Warning: Repeated bad use of the Chatbox may cause closeure for good.
These are the basic rules and guidelines for the ChatBox here on NS. Anyone breaking these rules will be given ONE warning before a ban is handed out to the Chat box and then the forum. Take the time to read these rules over and understand them because ignorance of the rules is no excuse!!
General Rules
Be Respectful. No compromises. No exceptions. It's the number one rule at NS. Obviously people will not always see eye to eye. Discussions often lead to heated debates. A disagreement of opinions is not an excuse to attack a person’s character/ intelligence/life. Be respectful, courteous and levelheaded. Don’t say something just for the sake of being rude. And absolutely NO derogatory remarks when it comes to race or sexual orientation, either directed at another poster or character.
Enter at your own risk. No one is forcing anyone to use the Chatbox. Be courteous, basically.
Speak English. Although NS’s members come from all over the world, the universal language of the Chatbox is English. It makes conversations more difficult to monitor when they are in a language the mods don’t understand. You will be warned ONCE to speak in English; failure to comply will earn a "Time Out".
No Bashing. This goes along with “Be Respectful”. This means:
No bashing people. (This includes any single person and or group/race of people)
No bashing other sites. (If you don't like the site, then why mention it?)
No bashing make and models of cars or engine modifications. If there's something in particular you dislike about a it or them, you can state that in an existing thread. But if you dislike a it / them there's no need to create a thread for that, and there's no need to bash it / them. It just ends up leading to fights
Especially don’t bash religion, politics or others personal preferences.
No Mod Bashing. Yes, this gets a separate point. Mod-bashing of any kind is inexcusable. If you find yourself in a position where you feel you are being mistreated by a mod then report it to someone. Mod-bashing, even slight mod-bashing, will result in an immediate ban. Also, sending PMs, Emails, or Instant Messages to a mod, flaming them or bashing them, will also result in the same repercussions. Just because you are upset , does not excuse your actions in anyway. This behavior is intolerable. Mods put in an enormous amount of effort into keeping the ChatBox appropriate, full of respect and running smoothly.
Personal Issues. Seriously, no talking about personal issues on the ChatBox. That includes responding to something someone else said or egging them on in an action. Sometimes things get out of hand and certain situations arise that become too difficult for the rest of us to handle. Keep real life away from the internet! Or just go to a forum where they talk about personal issues and offer advice.
No Spamming or Text Abuse. Spam is anything that doesn't contribute to the discussion(s) going on, such as random or useless comments strictly intended to draw attention. Typing in all caps constantly is considered spam. Excessive spamming will not be allowed and anyone caught spamming will be given one warning before they are banned. Colored text abuse is also not allowed. Just because you know the code to change your chat text to something other than the default color, doesn't mean you can or should. It's annoying, hard to read and not allowed. If you aren't sure if something is allowed, play it safe and just don't do it (or ask a mod).
No Flaming/Flame Baiting. Flaming is attacking someone. Very simple, if you're respectful and don't get into fights, you won't need to worry about it. Flame Baiting is making statements that try to get them to respond back at you with derogatory statements. It's punished just as severely as flaming itself.
No Fighting. Don’t fight with other members, and definitely don’t start fights with the staff. Seriously, it’s not worth it and no one will end up happy, least of all you. Any problems you have can be solved with calm and polite conversation. If you have a question or wish to bring up a topic with the staff that you don’t wish other posters to see, then use the Private messages. That’s what it’s there for. That doesn’t mean that you cannot start talking about a different topic, but let’s try to not have ten different conversations at one time. The space provided is limited and it can become very annoying and troublesome to have to sift through so many topics.
This is a age 16+ ChatBox. NS has made it a point to make this site as family friendly as possible. This also means there is to be no talk of rape, implied rape, drugs, or implied drug use. No overtly sexual pics, no string of expletives. If you can't articulate without cursing you should rethink your vocabulary. Please don’t try getting around the word filter in place by using alternate or foreign language characters, either. Be mature about what you’re submitting.
Absolutely No Porn / Hentai. Seriously, no porn / links, images or downloads, ever. Depending on the severity of the offense it may result in a ban. This is a age 16+ forum, let’s keep it that way.
No Advertising Links other than sponsers or by the Mods. This is pretty self-explanatory. The NS Forum isnt here for you to spam advertising links for any reason. No links to money making sites of any sort are permitted in posts or signatures. Anyone found posting such links will be given a warning and/or ban as the situation merits. If you wish to advertise other sites, use your signature. If you aren’t sure if a link is okay, ask one of the staff.
User Accounts
No Duplicate Accounts. That means one account per person. There's really no need for anyone to have more than one account anyway. If we find out you have multiple accounts, then you will be asked to choose one to use exclusively. If you are banned for other reasons and you create a duplicate account to get around the ban, or if you continue to use multiple accounts after being told not to, then all accounts in question will be permanently banned.
No account names beginning with the following characters: @, %, ~, &, +, or ! . Those are subbed names.
Issue and Problem Resolution
Problems with Mods. If you have an issue with the ChatBox mods, DO NOT complain to another mod. If you encounter a problem pertaining a mod feel free to contact an admin or use the Private Message.
No Mini-Modding Unless your name is red, don’t go around acting like a mod. It’s fine to remind someone about the rules, but don’t be overly aggressive about it. That’s why we have mods here; it’s their job. If someone is breaking the rules, then report them instead of taking things in your own hands.
Infractions and Bans. The ChatBox uses the same infraction system as the main forums.
These rules were developed to be fair to all and to make the ChatBox experience a little better for everyone. In the event you are banned for a reason you see as "Unlawful" or for a reason not specified, contact the head ChatBox moderator or an admin. Don't hesitate to ask if anything is unclear, if something confusing, or if you feel the rules here are unsatisfactory.
Above all have fun! Remember we’re all here for the same reason: we love Cars and Notts and we want a good conversation about it. If you have any questions, concerns comments, feel free to PM a mod at any time.