Forum manners, lets improve them

[FLYER15015]

I have on several recent visits to the forums, come across someone wishing advice or help with an issue,

most often, but not always in the various "Technical" forums, where they  post the problem then disappear.

 

They will post incomplete info such as no make, model, year, condition etc. and then ask for help.

When we try to answer their question with very limited information, we are just throwing mud at the wall.

 

Then after 2 or more pages of guessing, we never hear from the original poster, as to whether or not we helped them with their problem.

How many times have we had to beg for pictures ?  It's not rocket science to post a picture on any of our forums, and it is literally worth a thousand words.

 

I would just like to get some "closure"  on these types of threads,  for the sake of those who follow with similar issues.

 

Your thoughts please.........

 

Mike in Colorado

[Mark Shaw]

Mike,

    I agree; the moderators should be handling this issue by providing a format for newbies to follow.  

Edited December 26, 2019 by Mark Shaw (see edit history)

[Walt G]

I agree with Mark, some form of format has to be established so basic information that can then see some accurate answers to the questions. If it isn't used then don't post the question.

Every time there is a post with minimal information posted a lot of people ask the same questions - what year, what body style, what series/model, what engine etc.

If the person asking  the question went to an auto parts store, or a car flea market and walked up to a vendor and asked " Do you have parts for a  Ford ( fill in the name of any make of car) ? "

How would you expect the seller to react?  🙄 😨  Photos would certainly be a good idea but may be beyond the person asking the questions ability to post.

 

[Peter J.Heizmann]

35 minutes ago, FLYER15015 said:

I have on several recent visits to the forums, come across someone wishing advice or help with an issue,

most often, but not always in the various "Technical" forums, where they  post the problem then disappear.

 

They will post incomplete info such as no make, model, year, condition etc. and then ask for help.

When we try to answer their question with very limited information, we are just throwing mud at the wall.

 

Then after 2 or more pages of guessing, we never hear from the original poster, as to whether or not we helped them with their problem.

How many times have we had to beg for pictures ?  It's not rocket science to post a picture on any of our forums, and it is literally worth a thousand words.

 

I would just like to get some "closure"  on these types of threads,  for the sake of those who follow with similar issues.

 

Your thoughts please.........

 

Mike in Colorado

 

Mike,  

 

I advise that you post this query in the Forum Support arena just after the Speedster forum.  To post it here in the General forum is not going to get you the attention desired unless a Moderator happens to stumble across it.  In all fairness Moderators are not here 24/7 looking for such queries.  

 

For backup I just reported your post and maybe a Moderator will see it.  They usually do by going this route.

 

Peter J.

[hidden_hunter]

I've seen on some technical forums, they have the option for the original poster to mark the issue as resolved which might also help sift through search results over time

 

We've also had a few instance where people have been asking for help and when they've been offered suggestions they almost seem hostile to the person offering up ideas, very strange.

[FLYER15015]

Peter, you are probably right as to the proper location.

However "General forum" 363K visits, vs "Forum support" 1.9K visits.

Guess I was going for a bigger audience.

 

 

Mike in Colorado

[trini]

FLYER15015, you are absolutely correct . I have given advice to bloggers and very few says thank you . Like " I tried so and so and/or this was the problem / I got it fixed by doing such and such" so that other bloggers will learn something. These threads are not  for intertainment. It is for teaching and learning too, apart for information of service providers . 

[Mikefit]

Mike.  At times I think some post just to brag look at what I have bet you don't have one   

But it would sure be nice to post a  follow up this is what fixed it.  The other 

Mike

[Steve Moskowitz]

Everyone, we will get into this issue and discuss with our webmaster.  Reasonable idea and thoughts but sadly the nature of forums is that they are hard to corral.  We have rules that continually are broken.

[Hans1]

We are a helpful Club, the many responses I have seen, to incomple

[Hans1]

We are a helpful Club, the many responses I have seen, to inquiries is heart warming.

 

I try to remember that many questions come from "outsiders" or "nubies" who seem unfamiliar with our formats.

 

In every case we represent AACA and I think we do it helpfully.

 

To receive a Thank You is a gracious reflection, but to try to be helpful to some one is the best part. 

