Contacting other Fodorites Directly
 

Does anyone know how I can contact other Fodorites directly?

Several people have lots of good information and it would be helpful to be able to contact them directly instead of posting a lot of talk threads...

Just curious.

Thanks!

If people want to be contacted directly, they provide their e-mail addresses w/ their screen names.

It is usually better to post your questions publicly because 1) You can get useful information from more people, and 2) others can benefit from the answers . . . . .

I've been contacted directly on several occasions.

You have to send a request to the Editor(s) who will in-turn contact the recipient and ask them if it is agreeable to reveal their e-mail address to you.

Hi picture-girl,

Someone here wanted to email me some specific info (not travel-related) and I didn't feel comfortable publishing my regular email on Fodor's. You can go to gmail and get a free account which is what I did. It worked out well.

gruezi

I think Editor Katie mentioned that in the future this site may have clickable profiles where posters will have the option to have their email showing without it being right on the forum page as mine is.

picture_girl wrote: "Several people have lots of good information and it would be helpful to be able to contact them directly instead of posting a lot of talk threads..."

I think that taking things off the board is not always a good idea -- although there are circumstances where it might be appropriate. The information or opinion I might offer in response to one poster's query might be useful to other people who do not then to to post their own enquiries. Further, if I make a mistake about something, the ever-vigilant scrutineers will catch it and draw attention to it.

I, for one, would not welcome people contacting me by email for assistance in planning their trips.

"Several people have lots of good information and it would be helpful to be able to contact them directly instead of posting a lot of talk threads..."

Well it wouldn't be a forum then would it....#o

I'd prefer having a "Private Messages" function here, like there is on most other forums. No way I'd put my real-life e-mail address on display here.

Sometimes 'private' conversations arise that are boring for the rest of the world and could better be continued in mails. Travel questions, however, should be discussed in public on the forum - that's the sense of a forum, isn't it?

There is always the option to ask a person you're communicating with in a thread to e-mail you and provide your e-mail address, disguised in a way automatic spam programs can't harvest it - type: quokka (at) mailprovider dot com dot au - everyone will know how to turn this into a valid mail address.

I would just put their screen names in a new topic title and provide your direct contact info and ask them to contact you.

I would like to see a private message function on this site.

That way a person could contact another member for a quicker response instead of hoping that the person is reading the forum and sees a particular topic posted. It is all handled through the website so no personal email information is shared.

I believe that fairly recently one of the editors, Katie, mentioned that they are working on having messaging here so that you can leave a private message for another poster. Not sure when that might happen.

But I agree that most travel information belongs on the public forum. In the past I have seen messages from one poster specifically to another providing an email address and saying something like, "I have some questions regarding getting from Paris to Venice -- would you email me direct." What? No one else might profit from such information?

I like that function on tripadvisor. It would be a good addition here.

sherhatfield, while I would not object to a private messaging function, I would be very disappointed if people tried to use it to take discussions of general interest off the board.

I don't come here to offer private consultations. I come to interact on travel-related matters with people in an open forum. I am aware that I give a lot more information and opinion than I seek; that's fine with me, as I enjoy the discussion, and most people are mannerly enough to say thank you.

But if you want my assistance on a one-to-one basis, then let us also discuss how much you are prepared to pay me.

Padraig - I completely agree regarding taking messages off the board. I like having everything posted here.

That said, I was just thinking the other day that I wish there was a private messaging function because I am very interested to hear about an apartment that another Fodorite stayed in recently in Rome. I am booked there next month and I am very curious about her stay. There aren't any other reviews out there about the apartment.

She may not visit this site often, so if I could send her a private message, I could at least ask her my questions.

I have had fodorites contact me directly. When they wanted to contact me, they just asked me in the post if they could contact me or if I would contact them.

I think that it is beneficial to keep most things on the board because it helps others, but if someone has a lot of specific questions sometimes it doesn't hurt to ask to contact someone directly. It certainly doesn't bother me if someone asks to contact me.

Tracy

I exchange e-mails w/ several fodorites. But they mostly aren't about things that would be posted on the forums. They are private e-mails like to any other friends.

I especially cherish the e-mails I received from dear Ben Haines. Lots of Fodorites know others' addresses - but for run of the mill travel questions - they should be posted on the public forums.

The reason I no longer display my e-mail is because there was a semi-stalking situation several years ago and I got some weird messages from someone who has since been banned (not related to my situation which happened "pre-registration")

Back then when I did display an address, I got LOTS of e-mail asking questions that I thought would be better posted on the forums and while I did answer them, I also suggested they post them on here.

I wouldn't ever list my email on public forums like this and I personally would not want to respond to emails from folks just asking for a lot of travel information. I had my email address posted once on another such online forum (I think they required it), and the problem was that then a lot of folks just want you to be their travel agent, more or less.

Unless you are engaging in personal conversations with someone that have nothing to do with travel, I can't think of any circumstances where it would be appropriate to email privately rather than posting a lot of threads on here. The whole point of this forum isn't just for individuals to find a free travel agent, but for their to be public discussions and information that many can both contribute to and make use of.

I don't think asking questions about an apt. rental is any exception, as others might be interested in that apt. also, and could read the thread for info on it, also, now or later.

I would never email Fodors to ask for someone's email address, as anyone who wants to be contacted shows their email address, I would assume.

