If you think this site is over-moderated come and try my local community website! No thread starter get posted until approved by the moderator. Site says "Awaiting Approval"

It has happened again in the Motoring Discussion forum in the last twelve hours or so, a negative opinioned post has been totally deleted, granted it was a little lively in the what the chap said, but the whole post is gone, not just a careful edit made. The guy was posting about a negative experience with a Mazda RX-8 engine specialist, basically saying avoid him he is a cowboy etc, but now the post has been taken down, it leaves anyone else open to be caught out by the same potential cowboy who could have avoided his poor workmanship by seeing a negative review such as this.

Or he could work for a rival company and posting a negative review to give their rival some bad publicity.

Without seeing the original review we have no way to see what has been written to see for what reason the review was taken down. We need to know what was written first before we can decide if it should have been taken down or not.

"I entirely agree, this site & forum is the most over-moderated website I have ever come across on the internet. Other websites seem to just let the negative comments ride as long as they aren't abusive - the 'other' party always has the option to respond to any comments made."

Before you make comments like that, will you please read the sticky thread (at the top of the Motoring section) on naming and shaming. We took legal advice on this and the comments there are the work of several people, not just me.

I've pasted below the final paras of the post that I hid. I can't think why it's so difficult for some people to understand that this sort of thing simply can't be allowed on a public forum. For all we know, the customer could have been just as abusive.

Simon, do by all means use other forums if you find them more congenial.

"We also had a warranty within the engine and he basically told us it's non refundable, non transfurable and dog s*** basically and we could go and take a running hike for our money back.

He was the rudest most pig ignorant man I have ever met and clearly has no respect for anyone or anything.

When we drove up there, it's a cow shed on a farm in chippingham and the guy has the worst set up I've ever seen. Ultimate CHAV sprung to mind, He was even rude to his own wife in front of us.

WORD OF WARNING PLEASE STEER WELL CLEAR AS THIS GUY IS NOTHING BUT A CON ARTIST AND A SHOVENISTIC ARROGANT ONE AT THAT... DOWN RIGHT FLAMING RUDE. "

Edited by Avant on 02/06/2014 at 19:34

"...this site & forum is the most over-moderated website I have ever come across on the internet."

A ridiculous comment.

"Other websites seem to just let the negative comments ride as long as they aren't abusive - the 'other' party always has the option to respond to any comments made."

Then I suggest you confine your attention to the other sites, where, presumably, interminable mud-slinging takes place as people dig themselves in to their entrenched positions. That's what has happened here in past - until it gets deleted by a moderator.

"On here if its anything less than a neutral opinion it gets deleted."

People can have strong opinions - it's the way they're put that is usually the problem.

"In my opinion that doesn't make it a balanced or fair forum, hiding behind this persona of being sued by every man and his dog for any negative remark made."

I can only guess what you mean. "Persona" doesn't mean what you think, perhaps.

It's been made clear what the legal rationale concerning naming and shaming is. I'm not qualified to comment, but I certainly don't come to this forum expecting to see endless threads full of frank/fearless/negative/insulting comments about garages or dealers interspersed with equally forthright defences from the businesses concerned.

If nothing else, it's boring.