 

Happy New Year

 

 

[Bhigdog]

20 minutes ago, Hans1 said:

 

I try to remember that many questions come from "outsiders" or "nubies" who seem unfamiliar with our formats.

 

Saying "thank you" for a favor received is not a courtesy specific to or reserved for our format. It's a simple result of proper upbringing and manners...............Bob

[Peter Gariepy]

I've been moderating this forum for 21 years, and these problems are a constant. If people have ideas on how to address these problems I'd love to hear them.

 

However, I'm skeptical some things can be fixed with technology, more rules or heavier moderation including:

• Common sense
• Civility

 

 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

1 hour ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

Everyone, we will get into this issue and discuss with our webmaster.  Reasonable idea and thoughts but sadly the nature of forums is that they are hard to corral.  We have rules that continually are broken.

 

 And ignored!  I was guilty of that early on. Actually did not see the rules at first. 

 

  Ben

[Peter Gariepy]

1 minute ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

 

 And ignored!  I was guilty of that early on. Actually did not see the rules at first. 

 

  Ben

 

"And Ignored"?

 

Explain?

[JV Puleo]

While I am certain this is a well intentioned idea I see a major flaw in it. What about the new person who simply doesn't know much about cars. I'm thinking of the widow or, more often, children of a collector who have inherited a car and simply lack the technical grasp of the situation to ask the right questions or understand the answers. We see that a lot with values as so often the person who had the car inflated their value or, just as often, based their estimation on outdated or spurious information. Do you not want them to come here? This isn't an excuse for churlish behavior but it does place an obligation on the part of anyone who chooses to answer those questions to be polite and accepting of the fact that most people know very little about old cars.

[Walt G]

12 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

I've been moderating this forum for 21 years, and these problems are a constant. If people have ideas on how to address these problems I'd love to hear them.

 

However, I'm skeptical some things can be fixed with technology, more rules or heavier moderation including:

• Common sense
• Civility

Peter

Common sense and Civility. Thank you!

I worked with a great fellow when I was restoring my 1931 Franklin 45 years ago and his comment which I believe still rings true is " Everyone has common sense but not everyone has good sense". That always stuck with me.

Walt

 

 

Edited December 27, 2019 by Walt G
typo (see edit history)

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

13 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

 

Saying "thank you" for a favor received is not a courtesy specific to or reserved for our format. It's a simple result of proper upbringing and manners...............Bob

 

 You are right of course, Bob.  But when a newbe,  I bet even we old farts forgot some. I know I did. 

 

   Hope all had a great Christmas.

 

  Ben

5 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

"And Ignored"?

 

Explain?

 

 Peter, just trying to say I believe most new folks don't read the rules. Their fault or omission, not the fault of the 

forum. 

 

  I guess we just must , or at least should, be tolerant.  We all were new at one time.

 

  Ben

[Terry Bond]

It's difficult to establish a rule requiring courtesy. I've seen too many dangling conversations just because the OP isn't courteous enough to even say "thanks."  Have also noticed a lot of people posting questions about items that usually end up on ebay, but I guess that's just being resourceful.

Terry

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

15 minutes ago, Terry Bond said:

It's difficult to establish a rule requiring courtesy. I've seen too many dangling conversations just because the OP isn't courteous enough to even say "thanks."  Have also noticed a lot of people posting questions about items that usually end up on ebay, but I guess that's just being resourceful.

Terry

 

I agree, Terry.  Human nature, I guess.  Fortunately most are courteous.

And the folks that post something and never come back? I have been one of those. Completely forgot and /or lost the forum!

 

  Ben

[Bhigdog]

24 minutes ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

 You are right of course, Bob.  But when a newbe,  I bet even we old farts forgot some. I know I did. 

 

Newbe, Oldie, Tweener, it makes no difference. The simple act of acknowledging an answer to a question asked and offering a thank you is basic manners and courtesy.

That said: No amount of grousing or cajoling here will change a thing.

You can't make a silk purse from a sows ear.

Or, for that matter and closer to the truth, chicken salad from chicken shit.......................Bob

[39BuickEight]

I have joined and moderated a few other forums through the years, and this one is by far the most civil and courteous of them all.  There is always room for improvement, but generally we are a good group.  
 

I would go out on a limb, but I don’t think I need to, to say that’s largely due to our general demographic being older and more mature than most.     

