questions asked by Private message that should be asked on the forum

I should say it is not just this forum , I get similar type questions on Trip Advisor.

The opposite happens quite a bit too. Some folks are using the public forum to address a specific person...or some third party (by name no less).

Absolutely agree with Unclegus. If the question is on the open forum not only it benefits the whole community but the OP himself (herself). More answers. I understand the motive why some people are sending PM. By being on this forum for many years it's easy to notice experts for different areas. Example: Unclegus - Prague, James - Budapest, Jo - Frankfurt, Nigel - England, Lee - transportation in Germany and I apologize to many more experts that I could not name them all (maybe if someone post the question about experts we can try). Maybe those private messengers are afraid that the expert can miss their question. I would say ask first on the open forum and if you don't see answer from your expert in one week, go to PM.

I totally agree because I have read lots of Unclegus' (and others) posts on other people's threads and have learned so much! Sometimes people ask questions I wouldn't have thought to ask but it turns out I wanted/needed the answers :)

What is worse is people who delete their threads after it has been answered.
Deleting your own answer is OK, you sometimes realise you have got totally confused and given a dumb answer. But there have been cases where someone asks a question, it is a little ambiguous but I craft an answer which is hopefully useful not just to that poster but to people coming after. And other people also give answers.
Then the next day, the whole thread is missing. The OP just deleted it, presumably because they had an answer.
All the responders work gone up in smoke, kerpow.

I don't think deleting a whole thread should be allowed.

Sometimes people delete their thread even before it was answered. I was just typing reply to the post Fourth time in Europe posted today at 2:33 pm and then when I wanted to add it it said Rick Steves can't find your webpage and there was a picture of Rick lying on the floor. Then I looked under General Europe and also All Topics and bingo! the question is no more there. It's a little annoying when volunteers take their time to help and then OP just erases it all.

I think I would just politely answer their questions knowing they are seeking help and maybe unsure of "going Public" and being made fun of as so often happens for a simple question on forums like this.

What does it hurt to be kind and polite? Certainly the volume is not overwhelming?

And while you are right about questions being asked on the forums benefiting the entire community maybe you can help them overcome their anxiety about posting in the process and make a friend too.

I'm not sure how people deleting entire threads has anything to do with the issue of people asking questions via Private Message..

I PM someone when I would like to comment on their post, but my comment isn't really germane to the OP's topic.

After some less than pleasant encounters with people that don't welcome others opinions, I have gotten in the habit of sometimes private messaging my responses on here and TripAdvisor.

I occasionally get a question by PM that probably should be asked on the forum, but I often get the sense that the person has contacted me because they have read some of my posts and want my opinion and may feel that asking on the forum does not insure that I will read the thread or if I do, that I'll respond to it.

Chani--that's exactly what I get--people wanting a more detailed personal opinion based on my experience, most often because I am a solo female traveler.