Hot rod forums under attack!

[Centerline]

I just wanted to let everyone on this board know what's happening over on HotRodders.com. The site administrator and several others wrote a wiki article exposing Streetbeast's record of poor customer service and past legal troubles. This was done to provide the novice street rodder backgound information so someone considering purchasing a "kit car" can make an informed decision. Everything was supported with court documents that are available on line and part of the public record.

Streetbeast, not wanting the truth to be publicized, promptly filed a law suit against the site administrator and is trying to take the wiki and possibly the entire forum down. This is an assault to everyone's free speech rights.

The results of this law suit will have an effect on all internet forums. If Streetbeast wins, then none of us will feel free to voice our opinions about a manufacturer's product without the threat of a law suit. Jon, HotRodders.com's administrator has decided to fight this ridiculous attempt to infringe our 1st Amendment Rights. When you can, please take a minute to visit HotRodders.com and post you're support for the cause.

Thanks.

[hotroddaddy]

You beat me to it! I think this could be a bad thing for our forums if they win.

[Dave Severson]

Not so much sure it's about 1st amendment rights or about malicious slander..... Expressing an opinion is one thing, but attacking a manufacturer based solely on others opinion of the company's quality is quite another..... Not sticking up for Streetbeasts, but in this day and age you can sue anybody for anything. Whether right or wrong, it's going to cost everyone involved a bunch of money.... IMO the site administrator showed a lot of irresponsibility in putting his attack in writing. When you do things like that, you'd better be ready to back it up in court!!!!!!

[Itoldyouso]

I personally hope they take Jon to the cleaners for every cent he has.....he is my very least favorite person in the world, bar none. He hides behind his little computer and libels people all the time, and I am surprised some of them haven't sued his little whiney a** a long time ago, or grabbed him by his geeky neck and taught him a lesson.

He did the same thing to Coker Tire over NOTHING, and suggested Corky Coker was everything including a pedophyle. I spoke to Corky and he was at a loss to understand why he was being singled out, and when I suggested he have his Attorneys contact Jon he simply said he wanted it to go away instead.

Jon is a spineless wimp, and I had him ban me from that forum because of the malicious attacks he was spearheading toward Corky. Jon somehow linked Coker Tire to Gas Monkey Garage and was out to destroy them. I can't wait to see the outcome of this suit, I think I'll break open that special bottle of Old Grandad I've been saving for just such an occasion.

Jon does NOT do these attacks to inform and protect others, he does it because he is the kid who everybody kicked the h*** out of in school and he can now hide behind a keyboard and be Mr. Toughguy.

Ask me how I really feel about Mr. Jon.

Don

[hotrodtrux]

Thats too bad. I guess in the future I have to keep my opinions to myself. Only one man can solve this..... Denny Crane

[Centerline]

Not so much sure it's about 1st amendment rights or about malicious slander..... Expressing an opinion is one thing, but attacking a manufacturer based solely on others opinion of the company's quality is quite another..... Not sticking up for Streetbeasts, but in this day and age you can sue anybody for anything. Whether right or wrong, it's going to cost everyone involved a bunch of money.... IMO the site administrator showed a lot of irresponsibility in putting his attack in writing. When you do things like that, you'd better be ready to back it up in court!!!!!!

I respectfully disagree. This was not an attack. It is a collection of information supplied by several people (including some Streetbeast employees) on the history of Streetbeast, including the fact that the company under one of its previous names (Classic Motor Carriages) had been closed down by the Florida Attorney General's office and plead guilty to fraud. Yes there are some "opinions" included in the wiki article that bring Streetbeast's product quality and customer service into question, but all other information is completely documented and is indisputable.

If Streetbeast wins this suit no forum will be safe from frivolous law suits. Manufacturers will feel free to file suit against any forum who's discussions about their product aren't to their liking. These suits typically have little merit but are designed to shut down honest discussions and individual's opinions. This is an affront to everyone's free speech rights and the outcome will have an effect on every discussion forum, automotive or otherwise and needs to be supported in any way we can.

[Centerline]

..........Jon is a spineless wimp, and I had him ban me from that forum ............

Typical attitude from someone who was banned for violating the rules. If you didn't like the rules over there then why did you agree to them when you registered???

