It's time to replace the Stinger!

Michael Lee4 said:Here’s an example of how things shouldn't be done... just report the post instead of dropping links in random topics. Imagine if I hadn't stumbled onto this thread by accident. 😁

Just so you know how many people like that show up every single day—you don't see them because they get deleted. 🤦 Honestly, I’m so bored with my life right now that I actually went through the trouble of setting up an email just to come hang out on Reddit. 😁 The funniest part is how people obsessively post just to keep the thread at the top. 🙏

I swear on my life, I won't do it again.

By the way, that was just meant to help people understand why we need Stingers and other rocket launchers 😁

Wait, what exactly is the issue now? You were the one asking for this to be started, and now someone actually went ahead and did it...

My explanation is pretty much the same as his, and frankly, I find you just as much of a jerk as the names you throw at other users—calling them idiots and all sorts of other things. I’ve been seeing it for months now: you are incredibly blind to what's happening. It's like watching a horse wearing blinkers so someone else can steer it. You don't apply rules equally to everyone; you act like a complete anti-moderator, and it isn't surprising that a huge crowd of people is fed up with you.

You spend a massive amount of time moderating things that shouldn't even be touched, yet when you actually need to show up where it matters, you're gone for days... claiming you "didn't see it" or that "someone else should have reported it"... meanwhile, your own insults fester for days and you don't even notice...

Back when that thread about the little VW powerhouse was titled that way, people could talk about Volkswagen as if it were God itself. But the moment someone mentions a Clio or any other "junk" cars, suddenly it's all bad—service is too expensive, the cars aren't good enough—and those are usually just Michael Lee4's words...

The whole point of a forum is the exchange of ideas. If things get a little wild in the Off-Topic section, it shouldn't be an issue, except on these specific pages and only for certain users, which is obvious to anyone watching. There are piles of quoted posts with repeated images and nobody says a word, yet when I first showed up, I didn't even know it was against the rules and I immediately got hit with warnings...

It doesn't matter whether there's a shift change for Michael Lee4 or if there's a better or worse moderator; on the few sub-forums I visit here, he is definitely the worst, most unpleasant, and most disrespectful... honestly, looking at that signature under his name is just pure trash... written in all caps...

Problems aren't solved by talking about what kind of oil someone uses or how tall they are, which is what I was reading today; problems are solved through actual action...

What we used to bring to the table—the photos we shared to connect, the information we exchanged—that's what bothered him. We were people coming to this forum to be heard, spending our time hanging out over a shared interest... not to insult each other, argue, or trade barbs... but Michael Lee4 was right there to ruin it, because clearly, he's a moderator who isn't as unhinged by conflict as the others...

Unlike many people here, I tend to drive a variety of different cars, so I don't have to ask the endless stream of silly questions that get posted here every single day...

But those silly questions are exactly what makes a forum what it is: the jokes, the banter, and everything else... none of which is possible with Michael Lee4 around.

If someone is insulting someone else, I understand why action is taken. If someone is swearing, making false accusations, or inventing events—a moderator should step in early. But look at that thread with User; there was no moderator for days. That guy was messing with people for days, leading them on, and someone intentionally let it happen...

And I know that if Michael Lee4 stays, there are going to be countless more warnings handed out, but it doesn't matter... he's just that kind of person, and it's clear as day in this response...

The real question is how long they'll keep this open... an hour, two, or maybe a day or two? I wouldn't be surprised if he nudges his crew to jump in so ten extra voices chime in just to get the thread locked...

So that's it from me; you can spit all you want now... I'm standing with coppernomad28.

And to Michael Lee4, I'll say it straight, just like I told you in your private messages: I User every single night, and I don't need to waste my time obsessing over this forum...

Michael Lee4 is a moderator I have massive respect for ever since he handed me a warning.

A warning—honestly—isn't what made my opinion of him grow. It was actually the PM where he explained why he had to do it. Even though he felt just as bad as I did about it, he had to lay down the law because I broke the rules.
So basically: he’s consistent, objective, and doesn't play favorites.
Michael Lee4 👍

@Noah Perez9

blablabla... seriously, just post all the PMs between us because I am definitely not explaining this whole thing from scratch. Like I said, you're a lost cause. Someone who keeps getting three strikes in a row for the exact same thing, and then gets a fourth for that same reason? It’s no surprise his chat history got wiped on the new models, just like how that guy's Polo burns a quart of oil every 1865 miles... he still hasn't figured it out... and he still can't seem to read what's actually written, just stubbornly repeating the same thing over and over like a parrot...

