Hi,
I just want it to be known that at the time of writing my first comment aimed at rx7veilside,i was unaware of the sh*t he had got from people on the afr readings thread he had started.
I don\'t agree at all with the treatment he received for asking an innocent question,i personally don\'t have any problem with members/non-members asking for or giving info on any subject,and would never want anyone to feel bullied into doing something they didn\'t want to do such as joining this club.
At the time,i felt(rightly or wrongly) that it was yet another whinge about how the forum should be run,made by someone that had not paid for the right to do so,but i guess after what had been directed at him earlier,i would have felt like saying something similar! :yes
Ultimately,i feel as a relative newcomer to this scene that,maybe who am i to judge how others choose to use this club,it was here a long time before i joined and no doubt will still be here long after i have gone (from rotarys i mean..although who knows! ;) )
As many have said before me...lifes too short! :cheers
Peace :InLove
Paul
I fully understand the stance that is being taken by e club, I for one was a member, am not now, mainly because I\'m lazy and never got round to renewing (over a year has passed now!) - also I have been able to do the same things I did as a member, the matter of £25 is irrelevant as far as I\'m concerned as is the "what do I get out of it" mentality, I will be renewing my membership once I have my paypal account working again for no other reason than I feel part of the club, but I am currently not a paying member. Being part of a club is what this is all about, the savings that being a club member can get you are a bonus. We are all part of the rotary scene and we have all benefitted from MRC, if no-one paid for it, MRC would disappear, that would be a real shame, the more paying members the club has, the more it can offer its members, the less members the less the club can do. Yes I know - so why didn\'t I renew sooner? Lazy, forgot, skint when I remembered, lazy again! NO REAL EXCUSES!
I\'ll be renewing in the next week or so.....
Quote from: sadgothI fully understand the stance that is being taken by e club, I for one was a member, am not now, mainly because I\'m lazy and never got round to renewing (over a year has passed now!) - also I have been able to do the same things I did as a member, the matter of £25 is irrelevant as far as I\'m concerned as is the "what do I get out of it" mentality, I will be renewing my membership once I have my paypal account working again for no other reason than I feel part of the club, but I am currently not a paying member. Being part of a club is what this is all about, the savings that being a club member can get you are a bonus. We are all part of the rotary scene and we have all benefitted from MRC, if no-one paid for it, MRC would disappear, that would be a real shame, the more paying members the club has, the more it can offer its members, the less members the less the club can do. Yes I know - so why didn\'t I renew sooner? Lazy, forgot, skint when I remembered, lazy again! NO REAL EXCUSES!
I\'ll be renewing in the next week or so.....
Good for you mate! :cheers (and well said by the way)
Well all i have to say is i enjoy coming on the forums/i like to give advice and help when i can/i like to come to the shows when i can (only japfest and trax last year due work).it was never a case of whats in it for me it really is a case of the forum and club really are 2 different things.i like a variety of cars and variety of forums as different things appeal to different people.I understand that people want a club and that is fine but for me its more about asking and offering advice and engaging in what is basically conversation about something we all enjoy.As i stated before i belong to about 10 other forums and like browsing them as well and if poss offer advice or ask questions on there.I was at no stage trying to give my opinion on how the club should be run and was surprised at the response to what was a tech question that would have benefitted plenty of people as well as myself.I hope this episode does not push people away from the forum or joining for those that want to..i shall continue as allways but will have to look elsewhere for any answers and feel the forum will loose its content with only members starting any threads.
Could someone point me to the thread discussing only members starting new threads? Or was it discussed purely at AGM? (I\'ve missed all this, been off sunning meself with all the other menschen in Cape Town)
i really feel in 2 minds about this. I agree with both sides, If you went to a gym, joined up for membership then found that people were using it for free, u would be upset. but at the same time, most peeps will be a non member for an amount of time before coughing up to be a member, i think what has/is being done may have to experimental for a while, if it doesnt work then we tried and we will have to think of another way to encourage non members to join this wonderful club.
Maybe the way forward for you members is to treat this as a forum, you will still have your club, the problem here is the mixing up club / forum thing.
I think you will be losing more than you will be gaining by this exclusion, if the club had an exclusive part [to discuss \'club\' busines] you would maintain that status and keep your open forum, you could have your \'club\' meets / events and charge non members if they wished to attend.
I must admit that if I had been unable to ask a few questions on here before I purchased the FD I may not of gone through with it, yet I did actually join up before I got the car.
