# Bumping limit? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 31, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787 "2011-08-31T21:25:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/1 "2011-08-31T21:25:26Z")
Is there a limit to the number of times a poster can bump a thread before the mods get tired and lock it? I ask because I’ve noticed one thread in particular where the OP continues to bump the thread every couple of days, and will even bump it several times in consecutive posts when no one else is responding. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/2 "2011-08-31T21:26:53Z")
“A day without a good bump is a day wasted.” - Bob Crane - ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/3 "2011-08-31T21:33:49Z")
One time. I think it’s in the forum etiquette sticky. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/4 "2011-08-31T21:38:02Z")
[Here we go:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=384745) > [@FAQ - Guidelines and Etiquette on the SDMB](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/faq-guidelines-and-etiquette-on-the-sdmb/369402/4): > > **Bumping your own thread** > If you start a thread, and after a while think you would like more comments on it, you may be tempted to “bump” the thread by adding a post to make the thread reappear back at the top of the forum list. We strongly discourage this practice, but since the boards are so busy sometimes a single “bump” will bring about good results. > > Our guidelines:[ul] > [li]Wait until a suitable time has elapsed (at least, until your thread is no longer visible on the first page of the forum)[/li][li]Bump your thread only once[/li][li]Do not make a habit of always bumping each of your threads[/li][li]When you bump your own thread, it is preferrable to include additional information relevant to the original post, which may encourage others to respond[/li][li]Posting a thank you to those who responded to your question is not considered a “bump”[/li][/ul] Generally, we prefer you start a new thread with a link to the old thread. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/5 "2011-08-31T21:38:12Z")
That’s what I thought. If the OP of [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=602177) thread bumps it again in the next day or so (as per his usual modus operandi) would you guys considering locking it? His posts seem to constitute most of the posts in the last few pages, and he is pretty consistent in his bumping of that thread to keep it from sinking to the obscurity it obviously deserves. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/6 "2011-08-31T22:36:39Z")
I’ve been allowing that thread to stay open for a couple of reasons. The primary one is, people keep replying to it. **FXMastermind** is clearly the driving force behind the thread staying on the front page, but even 25 pages into it, he’s still getting people in the thread to take him on. As long as there are people willing to debate him, I’m okay with leaving the thread open. It also serves nicely to encapsulate the subject. I’d rather have one thread on the subject, than have him regularly starting regular new threads every time there’s another “development” in the situation, and cluttering up the Pit. Certainly, that wouldn’t be an insurmountable problem, but it would likely require creating an individual rule for a single poster, which is something I try to avoid if possible. I hadn’t really considered the rule about not excessively bumping your own thread. I’ve always seen that as more intended for contentless bumps intended solely to keep the thread at the top of the forum. **FX** is adding content with his posts (for a certain value of “content”) so I’m reluctant to invoke that rule. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/7 "2011-08-31T22:40:59Z")
I meant to add that we’ve made exceptions to that rule in the case of some really noteworthy threads (and no, **FXMastermind** ’s thread doesn’t qualify). **Coldfire** ’s “May 5, We Remember” thread gets bumped up once a year, for example, although **Coldfire** isn’t always the one who bumps the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/8 "2011-08-31T22:47:49Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Certainly, that wouldn’t be an insurmountable problem, but it would likely require creating an individual rule for a single poster, which is something I try to avoid if possible. While I agree that should, in general, be avoided, it’s been done before and for good reason. I’ll note that posters responded to **Handy** and **Reeder** too. That said, yeah, you right. It’s confined to one thread, and it’s our own fault that it’s continuing. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/9 "2011-08-31T23:41:59Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] I hadn’t really considered the rule about not excessively bumping your own thread. I’ve always seen that as more intended for contentless bumps intended solely to keep the thread at the top of the forum. FX is adding content with his posts (for a certain value of “content”) so I’m reluctant to invoke that rule. [/QUOTE] Ok, fair enough, though I’d quibble with even loosely using the term ‘content’ in his case. 😛 Still, I was wondering about it wrt that particular thread since I happened to click on an email link to it earlier and noticed that the last 3 posts were by FXM, and in general it’s posts by him that revive it. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/10 "2011-09-01T02:29:21Z")