I have no problem with people contacting me on this e mail address. I have several and this I keep mainly for my Fodors friends.

I have received direct mails from many fodors people and been lucky enough to meet several both here and all around the world.

But if you wish to contact anyone specifically I would suggest a post with their fodors name in the title.

Give them your address and hope they contact you.

Happy traveling

Muck

picture_girl: I have only contacted maybe two Fodorites who posted their email addresses, but I do regularly correspond with a Fodorite I met on a GTG in Paris.
We have a lot in common and chat about things that are not of interest to the Forum.

People are so funny about the behavior of other people! Why on earth does it matter if two people hook up on Fodor's and e-mail each other about -- gasp! blush!-- something other than travel!!!!!!!

Might even lead to dancing, I guess. In public places.

I like to think if this message board mania goes on long enough people will be using Fodor's to arrange raves at Stu Dudley's Sex Rouge. (He said there was such a town, I didn't.)

Every once in awhile I post my email address here, like when people area asking about Bordeaux, on which I have a file, or menu translations, and I've certainly started up email acquaintanceships with more than a few Fodorites over the years, but I sure wouldn't want my email address out there for anyone to use at will - that would just be intrusive, and there would always be people who would take advantage of that.

I have had people contact me through my blog, which i have posted on Fodor's. I don't think i could ever get tired about talking about travel, and if someone wants information that I might be able to share, I am more than happy to provide it.

((H))

Most people get a separate email account for posting publicly (not giving out their own regular one) if they are willing to be contacted. For instance mine is [email protected] and that's OK for all the world to see.

But, IMO taking things off the forum kind of defeats the entire purpose of this website. When a question is answered, it's not just for your benefit, rather everyone else who is reading, and who will come in the future and use the search function. It's about creating a body of helpful information, not just planning one person's trip.

That said, Trip Advisor does have the ability to send personal emails and it has been very nice in certain situations, when the information we're trading is not likely important to other folks or is a conversation between just two people.

maitai, my thoughts exactly. I love to talk about travel, and if someone has some specific questions to ask me so be it. I find it flattering, to be honest, and I've made some nice friends this way.

I love this forum and think it's important to share information so we can all benefit as this is what this forum is all about. But in a recent instance, for example, someone read one of my trip reports and wanted to know specific information about the apartment I had rented. I don't think anyone else has ever rented it to give the answers, and there are times when I go weeks without checking fodors. She asked if she could email me directly...and this way I knew that I could continue answering her questions without going back to the original post all the time.

Tracy

&quot;<i>Why on earth does it matter if two people hook up on Fodor's and e-mail each other about -- gasp! blush!-- something other than travel!!!!!!!</i>&quot;

Not the point. I don't think anyone has said <u>anything</u> against private conversations &quot;off line&quot;. The OP is asking how to get travel information w/o posting on the forums. That defeats the whole purpose.

Lots of us have &quot;hooked up&quot; and e-mail each other in the background. But for travel questions (or Lounge discussions for non-travel things) - post on the forums (IF the silly site ever speeds up %^$#@*)

What I should have written is why does anyone care what anybody else says about anything in an e-mail?

Opinions were posted in this thread that it wouldn't be appropriate to contact someone else privately with a travel question. I can't figure out why. Is that like whispering in class?

I appreciate that lots of people benefit from the public discussions, recorded here for posterity for future travelers, but I'm stumped as to why people have mental rules about other people talking privately about anything, including &quot;What's your favorite hotel in Paris?&quot;

Nobody takes on social obligations posting a travel question or answer on Fodor's.

Yes, I'm a social misfit.

zeppole asked: &quot; Is that like whispering in class?&quot;

That's quite a good simile. If it happens now and again, no great harm is done; if it becomes general, then the class is useless.

[It can be interesting to check the posting records of those who suggest changes to the way the forum is used.]

The point is, if a lot of people started doing this, there would be no forum. I disagree that detailed answers about specific things are not of interest to everybody. Specific information about that apartment, for example, could help lots of people who are looking for an apartment. Of course, I see nothing wrong with emailing people about other interests.

If someone wanted to ask me a question about that apartment, they certainly could have. I've mentioned it on here probably at least 20 times, in detail and with photos. Her question was more to the fact that the woman wasn't responding. But the question aside, she asked if she could email me directly and I didn't feel it necessary to say no. And when she had questions I couldn't answer I directed her right back here and she did post a few questions since our conversation.

I do agree that most things should be kept to the boards, as that's what makes it fun and helpful for everyone. But if someone feels more comfortable asking me for a private conversation I'm not going to say no because I personally don't have a problem with it.

Tracy

If a lot of people start doing this, then there is probably a good reason for it, one I don't care to suppress.

I am not afraid.

Fodor's will live forever, I'm sure.

There have been times when some of the &quot;information&quot; posted would have been MUCH better off in direct, PRIVATE e-mails but I think it is ridiculous for a bunch of people to start dictating what should be on the forum.

There are a few things that I am willing to say privately that I would not post on the forum. Particularly something negative about a property or private property owner. I would never &quot;trash&quot; a place in public, but I would be willing to tell someone about quirks or funky situations I myself ran into... but not want to post publicly where it could help ruin someone's business, perhaps undeservedly.

Dukey wrote: &quot;I think it is ridiculous for a bunch of people to start dictating what should be on the forum.&quot;

Who's dictating?