[Dave Severson]

Expressing one's own opinion and presenting information as fact is two entirely different things....

My point is, when someone or a company puts an attack in writing against someone else's company, they should realize that a possible result could be a law suit.... Guess I don't see where this would possibly have any effect on a forum where individuals present a personal opinion or state their preference of one product over another....

Main thing is what I said before, when someone or a group of individuals present their dislike of a companies product and attempt to make it look like facts rather then opinions a lawsuit is always a possiblity..... The final outcome will IMO have little if any effect on a public forum that is ran in a responsible manner....

[Itoldyouso]

I bet Jon's wetting his Doctor Dentons right now!!!!! Wait til Supa Roosta hears about this, he and I got ourselves banned together over the Coker Tire thing.........Supa is gonna love this one.

Don

[Dave Severson]

Typical attitude from someone who was banned for violating the rules. If you didn't like the rules over there then why did you agree to them when you registered???

Curious to know what "rules" Don violated???? If standing up for Cory Coker who has made available more products for Hot Rodders than any forum ever will, then I guess I'd better stay off that forum, too.....

[hotroddaddy]

I did not read any of it, i saw it on another forum. I lurked over there shortly along time ago, but did not like the vibe.

I cant say whether it was opinion or false accusations, but i feel if they win it will open the door for slander lawsuits on all these forums. We all have opinions of company`s we`ve dealt with.

I must stand up for Don! He is a very down to earth guy! If he has a beef with that forum im willing to bet he has good reason! Ive been with him on quite a few forums, and he has never disrespected anybody`s opinions, or taken sides.

[Dave Severson]

I did not read any of it, i saw it on another forum. I lurked over there shortly along time ago, but did not like the vibe.

I cant say whether it was opinion or false accusations, but i feel if they win it will open the door for slander lawsuits on all these forums. We all have opinions of company`s we`ve dealt with.

Expressing an opinion won't get you sued.......Trying to present it as irrefutable fact and using it as the basis to slander a company does open the door to possible litigation.... Don't really see where this could change anything on a public forum where the opinions expressed are those of an individual and not an attack by the forum itself..... In plain language, I seriously doubt that Edelbrock will sue me if I say that I prefer AFR heads.....

[hotroddaddy]

I see your point Dave. Like i said i did not read it so i cant speculate, i just hope your right.

[Itoldyouso]

Typical attitude from someone who was banned for violating the rules. If you didn't like the rules over there then why did you agree to them when you registered???

I have no beef with you personally, Centerline, but I feel I should set you straight on the facts. I ASKED to be banned. Jon and I had some conversations both on the forum and in PM's, and he basically told me he did not want me to leave, but I told him how I felt about the libel he was spewing about Coker Tire, and that I WANTED him to ban me, so he did. The only "rules" I violated were the ones that says Jon is God and no one should question what he hath spoken.

BS, I say, when he uses a forum for his personal attacks because some clowns from the Gas Monkey Garage posted some pictures of themselves in thongs, and he took it way over the edge to start attacking Coker because a cousin of Coker happened to buy a car from the Gas Monkey Garage. He got in over his head in that battle and didn't know how to get out gracefully, or was too dumb to know when to get out.

Thank you for warning us that we may be opening ourselves to charges of libel for anything we may post, but put your fears to rest, freedom of speech is still alive and well in America. However, the right to defame others with untrue statements is not protected by law.

Now to crack open that bottle of Old Grandad and toast Jon !!


Don

[Centerline]

I have no beef with you personally, Centerline, but I feel I should set you straight on the facts. I ASKED to be banned.........

Then you were not banned. Simply asking to be banned will not get you banned. Jon does not remove people from the ranks just because they ask to be removed. You left because you and Jon had a disagreement about Coker tire, Discovery Chanel, SEMA, and they're stealth internet advertising campaign involving Gas Monkey Garage, which by the way Jon won. It was your choice to leave but yet you blame Jon because he disagreed with your take on it.

However, the right to defame others with untrue statements is not protected by law.

OK.... I challenge you to read the wiki article on Streetbeast and come up with anything that is not true. I'm not talking opinions here on their product quality but anything that is presented as fact. I will warn you though that 99% of the stuff is backed up with copies of court documents which you may also read at our leisure.