Locking a thread should be reserved for extreme cases. After all, when it comes to moderation it’s the nuclear option. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/11 "2011-09-01T04:24:38Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > That’s what I thought. If the OP of [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=602177) thread bumps it again… > -XT I wonder how I knew that was the thread your OP referred to, even before you posted this link? I agree with your unstated :rolleyes:. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/12 "2011-09-01T11:47:07Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > **FXMastermind** is clearly the driving force behind the thread staying on the front page, but even 25 pages into it, he’s still getting people in the thread to take him on. There are a lot of issues I could address about that thread/situation but I’d like to respond to the above quoted. I recall dowsing threads (for example) where a certain poster kept the thread on the front page by taking a point of view not popularly held here. He kept adding as much “content” as **FXMastermind** does in the thread in question. He was “still getting people in the thread to take him on” yet was eventually told to cool it. This was a poster who was in much better standing than **FXM** , generally speaking, in my opinion. [sup]This is in no way a slight against the poster I reference, I use it as an example only.[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/13 "2011-09-01T13:53:52Z")
[Bump](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14207028#post14207028). -XT ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/14 "2011-09-01T15:44:09Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > As long as there are people willing to debate him, I’m okay with leaving the thread open. It seems to me that leaving the thread in question open simply serves to give the OP a creative way to circumvent the rules of GD. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/15 "2011-09-02T02:24:08Z")
Yes, I agree with your point Hbns. And I have [some](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=602177&page=26) additional critical information that is vital for me to impart to the board: [QUOTE=FXMastermind] Isn’t there already a GD thread? Everybody stopped posting in it after it became unavoidable that the disaster was really bad., [/QUOTE] Actually, since you bumped ANOTHER (dead dog) thread, several people have replied. It’s [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=600660&page=32) if anyone is interested. But you felt (again) the need to double up your posts, so I feel compelled to give you your do: > [@](#): > > In the interest of science, truth and fighting ignorance, I will simply post a link to a real forum about Fukushima, all aspects of the disaster, and stop bothering anyone here with those pesky facts, you know, shit nobody wants to see. > > Because you know, this lack of logic, intelligence and even simple reading comprehension here is depressing. > > No seriously. It’s dull and uninteresting. As it was vital that you post the above and keep the thread rolling, and as it is equally vital that I do that same, I just wanted to ensure that the board is kept up to date on developments. Thanks all for your indulgence… -XT ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/16 "2011-09-02T05:52:38Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > As it was vital that you post the above and keep the thread rolling, and as it is equally vital that I do that same, I just wanted to ensure that the board is kept up to date on developments. Thanks all for your indulgence… [Moderating] **xtisme** , you raised a good question with your OP, and I appreciate that it’s difficult to discuss this sort of subject without making reference to other posters and their perceived impropriety, this thread should not be turned into a referendum about **FXMasterMind** ’s posting habits - which appears to be the purpose of your last post. If you want to dispute my decision to leave the Pit thread open, require further clarification on the “bump limit” rule, or have some specific question regarding the moderation of the GD thread you just linked to, that’s fine. If you’re merely trying to point out more instances of **FXMasterMind** doing things you dislike, the proper forum for that is the Pit. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/17 "2011-09-02T05:53:23Z")
> [@Hbns](#): > > It seems to me that leaving the thread in question open simply serves to give the OP a creative way to circumvent the rules of GD. That’s pretty much why we have the Pit in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/18 "2011-09-26T05:47:30Z")
Have we approached the limit yet? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/19 "2011-09-26T06:03:30Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Locking a thread should be reserved for extreme cases. > > After all, when it comes to moderation it’s the nuclear option. I think that’s banning. Locking a thread is not even as powerful as a Warning, since it apparently does not affect anyone’s record. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787/20 "2011-09-26T20:43:27Z")
I find that if I limit myself to just a few bumps on the weekend, that I can function much better during the week. Hey, it’s not the 80s anymore people! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumping-limit/594787.md?page=2)