If you’re reading this, it’s because you have an interest in cycling, and enjoy spending at least a bit of time online. This is good for people like me that run forums, write blogs, and work for other cycling-related websites. Without the eyeballs, I might as well be talking to my dog, rather than writing in my blog. And there’s a whole list of other bloggers just to the right of this post who also write for various reasons, but mostly because they have a genuine interest in cycling.
Which is why seeing this pains me so much. George, over at SoCalTrailRiders.org and I exchanged few emails and IMs over this situation not too long ago. A serial troll is one thing. But this guys is leeching off the good names of other sites, causing disruptions on various forums, and generally making a nuisance of himself. The fact that he send emails threatening action by the FBI offers a bit of insight into how he thinks.
I’ll let you draw your own conclusions, but this is not how the rest of the online bike industry works.
As ironic as it may sound, I’m an admin for a few forums and sites in the Automotive industry (and in the financial industry as well). If you think that the bicycling industry is ripe with trolls like Warrick, you should see some of the doozeys I’ve had the joy of tanging with from the automotive side of things.
Turning people into the FBI? That’s a riot. I know it’s a tragedy that sites have to put up with this guy, but I needed the burst of laughter this morning.
We get our share of nutjobs on Bike Forums, but this guy took the taco. It’s a shame more can’t be done to stop people like him.