Trip Reports General Discussion and Poll

[Misha]

I don't quite understand this concept of interrupting a trip report. The poster can continue posting even as other chime in. TwoBitBandit's report was an excellent example: he simply posted even as people were discussing. His trip report was read by all and went on for 25 pages. I don't remember at any point TBB complaining that he was interrupted and he managed to finish posting it in its entirety.

[Gator]

I had mentioned to someone in a PM I sent that one of the classiest guy I had come to know since I started this journey is 'Gator'.

You are so easy.  You feel this way only because I bought you a beer at Moscow's equivalent of Chuckie Cheese.

 As for the personal squabble on this thread, and others...here yah go

I trust it is not a personal squabble, and I indeed feel bad if it is viewed that way.  I have never harbored any animosity towards SJ.  I was taking exception to his behavior, not the man.  To be precise, I was criticizing only 10% of SJ's behavior, something that I felt was impeding his full potential.  Regarding your comment:

Since actively participating here on RWD, one of the guys who I felt an admiration for is SJ.

I have the same sentiment.  Repeat:  I have the same sentiment.  I always read SJ posts because he has something interesting to add to the discussion, frequently remarkably so.  High intelligence is not to be ignored.

Today, SJ's posts were outstanding.  They contributed immensely to the discussion.  And I felt no agitation.  It was a cuddly moment.    I hope he keeps that style.  The metamorphosis was quick, suggesting that this is the real SJ.  

dude, you gotta change that handle

What's wrong?  Doesn't SJ stand for Simply Joyful?

[Gator]

...I have to wonder at the motives of those people that just have to have their TR read, but not interrupted, before it has been completed and, perhaps, therein lies the reason why you shouldn't acquiesce to such requests after all...?

I asked early in the thread  if anyone had any solid reasons not to offer that option.

not surprisingly, 7 pages later  after plenty of acidic posts,  we really have none?

Both valid points.

After 7 pages I wonder if this whole thread moot.  Is there anyone who would use this option?  Would it prompt someone to write a TR who otherwise would remain silent? 

ManLooking’s post prompted Daveman to conduct this poll.  He withheld some information to avoid “silly” responses.  If he had the option to transfer his report, would he have disclosed more?  What say ye, ManLooking?


Another question:  will this option increase reader interest?  Five members have written a "sans response" report.

-  Pike (aka Albert) enjoyed discussing sex and knew a large percentage would object (which they did in absentia with a parallel thread).
-  av8or had grown weary of the WOVO crusaders protesting his WMVM methods. 
-  The others?   Maybe they were confident about their trip and did not want to feel obliged to defend it, yet still wanted to share it as part of participating in the RWD community.  Who knows?

Pike’s report was useful only if one wanted to bed a lot of women in their mid to late 40s.  Yet it had the most entertainment value measured by “number of views.”  Pike’s had 5764 views vs. 264 views for daveyj’s (the report which IMO seems to have most useful information for the average trip taker). 

Excluding Pike’s TR, it appears that sans response trip reports attract fewer readers (maybe someone can do a comparable analysis).

[XMan]

After reading this entire thread, the only thing that I believe can be said with certainty is that no one is going to change anyone's mind about anything concerning trip reports, regardless of logic or fervor. 

I have wondered why TR's are written, or read for that matter, having written one and read at least parts of a number of others.

I read them because:
1) I like a good story.
2) The writer may have been to a city (very likely has, in fact) that I have never been to before.
3) The writer may have been to a city I have been to before, and I have the "oh yeah, I remember that," experience.
4) There may be useful information about a wide variety of things -- travel do's or don'ts, airport changes, airlines, restaurants, apartments, phones, etc.
5) It's interesting to see the approach that someone else takes to this bizarre venture.

In the end, opinions about what someone did right or wrong most likely don't matter.  An intelligent person is going to make his own judgment while reading the TR, and one who cannot do so is going to have other far more serious problems, so I doubt that reader would be "saved" by heated, well reasoned, or some other style of commentary. 

Similarly, flaming someone, even for what is perceived to be a flagrantly bonehead move by the majority of veterans, accomplishes little if anything.  I understand the desire to point it out in a rather robust fashion.  But maybe a little civility would be more effective in the long run.  It might also convince others that one need not be perfect nor have titanium skin to post a TR, which could possibly result in more of them being written.  And no one, I don't care who he is, how many trips he has made, how many women he has dated, etc., fully understands what was happening or why a decision was made except the guy with his boots on the ground in whatever scenario he is in. 

But as I said at the outset, no one is going to change anyone's mind in this thread, and so my words are equally moot.
Sic vita est.  If I were running for office, or my life depended on it, or perhaps if the RWD fairy was going to leave $100 under my pillow and put a big slice of New York Cheesecake in my refrigerator, I would be far more concerned as to whether what I wrote here mattered.