Having said that there is a huge wealth of information on here that is searchable by everyone (I think!) and most typical questions have been answered already if you are prepared to dig for them.
The club should stick by the decisions made at the agm.That is the proper place for all of this,and if you are not a member then you don\'t get a say.
This forum and club are one and the same,there are not 2 seperate things here.Both are heavily intertwined.
They are just areas of the same thing.
Also I think that the thread on FDUK about the MRC line on memebrship really shows who are genuinely interested in the welfare of this club.
FDUK is not a free club for those that run it,and it cost\'s the two guys to run the forum,they pay for others to be members out of their own pockets.
MRC choose to be run by paying members,so if you are a non member and don\'t like it,just leave the rest of the paying members to run their club how they see fit,but if you really don\'t like the way the club is run,then the way forward for the non members who don\'t like it is to join and then they can really make the changes that they would like to see.
£25.00 is a paltry sum for being a member who can have a real say in what goes on.
Regards
Carl
Quote from: John YorkeMaybe the way forward for you members is to treat this as a forum, you will still have your club, the problem here is the mixing up club / forum thing.
I think you will be losing more than you will be gaining by this exclusion, if the club had an exclusive part [to discuss \'club\' busines] you would maintain that status and keep your open forum, you could have your \'club\' meets / events and charge non members if they wished to attend.
John what evers done you can\'t please every body as you know all of the time. Whilst changes are being made to curtail some of the non member privilages the idea is to keep the forum open to non members whilst encouraging them to join up and help the club grow. The search facility and wealth of tech posts are still going to be available to all. There is going to be no restrictions of non members replying to post so for instance a non member has a gearbox prob whilst he cant start a new thread he can read all the relevant posts with the search tool if he still cant find what he wants post a reply on the most relevant thread asking the question as he would now. Its just going to be that bit easier for the members thats all hence the encouragement to join.
As regards non members paying to go to meets who really wants to stand at the entrance all day collecting money rather than enjoying the event. If you go to shakesphere its to watch the racing not the entrance.
As regards the forum being seperate from the club its all in the name
MAZDAROTARYCLUB.COM
As i said before whatevers done it wont please EVERYBODY but the forum is still open to all it will just be easier for members and they will have more content. Hence the encouragement to join.
Kevin
Always one of the funniest subjects on here! :Giggle
Feck if you \'own\' and can afford a Rotary upkeep, then to b1tch and moan about paying a measly £25 is sad!
Quote from: kev-yorksThe search facility and wealth of tech posts are still going to be available to all. There is going to be no restrictions of non members replying to post so for instance a non member has a gearbox prob whilst he cant start a new thread he can read all the relevant posts with the search tool if he still cant find what he wants post a reply on the most relevant thread asking the question as he would now. Kevin
Well said :)
Quote from: MartinyI am probably going to get flamed, but I think we have the balance correct at the moment of what non-members can and cant do. Clive has a good atiitude to not turn anyone away from a club meet, but I really think this ought to extend to the forum as well. Any attempt to bully or manipulate someone to join is going to turn people away, I\'m afraid.
The club made the forum, but I really think that the forum is the best way to get people to join the club. I think if we restrict the forum any more, we start restricting our potential to get members to join.
Clive forgot to mention another benefit of being a member, you get the Mazda magazine, which would nearly cost you £25 a year anyway.
There, I had my say, (Oldone, I hope I voted wrong !).
non members, please dont be discouraged, we NEED you on the forum. Of course it would be nice if you joined, if you wanted to.
:-)))))))))))))))))))))))))
I agree with what you are saying,I am a non-member and I am going to loose out on this,I wont benifit from membership because im not in the UK.
if the forum gets restricted the site will loose ppl.I think its a bad move..
I agree with membership on principle but if I cant reap the benifits why should I pay just to post ?
Overseas people get guest membership but I cant ?
By stoping non members starting new threads, it will make the forum much tidier for when you need to do a search yourself. Im gonna put myself in a newbies shoes... Ive just bought an rx7 and i want some info, i do a search on the net and come across MRC. After reading lots of information i think bloody hell this clubs good aint it?? To be a part of this club and get discounts you need to pay £25pa after you have just forked out £££££ on a rare sports car that no one knows about. You don\'t want this club (MRC) to dissapear without a trace, so you will help out as much as possible to keep it alive. I agree to the long post oldone made on the first page..only real enthusiasts will pay the membership fee.
