What’s happened to this forum?

[GD485]

Hi

Why are people on this forum often being blasted for asking a question?

Quite often the reply to a simple question is more like a reprimand than helpful friendly advice from a fellow caravaner.

I know we all can have an off-day or we see a posting that refers to our pet hate and reply without enough consideration for how it reads. To be honest I may have done so in the past. Poor composition can read completely different to the intended meaning.

My own rule is to imagine you are queuing up to fill the aqua roll on a campsite and someone asks a question. I’m sure most people would reply in a friendly helpful way and not reply in the way some do on this forum.

Have a great 2018

 

[Parksy]

Please be assured that this forum is monitored to hopefully avoid the appearance of confrontational or antagonistic comments which can lead to ill feeling and online arguments.
I fully understand that if a person is trying to share information the prose can seem a little bit dry or to lack warmth to others, but it's very difficult to convey conversational nuances through the medium of text.
I'm sitting here typing this reply, but it's impossible for those reading it to know whether I'm smiling or frowning, happy or not happy.
On the rare occasions when things become a bit heated we step in with a word of 'advice' or we simply remove comments from the message boards that go beyond what we consider to be acceptable.
I know that now and then a seemingly simple question is asked and the replies meander off topic with the finer points being debated, but I don't see any malice in honest discussion and I'd venture to suggest that Practical Caravan forumites are very friendly and helpful.

 

[Craigyoung]

Exactly !
Well said Parksy , what's to say you've had a bad day at work you come in read a post and just put a snappy reply on and then all kicks off !
just bite your tongue .

 

[Gabsgrandad]

I'm sorry GD485 but I don't recognise your description of this forum, never had anything but 'sensible' advice when asked for it. (Mind you thick skin might come into it?)

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello GD485

Anybody who posts a question or comment on PCF needs to understand that it becomes a public comment. And there is no restriction on which members may respond to any thread, so there are likely to be a number of different points of view. Without knowing exactly which posts and writers you have problems with, its difficult to make a focused comment.

Having been employed by a business where some of its products were fitted in caravans and a life long interest in camping and caravans (Amongst other things), I like some other contributors do have some highly relevant technical experience and perhaps more importantly see a possible mistake or unsafe practice about to happen. Like it or not there are regulations that do apply to caravans, and not just from safety perspective but also from a professional liability point of view we sometimes do have to be quite blunt. We should all remember that PCF is a forum that can be read by anyone, and it is wrong to believe that the anonymity of out avatars allows use to behave unreasonably or to cause any distress to other users. we should not bully. Which is why I only answer in the way I would if were speaking face to face, but even I have failed to hold my cool on some occasions.

At other times we have seen some questions asked, where it is clear the asker has just not bothered to look for themselves, and whilst we generally don't mind discussing and offering some advice, on some occasions the matter can become far too tedious especially when the point may have been answered already in different ways by different contributors, yet the questioner just continues to ask without 'listening to the answers'

With a few notable exceptions, the anonymity of the avatar system means that in reality I have no knowledge of what experience or qualifications any other member has, and it of course works the other way as too, so for practical reasons I will often provide background reasons for the basis of advice I offer, so that the reader can hopefully see the logic of the advice, and can do more research them selves to verify the advice.

For myself, I always try to ignore the personality and focus on factual information. I know there are a few forum members who dislike my approach and will go out of their way to contradict points or advice I offer. But I try to answer with a wider readership in mind.

We have to accept there may be an array of opinions on a particular point, and whilst a few may clearly be incorrect, there can often be more than one correct or workable solution. Thank heaven's for diversity of teh Human Race.

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Hi

Why are people on this forum often being blasted for asking a question?

Quite often the reply to a simple question is more like a reprimand than helpful friendly advice from a fellow caravaner.

I know we all can have an off-day or we see a posting that refers to our pet hate and reply without enough consideration for how it reads. To be honest I may have done so in the past. Poor composition can read completely different to the intended meaning.

My own rule is to imagine you are queuing up to fill the aqua roll on a campsite and someone asks a question. I’m sure most people would reply in a friendly helpful way and not reply in the way some do on this forum.

Have a great 2018

I quite agree.
Similar to you, I have found that on occasion, a fairly simple question / query / observation is met by sarcasm and "a should know better" response accompanied by screeds of irrelevant chapter and verse..
We all have to start somewhere, and as has been pointed out, a posting can sometimes be interpreted in the wrong way.
I used to look forward to postings on here, but have joined another forum which has a stricter code of practice.
Shame its come to that really.
Anyway, Happy New Year to everyone!.

