# Why was this thread closed? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 30, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479 "2018-03-30T14:56:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/1 "2018-03-30T14:56:45Z")
Sometimes people ask a question like this and get told “PM a mod.” Well, I tried that first and got no reply. The mod in question has certainly been online since then. [Weird “You have been banned” message](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=851878) It seems a reasonable enough question to me. So: 1. Why was Airface1 banned then unbanned? Technical glitch? Or maybe he misunderstood the usual message when he tried to open a deleted spam thread. 2. why was the thread closed? 3. Why was there no answer given, beyond "All taken care of. "? 4. why no reply to my PM? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/2 "2018-03-30T15:16:21Z")
**Peter** –let me explain it. I was the moderator who accidently banned AF1. I was banning a spammer but accidently banned AF1 also. I noticed my error in a matter of 10-15 minutes and quickly undid his banning. But, in that short time he started the ATMB thread. After unbanning him, I _thought_ I responded to the ATMB thread(but I evidently didn’t) and sent him a private message telling him what happened. Later that day I noticed that I hadn’t responded in the ATMB thread, and then responded there. AS to Your PM, I don’t believe it was to me and I don’t think I sent around an explanation to the mod loop. So, most other mods would have no idea of what transpired and couldn’t tell you anything. Sorry to have messed up. **samclem** , moderator. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/3 "2018-03-30T15:19:15Z")
It’s what I figured. I get so excited banning spammers in a race to beat my fellow mods that it’s easy to get a bit click happy. Preemptive apology to **running coach.** 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/4 "2018-03-30T15:28:29Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > It’s what I figured. I get so excited banning spammers in a race to beat my fellow mods that it’s easy to get a bit click happy. Preemptive apology to **running coach.** 🙂 Yeah, when I see a thread title that doesn’t make any sense I tend to automatically assume it’s a spammer. So take care with your thread titles. That also goes for new users with names made up of random series of letters. And yeah, given that **running coach** so often posts “reported” immediately after a spammer he tends to put himself in the line of fire.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/5 "2018-03-30T15:28:31Z")
I think Sam clearly owes the poor guy a beer. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/6 "2018-03-30T15:29:51Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > It’s what I figured. I get so excited banning spammers in a race to beat my fellow mods that it’s easy to get a bit click happy. Preemptive apology to **running coach.** 🙂 That would certainly explain What Marley Did. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/7 "2018-03-30T15:49:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **samclem** : > > I was the moderator who accidently banned AF1. I was banning a spammer but accidently banned AF1 also. I noticed my error in a matter of 10-15 minutes and quickly undid his banning. But, in that short time he started the ATMB thread. Nitpick: He couldn’t have started the ATMB thread in that time, though he might have sent off an e-mail. And I figured it was probably a matter of accidentally clicking the wrong button while nuking spam, but since I didn’t know for sure, I also didn’t want to reply. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/8 "2018-03-30T16:17:57Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > That would certainly explain What Marley Did. I like the caps here. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/9 "2018-03-30T16:20:33Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > … > And I figured it was probably a matter of accidentally clicking the wrong button while nuking spam, but since I didn’t know for sure, I also didn’t want to reply. I told you guys in some other thread about that big Red Button; “oh no,” you said, “our control cockpits are SO good,” you said. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-this-thread-closed/811479/10 "2018-03-30T16:45:28Z")
That makes sense, Sam. Thanks for the reply.