This area is set aside for off-topic discussion. Everything that's absolutely nothing to do with travel at all... But please, keep it polite! Forum netiquette rules still apply.
#760119 by Treelo
17 Nov 2010, 22:15
Having reached the milestone of 1000 posts, I feel the time has come for me and v-flyer to part company.

This isn’t a decision I’ve come to lightly or suddenly; rather, I have been giving it a deal of thought over the past couple of months and have come to the conclusion that this is the time to go. I have (mostly) enjoyed the past 5½ years and would like to thank fellow v-flyers for their informative and (mostly) helpful posts throughout the various fora. In particular, I must thank honey lamb and nottingham nick,
for their (albeit virtual) friendships and advice during my membership.

For my 'last post', I would like to offer the following thought(s).

The more observant among you will note the '(mostly)' inserts in the previous paragraph. At the risk of opening old wounds and, perhaps, being shouted down or having this post doctored, I feel that a degree of elitism is still being exhibited from time to time. Although this trait appears not to be as prevalent as it once was, there still appears to be an undercurrent of an ‘us and them’ mind-set. This attitude is more noticeable in posts from premium cabin pax travelling from LHR, but could easily be eradicated if just a little more thinking time was taken before pressing the ‘submit’ button. On the subject of thinking time, perhaps if the ploy was employed by members more often, site stalwarts such as EGG and GJ would still be around. BTW, if your 2 guys are lurking, thank you too for your help and advice over the years.

So, thank you v-flyer (and v-flyers!) for your advice and entertainment since 2004. Both I and the present Mrs Treelo wish you all the best for the future. We are both aficionados of VS, which will continue to be our airline of choice (price permitting),and I fully intend to dip in and out of v-flyer in the future.

Once again, thank you guys and, in the words of the immortal Dave Allen, ‘may your God go with you’. :)

If this post is wrongly positioned, perhaps some kind mod would move it to a more appropriate location, Thanks.
#760125 by Nottingham Nick
17 Nov 2010, 22:47
Very sorry to see you go, Treelo.

I hope you change your mind, but I respect your decision if you don't - thank you for your wise and informed input over the past few years.

The subject of elitism is one that is discussed often and seriously by the mods, and site regulars.

My personal take is that I value the inclusive nature of the site and respect for the opinions of others, above anything.

I am against censorship of the site - unless posts are insulting, defamatory or just rude to individuals or groups of people. Therefore, to censor the views of those who consider themselves better than the rest of us would be wrong.

We are all entitled to express our opinions and equally we are entitled to ignore the views of those we don't agree with.

I hope you reconsider your departure, but if you don't I wish you and the current (and any future) Mrs Treelo(s), all the best for the future.

Nick
#760135 by pjh
18 Nov 2010, 01:00
I'll miss your contributions and hope you might looking to take a sabbatical rather than full retirement.

Paul
#760143 by iforres1
18 Nov 2010, 08:18
Cheers Treelo,

Thanks for all the contributions over the past years. 1000 posts is no small effort. Some of the topics can be quite inflamatory at times and reactions change as you get older, especially when sprogs start to arrive and you suddenly find yourself on the other side of the debate, but that is life I suppose.

All the best for the future wherever you may post.

Iain
#760220 by HighFlyer
18 Nov 2010, 22:56
Sorry to hear that Treelo.

As Nick has said, the topic of elitism crops up quite often and probably always will. Members are entitled to their own opinions and can freely share them so long as they are not breaking the forum rules. This can be difficult when people are at opposite ends of the spectrum and find each others comments vulgar but then I don't believe that censorship is the answer.

I also believe that its easy to appear elitist when your posts talk mostly of upper class flying and expensive holidays but in some respects its these themes that draw most of us together. The majority of V-Flyers started out flying in economy and along the way learned some tips and tricks from V-Flyer or FlyerTalk or the internet in general, or perhaps recieved an Op Up to Premium Economy and said to themselves "I want more of that... (but perhaps without paying full price for it) :)". Therefore much of the talk is about getting or how to get the things we value or hold important - getting that flight in Upper or that holiday in New York because we are excited and enthused and wish to share it with likeminded people.

