RS Travel Forum Request

Yes, I share the same wish. At least the place where you live (it does not have to be address), your travels and if you lived abroad - where.

Good suggestion - and done:)

Done - an excellent suggestion

I think the difficulty with this request is that the RS forum is public, so whatever personal info. we post is for anyone's consumption. I know that I have received an angry PM that sounded like the person was blaming me for a decision they made for their travels (when I try to be open-minded and diplomatic in my 'advice'), and I just read someone else complaining of receiving nasty pm's about some of their posts. So I like that I don't have my location - even general - posted, or personal details

That said, I was considering starting a thread about how people got into travel - addressing one of the curiosities you expressed. This would give some background to the people who frequent the forum without having something online for everyone (because that thread would get buried sooner than later)

Maybe Im paranoid. I also don't participate on FB (but thats also for ethical reasons) ;)

Done. I hadn't updated my profile since my initial registration.

Jessica -- whether you post anything about your background or experiences, has nothing to do with receiving or not receiving nasty PM. Once registered you are open to PMs. But giving general info about traveling experiences or even a little educational background isn't going to ID anyone. There always should be a question of credibility attached to all responses. We have had posters who were great internet researchers or read a lot of guidebooks so they thought they were travel experts. But the internet and especially guidebook can have errors that truly experienced travelers will spot. Too many eyes on the postings for an error to go unnoticed. So I think it is useful to have a little understanding of what you bring to the table.

Yes, very helpful to know the experiences of both frequent posters and new members, especially location so we know if someone is coming from a hot or cold climate, US, Canada, UK, India, Dubai, etc. I also love to know when someone has lived overseas as that offers insight we travelers do not always have.

Me too, done.

well I have had a basic profile about myself since I joined the Rick Steves forums. I do think it is important to have some basic info posted there ,ie , age group, travel style and your basic likes and dislikes. Often when members ask questions on these forums the have no profile info and give very little an usually no info on what interests them.
I think having a basic template to be filled in should be a requirement before being allowed to ask questions on the forums.

I think as a minimum people asking questions should say where they live (Jessica?)
So many questions are difficult to answer because of this lack of basic information. For example: "Do I need a visa for France?", "Do I need an International Driving Permit?", "Will it be hot/cold?" or "Where can I find a hotel for $200?"

Not necessarily "New York, NY", but at least "US" would be a help.

Good idea! Done!

And I'm updated also!
I was happy to find the button to check to get my PMs e-mailed to me too.

I'm one of the "no information in my profile" folks. A few years ago, after I posted an accurate account of my experience with a website on an unrelated Facebook page, the business owner tracked me down and sent an almost threatening message to my personal email account. It was a pretty upsetting experience.

I try to provide some background about my experience with a Forum topic. I want the OP to know what my connection is to a place or business, and how long ago that experience was.

@l.p.enersen: I think what are we afraid of not to put just our first name (or even pseudonym) and New York, USA instead of just USA. Let's say I want to go to Italy in summer. Probably I would be better prepared for it I if live in Hawaii or Florida than let's say Alaska.
I don't know if it just seems to me but I would say that Americans are more paranoid than most of other nations. I also lived in Europe and everybody has their name on the door. I think that if someone really wants to find you, they will.

In Denmark it is quite common - even expected - to have your name on the door or maybe on your mail box. How would people (incl. the mailman) be able to find you if you don't?

I think even "USA" would be a great help to focus answers.

Name on door is common in Netherlands.
In Germany and Switzerland It is usual to have your name on letterboxes and doorbells. This is because addresses apply to the whole building. For example:

Chris Foreigner
Nirgendwostrasse 123
4000 Basel

"Nirgendwostrasse 123" is a building with many letterboxes. If there wasn't one with "C Foreigner" on it, the postman wouldn't know where to post the letter and would get returned to sender.

**at llja
Ha! You can bet this Alaskan will not be going to Italy in the summer! Right now, we can only travel at winter break and summer due to kids in school. So we are concentrating on the northern european countries for now!

Yes, we have our last name on the doorbell and the door in Germany. The whole building of apts. is one number.

Well, I've lived in the US all my life. When I lived in a single family home growing up, our last name was on the mail slot in the door, as was most other people's. In every apt building I've lived in, the last names (and first initial) of everyone in the building was on the main mail box. That's pretty common in lots of places - maybe less so now that technology makes people so paranoid.

I agree that ,even if you don't want to use your real first name, then someone's profile should at least have their gender and general location. Those are two things that make answering questions easier and neither is going to help someone track you down.

Yes, the street that leads to no where...eloquent.

Here in Brooklyn, most apts have the tenants’ name on the mailboxes, next to the apt number. To get back on topic, I have tweeked my profile.

@sati - others already answered your question where in Europe people have their names on their doors. And I add - also in Czech Republic and Slovakia and Austria and Germany - Jo already mentioned that.
Nancy is right if you put your location in your profile it's not going to help anybody to find you. Besides who would it be? If we don't have enemies looking for us which I believe most of us don't then we could be found by friends. I don't make any secret where I live, my first name is unusual in America and despite that nobody ever found me through this Forum. I cannot say the same about Facebook. Several friends from my past long ago found me. Besides if somebody is willing to invest enough money, time and effort they will find you, no matter what.

