Seems to me this forum is a lot less active than in years past....
 

I used to haunt this forum quite frequently until perhaps 3 or 4 years ago when we started focusing on travels to other parts of the world (and, I got super tied up with work so didn't have as much leisure time to read and post). Now that I'm back here in the Europe forum trying to gather information for an upcoming trip, it seems to me that there is not nearly as much action as there used to be. Maybe I'm wrong, and my memory is deceiving me......

Have the usual posters moved to other forums? Or just quit posting? Or are my impressions wrong?

I'll admit too that I really wish this place had a feature so many other sites have--the ability to get an e-mail notification when a response is posted. I think this feature keeps people more involved and active. For example, I just read a great trip report from nearly a year ago with the last responses from last fall. It would be so nice to be able to comment or ask a question and have the original poster be notified by e-mail to come back to respond.

I've been posting for 9 years or so and seen no drop off. Trouble is the editors got rid of the lounge so some of the rubbish that used to go there ends up here.

Trip reports there are fewer perhaps but some of the quality is very good.

Thinking back, the places people go are getting a bit dull, does everyone want to go to Venice, Florence and Rome? Surely someone wants to go to Trieste, how sad.

Perhaps you remember the time before the Lounge, when this was the defacto lounge?

The cost to get to/from Europe may have lessened the posts. (It has for me.)

I have noticed a distinct drop in postings or at least perceive that there has been.

I blame it in part of the 'I know it all' attitude of some veteran Fodorgarchs - how many times have I seen a new poster's ideas get rudely trashed - called 'insane', 'nutty, and my favorite a real retort 'a forced march' (for kids involved.

These posters never come back and some have been brought to tear in the rudeness they encountered - it is really only a relatively few Fodorgarchs but the same ones over and over with their tart blunt (one Fodorgarch has been applauded by some for her/his 'bluntness') - and these new folks are the ones Fodors profits from - they buy the books, respond to banner ads, etc. Yet they are time and again chased away by a relatively few Fodorgarchs who just cannot remember when they were novice travelers and had little clues about 'how to travel'.

I think it may be time of year--many are traveling! I will be soon, with valuable information gained here. I peruse other travel forums, and I think for the most part we are spared the frankly inane questions (think TA for example). I don't mind helping novice travelers, it is people who ask questions without taking one glance at a webpage or book that irritate me, I just don't answer those questions.

I wish more folks would take the tact that yorkshire does - just not comment on such questions as she/he describes - too bad that a handful of Fodorgarchs see fits to tell the new poster exactly how lazy or idiotic they are! Seen it time and time again - by the same old folks... time and time again... same old folks...time and time again...

Yes yes and yes.
I think it's hard to find info about obscure places here (Corsica, Sardinia, Beirut, Scottish islands, not so much Trieste).
People on this board come from all over. Attitudes and humour is different. You have to allow for 'bluntness'.
And I agree about not answering questions sometimes!!

Well, I have been known to offer the suggestion that someone do a little research first, but I usually offer then the caveat that they will be rewarded with much enhanced forum replies (and a better trip) if they do so!

Yes, at times, you got to be thick skinned here; once I was called a Philistine (and Ive never even been to Philadelphia) and one helpful and patient person asked me to wait a little while whilst they banged their head on a table (oooohhh I do hope it hurt).

Ive no problem with someone asking the naive question it often throws up some interesting replies ie "Hotels in Rome" despite it being asked over and over and over and over again, it often results in some quite original replies.

Yes, at times, you got to be thick skinned here; once I was called a Philistine (and Ive never even been to Philadelphia) >>

lol, steve.

Yes it's a lot slower here than 3 or 4 years ago. I don't know why.

For one thing folks who used to post in the Europe forum with some really great advice began to post mainly in the Lounge - the Lounge IMO distracted the core mission of fodor's and dragged some great Europe forum contributors more to the Lounge - the Lounge of pure pablum often, sometimes perpetrated moi-meme!

I honestly think people are travelling less because of the weak economy, college costs, low interest rates on CDs, and retirement fears.

I don't think it has anything to do with the perceived rudeness of very blunt Fodorites.

There was a certain Fodorite known for her sweetness, yet she never offered any cogent advice here.

Is that what you want?

I would rather get sage advice from a pit bull like Travel Snob.

Why would anyone be reduced to tears by words written by a stranger on an Internet site?

That's just bloody daft.

Thin, posting 13 years in Fodorville

I'll agree that I think part of the lack of activity is due to the economy. Transatlantic airfares are sky high. And, I am one who fondly remembers the one euro I could buy for $.88 ten or twelve years ago.

All of these things create a reason why we haven't been doing as much European traveling from the US as we used to and instead have chosen to explore different (cheaper) parts of the world. I'm assuming others are doing likewise.

I still prefer getting advice here because I have a pretty good idea of the perspectives/inclinations of many who post here, much more so than on Tripadvisor. And, there is a lot of good advice here.I can definitely see, however, how a brand new person would react to some of the rather harsh responses that are occasionally posted and decide never to return.

If you post more often on Trip Advisor, then you get to know individual posters in the various destination forums, just like you know here.

The Lounge is still there for anyone who registered before--I think--April 24th.

I have to say the Europe forum was extremely helpful to me during our recent Paris/London trip, especially questions about how much time to allow the only experience traveler would know.

-- I posted a question about getting my husband from the Marais to CDG early the following day, and within a couple of hours I got replies that were right on the money.

-- Previous to the trip I needed to know what time was safe to buy Eurostar tickets given an early morning ETA at LHR. Again, great and much appreciated advice. What a resource.

I'd probably offer more of my own quirky finds and suggestions if I didn't feel constrained by what PalQ is talking about.

Thin skinned? Yes. Been to Philadelphia? Once. There's room here for opinions by philistines and, um, whatever the opposite of that is.

I'd probably offer more of my own quirky finds and suggestions if I didn't feel constrained by what PalQ is talking about.>

I am only talking about rudeness not quirky finds or suggestions - but being rude which I've never found you to be - at least in the Europe forum - the Lounge yes that is where rudeness rules and everyone knows it - but I am only talking about Fodorgarchs chasing away new posters by the acerbic remarks - there is a way to tell someone their plans are unrealistic without using words such as "beyond crazy" which have been said and many others.

But quirkiness is fine - that is what makes Fodor's so neat - the quirky advice - so please don't construe my remarks as being against that - just against downright rudeness that yes at least once has brought a first-time poster to tears!

I can't stand hypocrisy.

It is always somebody else's fault and the accusations of rudeness fly around here like confetti.

Take a look in the mirror.

You are one of the biggest instigators in the history of this forum.


Thin, who does not suffer fools

Going on and on and on and on about the same bleedin' point

Using the word "doable"; each time I see it a part of me dies

Being too lazy or stupid to use an internet search engine

Enough to drive anyone away