GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

I find it sorta annoying when someone posts something (for sale, help needed with a bike issue, etc etc), there is absolutely no info in their profile as to which part of the country (or the world for that matter) they are from. I feel that if location info was made mandatory, just like having to enter a mandatory user name when you join, things would be a lot more quicker and smoother.

Vote in the poll and make your opinion heard! :)

Hopefully the mods can make some changes (unless i'm the only one) based on this data.

I agree, it would be nice to know where people you are chatting/arguing with are from...instead of finding out someone you wouldn't mind going for a ride with lives on the other side of the country, or world...not that I would really check before talking to people, but before inviting them for a beer...you know...less of an oops situation... :thumb:

Later.

I think especially on an MC forum, people are reluctant to post their location for fear of getting nipped...or in trouble with :police:.

Quote from: tb0lt on February 09, 2011, 10:24:12 PM
more quicker

:thumb:


I vote City/State.

Not sure I understand 'getting in trouble with  :police:'; do you think the cops are actually stalking my posts to see that I actually have an 80cc engine in what I'm calling a moped to get around tag and insurance requirements, so that they can keep an eye out and nail me the first time they see me on the street?

Quote from: redhenracing2 on February 09, 2011, 11:09:51 PM

Quote from: tb0lt on February 09, 2011, 10:24:12 PM
more quicker

:thumb:


I vote City/State.

Not sure I understand 'getting in trouble with  :police:'; do you think the cops are actually stalking my posts to see that I actually have an 80cc engine in what I'm calling a moped to get around tag and insurance requirements, so that they can keep an eye out and nail me the first time they see me on the street?

Who knows.

Cops can't stalk you. They don't know your name, bike license plate number, exact location or where you're riding.
It is SOOOOOO frustrating dealing with buying and selling and no idea where people are located.
Plus it would be nice to know of people in your area for rides and bike work days.
City and state is enough. Don't need zip code.

Should of added a country option as that is sometimes enough.

If you want or need to know where someone is from or where they live, ask them. If they want you to know they will tell you..............or am I just thinking too hard  :dunno_black:

The one thing I would like to see is country.  Sometimes the advice given for a certain problem depends on where the OP is, because there are differences in the components!

Quote from: sledge on February 10, 2011, 06:39:18 AM
If you want or need to know where someone is from or where they live, ask them. If they want you to know they will tell you..............or am I just thinking too hard  :dunno_black:

I agree. If you are interested in a sales item or would like to discuss MC matters, you can just ask. I'm cautious about more detail info because I have a family, a MC, etc. Sometimes we forget how much info we share on the internet and how many lurkers/trolls are out there with bad intentions.

I've read about MC, cars and even houses broken into because peeps forget that hundreds or even thousands of other people read their post.

Posting ANY personal information should be up to the user. End of discussion.

Not a fan of required personal information. My location (and my name) is listed exactly as specifically as I care to list it. Providing data for the nefarious to mine is not my purpose in being here, and whatever the noble reason you might have for wanting the information, once information exists, the nefarious will find a use for it that's less than noble.

As for people who post things for sale without bothering to mention where they are, you can skip them or ask them. I generally go for "skip" in that case since I find dealing with people who have a clue to be preferable (people who don't think you need to know where their big heavy parts are at to know if you are interested often have other issues with completing a transaction acceptably), but sometimes I'll ask what shipping to me will cost. Half the time I don't get a response to that, and that falls under "issues with completing a transaction acceptably" in my book.

Now, if they say "shipping included" I don't care if they say where they are at, as I don't need to know; but it still helps if they mention what country or countries  they mean "shipping included" for, since we are an international board.

I wish more people would include their location, maybe there should be an explanation on the registration page telling people why they should fill this in.  If you look at busy forums, there are hundreds of posts similar to "where are you at? Someone nearby may be able to help".  This happens on Motorcycle forums, RC airplane forums, any kind.  Its useful to not have to ask.  And I'm sure there are plenty of people who don't even bother to ask - but if the location would have been in there someone may have offered to help.

I think newbies don't understand why its useful.

And as far as giving away too much personal information and having people break into homes - I don't see listing City, State or even just State as much of a risk.

I'm happy to display my approximate location (i.e., County and State).  If hometown was required, I would simply select a near-ish hometown (as I have done on other sites).

That being said, depending on the question, I take some advice from locals with a bit more seriousness that I do advice from folks from other states, countries, et cetera; diff'rent strokes for different folks.  It's nice to see who is where in those cases.

