Setting Limits When Giving Out Advice......

[crockett]

I know that moderators check the site to see if any potentially dangerous advice is given out, but where is the line drawn on advice given, in general, to members of the public who may, or may not, have a clue what they are doing ? Whether this is electrics, or gas / oil, using a nail gun, etc., and I know that it's a good feeling to give the advice that may help someone out, or save them the cost of getting a professional to do the job, but is this necessarily a good site to have, when there are so many risks involved in any of the work they may undertake ??

I know that the Big Man upstairs has his own special way of balancing out the gene pool, and maybe some people may only use this site for advice so they don't get ripped off by a tradesman, but, and I am only playing devil's advocate here just wanted to know the general feeling............

If this subject has been broached before, then I do apologise in advance

 

[joe-90]

If member of the public ask for information from other members of the public then that is entirely up to them isn't it? What's it got to do with you?

 

[Trazor]

I can see why you are worried after the above post.....

But in my opinion if this site, and others like it, did not exist, then many people would still try difficult/dangerous DIY tasks.
At least on here they are given advice which points them in the right direction, especially so with gas/electrics.

 

[crazycanuck]

I agree with Joe-90
All info is given as info only and meant to be an aid.
If not sure get another opinion.
As for Safety it should be understood as priority one.

 

[megawatt]

People will always give advice to DIY'ers it's human nature ... It's only the medium which differs here.

The only contentious posts on this site come from pro's who see it as their duty to set the limits ... Which, of course, it isn't.

Some of the best skilled people I've ever had the pleasure to learn from have not been professionals in the trade they are expert at ... It's not a living to them ... It's a joy and their way of life.

And it's incredible how much better a job you can do as DIY'er when you don't need to make a living wage from the work and can take your time.

There are absolutely no limits, no taboos, everything is DIY'able.

I'm with Joe on this one ... There, I've said it now

MW

 

[^woody^]

It's important to differentiate between advice and opinion.

My opinion is that it may be expedient to cut ones nails with a chainsaw. But if someone then takes that as advice then they are perhaps too stupid to be doing DIY in the first place

 

[tim west]

My opinion is that it may be expedient to cut ones nails with a chainsaw. But if someone then takes that as advice then they are perhaps too stupid to be doing DIY in the first place

I'd just like to thank you for your advice and do you know of any speed typing courses for using your nose?

 

[crockett]

As I said joe, I'm looking at general opnion.......... and I can see where yours lie !!

It's got nothing to do with me if someone chooses to give out advice that may be deemed as dangerous or otherwise, if its taken on board by someone with little skill in any form of diy is my point. I'm all for sharing the knowledge, it's just how far it should go.........

 

[Thermo]

its called life and common sense. take it or leave it.

 

[joe-90]

Why do you think that the moderators are expert enough to know what information is correct or not correct? It's a forum, an ideas board. You are not paying for professional advice. If that's what you want - go pay for it. If not - sift through it yourself.

 

[crockett]

I suppose that's where the sorting of the gene pool comes into action.........

 

[RF Lighting]

You can usually get a rough level of a posters knowledge level / competance from the wording of their questions.

I will never advice people to do anything which could endanger themselves, or anything which is against regulations or breaks the law, regardless of wether these practices go on in the real world (such as cutting meter seals and removing cutouts etc)

 

[^woody^]

Is the cutting of meter seals against the law?

 

[Spark123]

Yes, since it is not your property to cut.

 

[^woody^]

Then its not unlawful it is merely a civil tort?