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A Special Message from ExoticSpotter

Jul 13, 2012

ExoticSpotter.com has been neglected for a long time. Yet despite this, an awesome community has grown. We're proud to have passionate spotters like yourself who share a deep love of exotic cars, and it's time that we give you guys the site that you deserve.

Over the next few months, you will be seeing many improvements. We plan to release a new design that will display photos in larger sizes with better usability. We're also working on several new features, including improved profile pages, better social features, comment alerts, discussion forums, improved point system, this blog, and much more.

We're also in the process of implementing a new moderation system which will seperate "true" spottings from those that don't qualify. Many of you have questions as to what constitutes a true spotting, so here is our official stance:

 

True Spottings:
  • Photo must be taken on public roads, highways, or parking spots, and
  • Photographer must have no prior knowledge that the vehicle would be in that location.
Not True Spottings:
  • Photos from Car Shows (including parking lot of car shows)
  • Photos from Car Club Meetings
  • Photos from the start or end of a Car Rally (Gumball 3000)
  • Photos at or near an Exotic Car Dealership
  • Photos taken in private garage or shop
  • Photos of friend's or neighbor's cars
  • Photos from a photo shoot
  • Photos taken in known locations where exotics are always parked (certain hotels, in front of certain stores, etc)
NOTE: If a photo looks suspicious, you need to provide a detailed description of how you spotted the car. If you provide no details, the photo will not qualify as a true spotting.
The Following May Qualify as True Spottings:
  • Spotting an exotic car while it's taking part in a Rally, (if you didn't know about the Rally)
  • Spotting an exotic car on the streets near a car show (not directly outside the show)

 

Here's a simple way to look at it: Exotic spotting is like wild bird spotting. If you take a photo of a bird at the zoo, that is not a real spotting. (that's like taking a photo at a car show).

A true exotic spotting is one where you have no idea if an exotic car will be there. Photos of exotic cars parked in front of certain hotels don't count as real spottings, because there's a reasonable expectation that they will be there.

This being said, it doesn't mean we won't feature photos that are not true spottings. Any photo of an exotic car on public roads will qualify to be on the site, but true spottings will receive higher points and awards.

In order to implement this new moderation system, we will need volunteers to go through the archives and mark photos accordingly. These volunteers will also moderate new photos, to make sure only the best ones are "featured". We will be providing admin tools to make tasks easier.

If you're interested in volunteering as a moderator, please email us. We'd also like to hear your ideas for new features or changes you'd like to see to the site. Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far, we look forward to taking the site to the next level. Please leave your comments below.

Comments (388 total)
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I only like a majority of the rules that don't count as true spots which would be:
Photos from Car Shows (including parking lot of car shows)
Photos from Car Club Meetings
Photos from the start or end of a Car Rally (Gumball 3000)
Photos at or near an Exotic Car Dealership
Photos taken in private garage or shop
Photos of friend's or neighbor's cars
Photos from a photo shoot.

However, I feel the hotel/shop rule is unfair, cause people like the spotters in Pennsylvania, live in a state that's extremely money challenged, so making the spots at the places where we know are good (Country Clubs, the KOP mall, the few casinos we have in the area) not true spotting locations will definitely cause a huge hurting to our spotting. But for people in Miami, Beverly Hills, London, Paris, etc. they are hardly affected as they can find cars around almost every corner where they live.
Posted:  07/16/2012 18:52:10
 
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I agree with all of the changes, except the hotel. Its still a random spot, unless the car is ALWAYS there.
Posted:  07/16/2012 18:49:20
 
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And yes, the comment alerts aren't working for me either.
Posted:  07/16/2012 18:41:26
 
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I think that rule can apply to Bijan's Veyron. It's ALWAYS outside that store and most people don't want to see it anymore. But if we go to Spanish Bay and it's loaded with exotics, we shouldn't be penalized, especially since Andrew's pictures from Spanish Bay last year are some of the most loved pictures on the site. But we've already seen plenty of similar pictures from the Dorchester this summer and frankly it's already annoying. I think that rule has to be subjective. I think a better idea would be no duplicate pictures. I've seen Bijan's Veyron from the same angle 50 times, that white Agera R 50 times, the Al-Thani Murcielago 50 times. Moderators should be able to keep repetitive spots off the site.
Posted:  07/16/2012 18:40:35
 
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I think if it's on the street anywhere and it's not in a car show or rally it is okay. The hotel rule seems kind of weird though since those are still random street spots. I don't think the comment alert thing is working. I have gotten comments on pictures I uploaded this morning but the thing still hasn't alerted me.
Posted:  07/16/2012 18:01:27
 
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Yeah some things are unclear. I spot most of my cars in King of Prussia in their valet lot, so that won't be allowed anymore? I go spotting in places where I expect exotics to be. Does that mean Monterey won't count, because I expect exotics to be all over that place? And what if my friend tells me that there's a Lamborghini somewhere...that would mean I'd have prior knowledge, so that wouldn't count? Can I get some clarification on that?
Posted:  07/16/2012 17:56:59
 
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Sounds amazing! I can't wait for all the new changes.
Posted:  07/16/2012 17:37:04
 
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here in Portugal is so dificult to see an exotic on open air, that if you canĀ“t post a picture from a 5 star hotel, exclusive restaurant or shop; it will be so dificult for us to post any pics. But rules are rules.
Posted:  07/16/2012 17:15:10
 
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Looking forward to it. And I agree 100% to all the changes. Just make sure you pick good moderators as there are a few people on here who could really ruin it.
Posted:  07/16/2012 16:33:06
 
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hey im interested in being a moderater so can you email me if i can or not, thanks
Posted:  07/16/2012 15:31:52
 
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Rivibird - that's ridiculous. A photo can be great even if it's from a mobile phone. It all depends on how artistic the spotter is.
Posted:  07/16/2012 15:00:20
 
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jon - We will be adding more specific vehicle categories, including special editions and tuners. This is why moderators will be important, we need all the help we can get.
Posted:  07/16/2012 14:58:22
 
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Sounds cool
Posted:  07/16/2012 14:02:54
 
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Sounds great guys! Can't wait to see the new site! Just FYI... I came up with the comment alert idea ;) lol
Posted:  07/16/2012 13:53:37
 
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Looks great! Although the hotel thing seems kind of iffy, will some categories be taken down? (645ci, S55 AMG, etc) and will new ones be but up, like S65 AMG, S63 AMG, etc?
Posted:  07/16/2012 13:39:44
 
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Bubba Grump - We agree. Common spottings will be given less points. They will also have to be really great looking photos to be accepted as "Featured".
Posted:  07/16/2012 13:35:16
 
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These updates will be great. Perhaps we could rate the spotting and not just the car.
Posted:  07/16/2012 13:20:30
 
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How can you decide a true spotting? Let's say I'm spotting in London in the summer where there are exotic cars outside every hotel, some of which are known. Isn't that still spotting because these are where supercars are most likely to be found?
Posted:  07/16/2012 13:05:59
 
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Will Bal Harbour spotting be "true" spots? I really hope so haha
Posted:  07/16/2012 13:00:59
 
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Sounds great. I think posting pictures of very COMMON cars shouldn't count either. I see way too many garden variety Porsche 911's and Panamera's on the road and would prefer not to see them here.
Posted:  07/16/2012 13:00:54
 
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