Is it ME or can some "Forum Newcomers" be awfully rude?

RichardS

RichardS

New Member
Nov 15, 2015
173
South Jersey
Boat Info
2009 Sea Ray 270 SLX
Engines
Merc 496 375HP, Bravo III
Is it me??

I have belonged to more than one on-line community such as this one over the years. I even founded and still maintain a very successful, very active forum dedicated to Harley riders.

When I join a forum, or someone joins my own Harley forum, it is customary and fitting to introduce oneself, share a little background, and get oneself "known" a bit before demanding answers to tech questions as though the forum is some A.I. based machine with an auto-answer system that draws from a database.

But all too often here on ClubSeaRay I have noticed new "members" sign up and leap right into a demand for an answer to whatever ails their boat, without one word of introduction and often without much thanks after getting an answer!

What happened to common manners wherein a person greets the folks they are hoping will help them and gives those folks a reason to want to help?

Sorry.........I apologize for the rant......just read another member with ONE post and the post was, as happens all too often, a request for answers without so much as one word of introduction. Am I right? is this behaviour rude or I am out of line?
 
I think a lot of "new" members come here after doing a quick google search about a problem they are having. They don't see the exact answer, so just post the question in hopes of a quick answer. I think a lot of those people will post a few times, get an answer and never be heard from again. I'd be curious to know how many members have less than 10 posts. I bet it's more than you think!
 
It's not just here. I see the exact same thing on a couple other forums I also participate on. And I still consider myself a newbie on this particular forum.

I feel exactly the same way regarding the lack of common courtesy. I am assuming (perhaps wrongly) that this trend is based primarily on the age of the poster. This could be a wildly wrong assumption, however...
 
Last edited:
I am a member on another forum (fishing related) where there is a "sticky" message at the top of the forums where new members are asked to introduce themselves and post that kind of information about themselves before other members will respond. It helps others sort out who is just there to steal some GPS coordinates or fishing hot spots and not really contribute and also potential trolls. Maybe an idea for CSR?
 
RichardS said:
Is it me??

I have belonged to more than one on-line community such as this one over the years. I even founded and still maintain a very successful, very active forum dedicated to Harley riders.

When I join a forum, or someone joins my own Harley forum, it is customary and fitting to introduce oneself, share a little background, and get oneself "known" a bit before demanding answers to tech questions as though the forum is some A.I. based machine with an auto-answer system that draws from a database.

But all too often here on ClubSeaRay I have noticed new "members" sign up and leap right into a demand for an answer to whatever ails their boat, without one word of introduction and often without much thanks after getting an answer!

What happened to common manners wherein a person greets the folks they are hoping will help them and gives those folks a reason to want to help?

Sorry.........I apologize for the rant......just read another member with ONE post and the post was, as happens all too often, a request for answers without so much as one word of introduction. Am I right? is this behaviour rude or I am out of line?
Click to expand...

Yes I have noticed that myself. Another thing is throwing money at something broken instead of testing it.
 
I belong to several forums most of them are technical based issues like iboats usually by the time someone finds a site their upset, frustrated with their problem without realizing their actually asking other people with the same interests.

My biggest complaint is their thread title ie OIL, Water, QUESTION with no description of their boat like Boat: Sea Ray Details: Sundancer Location: US.

Then they ask a vague question my drive leaks oil can anyone tell me what to look for ( what kind of drive, leaking where etc ), or a long 1 paragraph question 20-30 lines with 4 or 5 questions, as a reader we're supposed to decipher this.

I usually don't even read the whole post anymore or if you can tell their new to forums ask them to be specific.

All forums have their quirks.
 
So glad you brought this up. I've been having an issue with my port motor, its making a funny noise. Tell me how to fix it. I'll be going to the boat in an hour so respond by then. :grin:
 
I moderate a firearms forum and I find that new members have to be reminded to introduce themselves, even though we have a sticky, a statement about introductions in the forum rules and even a statement about intros. on the screen where you sign up to become a member and I still have to move posts and remind newbies to PLEASE introduce themselves. It's a symptom of the times I think, everyone is in a hurry to get answers and common manners have gone by the wayside. Take it in stride is all you can do.

BTW, the forum I moderate has quite a few 'drive by' members too, sign up, ask question and never heard from again.
 
Sous said:
So glad you brought this up. I've been having an issue with my port motor, its making a funny noise. Tell me how to fix it. I'll be going to the boat in an hour so respond by then. :grin:
Click to expand...

Throw some money at it :) * Seems to be the instant answer thing from social media.
 
One thing that drives me crazy, is when someone asks a question and gets multiple responses, but never responds back to the answers. :smt021 I love that little guy with the hammer.
 
I don't know about rude, but it seems there have been a rash of posts asking questions/ seeking help that are actually more like a request from the OP to validate their pre conceived notions. A good case in point would be a recent thread on the relative value of Sea Rays vs Bayliners. In retrospect it strikes me that the OP was only looking for validation to purchase a Bayliner. CSR is kind of an odd place to come for that, but some folks just don't think rationally.

Henry
 
I ignore vague questions with little or no boat/engine details ......I encourage others to do the same.
 
V8Buick is another very friendly site, just like this one. Lots of help & ideas, never anyone there long who doesn't "belong". No need to sign-up & become an official member, just post a question or comment, just like here, using a little common courtesy.
That said we can probably rule out any Canadians being rude on this site. Same reason we don't allow 4-way Stop intersections anywhere in the country.
4 cars pull up at the intersection & wait & wait. Each one signalling the others to proceed first " Go ahead. No. It's OK. Really, go ahead, I'll go after you ...............":grin:
 
Henry Boyd said:
I don't know about rude, but it seems there have been a rash of posts asking questions/ seeking help that are actually more like a request from the OP to validate their pre conceived notions. A good case in point would be a recent thread on the relative value of Sea Rays vs Bayliners. In retrospect it strikes me that the OP was only looking for validation to purchase a Bayliner. CSR is kind of an odd place to come for that, but some folks just don't think rationally.

Henry
Click to expand...

And in regards to that poster he calls out that some members here are snobs. No Really?? haven't noticed that at all, yah right
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,318
Messages
1,430,493
Members
61,176
Latest member
MrBill
Back
Top