sooooo what happened to seilerbird???

I say he's peaking over our shoulders, right now. His name is on the roster of current members on line.

Hi, Tom.  ;D

RV Roamer said:

The message boards have been a bit tough on him lately - first the WD40 jokes and then the engine braking argument discussion.  The internet tends to de-personalize things, and all of us need to keep in  mind that our opponents in any discussion are human beings too.  They have feelings as well as opinions. Without face-to-face contact, it is tempting to be harsh and scathing, even in jest.  ??? 

Disagree to your hearts content, but avoid belittling another's opinion, no matter how far off base you think it may be.
A good rule of thumb is "don't say anything you would not say if the same discussion were happening around a group campfire".

Click to expand...

I don't care about the internet jibber-jabber, I like that guy and his antics. He needs to to get back on the site.
J

this is better than Henry the 8th on HBO


He will return to the castle and have all beheaded, except Lady Mary.  No texting though... LOL.



I need to get some sleep... this stuff on late night tv is amazing.

I must admit I am shocked anyone even noticed I was gone. I wish to thank everyone for their kind words that have been posted in this thread.

Hi Tom.....i started the thread and i meant what i said..........i miss your comments......good, bad, funny and sad.......it sounds like you have made up your mind to go......

i apologize if i somehow i have made things worse........it sure wasn't what i had in mind..........

my recommendation for any conversation that gets a little out of hand is to send a private note  and settle the problem off the forum..................

thanks for all the info that you have given.........and if i can, i will try to keep up with your travels and fantastic pictures...

Don 

Seilerbird,
I'm so sorry. All I have to say is I have been on this forum for about a year. You have given me such good advice.
You have been so patient with me during my process of buying my Camera and lens. If I could have I would have driven up to the Grand Canyon when you offered lessons to anyone. I think that you are a very giving person and Thank You for that. I hope that you do stay with this forum but I do understand and I hope this will wake a lot of people up. Also in the beginning of joining one person had jumped on me for my spelling, I was hurt and thought about leaving (I know that my grammer is not the best) Then so many people including the staff said something to him he never did apologized but I thought there is always going to be someone that dose not think about other peoples feelings and I'm glad that I did stay! Oh it was Betty and Wendy who came to my rescue! Thanks girls! I do spell Check now!

Tom (Sellerbird) I noticed immediately that you were insulted and I cannot say I blame you I followed the WD-40 post as well as the engine brake thing and I can honestly say that you had every right to feel insulted.  I was also going to post to remind people that you had not joined in since the engine brake post but I really wanted to see if anyone noticed you had signed off...Well they noticed and I absolutely agree with Gary who is the most diplomatic person on this forum and he always gives his opinion but like you said in your last post he does not make a bad statement about other's opinions.  I enjoyed your posts which were amongst the very few posts that brought smiles to my face.  In "my opinion" I don't think this forum gives others the right to belittle and insult people who may have a difference of opionion with others.  I just wanted to say that I do miss reading your posts but completely understand why you have exited..

Seilerbird,

I just finished reading Guitars & WD40 and you seemed to give as good as or better than you got.  The drummer jokes were great.

I for one hope you don't leave the forum.  I enjoy reading your posts.

This has been an outstanding post if for no other reason than to bring to our collective attention how important it is to keep our comments constructive and non-personal.

Seilerbird, I for one would like to have you back.

Orick said:

  This has been an outstanding post if for no other reason than to bring to our collective attention how important it is to keep our comments constructive and non-personal.

Click to expand...

Tom,

I too have missed seeing you on this forum.  However I must make a couple of comments about your return post.  Bear in mind it is not my intention to stir any pot here, but I cannot sit idly by without saying anything at all.

First, there was no reason to say "I almost made a mistake and called her a lady..."  I thought that was uncalled for.  Perhaps a bit more tact on her part as well as yours would have gone a long way.

Second, you mention in your post that somebody put a smiley face after a remark "to somehow justify saying something nasty about me."  This from the man who misread something I wrote and called my remarks nasty because I did not put a smiley face after what I said (I generally do not use smiley faces).  It is SO VERY EASY to misread the typed word here, we must all remember that.

As for the WD40 jokes, it's just human nature to rib somebody when they show an area that can be so easily manipulated as a source of humor.  But you're an intelligent man, wouldn't it be easier (and better for all involved) to jab back instead of shutting down?  I've seen you be quite quick with a snappy comeback and after all, the jokes were just that, jokes.

What I'm trying to say Tom is that we all need to be a little thick-skinned, have a sense of humor about us, treat each other with respect, and not be so easily riled.  I firmly believe that this is the friendliest place on the net for RVers, I've been in other forums and left them due to a highly visible lack of respect amongst members.  This place is not like that.

That said, welcome back.

Ive never been one to mince words,, Tom,, suck it up and stop being a baby,,, grow some hair>>> :  (ohh err I forgot your hair has slowed to a crawl)

Thank you for coming back, Tom, and for explaining why you left.  I hope this will be a constructive experience for my favorite forum.

I do feel compelled to defend my friend, Ardra, who is a women I definitely consider to be a LADY.  A very bright, talented, well informed lady, at that.  She didn't insult you by stating that she wouldn't like to be in front of you on a steep downhill grade.  She has the right to decide whom she feels comfortable being in front of on such a grade.  She drives their rig perhaps even more than Jerry does.  She knows what she's talking about and has a right to her opinion.  She has contributed much knowledge and many tactful informed suggestions to this forum over the last fifteen years of the forum's evolution.

