Members requesting threads to be locked when they really shouldnt be

Do you ever get members of your forums requesting such and such a thread to be locked when the thread neednt be locked in your own opinion? How do you deal with this when such requests are posted within a thread?

We have had quite a few people say recently on our forums, oh this has been asked before, request lock etc and it is becoming quite a nuisance considering we dont lock threads just because someone else may have made one on the same subject a month or two ago. Fair enough, the same user on the same day makes two or more identical threads, they only need one but requesting threads to be locked which new members make on advice subjects or even general subjects because theres another a few pages back in the same forum is starting to become a right annoyance.

It seemingly is putting off new members joining in.

Any advice, thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

 

you are the admin and only you and the mods can decide whether a thread should be locked. add it in the rules, and tell your members that it is really annoying and if they do it they could get a warning.

 

Please lock this thread!!!


; )

 

I guess I would say first...Abomination's post should be put up for bad example setting!

Seriously,

From what I gather of your site and what you described, I think the analogy can be applied everywhere, a bit loose on the reins for new members on New Thread creation. Of course, content dependent. As the admin, you can take the opportunity to delete, merge, move the repeated threads as an education for the New members as well as to remind regulars of the tolerance level.

I would never want to discourage new thread posting from a new person. One, I assume they really didn't know what to do and actually got the courage to try a new thread. It's kinda like...look at me, im here now. On the other hand, if it's a regular that fully knows other threads are sufficient, that it should be handled accordingly. The only caveat for me is that the person say why their simiilar thread is unique.

I mean, I did that by mistake here just recently on AA quite possibly....

 

Yep, I tell them that it's a moderator decision and due to it not breaking any rules it will remain open.. it's their job to figure out if they should post something or not

the only time I'd consider it is if things had escalated above what the forum can control (if it got taken to real life, etc)

 

It irks me when users report their own threads/posts, or PM me and ask me to please close the thread because their question has been answered, for example.

Half the time I reply and tell them that there is no reason for the discussion to be closed, as it may interest other members; the other half, I just ignore it (usually for members who repeatedly make these requests).