The House Rules are considered as boundaries. We didn't make them up because we were bored; we came up with them after years of running what is the busiest and largest F1 forum on the internet. So don't test us: we really do know by now what we're doing. Having said that, know that you can always contact any moderator or administrator by PM to offer advice, feedback, criticism or just make an inquiry.
When reporting a post, please expand or refer to the rule that it violates. If you think a post is trolling, tell us why. This will allow us to get to the root of the problem quicker, especially if it is not immediately obvious or is a possibly obscure reference. Reporting posts brings problems to our attention and even if you think no action is being taken, we do take note of every single report. If you report a post, please do not reply to it - you are only adding to our work.
Moderation
- The moderators do not work for Autosport but are volunteers selected from the membership itself to make the forum a better place to discuss and enjoy motorsport.
- Any feedback about moderation policy is welcome by private message. We will always consider and discuss reasonable ideas.
- Discussion of moderator actions is therefore discouraged in the forum itself even where they involve you. If you wish to enquire why your post was deleted or edited, contact one of us via PM.
- If in doubt, check threads titled with [split] or [merged] as your post may be found in one of these moderator-generated threads.
- Above all, the most important moderator on the forum is you. If you post in a respectful manner, then you should expect the same in return.
- Warnings may be given to highlight disruptive patterns of behaviour (see acceptable behaviour) and/or disregard for the board rules.
- Members' warnings, suspensions or bans are carried out in private and therefore never openly discussed. Your warnings cannot be seen by others, nor can you see those of others. We believe it is important that it stays this way.
- To view your warnings, click 'warning points' on the left-hand side under your username.
- Warning points do not expire but there is no fixed limit that determines whether a member will be banned. However, they also become less meaningful over time if a member's behaviour has improved.
- To determine whether a warning point is given, moderators may also consider the overall contribution of the poster.
- Xenophobic, homophobic, sexist and other hateful comments are prohibited. Please report them. Particularly egregious comments may result in the member being permanently excluded.
- We accept that issues such as nationalism, feminism, religion and politics can be important to motorsport but are welcome only where they are relevant. Otherwise, please take viewpoints on these matters to the Paddock Club.
- You may not post knowingly false information. "It's just an opinion" as an afterthought, having created an argument, is simply not good enough.
- You may not use this forum to complain about events in other forums. They have nothing to do with us.
- You may not use this forum to promote a product, whether it is a game, website or survey. You will be banned without warning if you do.
- Members may not use this forum to post content without adequate consideration of copyright. Links to illegal streams and downloads, as well as pasting the entirety of someone else's work, are all prohibited. This includes Autosport and Autosport Plus articles.
- NEW AS FROM APRIL 19th 2019: While the general rules of the forums prohibit 'solicitations' we are now prepared to make an exception for bona fide academic research - although with certain restrictions. Any surveys etc should be totally anonymous - you should not ask our members for email addresses or other identifiable personal information - and after registering for the forums and returning your confirmation email you must contact Vitesse2 through the Personal Message system before posting your survey; in the reply to this you will be provided with an email address - we will require confirmation of your bona fides from your tutor or supervisor, sent from their academic email to the address we give you. Once we have received this we will contact you by PM and you may then post your survey. If you do not follow this procedure your survey will be treated by us as spam.
- Trolling and flamebait are prohibited. Such posts will be removed without warning. Please do not assume that we will have seen or approved these posts unless you report them.
- All members are equally responsible for the atmosphere in every thread across the forum. If you start an attack or respond with hostility, you cannot really expect things to improve.
- Don't be surprised if members respond badly to posts consisting of “lol”, a meme, a row of emoticons or gloating when a driver suffers misfortune.
- Derogatory names and puns of driver names, for instance “Crashilton” or “Alonsoslow”, are considered as flamebait. They might be initially amusing, even appropriate, but they won't foster a sensible discussion.
- This is an English speaking forum, but English is a second language for many of our members. Txt spk and other unusual contractions are therefore discouraged. It can be helpful or necessary to use them but members who habitually use this sort of language will be considered in breach of the rules.
- Differences of opinion are welcome but deliberately baiting another forum member into a response is not welcome. “Disagreeing with me” is not equivalent to trolling or flamebait.
- Every member is entitled to privacy. Unless given permission, it is not acceptable to make public anything which has been revealed to you in confidence by PM or email. Member's real life identities are not for discussion in the forum.
- Whilst all new members are welcome, we have low tolerance for new users who fail to adhere to our rules. New members who immediately disrupt the forum will banned without notice.
- Threads are started to encourage discussion on a particular topic of interest. If you wish to discuss a different topic, either find a relevant thread to do so or start a new one. It is particularly selfish to deprive a thread starter of the topic he or she had chosen to discuss in favour of your own.
- Please use the search function before starting a new thread.
- New members are requested to make at least 30 posts before starting a new thread.
- If you notice troublesome behaviour, please report rather than reply. The report function is the direct line to the moderators. You might not see immediate changes but be assured that we will take note if a post is reported.
- Abusive behaviour and/or personal attacks are not justified on the basis of who started a particular feud. This is just as much a part of the problem as the trolling. Instead, please point out exactly what the problem is or report the trolling. That way you'll become part of the solution instead of the problem.
- Please do not engage in a feud, whether in public or via PM. Instead, ether report the member or sort out your differences by PM.
- If all else fails, or if someone is feuding with you across threads, please use the "ignore" function found by clicking your username on the top right-hand side of the page where you will find “manage ignore prefs”. Please do not discuss who is on your ignore list.
- Responding by calling members “fanboy", "hater" and "troll" is unacceptable. These are terms designed to attack others, as is the use of truncated or abbreviated member names despite requests to stop.
- Please do not discuss how other members or groups of members with open allegiances behave. This also applies to behaviour in other threads, fora, or elsewhere, and includes references to "some" members, "narratives," or any post that primarily talks about what members think of something rather than the thing itself.
- Please do not reply with “in before the lock” or “abandon thread” if you believe that a thread is a waste of time. Others may not agree and it is a form of derailing that leads to discussion about posting rather than the topic at hand. If you do think that a thread has no legitimate discussion value, please report the opening post of the thread instead.
- Please don't evade our bad word filters with images, links or deliberate misspellings.
- General driver threads are now banned. Threads can still be started to discuss issues affecting a single driver, but this must be with a specific remit or point of discussion, such as the possibility of them racing in a particular series or team.
- Driver vs. driver threads are only welcome for team mates where a reasonable assessment of their respective abilities can be gauged. Other comparison threads which pit driver against driver for no apparent reason are unwelcome.
- Please don't use the Driver vs Driver and car development threads for providing running commentary on things happening during testing, practice, quali, race day or for general discussion. Please use the relevant specific threads or IRC for live chat.
- Discussion of the recent past* is permitted in Racing Comments. Members are invited to start threads on motor racing topics from the last 20 years or so.
