Farewell Twitter

I’ve written before about new technology and the benefits and disadvantages and the techbnology is something I embrace.

A look at my @orsracing twitter account tells me I have made 18,824 tweets.

My next tweet on that account, pointing to this blog, will be my last.

There are two reasons why this is so.

Many of my tweets have been paddock views and I know from feedback many people have appreciated my views, even if they haven’t always been spot on the button.

Yesterday I was tweeting from Leicester and I sent a series of tweets commenting on the quality of the feature race, especially when comparing with the quality of Sprinter Sacre’s run at Aintree.

Unfortunately one of the tweets was taken completely out of context and it provoked some strong responses.

Let me say I have no problem with people disagreeing with what I say. I love debate and, as many will know, I love playing the part of devils advocate.

However I believe any debate should be civil, even if one totally disagrees with the other persons perspective.

However there was one comment made yesterday which I thought was a cheap shot and, although I am thick skinned,  I found highly offensive.

I don’t see why I should have to suffer such comments.

I do the tweeting as an aside to my other work, it’s not something I have to do and it is not something I expect thanks for, although when I do get thanks it is very much appreciated.

I don’t mind getting criticism or if people disagree with me, wouldn’t life be boring if we all agreed.

I don’t however see why I should go to the effort of Tweeting if I am going to be subjected to snide asides.

The other reason I’m leaving Twitter is, in a way related, and it involves the so called discussions concerning the Grand National fences.

My reservations about the National are well documented and I have no intention of rehashing them here. However I was personally very much affected by the death of Little Josh yesterday.

After the race there was the usual plethora of Tweets from both sides.

What really annoyed me was the utter intolerance of many of those who support the race and purportedly support racing.

There is a near Stalinist attitude with many, where anyone who questions the National or the fences is summarily dismissed as being a crank, ignorant or an animal rights extremists, or somebody who is inherently anti-racing.

They will not or cannot accept there are many of us who love the sport in general do still have genuine concerns about the National course and the National itself.

Why do these people resort to dismissive abuse as their default position? Is it out of desperation because they are unable to offer reasoned explanations to support their case?

I am more than happy to properly debate the issues until the cows come home ….. I have no wish to debate with those who cannot display even basic common courtesy.

Twitter, at its best, can be a great tool but it also has a nasty underside.

I deliberately left it a day before taking this decision, which has not been easy, however having slept on it I feel the same, if not even more strongly about how I feel. 

I have “met” some really lovely people through my racing tweeting and I will very much miss that side of things.

I will still be doing paddock picking and racing reports on my web site www.ors-racing.co.uk and I will still have a Twitter presence in my personal account @PaulOstermeyer.

I don’t tweet on that account very often but when I do it tends to be outspoken, so if your sensibilities are easily offended then please don’t bother following that account.

To all of you who have followed me, thank you and I wish you all very best wishes for the future and if you are that way inclined lucky punting.