ZGGTR vs COG Forum

[B.D.F.]

So an interesting thing happened today..... I spoke with Steve (in sunny FL) on the telephone. The call was initiated due to scheduling at the national COG rally ('cause you gotta' be wondering what caused that, right?).

We reached an accord and we're going to try and move in kinder, gentler circles going forward.

This is the part where I would insert a funny but seeing as feathers are already ruffled, in the words of Dana Carvey, 'Not now. Wouldn't be prudent at this junction.'

Brian

[tweeter55]

  ?

[Outback_Jon]

So an interesting thing happened today..... I spoke with Steve (in sunny FL) on the telephone. The call was initiated due to scheduling at the national COG rally ('cause you gotta' be wondering what caused that, right?).

We reached an accord and we're going to try and move in kinder, gentler circles going forward.

This is the part where I would insert a funny but seeing as feathers are already ruffled, in the words of Dana Carvey, 'Not now. Wouldn't be prudent at this junction.'

Brian

I think that deserves a "Well, isn't that special."   

[MAN OF BLUES]

Hey Brian,
  step away from the keyboard... please, as a friend I beseach you....
Many long and drawn out postings do nothing to explain, nor condone, anything that has been wrought upon this website by others that follow like lemmings, a few officers of COG,s onside opinions.
With that said, a patronize this site, and the COG site. I keep my COG membership active, and also my wife's, for the simple reason that as a club, I AM a voting member, and thus entitled to the same voting priviledges, and due respect, from membership as any other member, including the Executive Director.

Its kinda like, if you want your opinion to count, you have to pay the dues....

That's all I have to say about that......

http://youtu.be/e7qQ6_RV4VQ


And the times, they are a changing....

I'll also remind / note to newbies, this site lost a DECADE of posts early 2011 , an has since, re established somewhat of what was lost, albeit maybe 25% , but nonetheless the moderation so far ain't soup nazi....

[B.D.F.]

Well Rich, I am just not following you here. ?? If you do not want to elaborate publicly, shoot me an e-mail or PM.

There is no assault on COG anywhere in this thread by me. Not even a hint of criticism. Any contention on my part was with individual and had nothing to do with any organization.

Brian

Hey Brian,
  step away from the keyboard... please, as a friend I beseach you....
Many long and drawn out postings do nothing to explain, nor condone, anything that has been wrought upon this website by others that follow like lemmings, a few officers of COG,s onside opinions.
With that said, a patronize this site, and the COG site. I keep my COG membership active, and also my wife's, for the simple reason that as a club, I AM a voting member, and thus entitled to the same voting priviledges, and due respect, from membership as any other member, including the Executive Director.

Its kinda like, if you want your opinion to count, you have to pay the dues....

That's all I have to say about that......


And the times, they are a changing....

[Son of Pappy]

Brian, Rich, FWIW, I hear both of you loud and clear.  I am "voting" with my wallet.  I also vote with my statements and share my personal experiences with those whom I meet.  I gave up my dog in that fight and I miss her dearly, but I like the company 'round these parts mo bettah... I reckon that means I also vote with my bandwidth
I admire loyalty above most anything else and truly respect many on both sides of the feud.  One side took shots at me so I naturally picked the side I found more comforting.  One day, mark my words, this feud will come to an end and we will be one big happy family, too many great folks to predict any other outcome.  Heck, there may even be an adult or two

[just gone]

So an interesting thing happened today..... I spoke with Steve (in sunny FL) on the telephone. 

We reached an accord and we're going to try and move in kinder, gentler circles going forward

        

Well done to the both of you.

[udoggie]

For someone who got my C14 and joined both of the forums after the "little spat", it all seems rather silly, when it seems like 75% of the posts are duplicated on both sites.

Of course, I don't know the details of what happened to cause the split, and honestly don't care.  I just contribute to both of the forums when I can,  and not engage in the games...

Jeff

[B.D.F.]

Hey, that is fine too Chet and I hear you regarding your reasons.

The COG forum has changed substantially in the last few months and I think the changes will be permanent. I am very confident that at least some, if not all, of your past negative experiences would not be repeated today. I am speaking about any personal interactions, not any contention between the two forums, which I believe is really done, gone and buried. It is simply no longer a topic of any kind.

