Where is everybody?

One overriding condition I have noticed with my few forums is how a belligerent few know it alls can cause people to be unwilling to join in on conversations. A subtle way to respond to snarky talk on the TC forum is to not respond to that person at all. It works.
I've been on the TC forum for 13 years and have seen a LOT of people come and go. Some have passed; some have moved on to another phase of their RV life, or not. If people perceive no value from a forum they will simply exeunt, stage left.
I wouldn't worry about it. Que sera, sera.
Doing what I do with a hard side truck camper doesn't really fit in any forum. Dan is the same way. Although with him, the off-road trailer section of Expedition Portal comes close. These folks are hands down the most creative people in RV-dom.
jefe

It's football time, school sports, holiday time, winter for many RVers so they're not thinking of boondocking, etc. etc. It'll pick up in January.

Several of the other special interest forums I'm on have also been quiet for the last few months. As already stated, it might have been the election season doldrums. It might also be that other social networking venues are siphoning off posters.

LS

I think that many folks may have migrated to facebook (which I hate btw).

bcbouy, that is an interesting observation about the flaming phenomenon. This forum (boondocking) actually contains much less of that than on some other discussion groups (which I will not name). But I have noticed that there are a few very angry and rude people (who I will not name), which is so puzzling -- I come to this website for entertainment (and also to learn something), not to squabble.

I just don't understand what is going on, or why someone would take the time to hassle someone they have never even met in the real world.

Is it possible for us -- the "non-flamers" -- to somehow create a culture of civility? Maybe by gently pointing out the difference between a respectful difference of opinion and a personal attack? Differences of opinion are more than just acceptable -- they are tremendously useful, when properly handled by the participants. For example, think of carefully-reasoned discussions of tires, or weight issues, or battery care. Those are very enlightening, but they are so often poisoned by acrimony and bickering. The flamers don't even realize that their harsh tone undermines their own credibility.

And the consequence of flaming is that newbies with good questions are deterred from posting, and also folks who have useful ideas to contribute sometimes don't. The discussion often deteriorates because no one is left to post, other than the most aggressive and hostile people.

Dupe.

Ya' know, Tuna, the very nature of boondockers is anti social behavior. Who said, "I Vant to be alone."? Here is a pic of our first boondock. Playa San Quentin, Baja, June, 1965. 1949 Willys Ute Wagon with Chevy 265 V8, 5.38 gears, 33% overdrive, We slept in the back. Days worth of rutted dirt roads and choking silt. This, BTW is the very first SUV. The prototype. The original. I'm glad it's gone.

Here is boon docking in 2010 on a Northern Nevada Pass. We were stopped from further progress by 4 foot drifts down to the left so we just camped here. What a lonely place.

Having worked my whole life downtown L.A. @ 1st and Grand, when our time was up, Jeanie and I had every intention to move where we had 4 seasons and it was a good distance to our neighbors' homes and to town. Our little Gold Rush town of Nevada City California has not one stop signal. Lots of stop signs but no light. 2500 people. There is a depth of Arts support, especially in music that belies the size of the town. It's still a bit busy but we live well out of town on the west slope, Northern Sierra Nevada.
I'm on several forums including the Truck Camper forum on here, the Expedition Portal and a Cummins diesel digest, TDR. There is a lot of interest and a lot of topics to cover in each, although I think the Expedition people are fooling themselves thinking they could ever go on an actual expedition. Those days are gone forever. It's only the Expedition Look they are interested in. Here on Boondocking, most are pretty secretive about destinations and 'finds' way out there and not interested in a big social hoopla. High Tech plays a tiny role with boondocks, generally. Also, stealth plays a part in boon docking which means they don't want to be seen either. The polar opposite of the ExPortal folks. They want to be seen. We just blend in with the scenery smelling the creosote until we expire. Good enough.
jefe

same here.tired of the flaming going on by certain miserable old people.it's been getting very negative over the last year.i'm trying very hard to just read and not respond.read the camping world post and you'll see what i mean.

Still here but pretty selective about which posts I respond to.

Some of us have been too busy camping to post! ;) We spent all of September boondocking, and it took me most of October to prepare the blog entries. Then we just spend several days boondocking in the Sequoias, and I am about halfway done with that blog entry and the photos. No meteors, but we did see the "super-moon." Spoiler alert: it looks very much like the regular moon.

But (not surprisingly) as the weather gets colder and wetter, almost everyone is taking fewer trips and posting fewer questions and comments.