yup, everyone has a clean slate when they first join ladsm.

it's up to them to give a good first impression, and we start it off by welcoming new members, after that....they'll get as much respect as they give us.

I'm trying to think of a way to say this and not sound like a total A-hole, but oh well...

I think we need to start setting standards in order to be an official member. Im not saying your car has to be a show car, or sub 13 sec car, etc... what I'm saying is you should earn the right to represent LADSM. I've seen cars representing LADSM with giant stickers, or guys with shirts they made, and they havent really put any work into LADSM. I've been in it since ONECKS first started this forum, and I see guys rocking bigger stickers than what I have on my car. There are cars I've never seen before with giant ass stickers, and I go to the meets about 95% of the time. I don't know how many of you have ever been in a serious car club, but you just can't start representing the club whenever you decide. It's up to the group as a whole to decide to let you in.
I'm not saying you need to come to every meet, or plan an event, or give us your first born child, but you should contribute somewhat in the group. Whether it be posting HELPFUL posts, not meaningless, repetitive posts just to get your post count up, but help other members with whatever car trouble they have as well.
A lot of us OG's are more than just senior members, we're friends that hang out, go party, celebrate birthdays, do motor swaps, pick up old cars in Bakersfield that have nothing to do with DSM's, drive to Vegas to meet up with VEGASBOUND, guys that help put motor's in on Thanksgiving day, swapping out throw out bearings on the 4th of July, guys that are true friends. You just can't walk into something like that, you got to earn it.
As far as the welcoming committee, we do what we can. Remember you want to join us, not vice versa. I can't speak for the rest of the Admins/Mods but I prefer quality over quantity. I would rather have a smaller group of dedicated, motivated, car junkies than a bunch of small "clicks" like we do now. I'm not saying I'm gonna blackball you and not talk to you, you come up to me and talk to me I'm more than happy to talk to you and shoot the shit with you as long as you don't make ridiculous claims about your bad ass car that no one's seen, I will call you out on it, and in front of everyone.

And if you're a new guy on here, read the damn stickies!!!!! It's getting really annoying when people post and they clearly did not read the stickies. Measures will be taken.

I agree with you H8-VTEC,...Like myself i dont have a DL that is the main reason why i dont attent MONDAY MEETS and other events with you guys, If i had a DL i'd be there ever monday to get to know you all OG's in person...As far as the forum i try to help as much as i can.But from what i can see is that i dont know as much as i tought i did.And being here helped me out alot about things i tought all about...Right now im in the process of looking for a 1g FWD to rebuild and try to make it hit 11's...Now in order for that to happen ima need alot of help.So i am glad i am a member...I will eventually be making a thread on a FWD build up, and will be glad to get all the help i can get...

I'd like to add to the emphasis that this isn't just a fly-by-night car club like most of the ones out there. Like Jerry said, we have a strong backbone to our club. It's built on people that go beyond sticking affiliations on their car and showing up to a meet once in a while. Our core is made up of people that built friendships and relationships out of this.

While we're not requiring you to whore yourself out and labor everybody's cars or become a super tech guru and answer every single question, we all have our own talents. I wasn't anywhere near being an og member but I brought what I could to the table. Some of it being wrenching on someone's car that needed help, humoring the forums and the meets or helping to redesign and maintain our website. No body expected me to do everything I've done, I took the initiative to try and make what I was becoming a part of better.

I can tell you all I love this group, the forum and it's members. There's those of you that have come and gone and faded from our memories that contributed nothing but it's the ones that take their involvement to the next level that make this the group it is today. Just rethink what your role is in LADSM and ask your self if you're contributing to benefit us as a whole. If you are, we all see it and appreciate your involvement.

I have to say I agree w/ Jerry as well. I haven't been around since the beginning, and I haven't hung out w/ a lot of members outside of club events, but I have put some time and effort into getting to know members and their cars, and I try to help people out whenever I get the chance. I too get upset at the jokers "repping" DSMs and LADSM. But, taking the club to the next step will take a lot of consideration. I've been around more "serious" car clubs, and while the benefits can be good, there's potential for power struggles and factions. This level of club usually requires positions that are voted on and monthly meetings by people in charge. At this point, people become more motivated to do more with the club, but then funds are required and next thing you know there are annual dues to be a member of the club.

I'm fine w/ all this, but like I said, it will take careful consideration and good leadership. I'm kind of bummed that the DSM scene has faded and tends to get replaced by a bunch of broke-ass people that hobble together a car that's held together by duct tape and bailing wire. If we stepped up the level of the club I think we could build a stronger representation of DSMs in general.

Even if the club doesn't go that route, I agree 100% that the bad "repping" HAS to stop. There should be some sort of structure put into place for who gets to display LADSM stickers and buy official shirts.

Definitely food for thought. Even though I don't always fit in with members on a social level, I'm all for a more tight knit group within the club environment. Afterall, the beautiful thing about car clubs and DSM clubs is that it brings together people that might not ever have been associated w/ each other outside of their common hobby.

+1 to what Jerry said, and to be honest....for the most part, the 'cliques' kinda separate the 'o.g.' members from the 'poser' members.

i love you to christ.