As far as COG membership, I participate simply because the group of people in my local area are fantastic- great people, lots of fun and laughs and we invariably have a great time with them. So while COG is a national organization, International actually, the fact is that any given member spends the great majority of time with folks local to his / her area. So COG is sort of like a group w/in a group; I know a lot of the local folks and associate with them often but on the forum for example, it is national and of course I have not met, at least in person, the majority of the people that actually correspond there. So a significant portion of COG will be each member's local area I think rather than the national presence, at least most of the time (other than the national rally of course).

Brian

Brian, Rich, FWIW, I hear both of you loud and clear.  I am "voting" with my wallet.  I also vote with my statements and share my personal experiences with those whom I meet.  I gave up my dog in that fight and I miss her dearly, but I like the company 'round these parts mo bettah... I reckon that means I also vote with my bandwidth
I admire loyalty above most anything else and truly respect many on both sides of the feud.  One side took shots at me so I naturally picked the side I found more comforting.  One day, mark my words, this feud will come to an end and we will be one big happy family, too many great folks to predict any other outcome.  Heck, there may even be an adult or two

[B.D.F.]

Well, we are both participating in the tech. functions (Steve is actually the tech. coordinator for this year's national, I am presenting / participating in some technical seminars) so as adults, for the good of the organization but mostly for the benefit of the membership, we will work together. The object is to present things that may be of interest and use to the folks who care to attend; any friction between us is really quite irrelevant.

To put the whole thing in a political light, we could have chosen to act like the Congress but instead we choose to get something done and are shooting for progress instead. 

Brian

       

Well done to the both of you.

[Racer Boy]

For someone who got my C14 and joined both of the forums after the "little spat", it all seems rather silly, when it seems like 75% of the posts are duplicated on both sites.

Of course, I don't know the details of what happened to cause the split, and honestly don't care.  I just contribute to both of the forums when I can,  and not engage in the games...

Jeff

Me too!

[Son of Pappy]

Good to hear Brian, I'll do some dabbling and test the waters   If the org is fixing things I have no issue adding my $$ to the pool so I am able to help as able.  I just want to be listed as a member who can offer mech assistance for riders that may be in my area.

[Pokey]

I am not much of a fan for "clubs" especially ones that you must pay to play, to each their own I reckon.

[MrPepsi]

I've gone to a couple of the COG events, and both times felt a little like an outsider. Like I wasn't part of the IN croud. I've even expressed my displeasure, with some good feedback. I keep paying my dues, but each year I say I will not renew. I just don't see the benefit. The COG forum has so little action, it just doesn't seem worth going anymore. However if they truly are making efforts to work on things, I may take a look and see how things are going.

[B.D.F.]

I really did not mean to go down this path at all but seeing as we are now actually discussing COG, I would respond to you Brent that it sure sounds like you gave your local COG group a fair shot and found it was not for you. Hey, that happens and it is the reason we are not all members of hundreds of organizations. As I said earlier in this thread, while COG is absolutely national, I think of it as a lot of little 'islands' of members. I live in RI and normally associate / meet with folks from New England and nearby NY and NJ and that is about the extent of the folks I often meet w/in COG. And in all sincerity, they are the best group of people I have had the pleasure to be associated with in my life. But perhaps I would not quite fit in or like the COG group in your area as much. ??

I am a fan of COG and promote the group (Andrea and I will be representing COG at Twisted Throttle's Open House in a few weeks) but not beyond all reason: if it is not working for you, I can certainly understand that. And you seem to have a very reasonable attitude toward your experience with the group- just what you personally took away from it without any bias or preconceived expectations.

As far as the forum, anyone can 'test drive' that at any time. There have been some changes, and there is an active, continuous effort to hopefully make things better. Unfortunately, some of those very efforts have been loud and combative but I would encourage anyone to take that with a grain of salt, try to understand that it was an isolated period and is not the normal behavior. And finally, there is an effort to get the chuckles rating a bit higher. Hey, there is a minister over there who grew this thing he calls a beard (more like a hedge actually), didn't know what to do about it and we're going to shave that thing off him at the national rally in front of a crowd.... with a straight razor. And I've never shaved anyone other than myself in my life- now if that ain't good, old fashioned fun, I just don't know what is. 

