Opinion on opinions of other’s cars.

[NitroDann]

You would be hard pressed to insult me Hayden.

Number one, I dont know you well enough.

Number 2, i would take it as critique, not an insult.

Number 3, because you werent blunt, I have no idea where you are going with your comment.



Dann

[Mr nanotech]

I went with number 1. Number 2 doesnt phase me and neither do only negative comments. The way i feel is that i see my own car a certain way. There are things i love and things i hate about it. But at the end of the day it makes me happy. To me that is all that honestly matters. Thats why 1 and 2 dont worry me. I built my car for me, however i love getting feedback. The way i see critique is that you can only see so much through your own eyes. They filter out a lot of things and often it requires someone else to bring them to light before you notice. I feel thats how we grow. That said, if i feel strongly about something and someone has a difference of opinion... i see no reason to get offended since words are just words. We are all entitled to our own opinions.
If this all makes no sense, its because im tired and at work... cramming some cartalk into my break lol

[91 Malibu]

I went option 2 because I don't give a crap what people think of my car or how they word it. I do what makes me happy, I am not doing things because most of the sheep are doing the same thing or because it has a high profile name. If someone wants to point out a better option or a better way I could have done something I will take it on board & change it if I agree with it, then I will thank them for their imput.It does however give you a good feeling when you get positive responses to what (little) I have done.

[PaulF]

I ALWAYS ask for the most blunt honest feedback possible.

I wrote something, but don't wish to be insulting. Basically peoples online approach differs to IRL.

Dann's approach in real life is exactly the same as what he stated in his first post. He's constantly looking for negative feedback on his ideas, his fabrication etc because he wants to improve.


91 Malibu: I understand what you're saying, but I think that wording negative feedback in a rude way is simply unnecessary. Everyone should be capable of effectively expressing their opinions in a polite way - or they should at least try.

[PeterB]

1. but Honest Informed/Relevant feedback.

Simple negative feedback is pointless (eg that wing looks stupid), whereas an informed constructive comment (eg I can see what you are doing with your abc, but have you thought about xyz because it may work better for this reason) is usually well received.

Relevant, because if you are building a budget race car (like mine) that looks rough but works OK, saying it looks like crap means nothing and is pointless as it is not intended to be a show car. However advice on performance (a better exhaust would help because I have tried efg and got more killerwasps) is much appreciated from someone who has some experience in setting up a car. However, if I turned up at a concourse then everyone is welcome to say how crap it looks.

I received many comments that Fanta was an ugly looking race car (and many of how tough it looked), particularly the front spoiler, but few on how I could improve it's performance. They were happily received from anyone who could beat a 1.09 at Wakefield Park, but laughed off from anyone who only saw the front as I swept past them. I didn't care how it looked, only if it made the car faster !!!

[BadBong]

Good on you Kansei for bringing this topic up cause it's about time we have a civilized discussion about this.

I know there're several train of thoughts on how feedback should be given AND taken on a forum like ours:

1) You posted it online so it's open slater for people to comment. The poster should take whatever he/she gets.
2) It's hard to accurately gauge what a poster meant if he/she doesn't make it clear (or sometimes referred to as blunt).
3) Why can't we get the same point across but in a more positive & constructive manner?

Personally, I'm appalled by the number of times an OP is hijacked by clashing personalities having a go at each other at everyone else's expense. Before you know it, the thread is already up to its 3rd page full of irrelevant posts and the mods are forced to spend another 30mins to clean the mess up.

A bit of empathy and respect can go a long way.

If you've got some constructive feedback to give that would help everyone (current users and future searches) then post them.

If you've got something that might sound a bit controversial but is still useful, use a PM.

If you just want to share your opinion (and everyone's entitled to it as this is a public forum) use some empathy and think of a way that would be receptive to the OP. If it's responding to a post from Dann, then you know you can be (more) blunt, otherwise, just treat others like how you would like to be treated.

[Apu]

Great points Vic.

I think even if you want to be direct, there's a difference:

1. "That's really ugly!"
2. "You're an effing idiot for putting that ugly thing on"

One is a very honest, direct comment and the other is a personal attack. I can handle (1) but I'd take offence to (2).

Of course, we've seen situations where (1) was received as (2)...

[93_Clubman]

I’ve noticed now it seems that people tend to only want to hear good things, anything non positive seems to be unwanted.

Indeed, & as a result we're not doing expectation management anymore, which has flow on issues of its own when people are suddenly confronted by the gap between the way things are said to be & the way things are.

[Rocky]

As a member of the 'Old Fart's Club' I would have to say that my life experience is that people rarely if ever want the truth or negative feedback of any kind. I always look for something about it that I like and then I can make a genuinely positive comment.
People often ask loaded questions such as "What do you think of the new Mazda 3?" Answer - I think it's ugly. Response "What do you mean ugly - I just bought one and I think it's beautiful".
If I knew that I would say "they have a strong motor and a good gearshift".
I don't welcome comments on my car because I really don't care what anyone else thinks. I was the one who put the dollars on the barrel head.

[Basho]

I realy don't give a furry rats what people think of my car but if they must voice/write comments I would request they be polite.

[ampz]

just treat others like how you would like to be treated.

Quoted for emphasis.

Happy to be criticised in person, don't really care much if it's over the net...

Not that I'm on much nowadays

[Mr Morlock]

the overwhelming response is actually the last option.