Sad Demise of FunkySmart Forum

[BenzComander]

Sort of Merc related, this was the first car forum I used to visit, not sure of the politics behind the closure though, but still sad as there was some great banter on there.

Letter from Dave Kaye.

" Dear Funkysmart members and Aviators.

Early this week I made a formal statement containing notice that I intentions to close funkysmart.co.uk. Since that time I have been bombarded by those who wish to thank me and the moderators for building Funkysmart and keeping it running. I would like to thank those who sent kind words.

Since making this announcement Funkysmart has turned in to the biggest online slagging match I have ever seen, watching this made me very sad, those of you who have taken part in this should be ashamed. I did say in the statement that the club would close on the 15th of this month, due to the personal attacks on me and the moderators who gave their time freely to help run funkysmart I have decided to close the club immediately.

Over the past week I have been asked many times to let funkysmart continue or hand it over for them to continue and although this will not happen I have decided that the information contained within funkysmart should be not wasted. Many of you will have heard of Smart Maniacs, Nicola Callow who founded this site has asked if she can use the topical information contained within funkysmart to enable the building of a new site with a view for Funkysmart members to taking up membership there.

In order for her to do this, she will be re-writing www.smartmaniacs.co.uk to accomodate:
A new message board,
A new technical rescource area + an area for all your photos etc. All this is going to take a few weeks to put in to place A further e-mail will be sent to you all when this has been done with a view to you joining the site freely.
There are quite a few people I would like to personally thank for whom funkysmart would have never have been so successful.

Wayne Aucock and Shell
Susie Mills
Mike Vermaak
Eric Coppin
Fudge
Matt Richards
Sam
Mike W
Simon
Jodrell & Jen

Paul holmes and Liam Wilkinson
Paul and David Murphy
Stephen and Karen Goddard

and everyone else that made a positive contribution to Funkysmart.

Best Regards
Dave Kaye
www.funkysmart.co.uk "

 

[Howard]

How sad .....

 

[smartbrabus]

It got very nasty and personal towards the end - certain members publishing PMs etc.... he did the right thing killing it early IMHO

 

[lil.smartie]

Agreed it all got very personal and nothing to do with Smarts!
Just hope that these people don't bring their attitude to other sites now. It was a good site, some thick people, ie someone complaining cos he'd been charged for 6 spark plugs and needed telling his car DID have 6!! And the fact you seem to be expected to name your car!!

Good to see Smarties sticking together and defending their friends though!

Kate

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

what was being said that was so out of order? You cant have a go at someone for wanting to spend his time doing other things???

 

[pammy]

How very sad - pity these things have to get so personal.

 

[Mambo]

Smarties

Is that the collective noun for smart car owners?

 

[smartbrabus]

what was being said that was so out of order? You cant have a go at someone for wanting to spend his time doing other things???

From what I heard - potentially libelous accusations of club funds being spent inappropriately, general dissent in the ranks about the direction the club was heading, all sorts... apart from the odd few adults, they were a most uncivilised bunch. Feel sorry for the guys who had to moderate them.

Seen this sort of thing happen many a time before, no doubt I'll see it again (but hopefully not on this forum )

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

odd to even have club funds if you ask me!

If every member here sent a pound to Sym (stuck in a card with sellotape) he may be able to get a Merc again!

 

[Shude]

odd to even have club funds if you ask me!

The forum isn't free you know, there is always someone bearing the costs.

 

[sym]

odd to even have club funds if you ask me!

If every member here sent a pound to Sym (stuck in a card with sellotape) he may be able to get a Merc again!

!!

 

[lil.smartie]

They had a shop and an optional paid membership card to get some discounts in some Smart places on servicing etc.
There was an accusation that a club/business Visa card was used to buy food at a large meet and just general backstabbing.

And yep we are known as Smarties! We run the www.swsmarties.com site for the South West lot! We have a membership card for discounts and a shop, we used the money to get a flag from www.airattractions.com for the club to use at the national meets

Kate

 

[Birdman]

Crazed Smartcar story - are they all like this?

Saw a curious scene unwind at the Dartford crossing on the QE Bridge a while back.

On the toll approach a small eurobox tore past, closely followed by a Smartcar. Eurobox dived into the first free booth; Smartcar jinked right and did the same. Thought perhaps they knew each other and were playing silly b*ggers. Wrong.

Eurobox must have fumbled his change cos when he exited the toll at full throttle Smartcar had him beat, turned hard left to cut him off and braked violently across his path. Happened so quickly Eurobox couldn't avoid T-boning him and bits of Smartcar flew everywhere. How we laughed!

Sadly, it didn't stop there and went from farcical to ugly, maybe someone's manhood was threatened. I drove off watching in the mirror while both drivers got out, Smartguy (wearing a suit!) with arms flailing, whacking the Euroboxguy around the head. He had no idea how to defend himself so went straight down. Last thing I saw Smartguy kicking the sh*t out of Deckedguy, like a Crazyguy. Not funny. Presumably all caught on camera unless they forgot to change the tape as per usual.

Never looked at Smartcar drivers quite the same after that. My manhood not threatened by driving current Smartloancar cos it has four doors and looks like a car not an egg. Which is probably where it all kicked off.

I'm sure not all Smartcarguys are prats, though.

 

[lotusmark2]

Was a very sad day when things all went belly up for Funkysmart and your right Birdman not all of us "egg" drivers are such idiots.

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

The forum isn't free you know, there is always someone bearing the costs.

and we all appreciate it!

Just seems strangew to have asystem of club fees on a forum board - which is generally a labour of love. I assume it was some sort of paypal option? would be difficult to do otherwise....?

If we all paid £2 we could get something nice! maybe a mbclub mousemat! (mines loooking shabby as i type!)

A bit unrelated but what mousemats do you all use. i'm not a big fan of the jelly wrist ones but got it *free* from work