This column was first published in Feb 2007 in Racing Lines magazine. In light of recent weeks, I think I need to re-read it!
There is no doubt that the world we live (and race) in is getting smaller, and smaller. You could argue that this is largely due to the internet – and you could argue that the internet is the single most important development on the planet in the last 15 years. There is no question that our lives every day are different now than in those dim, dark, “pre-internet” days (can you even remember them?).

The question I have is whether all the change is for the better. And in particular, is the internet universally a good thing for R/C racing? Do we have better racing, more fun, stronger clubs than we did back in the day?

There are undoubtedly some positives. I (like many others) have enjoyed being able to watch video and results stream in from races all over the world. It doesn’t change my racing, but it’s an enjoyable way to spend some time late on Sunday nights, or in the early hours of Monday mornings as races in Europe or the US take place. When there is no F1 GP to watch, there is always a European Champs, or US indoor carpet race. I enjoy that.

The internet also lets clubs post race results, and marketing information – so that racers can keep track of their results and lap times, and prospective members can check out the facilities and classes/rules of racing.

So far, and to steal a phrase – “it’s all good”.

And then we come to forums and message boards. And all of a sudden, I’m not so sure of the value.

You could argue that forums let racers chat about racing, pass on tech tips, race results, compare setups and so on. And those things are true.

But forums also are a victim of the much claimed “free speech”. Anybody, anywhere, anytime feels like it is their right to say whatever, whenever to whoever. And all of sudden what we see is that some forums descend into abuse, unsubstantiated claims and counter claims with little or no connection to truth, wisdom or justice. Certainly there is little grace demonstrated by many (not all) forum users.

Forums often are little more than a place to hold an argument – won by he who shouts the loudest or rallies the most mates in support of the case. Very, very seldom do we see anybody listening to the perspectives shared by others. I’m sure I am not alone in regretting having been dragged into some pointless debate about some insignificant issue that will neither impact on my enjoyment of R/C, nor do much to promote the health of our sport, my club, or any sponsors I might represent.

So what’s the answer? Abandon the internet altogether? Hardly. There are some real positives, and forums well used can be one of them. Sadly, that’s often not the case.

The answer for me now is to follow a modified version of the old carpenters dictum “measure twice cut once”.

I’m going to “Think twice, type once”. I am doing my best to stay out of pointless arguments where truth is disposable and the value for me, my club, my friends or the companies I represent is ultimately zero. Why don’t you join me……think twice, type once.

Then go get your car, go racing, have fun and leave the keyboard heroism to others…

Another Country is published monthly in Racing Lines magazine. This column was first published in February 2007