[Obin Robinson]

i don't think i'm the only one to notice this, but i KNOW i'm not the only one annoyed by this:

whether or not some of the people here realize this... the Pelican Parts Board exists for Porsche owners to help each other out, exchange information, and seek advice. the pelican parts BBS faq can be accessible by anyone around the world with a computer that can connect to the internet. Pelican Parts spends money to advertise their business to people, and i've seen their ads in many magazines.

some people seem to be using this place as a way to either vent their aggressions, claim their superiority over other people, or just plain old put down other members of this BBS. i see them posting nasty things to other people and not in a joking manner. it's easy to tell a joke from a nasty comment, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out the difference between a nasty comment and something intended to be taken with a grain of salt.

right on the Pelican home page, it says "Select here to enter our electronic bulletin board, where you can trade stories, questions and tips with fellow Porsche owners." i don't see ANYWHERE that it says that the BBS is for insulting other people, their personal tastes, or their nationality. i hate to say this, but i see this on the 911 board A LOT more often than on the other boards (and i DO take the time to check them all out).

how do you think this looks like to the innocent outsider? the Porsche 911 (and other cars) are considered to be very fine, world-class automobiles for the driving enthusiast. we all know this because this is why we own them, and it's why YOU are reading this message right now. when some of these BBS trolls (and they're usually out for self-glorification, and they almost always have only a few posts in their profile) post these nasty comments, they make us all look bad. when i go to a Porsche Club event, i am not only attending an event, but i'm being a representative of a person that owns a Porsche. many people in the outside world don't know the difference between a 356 and a 996... all they know is that it said "Porsche" on the back. they don't know, and they don't care. what they DO know is that the person driving that car acted a certain way when they came across them. it's THAT image that stays with us whether or not we like it. if they associate a person in a 928 with "that nasty guy that thinks the world owes him something" then they will draw that association with people in 944s, 914s, 911s, etc.

what i'm getting at is that all of our comments on here are archived for all the world to see. every joke, every helpful statement, every insult. they're all there. you can find them on google, or altavista, or any other search engine. i know that if i was Wayne, i would not want people associating my web site with a bunch of nasty snobs that constantly bad-mouth each other. these guys are running a business here, and the least some people could do is show a little respect. they are paying for this server space... NOT US.

we all know who these guys are, and there's no need to call names, or point fingers. but if you look at the way some people trash-mouth other people's choices in cars, music, friends, geographic location, or income level... it just makes me sick.

and NO, i'm not talking about the guys that joke around on the 944 bbs... i think we all know who we're thinking of. all i know is that they're making all Porsche owners look bad when someone puts in a search for "porsche 9xx" and "looking to buy". when someone asks where they should buy Porsche parts... the FIRST place i recommend is Pelican Parts because the place is run by true Porsche enthusiasts that love the cars. honestly, i really do. i have told people to stay away from certain businesses, and certain people, after i got bad products, or bad service from them. word of mouth is some of the most powerful advertising. if you're reading this you're probably not one of those people... but you know who they are. what some people are saying with their "mouths" might not only be scaring away customers, but giving this place a bad name, the PCA a bad name, and Porsche owners in general a negative image. take a second to use the "search" feature and dig through the archives. you will see what i mean. some people need to show a little respect for the ones footing the bill for this site.

think about it.

obin

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The first Porsches weren't made in Germany... and they were mostly VW parts.