Dear Internet Brands,

In two weeks, I would like to be removed as a moderator for GreenHybrid.com and have unlocked the Prius FAQ thread (until an owner can be found.) I will maintain my GreenHybrid account but at a significantly lower level of participation associated with legislative advocacy.

There are many reasons for my reduced participation but what brought it home was the April 2009, Consumer Reports that showed the resounding success of hybrids, which stands in stark contrast to the expanding vehicle scope of GreenHybrid. I am a hybrid electric owner and advocate for hybrids and do not feel comfortable advocating non-hybrids no matter how much "green wash" is applied.

The technical direction and forums of GreenHybrid have expanded to areas supportive of 'pretenders to the throne' and sometimes includes hybrid skeptics under the "Green Alternatives." Hybrid vehicles have unique, applied engineering principles that the vehicles and forums found under the "Green Alternatives" will never touch or share. In contrast, the Consumer Reports April 2009 issue pretty well established that our hybrid vehicles are the best buy, not universally but the serious ones, while non-hybrid vehicles have taken a bath, especially those advocated by hybrid skeptics.

I came to GreenHybrid because of the mileage database as there was no practical alternative in 2005. From what I can tell, the EPA and other mileage recording web sites have not even reached parity with old GreenHybrid. But I have no enthusiasm for having my hybird car or my future 2010 Prius merged into a generic "Prius" pool. Furthermore, I must insist on a total cost of ownership, similar to the 'Consumer Reports' 5 year total cost of ownership.

It is difficult to handle today's workload but ... There is an old saying that the best fertilizer is a farmer's foot prints and that means direct interaction with the community.

My future 2010 Prius is a game-changer but sad to say, I don't see GH moving in a direction that understands the subtle differences between the Honda Civic models or Prius models or the two-wheel versus four-wheel drive hybrids. My enthusiasm is gone for being a GH moderator ... . I will be spending more time supporting "myhybridcar.com," a hybrid specific site.

Bob Wilson

 

Bob,

I guess I will see you there. Like you I have been disapointed in the direction this site has taken. I will continue to post here but my mileage stats end with what they have. Hope to see others there soon.

David

 

Hi,

I canned a SPAMMER this morning but after April 3, 2009, others will need to can the SPAM.

Bob Wilson

 

Content tends to grow and is a function of how many content creators show up and 'do their thing.' In this, I'm not the least bit worried.

Bob Wilson

 

Spinner, I absolutely agree with you about the not-so-subtle advertising. But whatever. It doesn't really bother me. It's hybrid-related enough to be relevant for us all. It'll work too, AND a need (supposedly a real database, how novel) is being offered. I may jump on that myself.

The lack of care this forum NOW gets IS sad.
If it weren't for the moderators trying feverishly to get anything done and start new threads, we'd be in even worse shape.
Ignoring (for MANY months) and then totally screwing up the Mileage Database and its concepts is an indicator of the lack of respect we're all getting now from IB. Everyone screaming about it and NO responses of any sort from IB. Not cool.
I plan to stick it out for a while longer, in hopes that some key defections might just wake them up. We'll see. I certainly enjoy the massive content available here, and take pride that I've contributed in my minor way toward it. But I won't put up with this forever. The current lack of responsiveness to any issue is appalling. I fear this level of "management" is writing their own tombstone if they don't change their ways soon. I've noticed the slow-boil in some on this forum, and there ARE other options.
I understand your frustrations, Bob. Although I suspect they are more than I can even imagine. Do still visit us over here, please, from time to time! I may look over the fence, also.

 

I'm a curious guy and have made it a point to visit various web sites from time to time. But I only hang with those that bring content and are at least benign. One recent discovery was:

• ecomodder - a group of folks who modify their rides for mileage. This includes a heavily modified Honda Civic with a full aeroshell. I like it because these 'gear heads' turn a wrench and use engineering analysis of what they are doing.
• "Prius Technical Group" - a hard-core engineering group. Serious folks with focused attention to technical details and strong engineering practices. Without moderation, I have seen trollish postings in that forum treated with a deafening silence.
• PriusChat - vehicle specific site, I enjoy a small subset of forums such as the 2010 announcements, technical, maintenance, NHW11 and news. Pretty much these are the interesting forums.

One weirdness at PriusChat is the somewhat higher ratio of trollish behavior tolerated over there. But over time, such behavior tends to wear out the welcome. Time is not on the side of the network abusers. Happily, I'm seeing some evidence of the same approach at ecomodder, silence dealing with a troll.

One thing I'm looking forward to is restructuring and reporting past experiments over at myhybridcar.com ... I still have my data. But as would be expected, we're still chasing the normal bugs found when new software is stood up. For example, we just figured out how to do a table in a posting. I don't envy the 'to do' list that remains.

Bob Wilson

 

Thanks everyone but this will be one of my last postings. I will try to disable my moderator settings later this evening, which means I won't be able to deal with SPAM messages. Seriously, I would like to suggest some of the regular posters consider signing up for moderator duties.

If something happens in the "Bell the Hybrid" arena, it is my habit to share this with all forums. Knowledge and the truth is the best the best answer for a bad law.

Thanks again, later,
Bob Wilson

 

Sorry to see you go. You did a good job and will be missed.

 

On one hand I can see your point with the name of this place being "GreenHybrid". I personally love my hybrid so I'm all for supporting hybrids, to a point.

OTOH there are some very interesting new technologies that could end up being just as important as hybrid technology, like this +200mpg stunner:



Why limit yourself to hybrid technology?

My goal is clean, renewable, sustainable transportation/energy. Hybrids are a wonderful alternative to a standard vehicle but they sill burn foreign oil (albeit less than a standard vehicle). If other technology can lead to higher mileage or cleaner cars or reduce dependence on foreign oil why put all your eggs in the hybrid basket?

 

"They sill burn foreign oil" statement is why some of us drink alcohol blends of 20% or greater in our hybrids with surprising good results.