I think it is now self evident that that mrc wants to move toward being a club more than a forum as this seems to be the crux of the problem.my reasons for being on here are more as a forum discussing matters helping each other out and attending the occasional show on the stand to let others see the rx7 and get more people to buy them.I think there are a core of people who are rotary enthusiasts who prefer a club based system for some reason,prob why fduk was formed as a lot of people just like to get together now and again talk about their cars and swap info on a forum that is really a chat line.People have enough rules and reg in their lives allready and this is meant to be light hearted fun.I am def not telling anyone how to run this club and never have done as a non member but giving an opinion is a different thing.I dont see that the comments made against me and the decisions taken at the agm will further the membership and whats next no non member cars on the stand.As i stated before the turnout was sadly lacking at japfest last year and ticket sales are going slowly again this year.i hope to be there with my highly modified 7 hoping it will encourage others to buy and spread the appeal.As regards tech posts rx7club.com and nopistons.com is awash with tech info and features so not a problem with asking anything,just a shame as it will mean less tech posts on here..someone said it will make the tech post clearer, why do u gain knowledge by becoming a member
there are not enough rotary enthusiasts out there to sustain this kind of bickering and having met clive a couple of times i dont know him well but i think he must be in despair that this has happened
and all because i posted a tech post and rcvd sarcasm instead of discussion
:(
Personally, I feel if you\'ve used bandwidth, paid for by the club members, to the tune of 600 odd posts, you should put your hand in your pocket and contribute :chat
End of ;)
My post you RX7 veilside was "Join the club and we\'ll tell you,judging by the number of post\'s you have you are more than a casual user."
That was certainly not sarcastic,just a statement and an encouragement to join this great and obviously useful club to you.
The club is evolving through time,but has certainly allways been a club.
FDUK is very specifically FD RX7 oriented,the two people who run it and pay for the forum there may have very little rules,but there are rules in spite of this,the difference being that members do not get to really have a true say in what goes on,but those that run it decide if they like what other want.
The difference between us and them is that if you are a member on MRC you can have a say.Why not join up and then you too can have a say in things on MRC?
I have no doubt that you would be an asset to the club.
Regards
Carl
Quote from: CarlMy post you RX7 veilside was "Join the club and we\'ll tell you,judging by the number of post\'s you have you are more than a casual user."
That was certainly not sarcastic,just a statement and an encouragement to join this great and obviously useful club to you.
The club is evolving through time,but has certainly allways been a club.
FDUK is very specifically FD RX7 oriented,the two people who run it and pay for the forum there may have very little rules,but there are rules in spite of this,the difference being that members do not get to really have a true say in what goes on,but those that run it decide if they like what other want.
The difference between us and them is that if you are a member on MRC you can have a say.Why not join up and then you too can have a say in things on MRC?
I have no doubt that you would be an asset to the club.
Regards
Carl
Exactly what I have been pointing out, nothing like a bit of bullying - you want the answers join the club!!
All you are doing is driving the prospective CLUB members away - try seperating club / forum I think you will find the club will grow.
The direction you are going will turn it into an exlusive \'members only\' forum. It is quite noticable that overseas posts have deminished is this because of the restrictions imposed?
I for one will not be frequenting this forum like I used to [no great loss I hear you say!]
If you go back to Clives 1st post on this subject he stated his original idea for MRC was CLUB based with a forum to communicate and spread the rotary word, I think that principle holds a lot of sence.
Quote from: John YorkeIt is quite noticable that overseas posts have deminished is this because of the restrictions imposed?
I don;t think so as the changes haven\'t been implemented yet!
Quote from: John YorkeI for one will not be frequenting this forum like I used to [no great loss I hear you say!]
Don\'t be daft John - of course it\'d be a loss, the club needs all the viewpoints and all the experiences if it\'s members for the forum to work.
Iain
Quote from: RobbieRX-7By stoping non members starting new threads, it will make the forum much tidier for when you need to do a search yourself. Im gonna put myself in a newbies shoes... Ive just bought an rx7 and i want some info, i do a search on the net and come across MRC. After reading lots of information i think bloody hell this clubs good aint it?? To be a part of this club and get discounts you need to pay £25pa after you have just forked out £££££ on a rare sports car that no one knows about. You don\'t want this club (MRC) to dissapear without a trace, so you will help out as much as possible to keep it alive. I agree to the long post oldone made on the first page..only real enthusiasts will pay the membership fee.
Good Morning all, the bleary eyed despairing President of this Club here.
