# Yet another pre-emptive move to the pit **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 23, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-pre-emptive-move-to-the-pit/522365 "2009-12-23T20:32:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 77
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-pre-emptive-move-to-the-pit/522365/77 "2009-12-27T06:30:50Z")
Mods should moderate and maintain order. That means keeping discussions in non-Pit threads civil and on point. If an OP wants a civil discussion, the OP will not start a Pit thread but instead will elect to put the thread in a forum where civil discussions may be had. Mods moving threads to the Pit just because the Mod feels the subject matter of the thread or a post in a thread is pitworthy is an abuse of power. People start and post in non-Pit threads with an expectation of civility and with an expectation that such civility will be maintained and even enforced by Mods. If other members feel a thread or post is pitworthy, then those members are free to start a Pit thread. If a Mod feels a thread or post is pit-worthy, then the Mod should start a Pit thread. If there is a rule against that, then change the rule, accept the rule as a condition of being a Mod, or don’t be a Mod. * * * [EXHIBIT 2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=460851&highlight=turn+signal+bearflag70) **blondebear** started a turn signal thread once in the IMHO forum, wondering why people don’t use turn signals all the time. Expecting a civil discussion on point, I admitted I don’t use turn signals if I don’t see other people around. No posts had been pit-worthy in that thread. A few non-pitworthy posts later, the Moderator does this… > [@People don't use turn signals because...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/17): > > Moving thread from IMHO to The BBQ Pit. > > 1. Because you aren’t going to always see the other driver. > 2. Sometimes cop _hide_, believe it or not. > 3. It’s a damn good habit to get into-it should be an automatic response. > 4. You’re no better than anybody else, asshole. After the move to the Pit, I ended up at the bottom of a huge vitriolic dogpile when I should have just abandoned the thread immediately. More relevant posts… > [@People don't use turn signals because...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/59): > > Moved to The BBQ Pit because of the very first post, not because I wanted to make that comment. > [@People don't use turn signals because...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/145): > > I’m sure that everyone here recognizes that Czarcasm was completely inappropriate when he moved the thread so obviously. Just so you know, I truly doubt anyone puts much stock in that thread,Cz. Your moving it was out of the blue and calling someone an asshole kind of spelled it out., > [@People don't use turn signals because...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/148): > > Yup. > > When I first responded to this thread, it was in IMHO. If the OP had opened the thread in the Pit, then I probably would have refrained from responding at all because I would have known in advance the OP sought a bitch session instead of a poll or a desire for gaining a better understanding of human behavior. In hindsight, as soon as the thread was moved to the Pit, I should have abandoned it instead of getting sucked into defending against ad homenim attacks and strawmen. > > No more traffic threads for me, regardless of the forum, unless I don’t engage in offending driving practice that is the subject of the thread. If the thread is started as a valid pursuit of knowledge in some other forum, I can just wait; surely it will end up in the Pit where I can just sit on my perch and throw stones at anyone who admitted engaging in the offending behavior. > > I guess fighting ignorance sometimes must yield to a mod’s desire to berate a poster for doing something IRL the mod doesn’t like. > > Thanks to all who came to my defense. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-pre-emptive-move-to-the-pit/522365)._