I have been a member of this forum for many year, supported it, even covered the costs for a couple of months in memory of my father and stepmother.
ok, been on the naughty step more than once, but I call a shovel a spa*e, and some don't like that.
their generation vs mine.
several incarnations, class 37025 / redcap 244 / Browning 9mm, much work for mods, but overall I  enjoyed the forum.
only 'screwed' once by a member, who bought a 3 car cl101 off me, complained it didn't work [it did before sending] and I refunded his money, and when the set returned to me I found out why it didn't work.../.
the PCB had been removed.
there is always one bad apple, put it down to experience..
but a few months ago I met up with a member who had had several items from me with no problems over several years,
and no, it was not @Trainfish of Hickstead fame.
he took a number of items off me, on the basis of 'let me know what they are worth to you and we'll do a deal' [yes, stupid I know, but I thought I could trust him]
included were some ACE 1/72 mk.6 crash tender models he was going to build for me.
we also discussed him applying his skills to converting a couple of BPM Saracens into the water cannon version, and I  ordered them and had them sent direct to him.
I had a couple of payments from him, then silence.
PM'd - no response
then saw he was no longer logged on on the forum.
phoned him - no reply
e-mailed - no reply
posted on here to see if anyone had any news of him - no reply
even snail-mailed his last address in the hope it would reach him - no response
so, now, several £100s of quid down, no way of recovering items, and feeling truly shafted.

and I wonder, is this the way things are going, is it worth staying on the forum, or am I going to get screwed again in the future ?

at my age, do I need this aggro, when my natural response would be a 9mm between the eyes, if I could find the scrote ?

so, perhaps it is time I logged off, for good, for the sake of the mods, and my sanity.

Quote from: Browning 9mm on August 01, 2023, 04:08:28 PMposted on here to see if anyone had any news of him - no reply

I don't recall seeing any post about this, Alan. Could you please post it again, assuming you have to name him or no one will know whom you seek.
As for you leaving the forum - that would mean all us Mods being made redundant!
All I would say is - please don't

General Discussion / craig @exmouthcraig
June 25, 2023, 12:15:09 PM
has anyone had any contact with Craig recently ?

hasn't been on the forum since 16th May, and I have e-mailed him at work, and then phoned him, but only voicemail.

yeah I know, who'd want to answer the phone to me or HB.

just a bit worried if he is ok, with him working on roofing.

regards
alan

oh Mick,
I didn't know you cared 

There have always been w@nkers out there. I've been burned recently myself by someone else. You do get enormously disheartened when it happens, but give yourself a break. Take some time off, but just remember that this is not worth giving up a hobby you love, for.

It may be that Craig has had some sort of extenuating situation that nobody is aware of, it can happen, and maybe he'll be able to make good at some point. Sure, don't hold your breath, but given the events of my last year I can confirm that such things do sometimes befall people and they'll try to fix things eventually.

Besides that, don't give in. If there are a-holes who drive all the good people away, all that will be left are the a-holes...   Just look at Twitter!

SO. NEVER. LET. THEM. WIN.

Ross.

I realise how and why you feel hard done by Alan, but HB, (and yourself), would be missed. Sleep on it - the bed, not HB! 

Addit:
Ross @RBTKraisee makes a good point. We need 'good ones' to vastly outnumber the 'bad ones'.

Don't leave us Alan. You are the last bastion of political incorrectness.

If you go we will be overun by ...................I don't know what

Evening Alan,

We've both been acquainted with the aforementioned step from time to time, we've shared a virtual Jaffa cake & a 'NATO' and we've even had a small 'deal' on some ballast weights.

I'm sorry you've been stitched up. I know the person in question was having a bit of a rough time, but that's no excuse for his behaviour.

Personally I'd rather you stuck around. I like a bit of common sense & 'tell it like it is', keeps everyone grounded. So, please think long and hard about disappearing. By all means have some time out periods, but don't vanish completely. Your occasional posts on your modelling of all sorts, and especially the HB pics are always welcome.

Best regards,

Michael.

thank you for all your comments, much appreciated.

HB has had a 'talk' to me which very much sounded like

'pull yourself together, man up, and get on with it.... you've always got me'

guess we know which end of the lead has the common sense 

guess I'd better lay in a stock of jaffa cakes and coffee pods, in case, and get a grip.

thank you

Dogs do have a lot of common sense and understanding   

Ok, if you ignore my Antipodean silliness, I assume you're staying with us?

I'd miss your jokes!

Quote from: Browning 9mm on August 02, 2023, 08:48:15 AMthank you for all your comments, much appreciated.

HB has had a 'talk' to me which very much sounded like

'pull yourself together, man up, and get on with it.... you've always got me'

guess we know which end of the lead has the common sense 

guess I'd better lay in a stock of jaffa cakes and coffee pods, in case, and get a grip.

thank you

You little beggar, you never said you had coffee pods!

oop's 

lattee actually 
guess I'd better get another pack, just in case

Quote from: Browning 9mm on August 02, 2023, 10:25:40 AMoop's 

lattee actually 
guess I'd better get another pack, just in case

Errr..., flat white...?

on the shopping list