A few days ago I received notice that my Gold Membership was expiring soon. Ironically I'd been debating whether or not to cut ties with FABO. There are a lot of great members on this site and I've found it to be a good resource for parts and information. As much as I've enjoyed razzing (and being razzed by) some of you guys, this site has a dark side too. I don't know how accurate my perception is but it seems as though that darkness is growing.
I'd been a member of some other car sites but felt dismayed by the attitudes of some of their members. I saw intimidation of people when they'd asked questions that had either been asked previously or were deemed to be 'stupid' by senior members.
My fear is that FABO is headed in that direction. Maybe I'm wrong but I get the perception that some members are untouchable. No matter how rude they may be they're never called to the carpet on things they say. It's a shame because some of them seem quite knowledgeable and would otherwise be a huge asset.
I joined FABO for multiple reasons. I was seeking information and I was looking for parts. But I was also looking for a club atmosphere with guys that had a common interest in Mopars. - Guys that I'd look forward to running into at the drags and car shows.
I have had a lot of fun with some of you folks. I believe that there's a bunch of you that I'd bend over backwards to help when you need a hand and who would do likewise for me. Unfortunately the loudest voices often come from those that don't respect fellow members that aren't part of 'their' group of friends.
So now I feel that I'm at a crossroad trying to figure out what to do. I could leave FABO altogether. I could limit which threads I read and cocoon myself away from the ones that bring me down. I guess I could start an ignore list. For the time being I'm holding off on renewing my Gold Membership.
I do appreciate the fact that the guys that created this site tried to make a place online where fellow fanatics could get together and share their interest in Mopars. But it is my belief that this site has changed negatively from what it was when I joined two years ago. - And like the other sites that I used to associate with, it's a handful of senior members causing the majority of the damage.