New comment board policy: I'm going to hit 'delete' more often

Hi, folks.

Like everyone who has a blog, I want this one to gain a wide audience and to be part of the civic discussion. Up to now, I think that I've shown extreme tolerance at publishing reader comments as long as those comments did not include the kind of naughty language inappropriate for The Times.

But I'm completely weary of having to slog through Lord of the Rings-length comments, often left by the same group of readers and transit advocates. If you want to write a dissertation, that's great -- do it at UCLA or USC, both of which have programs in transportation studies. I'm also tired of the name calling and the accusations being made -- such-and-such (including myself) is ignorant, owned by the MTA, etc. In short, I'm not your professor or your mother. I'm a simple Road Sage.

So, as benevolent dictator of the Bottleneck Blog, here are two REALLY EASY ways to ensure your future comments are published:

1. Be brief and make your point. Think of it this way: if you are brief and make your point, normal people may actually want to read it.

2. If you want to dispute another reader's point, that's fine -- limit yourself to addressing the point and not the other person's character or right to existence. A really sharp commenter may find they don't even have to mention the other person's name! That will show 'em!

2b. If you really want a verbal knife fight with someone over, for example, sharrows or farebox recovery policy, then trade email addresses and take it to some Internet backwater I don't have to visit.

I very much want this blog to represent a wide range of views, even those that may not be popular. I'm not trying to censor anyone, nor am I trying to stifle criticism of yours truly. All I want is a better product for people to read and enjoy and, right now, there's plenty of room for improvement.

-- Steve Hymon