Michael Lee4 Asks:
Look, honestly, I could just go on a power trip, handing out bans like candy, tossing red cards around, and wiping everything clean whenever I felt like it—but that’s just not my style. I can't stand working like that. Just imagine how messy things would get if I actually did, and how many people would end up exactly like this. 😁

Man, you really missed the mark on that one. You completely whiffed.

That's it. That's the whole thing. bit Man, these polls... you really do this all the time, don't you?

Regarding that poll closing... honestly, I think you should just leave it open for the full 20 days, or let it just die out on its own. If you shut it down early, you're just going to have everyone breathing down your neck, complaining that you didn't give everyone a fair shot to weigh in. It’s a headache waiting to happen.

Supporting S. 👍

Raymond Palmer8 said:Michael Lee4 is a moderator I have massive respect for ever since he handed me a warning.

A warning—honestly—isn't what made my opinion of him grow. It was actually the PM where he explained why he had to do it. Even though he felt just as bad as I did about it, he had to lay down the law because I broke the rules.
So basically: he’s consistent, objective, and doesn't play favorites.
Michael Lee4 👍

Maybe he just had a different experience than I did, where they were talking down to me like I’m some kind of nobody. Honestly, he just took all his frustrations with other people on Reddit and dumped them right on my head, which is totally uncalled for. It’s just one of those things, you know? Yesterday it was me getting the short end of the stick, tomorrow it’ll be someone else. Just how it goes.

I'm telling you again, man...Look, I don't care about the warnings, the bans, or whatever other moderation tactics they throw at us. It doesn't change anything..
Honestly, I can't stand the way Mr. Stinger operates. The way he treats people on this forum? It’s just insulting.

Honestly, we could probably start an entire separate thread just to talk about how much people lack any sense of consistency around here.

coppernomad28 said:

Michael Lee4 Asks:
Look, honestly, I could just go on a power trip, handing out bans like candy, tossing red cards around, and wiping everything clean whenever I felt like it—but that’s just not my style. I can't stand working like that. Just imagine how messy things would get if I actually did, and how many people would end up exactly like this. 😁

Man, you really missed the mark on that one. You completely whiffed.

That's it. That's the whole thing. bit Man, these polls... you really do this all the time, don't you?

Regarding that poll closing... honestly, I think you should just leave it open for the full 20 days, or let it just die out on its own. If you shut it down early, you're just going to have everyone breathing down your neck, complaining that you didn't give everyone a fair shot to weigh in. It’s a headache waiting to happen.

Maybe the results will actually reflect what the community thinks better if the poll doesn't stay open forever. It’ll be easier for those users with zero posts and stuff to vote later on.

Michael Lee4 said:@Noah Perez9

blablabla... seriously, just post all the PMs between us because I am definitely not explaining this whole thing from scratch. Like I said, you're a lost cause. Someone who keeps getting three strikes in a row for the exact same thing, and then gets a fourth for that same reason? It’s no surprise his chat history got wiped on the new models, just like how that guy's Polo burns a quart of oil every 1865 miles... he still hasn't figured it out... and he still can't seem to read what's actually written, just stubbornly repeating the same thing over and over like a parrot...

Just another classic case of condescension and being totally closed off... which is exactly why you clearly aren't grasping why we're all constantly questioning your moderation style.

"Blah blah blah"?!.......Honestly, that's the last time I saw a response like that, and it was in a preschooler's playground.

Mr. Stinger is such a complete pain... honestly, props to whoever started this thread... I think Mr. Stinger just kicked the bucket, so I might as well put a period on this sentence right now.

Did that jerk actually die?

I don't plan on voting since I’m pretty indifferent toward Stinger. But honestly, I think he’d do a much better job if he took a page out of his colleagues' books; take Grace Turner, for example, who stays completely under the radar for me. She just handles business when necessary and moves on, without all the unnecessary bickering, insults, or trying to force her opinion on everyone. I guess Stinger acts more like one of us forum users than someone who's actually supposed to be overseeing the situation.

