Post Merging

[Brandon]

Is it really necessary to merge all of these posts into one? 

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=10517.msg250854#msg250854

If we paid more attention and spent money on the crime problem instead of stupid crap like the drug war and speeding, maybe things really would be safer in this country.

Fixed it for you.
Post Merge: October 03, 2013, 03:34:53 AM

Texting or talking on a rural interstate is really not dangerous.

Uh.......no.
Post Merge: October 03, 2013, 03:34:49 AM

I suspect a nationwide ban on texting while driving is not far down the pike, followed by a nationwide ban on using a handheld phone, followed by a nationwide ban on any phone use at all while driving.

I welcome said bans.

Yes.  It's worked quite well with other laws.  Every state bans driving thru stop signs without stopping, speeding, driving while intoxicted, etc, and NO ONE EVER BREAKS THOSE LAWS.  EVER.

Ban it as much as you want.  It'll still continue.

It won't stop it completely.  Nobody said that it would.  But it would greatly reduce it.
Post Merge: October 03, 2013, 03:34:44 AM

I suspect a nationwide ban on texting while driving is not far down the pike, followed by a nationwide ban on using a handheld phone, followed by a nationwide ban on any phone use at all while driving.

I welcome said bans.

Prohibition worked so well.

Alcohol use (which is drug use) was ingrained into our cultures for thousands of years.  Texting has been mainstream for what, 10 years?  Nip it in the bud.
Post Merge: October 03, 2013, 03:34:42 AM

I think every photograph I've taken in New York was done while I was driving and I've never had an issue with it.

There's a lot of difference between snapping a picture, which can be done by feel without your eyes leaving the road, and texting where you constantly are looking away from the road.

Why am I not surprised? Would you also welcome bans on talking on a CB, smoking, eating, conversing with passengers or changing the radio station?

Slippery slope fallacy.  All of those actions can be done by feel.  It's all about the eyes.

Each one seems to address a different person at a different time.

[agentsteel53]

holy hell, that is a mind shit to attempt to read.

five separate posts are much, much preferable.

[vdeane]

Each one seems to address a different person at a different time.

Isn't that what the "quote from" text is for?

[NE2]

it's a lot easier to read

[Brandon]

Each one seems to address a different person at a different time.

Isn't that what the "quote from" text is for?

Yeah, but these were merged after that.  They started as five different posts and a moderator merged all of them into one.

[NE2]

in the original post without Brandon
Post Merge: October 07, 2013, 08:15:32 PM
quoting the whole thing
Post Merge: October 07, 2013, 08:15:38 PM
also pooing is cool

[vdeane]

I've never had trouble with reading posts that contain lots of quotes from different people.

[hbelkins]

The person who started this thread is not the person I expected to have started this thread.

I've noticed that you can only scroll down so far through the previous posts, making it difficult to quote some earlier posts if you want to respond to several at one time.

[Alps]

We've had this discussion, but not in the open.

If posts are related, yes, we merge.
If posts are unrelated, we try not to merge.
Five posts in a row is rather egregious, which is what I suspect happened in this case. If you have multiple replies to a topic, chances are it's strayed far enough that you should consider starting a new topic to branch from the original.

[formulanone]

I suggest that if the mods are going to merge posts, at least remove the duplicate quotes...

[Alps]

I suggest that if the mods are going to merge posts, at least remove the duplicate quotes...

Good

I suggest that if the mods are going to merge posts, at least remove the duplicate quotes...

idea

[Brandon]

I suggest that if the mods are going to merge posts, at least remove the duplicate quotes...

Much agreed.  It's really a pain to read.

I can understand puting multiple single line posts together, but the sheer number of duplicate quotes in this one just looked weird.

[hbelkins]

I think that any post that's merged should have this graphic attached:

[bugo]

I agree, merging unrelated posts is ridiculous.  It is because certain mods need to feel a sense of power.  I don't care if there are 100 posts in a row, if they all address a different subject, they shouldn't be merged.  I've deleted posts because of the ridiculous merging, and I've thought about leaving (with my vast wealth of knowledge that nobody else on the forum knows) because of it.  It makes the posts harder to read.  Alex, please change this policy because it is counterproductive.

[vdeane]

It's also because non-merged posts inflate one's post count.  And "easier to read" is subjective.  I think it's easier to read one post than multiple.  Having the same username on a post over and over again is jarring.

But in all honestly, it's probably because the "recent posts" area at the bottom of the forum index only displays 10 posts.

[agentsteel53]

It's also because non-merged posts inflate one's post count.

I'm pretty sure we banned the last person who cared about his post count.

But in all honestly, it's probably because the "recent posts" area at the bottom of the forum index only displays 10 posts.

do you mean "10 pages"?  that is my default view.  I figure 10 pages is enough.

[hbelkins]

It's also because non-merged posts inflate one's post count.

I'm pretty sure we banned the last person who cared about his post count.

Geez. Why would anyone care about their post count? Must be a sign of a small penis or something if you have to brag about how many times you've posted on an Internet forum. I honestly haven't even thought about checking to see how many times I've posted. It's all about quality, not quantity.

[NE2]

I honestly haven't even thought about checking to see how many times I've posted.

4648. And the quality is poo.

[vdeane]

do you mean "10 pages"?  that is my default view.  I figure 10 pages is enough.

The little thing on the index only has links to 10 posts... though I don't actually click the icon on the left to open the dedicated page.  Honestly, I forget that icon is there except in the post merging threads that come up from time to time.

[Alps]

I honestly haven't even thought about checking to see how many times I've posted.

4648. And the quality is poo.

That's cool, 7288.

[NE2]

Shut up, lowly 7268.

[Alps]

Shut up, lowly 7268.

I can make your post count 2.

[NE2]

I can make your anus count 2.

[rickmastfan67]

I think that any post that's merged should have this graphic attached:

That might be possible to do.  I would have to look into the code for the mod we use to merge posts to see if I can add an image to the text that's produced when posts are merged.

[Alex]

I agree, merging unrelated posts is ridiculous.  It is because certain mods need to feel a sense of power.  I don't care if there are 100 posts in a row, if they all address a different subject, they shouldn't be merged.  I've deleted posts because of the ridiculous merging, and I've thought about leaving (with my vast wealth of knowledge that nobody else on the forum knows) because of it.  It makes the posts harder to read.  Alex, please change this policy because it is counterproductive.

This issue has come up every so often. Can we please not use the post merge option unless it is absolutely necessary. More discretion may be needed going forward on when to do it and when not do.