Idea: Separating advice from discussion

[some bloke]

To cater for issues specific to people's circumstances, could one option be a separate discussion thread, including tentative ideas or technical issues, for each advice thread that needs it?

 

[robbeech]

I think in theory that would be excellent. I’m not sure how or if it could be implemented successfully.

Many threads are created for discussion. Many are created to ask for advice. Is there a way to select a different type of thread when starting one? Where an advice thread could also have a discussion part?

I’ve no idea what’s possible nowadays with these things. I used to moderate a (non railway) forum years and years ago and things were really quite basic back then.

 

[some bloke]

Some possibilities:

1. Perhaps it might simply work with the present system, with both threads in the Disputes and Prosecutions forum.

People could then link to posts in the other thread. For example, in the advice thread someone could say an issue was being raised or discussed in the discussion thread. Or someone could tell the OP about, for example, a factual matter on law or procedure which had now been settled in the discussion thread. That could be tried out for a limited period.

2. If that seems to clog up the forum, then perhaps there might be a D+P Advice forum and a separate D+P Case Discussion forum.

3. Perhaps there could also be something like a "Disputes and Prosecutions: General Issues" forum.

This would be for clarifying issues that keep coming up, or seem likely to. It could end up as partially a reference work with sticky posts. Or some posts could end up contributing to the Fares and Ticketing Guide, or something similarly permanent, more focused on procedures for avoiding/sorting out trouble.

An advantage of a separate General Issues forum could be that it's much easier to see what's been discussed recently (or search for older issues). This might sometimes help people make good use of their time if it answers queries that otherwise would be brought up in other threads.

 

[30907]

I think this is an excellent idea (aka I wish I'd though of it myself), though I am not sure how to implement it. There are a number of areas that could crop up.

A couple off hand:

1. Consequence of a conviction, which worries a lot of posters (this is largely covered in DaveNewcastle's thorough discussion of the legal issues in the Fares and Ticketing Guide, but the question, for example, of when a Byelaw conviction is spent is not. Sadly, Dave seems no longer to be active on here - I for one would welcome his expert knowledge.)

2. Possible reasons why a PF or Byelaw prosecution might not/ought not to succeed (incorrect signage and other technicalities, incorrect procedure...), which might apply in almost any case but are unlikely to be the main issue in any one enquiry.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Agree - perhaps an agreed update to the Fares and Ticketing guide would be in order, especially when it comes to spent convictions.

 

[some bloke]

Other possibilities:

4. Additions to the "Please read before posting in Disputes & Prosecutions" thread

5. People could be encouraged to sort out some disagreements or complex issues in private conversations

6. Posts in the D + P forum, with titles beginning "FAQ:"

7. FAQ posts pinned in the D + P forum.