I'm very sorry to see a member feel this way and I do hope to see you return to V-Flyer soon.
#760221 by Sealink
18 Nov 2010, 23:14
I think I understand why some posts look elitest - but having met a lot of V-Flyers I can say, hand on heart, that I have met some of the most down to earth people you could hope to meet, and Hackneyguy. ;)

I would say that I don't think that talking about nice things is in itself elitest - and comments that look elitest are often tongue in cheek, heavy on the irony. (Mine certainly are!)

Sometimes taking a break from a forum can be a good thing, but I hope that posting that you are leaving was partly do get some other opinions before making a final decision. In any case, it would be great to see you back.
#760253 by Alex V
19 Nov 2010, 10:19
Too bad to see you go Treelo I think Sarah really said everything I would have said, and certainly mirrors my experience of wanting something better after flying Economy for what seems a lifetime, that doesnt make me or anyone else elitist but really brings together a community who are similar in thoughts and ideas which is fairly niche compared to regular forums that covers a broad spectrum of issues.

I too took about 3 months out roughly 1 year ago because I was sick and tired of the inflamatory comments of GG and in my opinion spoilt what was an easy going and polite (and still is) site, when i decided to come back it turns out he had left- hurrah!
My point is is that taking time out as Sealink said is sometimes a good thing and I hope we will see you again.

cheers

alex y)
#760264 by mdvipond
19 Nov 2010, 12:14
Alex - who is this GG you speak of?

Treelo, sad to see you leave, but if your reasons for going really are based purely on any perceived 'elitism' (and yeah, I know it's out there), my advice would be to stay, and 'illegitimi non carborundum', as they say. Fight the system from the inside, brother.

Or, to put it an other way, can any forum that has Neil as a Mod ever truly be considered elitist...?
#760267 by craigmonster
19 Nov 2010, 13:27
Re the elitism thing: flying is one of the few areas where 'class' still exists. It's how cabins are defined. But, as someone earning a relative small wage (22.5k PA) I've never felt excluded here. And it would be so easy for this to happen given that we're talking about something that is still out of reach of many people. I. sit next to someone who doesn't have a passport! Obviously, one gets a feel for the probable affluence of many posters but I've never felt this has been 'in your face'. It is a shame that we don't see more Y trip reports - perhaps I'll take an action to rectify this by actually submitting some trip reports! Again, I've always been massively impressed with the feeling of inclusion this forum provides, regardless of income, FC status, class of travel, etc...
#760269 by Guest
19 Nov 2010, 14:41
Sealink wrote: having met a lot of V-Flyers I can say, hand on heart, that I have met some of the most down to earth people you could hope to meet, and Hackneyguy. ;)

.


B) and there was me thinking you enjoyed your evening out with my friends and I ?| You certainly looked like you were having fun and you certianly left a favourable impression with a certain well known author/journalist ): :) :X
#760270 by Sealink
19 Nov 2010, 15:01
hackneyguy wrote:
Sealink wrote: having met a lot of V-Flyers I can say, hand on heart, that I have met some of the most down to earth people you could hope to meet, and Hackneyguy. ;)

.


B) and there was me thinking you enjoyed your evening out with my friends and I ?| You certainly looked like you were having fun and you certianly left a favourable impression with a certain well known author/journalist ): :) :X



Oh Hackneyguy that was a joke! That's why I put the ;-)
I had a great evening and, Oh, really? ): :) :X
#760273 by SNOMO
19 Nov 2010, 15:12
Oh Treelo must you go? I do understand where your coming from but could you not just lurk in the background and chip in now and again, I really enjoy your input y)
#760289 by Alex V
19 Nov 2010, 17:46
mdvipond wrote:Alex - who is this GG you speak of?



grinningjackanapees or whatever his name was!
#760297 by mdvipond
19 Nov 2010, 18:40
Alex V wrote:
mdvipond wrote:Alex - who is this GG you speak of?



grinningjackanapees or whatever his name was!