Grace Turner said:Maybe the results will actually reflect what the community thinks better if the poll doesn't stay open forever. It’ll be easier for those users with zero posts and stuff to vote later on.

Well, if that happens, just go ahead and disqualify them.

On the flip side, since Michael Lee4 has been around here forever, is it even possible he's got a bunch of clones running around? 🤷?
Look, I'm a guy with actual integrity; I stand by everything I write. I don't need games, I don't need clones, none of that stuff.
It's just the arrogance, the sheer ego, the unfairness, and the constant insults that get under my skin.

Noah Rivera5 said:I don't plan on voting since I’m pretty indifferent toward Stinger. But honestly, I think he’d do a much better job if he took a page out of his colleagues' books; take Grace Turner, for example, who stays completely under the radar for me. She just handles business when necessary and moves on, without all the unnecessary bickering, insults, or trying to force her opinion on everyone. I guess Stinger acts more like one of us forum users than someone who's actually supposed to be overseeing the situation.

Thanks for the comment; I definitely sign off on that part too.

As for the voting, there's actually a third option out there.👍

coppernomad28 said:Well, if that happens, just go ahead and disqualify them.

On the flip side, since Michael Lee4 has been around here forever, is it even possible he's got a bunch of clones running around? 🤷?
Look, I'm a guy with actual integrity; I stand by everything I write. I don't need games, I don't need clones, none of that stuff.
It's just the arrogance, the sheer ego, the unfairness, and the constant insults that get under my skin.

Look, man, you said what you had to say. You did what you thought was right, exactly like people suggested you should. Don't let anyone drag you any deeper into this. There’s just no point.

Maybe I'll jump into this discussion as well...😁

So, looking back, I used to spend all my time in the automobiles sub-forum, and I genuinely enjoyed it before things started devolving into absolute nonsense from various sources, including Michael Lee4... At first, I didn't mind much because I was still getting a feel for the local customs—like how I wasn't supposed to quote an image just because you, coppernomad28, forgot to comment on it—but lately, I’ve found myself increasingly frustrated with the moderator of the same name. He keeps deleting comments that were actually contributing to deeper, more nuanced discussions, and honestly, I still don't quite grasp his reasoning. Thinking out loud, since the server seems to go down quite frequently, perhaps that's his excuse for pruning comments—just trying to save some disk space or prevent the forum from being overwhelmed...
I’ve wandered through other sub-forums too, and it feels like absolutely nothing happens over there. The moderators rarely step in; they aren't nearly as strict or meticulous, and conversations often drift wildly away from the original topic or title, yet they just let it slide...

The takeaway here seems to be that every moderator operates on a completely different set of principles. I was actually surprised by a few users who jumped into the fray without any critical thought (like that very first comment that followed). The issue is that most people don't really care about the core of the argument they're fighting over; they just want to protect the "weaker" side, so the easiest way out for them is to just bark, "close the thread." Michael Lee4 clearly has his own way of doing things, and you probably have yours too... As for me, I'm staying pretty restrained (for now).

Dennis Carter9 said:Look, man, you said what you had to say. You did what you thought was right, exactly like people suggested you should. Don't let anyone drag you any deeper into this. There’s just no point.

heheh, thanks!

you know how they say it in poker: I'm all in 😬

and if I lose, whatever... it's not the end of the world. What matters is doing what you actually believe in.

In my opinion, the one and only real mistake Michael Lee4 makes as a moderator is that he occasionally uses expressions toward other members that are, let's just say, a little awkward. Plus, he immediately wipes out any comments regarding car design, almost as if aesthetics aren't a major factor when you're actually buying or choosing a vehicle. I mean, come on—if things turn into an argument, sure, that's one thing, but it feels excessive to stop someone from simply saying they like or dislike a car. Meanwhile, you see someone like User constantly padding out their own thread for who knows how long without ever facing any consequences...

