Ok I don't know anything about the issues between you and individual posters but you're right, keeping it off the thread is probably for the best.
Yes there are problems with confrontational posts on completely random and innocent threads and I think most of us would agree with that. Apart from those that are constantly confrontational themselves I guess. I don't really know what the answer to that is but I can't see how a closed off section would work. There was a thread in Site Stuff not too long ago about having a section that wouldn't allow NC, I think worra started it? I thought that was a good idea but it didn't really get an answer from MNHQ.
see means the long-running threads like the sweaty thread, ninja thread and night owls, there are probably others as well. You get to know other posters on those threads and can have a rant or moan or just chat shit and they tend to stay very civilised as they're a smaller group of posters who have got to know one another over some time.