SFR Google Group Rules Updates
Jim Gourgoutis
Hello All,
Per recent discussions and feedback, it has become apparent that there is room for improvement regarding the SFR Google Group Rules. After conferring with Rob and the SFR Board, I am clarifying these points:
- In the past, we have interchangeably used the terms guidelines and rules when referring to group member expectations. This has caused confusion -- going forward we will call these rules.
- We have updated Rule 3 to hopefully be more clear. It now reads: We do not allow scammers and spammers. Private sales between members are OK (e.g. buying/selling used bikes). Also allowed is active SFR-member run small businesses advertising their wares to the group, provided that they are bicycle/randonneuring related services. Do not join and post to this group with the sole purpose of selling something (or for fundraising). If your first post is a for-sale or fundraising post, you will be immediately removed from this group.
- Finally, while it is not a new rule and the wording remains unchanged, we want to highlight Rule 5: To help build randonneuring community, please be sure to sign your posts with your real name. If you are uncomfortable posting your full name, you may use first name and last initial.
The following introductory text lives on the main SFR Google Groups page. I realize not everyone might have seen it -- especially if you mainly interact with the group via email -- so I am including it here.
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Welcome to the official group of the San Francisco Randonneurs (SFR) cycling club, serving as a network, forum, and information hub to encourage and faciliate bicycle cyclo-touring and randonneuring activities in and around San Francisco, California!
This list is for discussions of routes, equipment, weather, rides, etc. -- to further the enjoyment of randonneuring, facilitate our own interpersonal connections as members of SFR and/or RUSA, and to encourage others to join us on our rides. SFR is a volunteer-based club – the people who contribute to the smooth running of the club, maintain the club calendar, ensure route accuracy, coordinate the staffed controls for our rides, and administer the email list and website all do so on a volunteer basis. The SFR mailing list is open to anyone with an interest in cycling. You need not be an SFR or RUSA member to subscribe.
Group Rules:
1. Participants are expected to be civil and respectful towards each other, SFR volunteers, RUSA officials, and anyone else participating in our branch of randonneuring.
2. Inflammatory/disparaging personal remarks, off-topic posts, and unsolicited commercial email (spam) will not be tolerated and should not be posted to the group.
3. We do not allow scammers and spammers. Private sales between members are OK (e.g. buying/selling used bikes). Also allowed is active SFR-member run small businesses advertising their wares to the group, provided that they are bicycle/randonneuring related services. Do not join and post to this group with the sole purpose of selling something (or for fundraising). If your first post is a for-sale or fundraising post, you will be immediately removed from this group.
4. Promoting ridership in club events -- which fosters community and relationship-building -- is a core principle of randonneuring. The regional randonneuring clubs go to great lengths to avoid running conflicting events in order to be inclusive of both ridership and respect for the volunteers who put a lot of time and energy into hosting brevets. In order to avoid conflict when announcing a non-SFR group ride, it is good etiquette to first check the calendar and then to include "please reply off list" in your message.
5. To help build randonneuring community, please be sure to sign your posts with your real name. If you are uncomfortable posting your full name, you may use first name and last initial.
At the discretion of the group administrators, non-compliance with these rules may result in either a private warning or immediate removal/banning from the group.
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Thank you!
-James Gourgoutis
SFR Google Group Admin