I would wager that the"report this post to a moderator" link is the most effective way that a moderator learns of a bad-advice post. They don’t have the time to read every single post in every single forum, even if it’s the forum they moderate.
Good call, dantheman. I think that any advice that is somewhat dangerous should be reported. I don’t think that it’s the obligation of vigilant regular posters to do this, but I think it’s something we’ll want to do.
I myself will be on the lookout for any dangerous math advice.
Those are all violations of board rules. Posting erroneous information is not in itself a violation of board rules.
I think this whole topic is a classic example of Knowledge versus Common Knowledge, and while I’ll give the whole modal tableau if anyone insists, a couple of examples should suffice:
Almost everyone knows that this is dangerous information.
Leave the lamp on, unscrew the bulb, and put your finger in the socket.
But if I said
Open your VCR case and jiggle the power transformer near the curcuit board.
Many people might not know how dangerous that can be.
I agree with Dan that an appropriate thing to do would be to alert a mod to the post, and maybe even give a link.
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Well, there are plenty of experts on here who could police the place for us, although we shouldn’t rely on them as a way to catch all bad advice, electrical or otherwise. But if one of these experts in the field does see a post that simply is Bad Advice and could cause the poster harm (physical, financial, or whatever), then it would be great if that expert did alert a Power so that the matter might be handled properly. It’s not a question of the rights of the Reader, which sound like they’re covered pretty well, but rather the safety and naivete of someone reading the post.
If that expert in the field sees something incorrect in a post, I don’t see why bothering a moderator is necessary. Posting the correct information with a link back to an authoritative website should be sufficient.
Unless of course you think the person dispensing the wrong information is doing so with the express purpose to cause harm. In that case, e-mail a moderator.
I now direct you to this thread. Note that several posters posted highly inappropriate recommendations after I had already specifically warned against those.
I have not probelm with notifying a Mod about such posts if:
- That is is the consensus of what should be done.
- Something then happens.
Is a consensus forming?
I seriously doubt it, ftg, even though I’m for it. However, I bow to the opinion of the Administration.
ftg, you’re probably right in that thread you just linked. But why didn’t you back your advice up with an authorative cite?
- It takes as much time as responding to this thread.
- Ignorance is fought, and lives may be saved, leading to a world population increase of 3 billion within 9,000 years.
- Most importantly: it doesn’t cost us any time.
Knowingly posting dangerous information is a no-no. Posting your best guess even it’s not your field of expertise? That’s gonna happen, and there’s no way to stop it. Feel like you should correct someone else, who’s spreading ignorance? Throw a cite at 'em, and ask them to refute it with evidence. If they can’t, Dopers of all nations and ages will know who’s right, and who’s stupid.
Common sense, common sense.
Take the advice for what its worth. No-one here knows the questioners situation exactly, so answers will vary. There may be more than one way to do the same thing safely. There may also be times when everyone is wrong. Then we have cases where the right answer is a combination of two or more replies.
Get a general feel for what the teeming millions are trying to say, and if there is any doubt, any, then request the help of a local expert in the matter. Remember that local codes for electrical, plumbing, construction, etc…supercede the national code and state codes. No-one in the whole world can possibly know all the various state and local code adaptions to any general national code book.
And of course what is considered safe for one person may be wildly crazy for the next person. I work on live electrical circuits almost everyday, would you? Likewise you wouldn`t catch me walking a beam like an iron worker.