After a few atom like cars on their forum (mine included) they have posted this:
The Ariel Atom Owners Club has recently been contacted by the Ariel Motor Company with a complaint regarding the promotion of Atom ‘clones’ on the
AAOC Forum. Whilst we are not responsible to the factory in any way, if they believe that the forum is being used for the purpose of promoting or
assisting in the production of vehicles which may infringe their rights, it could lead the club into legal action. We have therefore as a club agreed
to add a new rule to the Forum rules:
This forum exists for the benefit of those interested specifically in the Ariel Atom. Promoting or assisting in the production of any car that is
considered in the eyes of the Ariel Motor Company to be a design copy of the Ariel Atom, could potentially involve the Ariel Atom Owner’s Club in a
legal dispute. Any such post will therefore be removed by a moderator. Continued infringement of the rule may result in the poster been banned from
the forum.
The club appreciates this means that anyone who wants a DIY Atom will longer be able to discuss their project on the forum.
In the cause of free speech, we will not be deleting any existing posts. This thread will contain all the posts on other threads which discussed Atom
‘projects’ merged into one. Again, with free speech in mind, the Club has no objection to people discussing the rule itself on the thread, however any
subsequent posts that contravene the rule above will be removed.
You can read the whole thread here
Would Ariel motor co be able to successfully sue an internet forum for publishing this kind of stuff?
think i might start building one then now
"Would Ariel motor co be able to successfully sue an internet forum for publishing this kind of stuff?"
Very much doubt it, but it's a bit like Caterham & the no. 7 - they have the financial clout & muscle to threaten legal action which
could be ridiculously expensive to all concerned.
As mongrooveworkshop (do you have to have such a long name!!!
) says, all atom clone builders are welcome here - you can never have too large a
knowledge base.
I think the difference between us and "them" is that they are buyers and we are builders.............
Another thing is I have built my car in the style of, not a copy/clone.
I am surprised that they haven't started legal proceedings towards people who make "atom" clones like the MEV rocket.
[Edited on 24/11/2007 by nitram38]
Stuff like this really makes me chuckle. As if anyone who is seriously considering an Atom would be swayed by the clones. If anything, the clones will
help them sell more Atoms.
But in fairness to the owners club they lose little by banning discussion of clones so the decision is a no brainer. Clone owners/builders would be
much better off here I reckon, how many Atom owners actualy get their hands dirty?
3 words come to mind, 'a' 'Life' & 'Get' !!!
quote:
Originally posted by donut
3 words come to mind, 'a' 'Life' & 'Get' !!!
I think the real issue here, is that obviously its a single manufacturer forum and of course they don't want to annoy that manufacturer.
They never learn --
Caterham got up a lot of potential buyers noses with the litigation against all and sundry -- it must have cost them sales.
Likewise Ferrari damaged their image with the F1 toy throwing this years.
I see an oportunity here for chrisw to open up another area for those guys to debate on, working on this site will cause no offence to the AA owners club.
One of the tour organisers on the Sevens list Ireland Tour runs a garage in N. Ireland where he helps all the N. Ireland Cateringvan owners (there
isn't an official presense in N. Ireland). He called his garage something like "7th Heaven" and Cateringvan went crazy and threatened a
whole load of litigation. Which was pretty mean considering he was part of reason people bought Cateringvans in N. Ireland in the first place and the
Irish Tour got the cars loads of free advertising in the local papers, tv etc....
Talk about ungrateful......
Shed loads of us from the Sevens list wrote to the then owner of Cateringvan and in the end he got made an official Cateringvan garage 
Job
done....
Big companies sure know how to wee off the people who allow them to exist in the first place (ie their customers!!!)....
damn I'm too late.....
only my 2nd PM on that forum and it's mister "freekin driven it all" reading me my rights...
3Rotor, I know two cars he won't be driving ! 
well for one I never knew the Atom did not have any proper engine mounts, Now only on their new one, are they using rubber mounts, wonder who is now
copying who...
as far as I know the only thing they can sue for is if you try to make people think it is actually an Atom... IE you advertise as such or as an Atom
replica.... even that I think can be sued for... it's like BMW taking a Merc badge and stick it onto one of there cars, they do look pretty
damn the exact same thing otherwise anyhow.... as for copying it, well that is a pretty damn serious accusation to be tossed about by people who
don't even know which way around the sump-nut goes loose, when your upside down with grit in your eyes....