Despair No 1.
First of all Mr 2Q4U, well your not going to be cute on here with yer whinging about short-circuiting the "international ruling"
We do not only have full paying members on here who are from Ireland, we also have a particular member from Southern Ireland who has not only travelled here for a least a couple of events every year since the clubs formation and I counted at least FIVE times he travelled here on one occasion !.
Now your going to come back and say what\'s in it for me because I\'m not going to come to meetings ?, well you should get free insurance, AA / RAC discounts and a nice shinny Mazda Mag pop through your door if nothing else.
Despair No 2
Now then I still feel that all the Non-members on here are still missing the point also of why members are getting upset, please read this below if you missed it at the start of this thread.
"I will now ask the non-members reading this to picture this,
You are standing in the queue at Asda\'s and the man behind you has just had the same value of goods go through the check out as you did that you had just paid for and yet after he has loaded his bags he is told "off you go, no need to pay".
Now imagine how you would feel, this describes how I know many members feel about people taking advantage of the facilities of the club".Personally I would have prefer to see a cap put on the really high posters who had taken more than enough shopping out the door of MRC indicating they were more than just a casual users that paying members were subsidising, that said I would never ever want anyone to feel bullied into joining the club but at least this would stop members feeling they were paying for high posting non-members "air time".
( this is a generalisation not aimed at anyone)
Despair No 3
Why should I pay money when I only "Use" this forum?
Well as has been already said, "The Forum is not Free" with costs around of around £1500 per year as does the "free" FDUK site where I was told last night all you non members and some members have been off to bickering and whinging about MRC as if they haven\'t done enough on this site they are now contaminating another site with grizzling from here.
I will remind you all again FDUK is not free and is only existing because it has two FD enthusiasts who act as benefactors for their site, one thing I am sure of is they are not paying to keep their site up n running so you can all go there a moan about MRC!
Despair No 4
It was mooted and agreed by the members of MRC the changes that will be taking place shortly but what you have all missed even though it has been posted is that we have a search facility at the top of every page so if a non-member needs assistance there is a HUGE data-base where they can type in their problem and receive answers from 4 years of posts.
Despair No 5
If it\'s a club and not a just a forum where is all the Mazda history, use the search button there\'s loads and loads of Mazda history both in text and video.
Despair No 6
It\'s not fair, I am a member and couldn\'t get to the AGM because of ---------------------------------------- and all these changes have taken place.
Well if you would have read the site you will see you were all asked for your input before the meeting, and as some did your comments concerning changes to your club were read out in the absence of their presence.
It is even being said now "can we have an on-line" AGM next.
Well what a cop out that one is !!!!!!!!
Any AGM consists of people in a room interacting with other people to attain an out come that then becomes voted upon.
When I was racing our AGM/ awards ceremony that I attended year after year on a WEEKDAY EVENING with 2 to 300 people attending and was "A MUST" because of fear of a rule change and a person not being able to have their say !
Personally I find the request where it is being said can I vote remotely a damn insult because why in the hell should have Glenn, Lisa, Kevin and myself even bothered getting out of bed to go if on one hand you
"care passionately about the club" and yet then on the other hand look for ways around not having to get off their bums to attend.
We have held this on Sundays and Saturdays to try and accommodate, perhaps someone could find an eighth day in the week that would allow more people to attend.
Despair No 7
Someone has even said we are a forum more than a club ! Kev Yorks has tried to attend to this but I don\'t think anyone was listening.
So I will ask what part of Mazda Rotary "CLUB" .com do people not understand?????????.
The forum is the day to day running of MRC.
Despair No 8 and my last Despair
I see you all passionately ranting about the club and yet we are unable to get people to come forward and assist the club.
We have asked recently for assistance with Rotorstock, site admin , newsletter stuff, design work etc, and require this for the club to continue operating properly, indeed we will be reviewing if there will even be a Rotorstock 4 one month after R3 because of this apathy.
Over the last few months I have watched many people moan and criticise MRC including some who are even selling cars after stating they are not coming to events and will not be joining the club again and yet still have to put as much "effort" into slagging MRC off as they can !!!!!!!!!!!!,if your really going please just go and leave us all in peace.
I will say lastly to all you lot who have moaned so passionately about MRC that if you could actually direct some of this energy into "Actually doing something to help the Club go forward instead of backwards" rather than criticising it then what
A BIGGER BETTER CLUB WE WOULD ALL HAVE.Thread closed,