Pedalpushers Email List FAQ
From Pedalpushers
FAQ
Q1 - What items are welcome on the list?
- Items about cycling relevant to Sheffield
- comment,
- personal experiences,
- ideas, requests for information and advice,
- information about events,
- humour,
- occasional personal cycle-related sales/wants,
- reasoned debate,
- discussion of specific problems or difficulties.
- requests for empathy when motorists mistreat you
- replies to requests for empathy
Q2 - What isn't welcome on the list?
- Personal abuse
- language that some might find offensive
- trade adverts
- woffle
- sexism/racism
- trolling (starting an argument for the sake of it)
Q3 - If I come across a local difficulty for cyclists that I think needs drawing to someone's attention what should I do about it.
Write about it to the list so that Pedalpushers who attend the Cycling Forum (meeting with the council) know about it.
Q4 - How can I cope with all these emails?
One way is to use the digest mode. With the digest mode you get many mails batched together in one mail. To change this or other options go to http://axelrod.cms.shu.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/pedalpushers and use the box at the bottom with your email address to get to your option settings. Another way of coping with many emails is to use the filtering mechanism that some email clients have to deliver different mails to different folders. Try looking up filtering in the help for your email program.
Q5 - Why can't the list software be set up so that when I do "reply" it gets sent to the list?
Though this sounds useful it is a technically dangerous practice because it can cause mail loops with some email programs. Try using reply-all if your email program has this command. Otherwise please make sure you're sending your reply to the list rather than the sender, if that's what you want to do.
Q6 - Can I send adverts to the list?
Yes, provided that they are for cycling-related equipment or events and not for trade purposes.
Q7 - Can I send messages in colourful HTML format?
No. Many members on the list use email software that cannot read HTML messages. Sending messages coded with HTML produces large files that take longer to download and may not be readable. Please set your email software's 'mail format options' to send messages as 'plain text'.
Q8 - Can I send attachments to the list?
Answer: No. Please do not post attachments to the list - they can cause decoding problems with different mailers, and clog up the mailboxes of those who are relying on dial-up or webmail to read their messages. If you have an attachment such as a word document you would like to share with other members please send it to ppmail@shu.ac.uk, and we will put it up on the web site for downloading, or notify members that it is available if they wish to contact you directly. If it's a text-only document, pasting the text into an email usually works - but use the "paste unformatted", "paste as plain text" or "paste unwrapped" formats in your mailer, or you may end up with HTML in your content. The list software will hold all postings above 40kb for approval by the list adminstrators.
Q9 - What's 'OFF' all about?
Using 'OFF' in the subject line of the email indicates the message is not directly related to Cycling in Sheffield but contains an issue thought to be of concern to Pedal Pushers members. Such messages can be deleted unread by members not interested in the subject. Members are asked to think carefully before posting OFF messages.
Acceptable Use Policy
Keeping us up to date; this email Acceptable Use Policy is based on current "best Internet industry practice" and draws on the collective experience of email users and service providers across the Internet community.
Exchanging emails with others generally involves using common sense regarding the content material and being polite and courteous. The vast majority of our members understand what is appropriate when sending or receiving emails. Regrettably, there are occasions when individuals or groups of people exchange emails or involve in online activities, which are considered to be unacceptable by the Internet community. This is described by the generic term of "abuse".
Abusive emails
It is not always obvious whether an activity is innocent, inadvertent, or intentional but as a general rule, email users should be aware that what is unacceptable (and possibly illegal) offline (oral or written), applies equally online. As with telephone calls, you must not send any emails which cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.
You should not send messages likely to cause distress or any other material which is distressing, grossly offensive, indecent, obscene, menacing or in any way unlawful. This includes any material which may be offensive to people on grounds of gender, race, colour, religion or other similar categorisation.
When dealing with others who are not members of the campaign, whether council or government, private companies or members of the public, always remain courteous and avoid personal comments or allegations as to the competence of the person involved. Failure to do so is regarded as a serious threat to the good relations the campaign has built up over the years with other organisations.
We will operate the following sanctions against those who break these guidelines.
1st occasion of abuse: Three week suspension of subscription to the list
2nd occasion of abuse: Permanent suspension from the list.
There is no right of appeal.
In addition, where such cases come to light we (as owners of the mailing list) will contact the victim of such abuse and make it clear that we do not condone the activities of the individual concerned, and that they do not represent the campaign.
Where such abuse takes place outside the realm of email, pedalpushers policies apply equally. The following policy was adopted at the meeting on the 21st June 2001:
"anyone declaring membership of Pedal Pushers should express only those views which accord with the agreed manifesto or decisions made at Pedal Pushers meetings" .
Again, where this rule is violated it will be made plain to all concerned that the views expressed are not those of Pedalpushers.
Any Comments? send 'em to the FAQ maintainer or the Mailing List Owners Andy Heath or Simon Geller.