You know, I posted exactly this a few years ago, and a lot of people added, but here we are right back again.

It would often really help to understand someone's question if we knew where they are coming from. If someone asks, for instance, about whether they need AC in Munich, are they from Seattle or Florida? If they are from NYC, they might see meal cost in Europe differently than if they are from North Dakota.

So, fill in your profile page.

Here is something to think about when adding information to a profile or more importantly choosing a screen name.

I had an unfortunate experience here when someone got my email (I think from my screen name) and sent me a nasty email about a thread that was ongoing. Now it could have been a lurker or a member. I am not pointing the finger at anyone. But with the right information, even a state, it makes it much easier to find someone’s email, especially if you have some hints already.

I have given consideration to changing my screen name but have restrained myself from that so far.

I agree that at least a COUNTRY would help. And I do share the OP’s wish for more information sometimes. But on the other hand some information may lead to some preconceived notions about people too. This is one of those “double edged swords” that cuts both ways.

Done. Thanks for the prompt!

More prompting, anyone else want to fill in their profile?

Noting aarthurperry's comment above about somebody getting his email address -- someone can send you a PM (private message) within this forum and IF you set your profile up to notify you of PMs by email you can read the PM in your email. But I believe that you can turn that off if it's annoying.

If someone wishes to maintain their privacy and withhold information, then that should be respected. Regardless of what others may think. Maybe they have their reasons. Not everyone has to agree or like that, but that’s the world that we live in now.

The main thing most posters on here would like to see from OP's is their location. Sure, filling out a profile is voluntary and giving away personal information is anathema to many these days, but putting in your state/province/country is not giving away personal information and would be extremely helpful in answering some travel questions. A bit about your interests is also helpful. No confidential information is requested or required so I don't know why so many balk at this. Are we really that paranoid?

Good grief RMH! If you are that paranoid about sharing info, then perhaps this is not the forum for you. Thats what we do here. Share information.
It’s a small forum compared to TA, and some people enjoy getting to know each other.

RMH,

This forum has a smaller and somewhat informal group, and it's nice to get to now each other a bit (as much as an internet forum allows). You don't have to provide a lot of specific information or your location, but at least a first name and bit of info on your travels would be nice.

Probably a good time to update mine

Mine has been done for a few years. Nothing has changed yet, except my two RS tour next year.

Hey Diveloonie…… I work at my local needlework shop in Tulsa..... we do mail orders all over states and Europe. I just mailed off a order yesterday for a customer who lives in Eagle River Alaska. But I Dont' remember her name. LOL.. Small world

Kim

@ Kim-funny, yes it is a small world! Needlepoint, quilting, scrapbooking all VERY popular activities here. Gets you through the long, dark winters!

As noted above for Denmark and Switzerland, in France La Poste requires one to have their name on their postal box so the mail can be delivered accurately.

La boîte aux lettres doit comporter un porte-étiquette sur lequel le nom ou les noms sont inscrits et permettent d’identifier sans erreur le destinataire du courrier.

i.e.,

The mailbox must have a label holder on which the name or names are written to make it possible to identify the recipient of the mail without error.

I generally prefer privacy, but I'll add a small bit to my profile. Didn't realize anyone looked at those.

"If someone wishes to maintain their privacy and withhold information" - the problem is, it is often vital information that is needed to answer the question.

• Advice on transport to or from Europe - where are you starting from?
• How long does it take at airport xxxx? - where are you flying to/from, and any stopovers?
• I want a hotel in Paris/Rome/London/wherever costing $200 - WTF kind of dollars are you talking about? Or are you one of these people that thinks '$' is the symbol for all currencies?
• Do I need a visa for xxxx? How long can I stay? - What is your nationality?
• Do I need an IDP? - Which country issued your licence?
• Transport / hotel questions - How many in your party? Ages? Any mobility issues?

As a minimum, say which country you are from (we don't necessarily recognise the names of places in your country). That should be a must, as it gives context to your question.

Ùpdated! Very interesting to read the background on other regular contributors.

Updated! Thanks for prompting.

Emily -- we lie a lot.

An interesting problem on Trip Advisor is that perhaps 5% of new registrants seem to select the name of the place they are currently "in" or about to visit. And I don't mean deceitfully, they do it because they are asking about that place, I think.
(Of course, a newsboard is not an ideal place for activities "tonight".) But I'm too old to "live" on my cellphone. I prefer a thoughtful, considered reply when I can get it.

Perhaps the newsboard software could make something, anything, in the profile field a required entry. That would remind people to consider how paranoid they are. I guess I respect the stories of being tracked down, but that just proves that you should not use the same name for everything, i.e. your screen name and your email address. I get a certain number of odd PMs, and I don't even post that much. So hiding your identity is a not a perfect shield.

I don't know the origin of the quote, but there's a New Yorker cartoon of a dog typing at his computer, with the caption "On the Internet, no one knows you're a dog."

Woof woof!