Ah! Dear old GJ! I wonder, what ever happened to him...?
#760304 by buns
19 Nov 2010, 20:20
Treelo

I will echo what others have said in saying it is sorry to see you leave, but it is to my mind the measure of V-Flyer, that those who have replied here have shown the utmost respect for your decision.

There is always a fine line of friendly banter between those who have come to know one another because of the Site and sometimes appearing to be a closed shop only open to those who fly up the front. As it the way of the written word, so often, the intended meaning becomes confused in transmission.

I do hope that time heals and that sometime in the future you re-consider your decison

All the very best

buns
#760320 by easygoingeezer
20 Nov 2010, 12:18
Just to let people know I still come and check things out now and again, people sometimes think the elitist argument is against people discussing PE or UCS, I personally love nice things and would hapilly celebrate other peoples joy and achievments in having doing or aquiring them. However what put me off is someone sending a pm telling you that they are a better class of person than you and thats the only reason you disagree with them on the public forum. That to me IS elitism of the highest priggish order no matter what class of cabin one travels in, also kind of pees on one 5 year membership renewal knowing this person is pretty much ingratiated with some other very respectable members. Clearly this person likes freedom of speech but will slap you down in a pm if you aspire to the same concept.
#760321 by easygoingeezer
20 Nov 2010, 12:39
Sorry to double post just getting the hang of VF on iphone and just got back from MCO.
Personally Mr & Mrs Treelo I think you should stay, there are many nice people here and the more that stay the bigger the pond of nice people and those in it all nicey nicey on the one hand to curry favour whilst at the same time getting sick pleasure out of clever stuck up put downs get smaller and less significant or perhaps just pop over to another site with a different name and play games there instead.
#760346 by Scrooge
20 Nov 2010, 20:35
mdvipond wrote:
Alex V wrote:
mdvipond wrote:Alex - who is this GG you speak of?



grinningjackanapees or whatever his name was!

Ah! Dear old GJ! I wonder, what ever happened to him...?


He is still around, still ignoring me, I do wonder how Kitty is getting on though.
#760355 by seanpep
21 Nov 2010, 04:25
Treelo,

To echo everyone else, I'm sorry to see you go, one way to make a forum such as this more inclusive is to hang around, contribute and give support to those you think need it. However I can see how that you may feel this becomes time consuming and not fun or productive.

So best wishes and safe travels,

Sean
#760358 by G-VROY
21 Nov 2010, 04:38
Treelo - As probably the ultimate 'lurker' I can understand your decision to go and respect it but would hasten to add that you have been a fantastic member and contributor to this forum for a number of years. I think you should have a break and maybe check back in a few months. The more people like you that leave means the exact reason why your leaving increases.
I wish you all the best and hope to see you around here in the not too distant future.

G-VROY 8D
#760376 by SNOMO
21 Nov 2010, 15:55
easygoingeezer wrote:Sorry to double post just getting the hang of VF on iphone and just got back from MCO.
Personally Mr & Mrs Treelo I think you should stay, there are many nice people here and the more that stay the bigger the pond of nice people and those in it all nicey nicey on the one hand to curry favour whilst at the same time getting sick pleasure out of clever stuck up put downs get smaller and less significant or perhaps just pop over to another site with a different name and play games there instead.


I second that y)
#760584 by Tinkerbelle
24 Nov 2010, 14:23
Treelo

I can completely see where you are coming from - I can probably even guess which posts etc are the ones which have annoyed you. But please don't stop posting. Please lurk and give yourself a break from the site (which I think we all do - including myself - every now and then).

When you are ready, please start posting again.

:X
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