Edited December 27, 2019 by 39BuickEight (see edit history)

[FLYER15015]

1 hour ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

"And Ignored"?

 

Explain?

Peter,

You know Ben is just pulling your chain.......

I've met Ben recently, and I found him to be a gentleman in every sense of the word.

 

Mike in Colorado

 

PS; Wooops, I've not read the rules either. Best get at that now!!!

       I just try to behave well enough to make my grandmother proud.

       Sometimes with some folks it is a real struggle.

[Mark Shaw]

1 hour ago, Peter Gariepy said:

I've been moderating this forum for 21 years, and these problems are a constant.

Peter,

    Perhaps it is time for you to accept and implement ideas and solutions offered by others. 

The example below should be permanently posted at the top of each topic with modifications specific to the topic.  

•  
• 
• Members
• 7,207
• 10,980 posts
• Location: Buick Gardens, Athens, Georgia

• Report post
•  

Posted January 21, 2013

GUIDE TO BUICK - BUY/SELL

Sell and ask for help in finding Buick cars, parts, memorabilia etc here.

Please include the following information:

- Please choose either For Sale or Want To Buy from the "Topic Tags" menu

- Year (Include in title and description)

- Make/Model (Include in title and description)

- Price -Strongly suggested. In other words, if you are lonely and are posting without a price just to get someone to email you with requests for information, low-ball offers, and angry demands for the price, then fine, skip the price. Otherwise put a real price on it and find a real buyer.

- Description

- Location - City, State and Country - (Include in title and description)

- Contact Information: We recommend you ask interested parties to use either Private Message or the hidden eMail that you have listed in your profile. Listing an email or phone number in your ad may get you on a Spam Robots mail list. It is your choice however.

- EBAY or Craigslist ads and a URL for that ad are OK - Note - Only users who have introduced themselves and have 5 or more BCA forum posts may post a reference or URL to their own eBay or CL ad.

Want to place a commercial ad? Use the AACA Commercial Advertisement Forum for that. http://forums.aaca.org/f158/

Incomplete, overly commercial, or non-Buick automotive related postings may be deleted without notice!

Please do not post your opinions of prices being asked or of the condition of a For Sale item as it typically leads to bickering and hurt feelings. Again, use PM's to communicate with the seller or others about such information. If you want to know how much something is worth or how much to ask for something, post a question in the applicable Pre War or Post War Fourm.

Photos and price listings are optional, but they will increase interest in your posting and greatly help the sale.

After posting, please check back frequently, because interested parties may be posting questions and asking more information on the Forum.

If the items sells, please return to the For Sale ad and post that it has been sold and also add SOLD to the Subject line

[Ronnie]

5 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

However, I'm skeptical some things can be fixed with technology, more rules or heavier moderation...

 

Adding new features, formats or rules to the forum won't alleviate the problems being discussed. Maybe something could be done that would help. 

 

A lot of forum members, especially new ones, use a forum much the same way they do a convenient market. They want to get in,  get what they are looking for,  and get out with as little interaction with other forum members as possible. There just isn't much moderators, or a team of moderators, can do about that. Moderators can't force members to follow formats or rules and moderators can't read every post to make sure the thread isn't dropped without ever knowing what resolved the problem.

 

However, there are a number of things forum members can do to help this situation. 

 

1. When a new member registers on the forum take the time to welcome him to the forum and make him feel at home.  Let him know that he is among friends who are willing to help with his problem even if he doesn't know much about his car.  He will be much more likely to give a lot more details about his car, his location, and the issue with his car if he feels like he is accepted as a member of the forum

 

2. Encourage new members to edit their signature line to add information about their cars and their general location so it will be seen in every post they make.  Older forum members should consider doing this too.  That way everyone can tell at a glance what type of car is being discussed without have to repeatedly ask.

 

3.  This will help with dropped threads... Ask the original poster who started the thread what he did to resolve the issue. If you "tag" him (using the @) when you ask the question he will get a notification via email or a pop up message to let him know that you have asked the question and he will be more likely to respond. 

