Posts by Joshua Scott

Jeffrey Wilson67 said:If you think he’s just trolling, why do you insist on feeding him? If his debating style gets under your skin, just ignore him—it's that simple. Look, I'm no expert on internet drama, but everyone has the right to their own opinion. If you lay out solid arguments and they hold water, hopefully, other users will see through the noise and realize that Sledge is simply wrong. Honestly, just put him on ignore. It would make life easier for everyone.

Then what's the point of calling him a troll? 😕

Besides, a good chunk of people here have issues with him—I know some personally who don't even drive Fiat vehicles yet find themselves clashing with Sledge—and they're active in this thread. In my view, if there's nothing intelligent or substantive to contribute beyond blindly glorifying the German auto industry without any actual proof, then banning him from the thread should be the solution. Problem solved.

And really, if you're short on mods with technical backgrounds, I know for a fact there are plenty of folks on the forums with Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering.

I highly doubt that's true. If you're right, I'll eat my hat.
I never miss an opportunity to penalize insults. So, please, point those posts out to me.

It was Headbanger—and naturally, he couldn't resist mentioning in one post that I'm reporting him to the mods.

It isn't a direct insult, but it certainly isn't appropriate for a civil discussion. As far as I recall, he drives an Astra.

If telling someone they're talking nonsense isn't an insult, then I don't know what is. Regardless, it's a personal attack, which—as far as I'm aware—should be avoided.

Here is the post where he mentions the BMW 530:

Jeffrey Wilson67 said:Joshua Scott, don't sweat it—we looked into your reports, and the mods agreed this wasn't trolling; it’s just a user defending a specific stance, which is what these debates are about. Whether he's actually right or not isn't our call. We aren't experts on everything.
I'll draw a parallel to that other thread regarding U-turns, where i Wonder sticks to his guns because that's what a judge told him—he's convinced he's right while pretty much everyone else disagrees. Is he trolling then? Or just defending his perspective?
So much for trolling.

If someone holds a view that is factually disprovable, then it's trolling. Period. And that’s even a technical issue—engineering doesn't care about personal convictions.
And get this: he claims he has no technical training, yet he insists on acting like an authority; some users have even gone as far as calling him "toxic."
In my book, if there's proof he's wrong and he keeps pushing it—or starts veering the conversation off course—that's a troll.
Especially since it seems to me he knows exactly what he's doing and is just looking for a reaction.

As for the whole i Wonder situation, that's a legal matter, completely unrelated to cars. Why is he even bringing that up on an American car forum? 🤔

Regarding insults, the fellow mods know I don't mince words when things get personal, so please point out where any offense went unpunished. This latest insult was clearly intentional, so his suspension was earned. If you have anything to add, feel free. Thanks.

Once upon a time, a user insulted me five times in a row without anyone lifting a finger.

But here—here is a clear example of an insult.
http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=5...postcount=2717
I noticed his aggressive tone toward me started about twenty days ago, right after I explained why, technically speaking, an I6 engine isn't the best choice for a performance brand.
And turns out, the guy drives one—a BMW 530, or at least that's what his signature says.
He probably took it way too personally.

Jeffrey Wilson67 said:Actually, my mistake—I slipped up and gave Sledge a warning for CAPS LOCK 🤦 ...but since he's being insulting in the next post too, the suspension was deserved.

I saw that—the warning was applied incorrectly; the insult warning should have been on a different post.

F1 is a lullaby, while MotoGP is pure adrenaline.

Naturally, this is how they're making headlines over in Italy today:

I’m wondering why the Automobile subforum doesn't have any anti-trolling measures in place—and specifically, why people are allowed to push subjective opinions in technical discussions when, frankly, it’s supposed to be about science.

Take this, for instance:

I reported that post because, from where I'm sitting, the user is just trolling and doubling down on their personal bias even after I laid out the actual arguments. Is there any point in having an evidence-based debate aimed at an academic level, or is the moderator's stance that these threads should just be a complete circus?

Not to mention how, back in the day, I had a user insult me repeatedly over five straight posts and they barely received two warnings. It's just nonsensical.

Indianapolis is an incredibly dangerous circuit—but primarily for the bikers, who find it impossible to even meet the FIA's safety standards, let alone satisfy them.

Roger Wright94 said:+1

Nico Rosberg is in the better position here.
Lewis Hamilton really needs to realize that backing off a bit would serve him better—take yesterday's situation, for instance. He’s the faster driver; he needs clean air more than anyone.
Furthermore, I might be able to stomach that kind of relentless aggression if we were talking about the final 5–10 laps. Doing it this early? That’s just plain stupid.

I know you aren't exactly a Hamilton fan, but this was Rosberg's mistake. Honestly, I'm convinced anyone else in that position wouldn't have pushed that hard—especially not a teammate. Then again, since Rosberg hasn't exactly been able to match Hamilton's pace on track lately, maybe he was just trying to flex for the crew—proving he won't just sit there whining, even if it risks screwing over both of them. To be fair, once he realized he might clip his wing on Hamilton's tire, he probably decided to go for it. Besides, if he hadn't overtaken him, he might have lost the position anyway by running wide. But pulling that move in Lap 2 against your own teammate is just morbid; if he actually had the pace, he'd have plenty of time later.