Speaking of writing, I had to sit back and wonder why I wrote a TR. 
I think it's because:
1) I like to write.
2) Sometimes it's fun to share a really unusual experience, and in my book, any trip to the FSU is pretty much outside the norm for an overwhelming majority of AM.
3) Maybe it provides a glimpse inside a place that a lot of folks have never visited, into a culture and traditions (or whatever else) that someone else has not had a chance to experience, and maybe it makes it seem more real, more possible for the uninitiated.

I am sure there are plenty of other better, or worse, reasons to write one. 
To each his own.

[Jumper]

After reading this entire thread, the only thing that I believe can be said with certainty is that no one is going to change anyone's mind about anything concerning trip reports, regardless of logic or fervor. 

I have wondered why TR's are written, or read for that matter, having written one and read at least parts of a number of others.

I read them because:
1) I like a good story.
2) The writer may have been to a city (very likely has, in fact) that I have never been to before.
3) The writer may have been to a city I have been to before, and I have the "oh yeah, I remember that," experience.
4) There may be useful information about a wide variety of things -- travel do's or don'ts, airport changes, airlines, restaurants, apartments, phones, etc.
5) It's interesting to see the approach that someone else takes to this bizarre venture.

In the end, opinions about what someone did right or wrong most likely don't matter.  An intelligent person is going to make his own judgment while reading the TR, and one who cannot do so is going to have other far more serious problems, so I doubt that reader would be "saved" by heated, well reasoned, or some other style of commentary. 

Similarly, flaming someone, even for what is perceived to be a flagrantly bonehead move by the majority of veterans, accomplishes little if anything.  I understand the desire to point it out in a rather robust fashion.  But maybe a little civility would be more effective in the long run.  It might also convince others that one need not be perfect nor have titanium skin to post a TR, which could possibly result in more of them being written.  And no one, I don't care who he is, how many trips he has made, how many women he has dated, etc., fully understands what was happening or why a decision was made except the guy with his boots on the ground in whatever scenario he is in. 

But as I said at the outset, no one is going to change anyone's mind in this thread, and so my words are equally moot.
Sic vita est.  If I were running for office, or my life depended on it, or perhaps if the RWD fairy was going to leave $100 under my pillow and put a big slice of New York Cheesecake in my refrigerator, I would be far more concerned as to whether what I wrote here mattered.

Speaking of writing, I had to sit back and wonder why I wrote a TR. 
I think it's because:
1) I like to write.
2) Sometimes it's fun to share a really unusual experience, and in my book, any trip to the FSU is pretty much outside the norm for an overwhelming majority of AM.
3) Maybe it provides a glimpse inside a place that a lot of folks have never visited, into a culture and traditions (or whatever else) that someone else has not had a chance to experience, and maybe it makes it seem more real, more possible for the uninitiated.

I am sure there are plenty of other better, or worse, reasons to write one. 
To each his own.

That is the outlook on TR's  i have, and it stems from TR's generally being  a bit *protected* ,
for the reasons you outlined.

[Turboguy]

I may have missed some posts in this thread but as far as I have read here is another option that I have not seen mentioned.

One forum I know of when there is a TR they start two threads.  One for the actual TR and one for comments about the TR.  That way the TR is not interupted and people don't have to wait to comment.  Any errant posts that are comments but in the TR thread can easily be moved to the comment thread.  

[SANDRO43]

I may have missed some posts in this thread but as far as I have read here is another option that I have not seen mentioned. One forum I know of when there is a TR they start two threds.  One for the actual TR and one for comments about the TR.  That way the TR is not interupted and people don't have to wait to comment.  Any errant posts that are comments but in the TR thread can easily be moved to the comment thread. 

I don't know how that could be engineered here (a new T/R thread in the Sans Response section opening automatically another thread with the same name+Comments elsewhere, maybe?), but it sounds like the ideal solution .

[ML]

It doesn't have to open automatically. 

If the sans TR has anything controversial in it, somebody is bound to start the parallel thread because they can't stand not being able to comment.

[Gylden]

Ok, I admit to be just a tad bit curious to find out who the heck was the scoundrel ( ) that started this whole mess. So I went back to check who Mr First Interruption was.....

   Aeeerrrrrrhhhhmmmmmm....I see!

 

Hello Gylden!!! How've you been?

Hi GQ,

I am doing great thanks! Just back today from three weeks in Turkey with my wife. Looks like you guys have been having some fun here. Did I start some sort of a mess because I wanted to see the pictures in a trip report?  Too funny!!
 

[Daveman]

Hi GQ,

I am doing great thanks! Just back today from three weeks in Turkey with my wife. Looks like you guys have been having some fun here. Did I start some sort of a mess because I wanted to see the pictures in a trip report?  Too funny!!
 

Don't be late for your public stoning! 

[Gylden]

Don't be late for your public stoning! 

Sorry, I'll try not to let it happen again.