[Edited on 24/11/07 by #Rotor]
I have an entirely different drivetrain and engine set up for starters!
Also, Air ride suspension so that I can vary my ride height at the flick of a switch (well 2 really front/rear).
I would be surprised if any judge would say it was a copy.
Well I can actually built 3 (three) Neo1-300's and have about 100,000 left for fuel and tires and whatnot, for what a turnkey Atom300 will
cost me here..... that is including buying new tools, milling machines, lathes and welders for each and every build....
Ok I won't be making the molds again.... that is just way to damn much work.... 
[Edited on 24/11/07 by #Rotor]
rotor have you got any more pics of the neo??
some samples...
I just fixed my www button
you can clickit if you dare...
or you can click here
that is our official site, I am not responsible for what is on it though, sometimes it gets stuck, the ISP we are on apparently is not all that clewed
up on matters Apache and PHP.
I am on flickr though...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3rotor/
[Edited on 24/11/07 by #Rotor]
quote:
Originally posted by nitram38
In the cause of free speech, we will not be deleting any existing posts. Again, with free speech in mind, the Club has no objection to people discussing the rule itself on the thread, however any subsequent posts that contravene the rule above will be removed.
: I LOVE THAT! we shall not delete any past posts "in the cause of free speech" but any post from now onwards shall be
deleted!!! amazing how fast they are to cry copycat, yet they don't even notice one of their fundamental rights, one on which our civilization is based,
being brutally decapitated in public.
I guess none so blind as those who don't want to see....
Some idiot is ranting on how my "copy" is copyright infringement and that I should be sued!
What an arse
Read Here
Looks someone is jealous that you make a fine car.
I wouldn't go to the forum anymore
It's obivius that they don't like home-builders.
In fact every car is a copy off something the designer has learned.
Bring it on dickwad
pmsl i spat pop over my laptop and nearly chocked
adam
remember that indian dude on the 206 advert? when he turns his clapped out banger into an even more clapped out banger "a 206" wonder if he
would of got treated like this?
And nitram you seem to be posting more pics of your stunning build on the AAOC than here! please post more on here as the pics are more appreciated.
All of the pics over there are from my archive. I just post them there to p*ss them off!
Description
[Edited on 25/11/2007 by nitram38]
looks bloody great. i would love to build one!
Oh dear, like the worst kind of C******m owners, only worse again. These people must be desperately insecure and so far up themselves they are going
to disappear up their own backsides sooner or later.
The mention of "free speech" by Mr Fielding made me laugh though, he clearly doesn't have the first clue what it means.
quote:
Originally posted by nitram38
Some idiot is ranting on how my "copy" is copyright infringement and that I should be sued!
What an arse
Read Here
you did not copy anything,
you just modified it all, to your own liking.... I really think that
this is
something that would attract a copyright action!
quote:
Originally posted by nitram38
I really think that this is something that would attract a copyright action!
"last 3 owners"...
avoid avoid (imho)
Apart from it not being a Caterham, unless I'm very much mistaken thats not actually a Locost either.... it's a Locust
BTW:Those upper wishbones of this seventhing are standing at a weird angle
quote:
Originally posted by D Beddows
Apart from it not being a Caterham, unless I'm very much mistaken thats not actually a Locost either.... it's a Locust
Interestingly (ok, maybe not THAT interestingly ) that car is advertised in the classifieds in the back of this months Kit Car magazine - but as a
Locust and for £350 less than the buy it now price, no mention of Caterham either........
quote:
Originally posted by Hammerhead
Would Ariel motor co be able to successfully sue an internet forum for publishing this kind of stuff?
amazing how, as soon as one starts to ask for specifics, or start to talk about mechanical stuff, they switch over to insults.... I'm still none the wiser as to what it is about that car that one will get your ass in court for....
They should have called the car the Ariel "Venom" !