 

- For example if I post: -  @FLYER15015 , what did you do to resolve this issue? - FLYER15015 should get a message telling him I have posted in a thread he posted in.  When you tag someone in a post they are more likely to respond.  That won't cure the problem but it might help

 

 

Edited December 27, 2019 by Ronnie (see edit history)

[FLYER15015]

Ronnie,

Per above "what did you do to resolve this issue" = I posted it in the biggest forum thread I could find, "General", 'cause it gets the most hits, = problem solved.

 

It is a pleasure to respond to some one's NAME rather that their "handle".

It took me a long time to figure out it was Ed in Mass, rather than edin mass.

Now I can address him as Ed when I post.

Ben is easy, but you have to watch out for the "AKA". It will  throw you.

 

Mike in Colorado

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

2 hours ago, FLYER15015 said:

Peter,

You know Ben is just pulling your chain.......

I've met Ben recently, and I found him to be a gentleman in every sense of the word.

 

Mike in Colorado

 

PS; Wooops, I've not read the rules either. Best get at that now!!!

       I just try to behave well enough to make my grandmother proud.

       Sometimes with some folks it is a real struggle.

 

 You are too kind, Mike. But I will accept the platitudes!  

 

 No I really was not even yanking Peters chain.  Just mouthing an opinion on what new folks [ older as well!] are not doing. FOR THE RECORD ,I am content with the forum and thankful for same.

 

 Mike, your new avatar fools me everytime.

 

  Ben

[FLYER15015]

Ben,

Yes I know it says "40 Buick team member and the picture is of the '31 Imperial = "gotcha"

Guess it's a case of divided loyalty, since I could not afford to buy Sandy Jones '33 black Buick series 90.

Lord know I wanted it, ever since I got a ride in it several years ago when I visited him in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

Another fine gentleman that I miss............

 

Mike in Colorado

[hidden_hunter]

2 hours ago, FLYER15015 said:

It is a pleasure to respond to some one's NAME rather that their "handle".

It took me a long time to figure out it was Ed in Mass, rather than edin mass.

Now I can address him as Ed when I post.

Ben is easy, but you have to watch out for the "AKA". It will  throw you.

 

Ideally yes and I will in private messages, but from a privacy point of view I can understand - we don’t know what some people do for a living etc. Same reason I guess phonebooks and clubs let people be unlisted 

 

I also agree we do seem to get a bunch of posts where it seems more like an estate valuation service, but I actually think that people seem to get a kick out of those threads trying to work out what a part is and what it’s worth. 

[1937hd45]

I tend to be a bit selective of the threads I answer. If a newbie posts an odd question I'll pass and find something of interest. The simple "Thank You" doesn't take long to type.  Bob 

[Billy Kingsley]

I am pleased to see this is a request for common courtesy rather than a reaction to a fight. 

 

I have been on internet message boards since the year 2000, based on my observation and experience, the people who join a forum specifically to ask a question are never heard from again about 99% of the time, with a few random people deciding to stick around and become part of the community. 

 

The people who join because they have a passion for the topic are the ones who become the "regulars", and it's predicated on each person's personality whether they post repeatedly or are the kind who when they speak, you stop and listen. I am the former rather than the latter. 

 

No rules put in place really matter. They will be ignored, aside from those who don't even bother to read them, there's many people who think that they don't apply to them. 

[1937hd45]

Ever notice how friendly the self anointed are when a newbie asks a question? The same self anointed also wonder were the hobby is going. 

 

Bob 

Edited December 28, 2019 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Locomobile]

People not responding to accurate help? That's what they do about 90% of the time, but if they are never heard from again, take comfort in knowing that the information provided was most likely accurate and resolved their issue.

 

It's a "Support" scenario. I can attest after doing email support on products for many years it's a thankless job, most people will not respond once their problem is resolved. It's a "No news is good news" situation.

 

However in a searchable support forum like this, the exchange is archived, so the information stays there for future access and reference. So, that is a good thing. It cuts down on rehashing the same topic repeatedly and cuts down on the drive-by one-timers.

 

-Ron

[Matt Harwood]

Hard to force someone to come back and thank us for the help or give us an update.

But the side benefit is that this forum shows up on Google searches and other people looking for a similar solution may find it and benefit from it. I bet every thread solving a problem, regardless of whether the guy reports back, helps many other people solve similar problems. That's a worthy outcome.