Brian

I've gone to a couple of the COG events, and both times felt a little like an outsider. Like I wasn't part of the IN croud. I've even expressed my displeasure, with some good feedback. I keep paying my dues, but each year I say I will not renew. I just don't see the benefit. The COG forum has so little action, it just doesn't seem worth going anymore. However if they truly are making efforts to work on things, I may take a look and see how things are going.

[B.D.F.]

Well, I would not use the word 'fix' because I don't like to think of it as having been 'broken'. Let's say there have been a wave of very significant changes in the last, oh, six months. Moving in a different direction perhaps.

And bear in mind that as all organizations do, COG is continuously changing membership and leadership. Again, I do not mean to say that it is being 'fixed' because that is not what is happening; rather it is changing with new blood coming in all the time. Not all of the changes may be positive of course; why the local assistant area directors in my own area of COG are a pretty nefarious looking pair that everyone should keep a close eye on lest they misbehave. :-)

You and I have spoken about this privately before and I think you will find that your greatest concerns have been completely eliminated. But hey, I am not trying to drag people into the organization like a missionary- take a look for yourself. You do not have to join to check out the forum or even sign in if you do not want to.

Brian

Good to hear Brian, I'll do some dabbling and test the waters   If the org is fixing things I have no issue adding my $$ to the pool so I am able to help as able.  I just want to be listed as a member who can offer mech assistance for riders that may be in my area.

[omcrider]

I can tell you this, I have been a member of a motorcycle club for going on 20 years. I have not enjoyed all personalities I come across or think every member is a benefit to the overall organization. However in public you would never see me openly fight with or degrade these individuals and cause a rift. Reading some of this I find it interesting and a bit disturbing that a few personal squables get spread out onto the forum so people can pick sides. That is the worst thing that can happen to any club or organization.

Maybe some of this comes from being a Marine in wartime the most important part of success is a cohesive unit. You have to be able to trust and respect the guy next to you regardless of what station or walk of life you come from and wheter or not you actually like the individual. If there is an issue you deal with it quietly and don't let it poison the larger group.

This thread started off enjoyable and then became painful to read through. 

[MrPepsi]

I can tell you this, I have been a member of a motorcycle club for going on 20 years. I have not enjoyed all personalities I come across or think every member is a benefit to the overall organization. However in public you would never see me openly fight with or degrade these individuals and cause a rift. Reading some of this I find it interesting and a bit disturbing that a few personal squables get spread out onto the forum so people can pick sides. That is the worst thing that can happen to any club or organization.

In this case its much more than a few squables. It goes a bit deeper. Sit down with a long time member someday, and you may get told some of the details.

[B.D.F.]

Of course we all have our own, differing opinions.

But given your statements, I assume had you been alive in 1776, and been native born on American soil, you would have staunchly supported the King against the traitors to avoid the squabble, openly fighting with others in public, and maintaining the cohesiveness of the King's authority?

Brian

I can tell you this, I have been a member of a motorcycle club for going on 20 years. I have not enjoyed all personalities I come across or think every member is a benefit to the overall organization. However in public you would never see me openly fight with or degrade these individuals and cause a rift. Reading some of this I find it interesting and a bit disturbing that a few personal squables get spread out onto the forum so people can pick sides. That is the worst thing that can happen to any club or organization.

Maybe some of this comes from being a Marine in wartime the most important part of success is a cohesive unit. You have to be able to trust and respect the guy next to you regardless of what station or walk of life you come from and wheter or not you actually like the individual. If there is an issue you deal with it quietly and don't let it poison the larger group.

This thread started off enjoyable and then became painful to read through. 

[VirginiaJim]

Of course we all have our own, differing opinions.

But given your statements, I assume had you been alive in 1776, and been native born on American soil, you would have staunchly supported the King against the traitors to avoid the squabble, openly fighting with others in public, and maintaining the cohesiveness of the King's authority?

Brian

Strange turn....but ok.