 

[xtrailman]

I don't use this forum much nowadays but it appears to be no different to how its always been.
Certainly don't see it as the OP does.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

while Parksy put it better than I ever could. one must remember that a forum is comprised of members of the general public. and like all establishments that get public input. the responses can vary greatly just the same as any discussion will have different points of view.
some members will be new some very old. and it is not surprising that some new members [the ones who generally ask the most questions] find it hard to understand the response of some older members to questions that although may seem simple are in fact quite complicated.
or asking a question that has been asked and answered a hundred time before without taking the trouble to check if the answer is there on the boards already, yet seem to expect full detailed explanations every time the same questions are asked.
of course that is not the only reason for the odd sarcastic comment as some threads have been the scene of heated exchanges and long explanations going through many pages. many times before and the unwitting member just happens to ask one of these questions.
it is hardly surprising then that the answers one sometimes get is not what one is expecting.
or as my old man used to say "well lad if you dont like the answer you perhaps shouldn't have asked"

 

[Dodger524]

I'm another that doesn't recognise the description of this forum in the OP, so I guess I must be of the thick-skinned camp too, although my wife would probably say otherwise.

 

[Anseo]

And another here that doesn't recognise the description of this forum as described by the OP.

I have seen some curt replies and some not so helpful comments, but on the whole I find the vast majority of replies are helpful and made with good intent.

 

[Craigyoung]

I must be of the thick-skinned camp too, although my wife would probably say otherwise.

Snap , my wife would just say I was thick !!

 

[thosoneill]

It’s a free forum with free advice - the moderators do a good job of policing the site - what’s not to like

 

[LizziePope]

Thanks for posting, everyone.

While I like to think that the Practical Caravan forum is a friendly, welcoming place and well moderated, and it is great to see that many of you agree. I am sorry that not everyone feels this way.

It never hurts to be reminded that this is a free, public forum, that no question is too simple or obvious, and that tone can be hard to convey in the typed word, so err on the side of caution when composing your posts.

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Very well put Lizzie.
Lets hope the relevant people get the message, I am sure they know who they are!.
Happy New Year.

 

[xtrailman]

The adverts on the RHS which makes it difficult to scroll.
I've lost count of the number of times the scroll bar has gone and I've inadvertently clicked on a ad, while it makes money for the forum at the same time I find navigation frustrating.
Which is why I'm usually not a daily visitor.

It’s a free forum with free advice - the moderators do a good job of policing the site - what’s not to like

 

[Raywood]

I have seen very little that I regarded as a problem but I think that all forums are subjected to the odd over the top remark. Having worked in insurance claims including going out to investigate I have a pretty thick skin, but I do try to remember others feelings when replying, but sometimes you do have to point out the facts, but try to do it diplomatically.
I agree the moderators do a good job though.

 

[Martin24]

Parksy and Damian do a fantastic job moderating this forum with no pay and in the spare time they have. On the very odd occasion over the years when something said is inappropriate they step in pretty jolly quickly, either with a few words of advice or removing posts all together. We have also known trouble makers and trolls be barred from the site. There have been many an on line and in person friendship created directly from time spent on the forum. Compared to many other forums and on line communities I honestly believe this one to give people balanced views, though sometimes opposing, in a friendly, helpful, lighthearted way.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I quite agree.
Similar to you, I have found that on occasion, a fairly simple question / query / observation is ...accompanied by screeds of irrelevant chapter and verse...

Hello PF.

What may seem irrelevant to you, others frequently thank contributors for.

A simple answer may be desired by a questioner the issues around it may be more complicated than they think making a simple reply inappropriate or even dangerous.

I totally agree that caravanning should be pleasurable activity and easily accessible - freedom of sorts, but there several aspects of the activity that do have to be considered with regards to safety and legality. We would be very remiss if we did not comment if a poster alludes to something that seems to be leading to an unsafe or illegal practice.

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Absolutely.
Happy New Year..

 

[Dustydog]

I’d like to hear GD485 reply to all the excellent replies to the OP.
At the end of the day having a safe enjoyable caravan holiday is all that matters.

 

[thosoneill]

Happy New Year.

It’s the seventh of March for goodness sake

 

[Gabsgrandad]

 

[Dustydog]

Happy Easter :cheer:

 

[Thingy]

Most of the answers people search here can be found by "yer owd mate Google", but if we all used Google permanently, there would be far less content in the forum.

What should be remembered is that when people ask a question, they are very often asking for opinions and experiences of said question, rather than a hard fact, and when that happens, the answers will vary greatly.

This forum in my experience is the friendliest and best informed of all the caravan forums, and therefore the only one I bother with. I certainly dont see any changes in attitude, its still mainly the same faces from when I joined. Maybe they are all getting a touch older and therefore crotchety, except me. Im Peter Pan btw.

 

[JanBn]

Personally speaking, I have always found the replies I have received have been fantastic and has, on many an occasion caused me to re-think my options on the questions I’ve asked. I’m really grateful when someone responds (At least I know I’m not being ignored :lol: ) . On the occasion that I may have had replies that have contradicted or have been worded ‘firmly’ I don’t think that has meant to be offensive rather I take it as a mentor speaking to the novice, because after all, we pose a question because we are not as knowledgeable as most of who reply So on that note, I thank everyone who takes the time to reply to questions that would otherwise leave us less experienced Caravanners making mistakes that in some circumstances could be detrimental to ourselves and others