I'm a Fodor regular. Many times I see people post what are basically simple questions. What bugs me is the responses they sometimes get. Say someone asks about staying at a particular hotel in London. They want to know whether they should stay at that hotel or not. Can they get a simple response to that question? No, instead they get responses telling them about another hotel. Another example is someone going to the UK who asks about foot and mouth. What they want is for someone who lives there or has just returned to tell them about their experiences with the problem and whether it affected their trip. What do they get? A lot of responses from people who haven't been there recently mouthing what has been in the newspapers, which is highly exagerated. I recently traveled all over Wales and never once saw the burning pyres of animal bodies one poster indicated were in the area I visited. I just hope that the original poster wasn't talked into canceling their trip. I could go on but I would like to see if others feel the same way I do. What do you think?

I would like to take issue with your first comment... <BR> <BR>There are THOUSANDS of hotels, B&B's and restaurants in any European city. The likelihood of a person that has stayed in that particular hotel and just happens to be looking at this forum at that particular time is "extremely" rare.. <BR> <BR>So, what people (I think) are trying to do is give other hotels that they may have stayed in and maybe in the same area. <BR> <BR>Unfortunately, Fodor does not categorize postings, and has a rather limited search function, that is if it works at all. <BR> <BR>It can up to 5 minutes to get through a couple of days postings if you are on a slow phone line. <BR> <BR>There's my two pennies.. <BR>

As pissed off as people will get about this, I hate the mean, snotty responses that hide behind anonomous names. I don't care if someone does use a fake email because they worry about spam but I think the use of an alias when you are writing something mean, rediculous, or sarcastic is cowardly. Use a fake name if you like but be consistent in your use of that name. Book Chick and Capo are great examples of people who made up names but consistently use them and own up to their comments. <BR> <BR> Flame away all you xxx's.

ttt <BR> <BR>That's my least favorite response.

In response to your "What do you think" question ... <BR> <BR>I definitely see your point that the simple questions should elicit simple answers. However, often I find it very informative if I see (or ask) a specific question and posters come back with options (i.e., hotels that are similar and perhaps preferable to the one I asked about). Other times, second-hand news from printed/other sources is better than no response at all. Essentially, people are attempting to be helpful. Ideally, someone(s) would have visited, stayed at, or experienced exactly what the poster inquired about, but it doesn't always work that way.

Maybe the most annoying are the ones where the answer is easily looked up, but people feel compelled to put in their 2 cents. For instance, every so often someone asks about their credit card covering the CDW on a rental car. Several people chime in with their opinions, when the best answer is for the poster to simply call their credit card company or read their cardholder's agreement. When ya think about it, what good is it to speculate on an answer like that? "Gee Rental Car Co., the people on Fodor's thought this damage would be covered. I don't think I should have to pay for it!" See how far that gets you!

I agree with Grasshopper; anonymous, rude people who won't even own up to their snotty responses. If it wasn't for the great folks on here who truly have something constructive to say, I'd leave. So thank you all those who are worth reading!

Amen to that Linda. However, I also love this board for the humor it sometimes provides. Absolutely enjoyed that thread about how much to tip the pilot.

Amen and Hallaluieh,) I know that's not how you spell it) to Linda. <BR>My very least favorite is the snotty "do a search". There are people who come on to this site that are not regulars and if you don't feel like answering then Don't. But why be sarcastic and cruel to newcomer's. They may come back with information that could be of value to you and they will never show up here again. <BR>My other pet peeve is someone topping a question that was asked 1 year ago! where should I stay in London asked in 6/99 and someone is answering it now in 8/2001!!!!!!!!

I think what is equally annoying as the rude ones are the thin skinned ones just looking *any* excuse to be offended. I've seen plenty of people take offence at postings that in no way were directed at them and were none of their business in the first place.

I'm with Grasshopper: &lt;&lt; I hate the mean, snotty responses that hide behind anonymous names. &gt;&gt; <BR> <BR>Liz

I started planning our first European trip about 10 months ago & found this site extremely helpful as I was scanning a few minutes each night. I soon found out that there are people with short tempers, or short on time & they ansered w/ "just do a search, you'll find many answers to this post" along w/ many others who answered my questions directly or pointed me to more a specific previous post (very helpful). <BR> <BR>While searching for some is resonable it isn't feasible for others. I'm lucky to have a high speed modem connection (which I pay dearly for) & get searches rather quickly when it isn't "acting up". But, a lot of people don't have this and find the time to do a search very cumbersome. <BR> <BR>I would like for fodors to come up with a way to categorize hotels, restaurants, hot spots, etc. for fodors regulars to input data to & to point people to for "mundane" inquiries. <BR> <BR>I know they try this with their rants & raves section but it seems very few people use and it's directed at specific hotels, restaurants, etc. <BR> <BR>Maybe they could categorize by a list country/area/towns & then break it down by hotels, sites & resuarants that others could add to. <BR> <BR>Would anybody else like to see an easier way to search for country/area/town specific info? <BR> <BR>DFW 8/30/01

Actually what bothers me are questions like this.

Damn, you beat me to it by six minutes!

To Jayne---"The likelihood of a person that has stayed in that particular hotel and just happens to be looking at this forum at that particular time is "extremely" rare.." well it seems the Extreme thing has happened twice to me this week as I answered 2 people about different hotels I happened to stay in. So much for that theory.--Anyway one should be glad to get any response from a posting as I have posted and never got any answer bad or good <BR>

Like Grasshopper, the mean, snotty responses posted by people with anonymous e-mail addresses.

Apparently, we're darned if we do and darned if we don't. <BR> <BR>If we answer with whatever information we happen to have, we are criticized for not being able to address that particular hotel or that particular late-breaking crisis. <BR> <BR>But if we don't answer at all, then the post drops like a stone, newcomers feel ignored, and then we get snippy post headings like "Why Won't Anyone Answer My Question About X." <BR> <BR>If someone makes a good faith attempt to be helpful, that's good enough for me. <BR>

Messages drow very quickly, on this board. A message about another hotel not only provide a possible second choice or possibly an option which has been overlooked by the poster, but also "top" the message, which so stays visible long enough to hopefully be seen by some reader who actually stayed at this hotel. A message without responses dissapears in a matter of hours. so, in my opinion, it's to the best advantage of the original poster to have some responses, even if they don't exactly answer to his question.

Most of questions are usually relevant, and most newcomers don't know how to research the historical data. <BR>I had found the answer to specific question only 3 month after I asked it. It takes time lo learn how to navigate between topics or names. And that might be the reason why someone tops the tread 2-year old thread, like someone did for me. <BR>The only suggestion: thread names should be more clear and specific. <BR>Not "Need help with hotel" but state the city and area or the name of the hotel. It would save a lot of time to those who have no input on a subject.

Well, I love toppers. The search capacity of this website is zero If it weren't for the toppers I wouldn't fine the info. My pet peeve is those who list info, like for hotels, and then say, "I haven't been there but I've heard." Not to be unkind, but I would like first hand experience. Ooops, now I do sound ungrateful. I have a Catholic upbringinig . . .