Gary Lewis5 said:Maybe I'll jump into this discussion as well...😁

So, looking back, I used to spend all my time in the automobiles sub-forum, and I genuinely enjoyed it before things started devolving into absolute nonsense from various sources, including Michael Lee4... At first, I didn't mind much because I was still getting a feel for the local customs—like how I wasn't supposed to quote an image just because you, coppernomad28, forgot to comment on it—but lately, I’ve found myself increasingly frustrated with the moderator of the same name. He keeps deleting comments that were actually contributing to deeper, more nuanced discussions, and honestly, I still don't quite grasp his reasoning. Thinking out loud, since the server seems to go down quite frequently, perhaps that's his excuse for pruning comments—just trying to save some disk space or prevent the forum from being overwhelmed...
I’ve wandered through other sub-forums too, and it feels like absolutely nothing happens over there. The moderators rarely step in; they aren't nearly as strict or meticulous, and conversations often drift wildly away from the original topic or title, yet they just let it slide...

The takeaway here seems to be that every moderator operates on a completely different set of principles. I was actually surprised by a few users who jumped into the fray without any critical thought (like that very first comment that followed). The issue is that most people don't really care about the core of the argument they're fighting over; they just want to protect the "weaker" side, so the easiest way out for them is to just bark, "close the thread." Michael Lee4 clearly has his own way of doing things, and you probably have yours too... As for me, I'm staying pretty restrained (for now).

If I felt like I was alone in my frustration with Michael Lee4, I would've just stayed quiet and bit my tongue. You can't fight windmills by yourself. But once I realized that while there aren't many of us, at least we exist, 😉 I couldn't just let it go.

I hang out on other forums too, so I've seen it all. Honestly, you have to toughen up; if you don't, some user is going to come along and absolutely wreck you. Around here, that's more the rule than the exception.

Drew Cox87 said:In my opinion, the one and only real mistake Michael Lee4 makes as a moderator is that he occasionally uses expressions toward other members that are, let's just say, a little awkward. Plus, he immediately wipes out any comments regarding car design, almost as if aesthetics aren't a major factor when you're actually buying or choosing a vehicle. I mean, come on—if things turn into an argument, sure, that's one thing, but it feels excessive to stop someone from simply saying they like or dislike a car. Meanwhile, you see someone like User constantly padding out their own thread for who knows how long without ever facing any consequences...

Well, since we're talking about free discussion, he didn't delete your constant whining about the NEW Spark, so minor design critiques regarding the POLO should be fine.

One specific little example...

Edit: Honestly, I'm done commenting anything else here...

Gary Lewis5 said:Maybe I'll jump into this discussion as well...😁

So, looking back, I used to spend all my time in the automobiles sub-forum, and I genuinely enjoyed it before things started devolving into absolute nonsense from various sources, including Michael Lee4... At first, I didn't mind much because I was still getting a feel for the local customs—like how I wasn't supposed to quote an image just because you, coppernomad28, forgot to comment on it—but lately, I’ve found myself increasingly frustrated with the moderator of the same name. He keeps deleting comments that were actually contributing to deeper, more nuanced discussions, and honestly, I still don't quite grasp his reasoning. Thinking out loud, since the server seems to go down quite frequently, perhaps that's his excuse for pruning comments—just trying to save some disk space or prevent the forum from being overwhelmed...
I’ve wandered through other sub-forums too, and it feels like absolutely nothing happens over there. The moderators rarely step in; they aren't nearly as strict or meticulous, and conversations often drift wildly away from the original topic or title, yet they just let it slide...

The takeaway here seems to be that every moderator operates on a completely different set of principles. I was actually surprised by a few users who jumped into the fray without any critical thought (like that very first comment that followed). The issue is that most people don't really care about the core of the argument they're fighting over; they just want to protect the "weaker" side, so the easiest way out for them is to just bark, "close the thread." Michael Lee4 clearly has his own way of doing things, and you probably have yours too... As for me, I'm staying pretty restrained (for now).

This is roughly how my response would go, though I'll add a bit of a personal touch...

So, look,
early on, I had a minor friction with the gentleman in question, though he probably doesn't even remember it given the variety of patients he has to deal with. Or so I hope. 😂 I figured out what he's like: serious, almost professional in his consistency when it comes to deleting posts, strict, and perhaps a bit dictatorial—but I guess that's just what happens when you hold power. 😁😁

Personally, I'm fine with him staying. It seems like nobody else has the sheer willpower required to maintain order here, and let's be honest, if it weren't for Stinger, this subforum would turn into a landfill pretty quickly. 🙄

A bit of advice: try to mess around with the crew a little more, take a joke once in a while, and occasionally let some off-topic stuff slide. After all, this is supposed to be fun, not a full-time job. 😉