I like the way this is going. A lot of opinions :)

See, no one is verifying the info we enter....which is good because if you are paranoid about privacy, you could enter a nearby town or zip code. I usually skip calls for help and such because the person is asking for help without even bothering to say where they are. Nobody cares for your actual address and I personally wouldn't share it either. A zip code or city name isn't really specific enough to be a privacy or safety concern... but I guess people have different comfort levels and that is why we have this poll. This isn't the movies where you say what city you are from and some guy shows up with a photo of you and goes around town asking if anyone has seen you :)

I know some of us are very passionate about our bikes.... but who are we kidding? These are tiny little GSs here... not Hayabuss or high end Aprilias. The wheels or motors out of most bikes out there cost more than an entire GS500. If somebody wastes their time trying to locate a GS to steal, he must really suck as a thief.  :cookoo:

Like stated above, it's a comfort thing...I have no problem sharing what state/province & country I live in...and if you really want to find me, I have stated the city I live in a few times in here and also on other forums...I mean really, if you are going to go through the trouble to find me...come on over, I have a fist full of things to show you...you can have as many as you want, I may even give you a few extra for your trouble... :icon_twisted:

Later.

Quote from: tb0lt on February 10, 2011, 11:06:22 AM
I like the way this is going. A lot of opinions :)

See, no one is verifying the info we enter....which is good because if you are paranoid about privacy, you could enter a nearby town or zip code. I usually skip calls for help and such because the person is asking for help without even bothering to say where they are. Nobody cares for your actual address and I personally wouldn't share it either. A zip code or city name isn't really specific enough to be a privacy or safety concern... but I guess people have different comfort levels and that is why we have this poll. This isn't the movies where you say what city you are from and some guy shows up with a photo of you and goes around town asking if anyone has seen you :)

I know some of us are very passionate about our bikes.... but who are we kidding? These are tiny little GSs here... not Hayabuss or high end Aprilias. The wheels or motors out of most bikes out there cost more than an entire GS500. If somebody wastes their time trying to locate a GS to steal, he must really suck as a thief.  :cookoo:

I think we have a difference in opinion here too. Yes, a GS is not a Duc but considering all the time and labor I have put into her I would consider her priceless. I would buy a Duc first before trading her for one and I thought about that for a very LONG time. So we all value things differently.

But it's not the GS I'm worry about, it all the other things in my garage and house I'm worry about.

And that story about some stranger showing up with a photo....it has happened on other car forums.

When I first signed up on this forum, you could choose to display your location under your avatar. What happened?  :dunno_black:

Post my address so people can come peek in my windows...sort through my garbage...pet my dog...and critique my collection of smooth jazz albums? Not a chance.

Quote from: XealotX on February 10, 2011, 05:12:09 PM
Post my address so people can come peek in my windows...sort through my garbage...pet my dog...and critique my collection of smooth jazz albums? Not a chance.

It is just city and state. Would only be your address if you were in a city of population of 1.
People already go through your garbage, look in your windows driving by at night.

And as for your jazz collection, you need more Fats Waller and Scott Joplin. Especially Fats playing the organ which he loved more than the piano because he could be more expressive. Diick Hyman is OK but in the past 5 or so years he has lost his ability to play. Younger Diick only (now what can people read into that ?)

Quote from: adidasguy on February 10, 2011, 05:20:21 PM
It is just city and state. Would only be your address if you were in a city of population of 1.

...see, you understand my dilemma then...

On a (semi) serious note, if we "had" to post location info a significant percentage of members would lie...rendering the whole point worthless.

As a minimum, the STATE would be nice. You could add city or region of the state (i.e.north, south, middle of nowhere, outskirts of somewhere...)
Now what about your jazz collection?

Not sure what the big deal is.. If you could find my house in the town I live in, great, but you wouldn't make it out the door with anything valuable and your life still in tact.

I dont think this is the kind of forum where people look for things to steal.

Jeff man, some people aren't comfortable with giving much personal info...we just have to live with it, I guess...it would be nice to have the option to show that info though...I find it helpful on other forums to have a State/Province...anyway...

Later.

Quote from: jeffdodge on February 10, 2011, 05:44:08 PM
Not sure what the big deal is..

In a perfect world it would not be a big deal. Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world. Even if 99.9% of the world's population were the greatest, nicest, most honest people walking the earth it would still leave 5,000,000 people who suck.

I feel pretty comfortable with you guys. I'm at 3038 Hacienda Court in Marietta, GA, 30066. Send me a postcard, come try to get to my bike in a garage on the other side of a yard full of pit bulls, do what you want.

I work at the Johnny's Pizza at 2707 Canton Road, my bike (tag number REDHN2) is parked on the sidewalk in front of the place, completely defenseless, every night from 6:30-9:30. Come and get it hoodlums  :2guns:

How about just country and state?

What's the issue here? really, what is the issue?

So someone posts something for sale but doesn't tell you where they are.... and for that you think revealing our location should be FORCED onto Everyone?

I choose to put my location up. It Used to display under my avatar but since the board reboot or whatever it was, it does not display anymore even though I have that option selected.

Anyway. It's real simple... if you want to know where someone is, ASK them.

Michael

I vote none of the above.

I am also opposed to any requirement that the seller take the trouble to list the asking price for the thing being sold.

Sellers who leave all these basic facts out of their advertisements save me valuable time as I move on and never look back whenever incomplete information is listed. It helps me sort through the "too much" information out there.

Advertisements with full information are plentiful.