# Ban question **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 21, 2007, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842 "2007-03-21T09:03:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Hildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@Johnny\_Hildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Hildo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/1 "2007-03-21T09:03:25Z")
I’ve been observing the badchad drama and I was wondering: If a person pays for a subscription and then gets banned, are the banned users given a pro-rated cash refund or is all of that troll gold swallowed up forever? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/2 "2007-03-21T09:30:22Z")
As I understand it, there’s no refund, but that’s about the same as it would be if, say, you paid to enter a theme park, then got thrown out for flinging poo at the kids on the teacup ride. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/3 "2007-03-21T11:21:56Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny Hildo] I’ve been observing the badchad drama and I was wondering: If a person pays for a subscription and then gets banned, are the banned users given a pro-rated cash refund or is all of that troll gold swallowed up forever? Just curious. [/QUOTE] That’s covered in the [Agreement,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=347160) which you should have read before registering. No, I’m not gonna spoonfeed it to you. Go read the Agreement now. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/4 "2007-03-21T12:54:07Z")
**Johnny** , don’t mind Lynn’s tone, she’s always that way. Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, and we hope you have a good time here. Banning of paying members is not common, and usually involves a major infraction, and certainly involves multiple warnings and repeated misbehavior. In most cases, there’s a short period of suspension – a “time out” as little kids are told – and people are able to control themselves in the future. In addition, we have an internal check-and-balance system to prevent any emotional influences from affecting the decision (for instance, I’m the one who handled **badchac** , rather than some of the mods with whom he’d had altercations.) Usually, our problem is that we’re too lenient with misbehaviors by paying members, extending “benefit of the doubt” long after there’s any serious doubt. And, it should be noted, if we did make an error or misunderstand a situation, we can always un-do a banning. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/5 "2007-03-21T13:08:56Z")
[QUOTE=Lynn Bodoni] That’s covered in the [Agreement,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=347160) which you should have read before registering. [/QUOTE] Kind of like the words under Johnny’s name, which some might suggest you should have read before posting 😉 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/6 "2007-03-21T13:16:05Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] … Usually, our problem is that we’re too lenient with misbehaviors by paying members, extending “benefit of the doubt” long after there’s any serious doubt. [/QUOTE] That’s for sure. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/7 "2007-03-21T13:22:51Z")
[QUOTE=Princhester] Kind of like the words under Johnny’s name, which some might suggest you should have read before posting 😉 [/QUOTE] Guests must agree to, and are subject to the Agreement, same as Members. Which you would have known, yada yada… ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/8 "2007-03-21T14:47:21Z")
Aw, cut him some slack. He hasn’t had to go through the registration process since he signed up more than six years ago. And when you get to be his age, y’know, the ol’ memory gets shaky. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/9 "2007-03-21T15:19:57Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] **Johnny** , don’t mind Lynn’s tone, she’s always that way. [/QUOTE] Are you kidding? That was downright pleasant. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/10 "2007-03-21T17:01:26Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] As I understand it, there’s no refund, but that’s about the same as it would be if, say, you paid to enter a theme park, then got thrown out for flinging poo at the kids on the teacup ride. [/QUOTE] I’m glad I read your post prior to going to Kings Dominion. Man, I would have looked like an ass demanding my money back. Hm…Looks like there’s no reason to go to KD anymore… ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/11 "2007-03-21T17:22:55Z")
[QUOTE=Meatros] I’m glad I read your post prior to going to Kings Dominion. Man, I would have looked like an ass demanding my money back. Hm…Looks like there’s no reason to go to KD anymore… [/QUOTE] Small price to pay to fling poo at the teacups… ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/12 "2007-03-21T18:12:37Z")
[QUOTE=if6was9] Small price to pay to fling poo at the teacups… [/QUOTE] Amen to that. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-question/396842/13 "2007-03-22T03:29:37Z")
[QUOTE=if6was9] Small price to pay to fling poo at the teacups… [/QUOTE] But can you read the leaves at the bottom?