On another note, the only thing I agree with you on is that I'm happy for Kimi Räikkönen. If he can actually contribute to the car's development through his feedback—and if that leads to him being able to slap Fernando Alonso one day—then he's definitely got what it takes.

Lewis definitely had a massive influence on the old Mercedes—more than he could have on this new one. But I'll draw a parallel to NASCAR since I know you follow it. The Yamaha bikes were incredibly strong under Jorge Lorenzo; they even snatched titles, but they never suited anyone else quite like they did him. Rossi's first season was a struggle because he wasn't even close to Lorenzo's level—now, after years of input, he’s finally getting them right, though other riders still find the engine a bit too temperamental to handle. In other words, it's entirely possible that Fernando Alonso has a very specific driving style, making this particular car less of a disaster than it looks. If that's the case, Ferrari needs to sign a driver who demands a more neutral car—something more versatile for a wider range of styles. It's up to Ferrari to decide which driver that is, but they need someone who can translate their technical feedback to the team with absolute precision—honestly, even testing wouldn't be enough if they don't get that right.

Roger Wright94 said:What kind of "mind games" are you even talking about? 🤷

I am incredibly happy with how Alonso handled that race—honestly, I was satisfied long before the full context even came to light.
Sure, I’d bet my life savings that he should have beaten Sebastian Vettel in that head-to-head duel, but at the end of the day, the result is what it is—there’s really nothing to complain about here.

Look, Alonso might be fast and he might be smart, but he isn't the type of driver you pin the entire car development on—you'd bring someone else in for that. In my opinion, things at Ferrari won't improve until they make that move; I'm not saying they should fire him, just that they need a different lead for technical development.

Emily Patel64 said:then what's even the point of having a team?

As far as I'm concerned—teams only exist to split the money. If they distributed it individually, the drivers would absolutely lose their minds. Besides, everyone remembers the champion—hardly anyone cares about the team.

Emily Patel64 said:Nico isn't happy being the number two—and given his pace (and talent), it’s not impossible that the team starts catering more to him.

Nico is a German in a German team...

Emily Patel64 said:I can't quite put a name to it—but he talks about his personal strategist as if it’s some self-evident truth in his own twisted reality.

Actually, it would be fascinating if teammates could pit simultaneously—with the driver's own guy calling the shots—just to see some actual blood spilled within the team. It would certainly be interesting. As it stands, you never really know how much a driver leans on their own people—though, let's be honest, it happens in every single team.

I wonder if Williams burns through fuel at the same rate as Mercedes—or maybe the German squad has their own proprietary engine maps tucked away. Then again, since the FIA relies on their own sensors and whatever internal methods they deem fit, who really knows what’s actually happening?

I'm convinced Fernando Alonso will win a championship... just never actually happen! ☕

It's Kvyat—not some phonetic mess—and honestly, I doubt most Mexicans even have the right letters to pronounce it properly if they were trying.

These Fernando Alonso fans have such short memories—we all know that back when he was at the peak of his powers as a two-time champion, he couldn't hold his own against a rookie, incredibly inexperienced Lewis Hamilton, and ended up running back to Renault in tears.

As far as I'm concerned, the two most dominant drivers in Formula 1 right now are Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton—followed by a group of three or four who are relatively close behind them, including Alonso.

On the other hand, it's already undeniable that Red Bull Racing has incredible aerodynamics, but then again, so does Ferrari.

Good grief—what kind of penalty is this, both during the race and for the next one?

Lewis Hamilton was absolutely clinical—true champion form right there. Being nearly 20 seconds ahead of the guy in the exact same car is nothing short of incredible driving; honestly, he probably could have padded that lead even further. It looks like this car is a perfect match for him—it’s gentle on the tires and fuel, yet still lightning fast, which is ideal given how meticulous Hamilton is with his setup.

Sebastian Vettel was solid, I guess, though nothing to write home about. Little Daniel Ricciardo strikes me as having massive potential—he’s incredibly quick, reminding me of those days back in Formula Renault or whatever they called it then.

Fernando Alonso? Nothing special—probably the most overrated driver on the grid. The real question is how much faster he would've been compared to Kimi Raikkonen if he hadn't suffered that punctured tire at the start, costing him all that time and momentum. Plus, the Ferrari is just so sluggish on the straights that even with DRS, it can't pull away from the backmarkers.

Come on, Hulk—show that Spanish fraud who's boss!

Kudos to Alonso!

The whole setup relies on specific regulations and internal guidelines—stuff that can be easily dismantled in a US court. What they’re pushing isn't even rooted in actual law; besides, there’s already a different way this is handled when it comes to hooligans at baseball games.