Another Day, More Annoyance
Ah, what could be a better way to start off the holiday weekend than another email from someone outraged over the site(s):
I placed my information on your site concerning my Austin Healey # HBT7Lxxxxx and I was not able to edit the information I meant to say xxxxxx is my cars real number. Later I find out this information is put out all over the internet search sites, that is my personal business, you have violated my trust in your website. This information is meant only for those fellow Healey owners on this site only. If you can’t remove the information from these search engines I will have to take action and I will have to withdraw my information from your site. Believe me I will talk to each and every Healey owner, about your practices. I would give you a phone number, to reach me, but I am afraid it also would be plastered all over the internet like my Healey information was. Let know what you are going to do about this matter.
Sigh.
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Where in any of the information on these sites does it suggest that this is some sort of private owners-only club? The sites’ raison d‘être is exactly the opposite of that, and while I welcome owners I do not, nor do I want to, cater exclusively to them, as much as that pains a few of them.
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Folks must arrive at this site somehow (via a google search, perhaps?) and (I imagine) browse a bit before they enter their information, if they do. I thought it was apparent that nothing is hidden here; everyone can see everything. My hope is that the sites’ openness and non-exclusivity foster enthusiasm among those who aren’t owners–and encourage them to join us on our journey to bankruptcy and ruin, er, enjoying our cars!
Do I really need to let people know that search engines crawl these sites (just like the rest of the internet)? I go through reasonable pains here to allow people to be anonymous–owners as well–and to provide ways for people to get in touch without revealing any personal information. That said, if you decide to sign your name to a comment, it will be picked up eventually by google and others, I imagine.
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Would the outraged of the world please quit with the blowhard stuff? I tend to smile, not tremble.
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Has no one ever heard the adage about flies, honey, vinegar and all that? I normally try to work with people when they get their underwear in a bunch, but I’m far less inclined to when it’s Internet Tough Guy on the other line.
All that said, I removed this car from the Healey site. I used to fret about losing track of cars in this fashion, but at this point I could give a rat’s behind. Keeping track of a single car with an unpleasant owner just isn’t worth it. I’m posting this little missive so I can point future angry folks here without having to type it all up again. Shades of the (apocryphal?) bedbug letter!
I need a vacation! Anyone want to float me a trip to Goodwood?
