I have been hearing just recently about people bitching and whining about their Mini club, other clubs and members within those clubs. I feel bound to write something about this as it is creating a big fuss within the Mini and MINI communities.

First up, remember why we belong to a Mini Club.

Because we love Minis and MINIS.

Now, some people say that there are far too many Mini Clubs. I disagree. The more clubs there are then the more it shows that we care about our cars. Some clubs are national (BMC, MCR etc), some are for an area (P&SMOC for example), some support a specific model (The Clubman Estate Register etc) while others are started due to disagreements, personality clashes, changes of interest or many other reasons. The reasons are not important.

What is important is that Clubs get along. We exist to support each other, the car and the members. If there’s inter-club arguing it does nobody (in the whole community) any good. I know of two clubs “oop North” that “hate” each other - simply due to petty squabbles between members.

I also understand that for the same reasons new clubs start, members change clubs. Of course, this is your decision and you are quite free to do so. However. Rather than join the new club and bad-mouth the one you’ve just left, how about being mature and discuss the problem with the team that runs the club. I know some clubs say they have no “Committee” but certainly there is nearly always a natural leader that shines through that people will look to for answers.

I have been talking to the “management” of a couple of clubs just recently and we all agree that petty squabbles between members should be utterly ignored for the greater good. There is a limit to that of course. I banned someone from a forum today. The person concerned was heard at a meet bad-mouthing one club (having just joined another) and was trying to poach members for their new club. This, in the eyes of everybody that I have mentioned it to (with just as much detail as you read in the previous sentence) have agreed that this is entirely unacceptable behaviour and will not be tolerated by anybody.

So, please can everybody in every club treat people with a little respect and dignity?

If you love your club, tell the world (like we all do anyway!). If you don’t love your club or have a huge problem then talk to the club and perhaps the problem can be resolved. If you still feel you want to join another club, please do so, but don’t bitch about the old club in public (including forums, blogs and in person) or you will find you will be ridiculed in no uncertain terms.