Virtual friends, and losing them

[Tazio]

It's been thrown into sharp focus how bizarre the world of the internet forum is today.

A poster on a football forum I have posted on for years has died today after a sudden heart attack a couple of days ago. There was a post made about his admittance to hospital and many good luck messages passed on. Sadly he passed on tonight and now it has become messages of condolence.

This is a man I met once briefly and many people posting messages have never met him yet feel moved by his death.

The cyber world is such an odd entity to those of us old enough to have seen it develop yet young people take it for granted that you can have "friends" you have never met.

 

[mikeekim89]

You need to check out the Streetfighters forum.. There is some real brotherhood there. Guys who've only met online and things giving donations to the widow of a long standing rider in there to help her and her kid..

Some kind hearted things can happen online.

 

[makster]

I think there are some good examples of this on retrobike.
I have made 'friends' with people on here that I've never met, or even spoken to, but I have no problem sending them stuff to try out or that they need but cant pay for right away etc.
It is strange to me, as I've only been using this new fangled t'internet for a few years, but I suppose building up a relationship with someone online shouldn't be too different to doing it face to face.
There is just more trust involved, but that again is a two way thing.

Now I'm getting to more rides I'm getting to actualy meet more of these people, which is always good

 

[feetabix]

I am from the generation more used to the zx81 than the iphone......there is a feeling amongst my peers that the online forum is for 'strange' people......i take great pleasure in being part of retrobike and despite only having met a few of you face to face i consider you all my friends with a shared interest. I would do any of you a favour given the opportunity and suspect the favour would be returned.....thanks to you all for being a valued part of my life.....here is a pic of my offspring to prove i do really exist!!

 

[saltyman]

yeah its strange, i went from my first pc in 2004 and within a year i was running a successful performance car website and a regular on forums worldwide.

meeting new pals every carshow, nights out etc etc, was great fun.

it can be a great way of meeting folk, such as this websites rides out and friendly pages full off info.

i have been to funerals off pals too that i barely knew outside of the net.

facebook can be great too, though dangerous at the same time, bizzarre how some folk share every minute if there life on there..........i recently had a clearout and deleted loads of folk on my 'friends' list......some 3,000 deleted!

 

[highlandsflyer]

...here is a pic of my offspring to prove i do really exist!!

I notice your son has a nice Klein, do let me know if he is ever selling it!

 

[Bikebandit]

Think forums are a great source of imformation and at the same time friendships can be built...and is a way of keeping in touch with friends that you would'nt have otherwise met.
I've had friends on biker forums for a good few years now and even met them face to face over that time,either in Sweden,Denmark or Germany..unfortunately online friends in USA are a bit far away but still we exchange experiences,information etc about our builds and sometimes help out sending parts..

 

[cyfa2809]

highlandsflyer - at first i was like its his daughter then i bike checked

this is a great post
retrobike is a great example of the topic here. i have been here a short while, talking crap, yet have made 'friends' that are in effect the same as any i have in real life but ive never even seen their face.
maybe its because were all like minded people, we have similar stories to tell and a similar interest that is shared
a common bonding link

the streetfighter forums are as mikeekim89 said, full of this

and im sure a few other forums are too, like us/maybe most others?

i wonder if it actually has any effect on us? i know for a fact i spend far to long on the laptop/here but maybe this is why

and its crazy to think this is a largely based text site :shock:


saltyman - how many?!

 

[feetabix]

ha.....just to clear things up, the handsome chap is infact me...........difficult to beleive i know....

 

[highlandsflyer]

Could I ask what forest you are riding in?

Beautiful bike and your daughter is lucky to have a dad who knows what the good things in life are!