That said, I'm very glad you're back.  I've enjoyed your posts very much and particularly enjoyed your photos.

Margi

Very interesting.  Tom, you are an excellent photographer, and you give constructive criticism.  For that I admire you. 

I will say this, you can certainly give it out.  Most of what I have seen tossed has been matched by you, so if sensitive, be sensitive in return.  Not trying to pile on, just point out as a few others have, that you reap what you sow.  Look back at your postings over the last year and feel the receiving end.  I have given jou some jabs, but felt they were back and forth type events, I get ribbed from time to time, I rib with the best or at least the rest, but I take it all with a grain of salt.  Knowing that the internet is not a face to face, I figure if they sound like they are =being mean, it usually isn't meant that way.

If you leave, you leave, sorry to see you go, but if you stay, realize that the tone one posts in can be echoed.

Hi Tom S,

I saw your message and am truly sorry that my comment was the final straw that drove you away.  I too have enjoyed your many posts and your extraordinary photos.  That said, most of us (including me) have been ?shot down? at one time or another, however, none of us want to see people leave the RV Forum.

As to my specific comments, the seminar to which I was referring included the designers of the braking systems.  They explained why they made some of the decisions they made and, yes, how to most effectively use their systems.  They are not trying to sell us their product because many of us already own their systems and attend because we want to learn how to get the most benefit out of them.  I happen to believe that is a good thing.

As to the Jake Brake and our discussion on mountain driving, let me give you an example of why I use it.  The other day we came over the Siskiyou Pass from Oregon into California.  This is a very long six percent grade.  At the top of the mountain I put on the Jake Brake and kept it on until I got to more level ground, a distance of about seven or more miles.  I?ve driven this grade many times and try to keep my speed at the truck speed limit of 50 mph or below.  I know from experience that taking my foot off the Jake makes the speed increase very quickly and it?s difficult to get it back down without using my service brakes which I prefer to save for emergencies.  If I didn?t use the Jake Brake constantly and steadily the 40,000 pound motorhome and the 4,000 pound car would soon be flying down that mountain and I?d be a danger not only to myself, but to everyone else because I wouldn?t be able to stop in an emergency.  This would be the case even if I manually downshifted to lower gears as you advocated, but the Jake Brake slows our coach much better than downshifting.  Even using the Jake constantly I still needed to tap my service brakes about three times because I was gaining too much speed for my comfort level.  Judging by the fact that the truckers? brake lights also were on the whole time, the truckers must feel the same as me.

We?ve been driving motorhomes for 38 years, 11 of them with diesel pushers and, like you, mainly in the West.  I believe I have enough experience of my own to comment on such things.  I certainly never meant to sound like I was belittling you because I disagree with what you said.  And, just so you know, I would have told you the same thing had we had been speaking face-to-face.  I too believe we have to be careful how we phrase the written word when that?s the only thing the reader ?hears/sees.?

Tom, I apologize if I angered you.  We do enjoy your posts and hope you?ll stay with us.

ArdraF

Good explanation, Ardra.  I just want to point out that at 44,000 lbs. your car and motorhome combination is in the same league as some of the big rig trucks on the road.  A tractor weighs anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 lbs depending on it's sleeper size, etc. and a 40 ft. box trailer weighs somewhere around 10,000 - 12,000 lbs empty.

In fact, you're probably approaching the weight of some of the loaded trucks.  The maximum highway weight is 80,000 lbs in most states, but relatively few trucks carry that much weight all of the time.    Their trailer may not be full, or they may be carrying light but bulky items that don't load it to the maximum weight.

Just to add a little to the braking conversation, one must remember there is no back pressure on a diesel engine. If one downshifts a diesel it will start to approach the red line over a short period of time. When that happens, the transmission will upshift causing the rig to start racing down hill. An engine brake/jake brake is the only way to keep the speed down without using the service brakes. I, too, like to reserve them for a real emergency. We have over 87,000 miles on our coach and the brake liners are still in great shape.

Please, let us NOT re-open the engine braking debate again, at least not in this thread!  The previous disagreement is a major piece of what got us here.

Tom,

I am a really new kid here, but you are my favorite poster!  Please don't leave.  You have provided us with some excellent advice and i enjoy what you have to say.  Forums can sometimes have problems like this because, as with any group dynamic, familiarity can lead to thoughtlessness.  We must all realize that it is often difficult to determine a poster's true intentions, because we are missing visual cues and tone of voice; the things that make digital conversations harder than face to face, or even phone conversations.

Don't leave, Tom. :'( We haven't bought our motor home yet and I know there will be lots of areas where we will need your expertise.

Ray and Jean 

ArdraF said:

Hi Tom S,

Tom, I apologize if I angered you.  We do enjoy your posts and hope you?ll stay with us.

ArdraF

Click to expand...

I accept your apology and I apologize for my remark.

Tom

PancakeBill said:

you can certainly give it out.  Most of what I have seen tossed has been matched by you,

Click to expand...

Yes I can, but I never ever throw the first punch. I always do it in defense.