DC Area Transit Zone

I received one comment that the boards are spread out too much (the categories are too specific, that is), and since then, I have been pondering that fact.  There are two separate categorizations that mirror the categorizations of this website -- Past, Present and Future, and DC, MD, and VA -- conflicting with each other.  Is a Purple Line discussion about the Future or about Maryland?

I'd like to know what you think on the matter before I take any action.  Let me know by submitting your vote.  Democracy rules!

If I didn't post a poll, I would probably have removed DC/MD/VA as there's no real difference in what would be discussed across the jurisdictions.  I would leave Past, Present, and Future in place.

To add to the discussion, after voting, I noticed the Code Red thread about today's ozone alert is in the WMATA thread.  While I'm not a moderator here, it begs the question: What is the most appropriate place for such a thread?  I think we can all agree it is present day news.  However, is it WMATA related?  Should it go elsewhere?  Not all of WMATA participates in the program, and many other additional systems do.  I think just having past, present, and future or even just past and present & future is best.  While there is no perfect solution, I do think it is the best one out there. 

IMO, the forum set-up is fine the way it is...it's tailored exactly to the D.C. transit scene. As for the Purple Line discussion, it's (what I'll call) a "unisex" disscussion; it can go in either two spots as it's relevant in both areas. Maryland is directly affected, and there are more outside issues along with this that does involve that state. And from I understand, this is currently just a FUTURE proposition that may or may not come to fruition.

I agree with what Metroliner said -- There will be many threads that will cross borders when it comes to what category to place threads in --- what you need to watch out for is how the thread progresses in order that it stays "on track" with the original thread --- Case in point -- The one on Howard Transit, it started out talking about the buses in Columbia, but has now progressed to bashing (and defending) MTA employees.....not exactly a Howard Transit issue.

I never really mentioned MTA employees, in fact my whole point was to say that it wasn't about the individual employees at all, but I digress.

What I think might be good for the boards is if I drop the DC/MD/VA component and leave Past/Present/Future.  I'd like to hear from those who think that this would be an IMPROVEMENT versus those who think it would be of detriment, since it seems that most people can deal with it either way.  Are there any real reasons not to simplify it in such a way?

Simplifying is always nice.  That way you don't have to worry about the possibility of someone posting twice in two different categories.  Making things cut and dry is efficient and takes away any chance that someone might not want to read the same thing twice in two different places.

Well said Perry.....I agree

Since there's no opposition to simplifying things, and since even I got confused a couple times using the message board that I set up, I have condensed all Today conversations into Transit Today, retaining the Beyond the Beltway category.

I hope this makes things a little easier...if not, we'll just go back to the old way.  Thanks for your input.

Now that you have asked -- the PURPLE LINE is about both the future and Maryland because a natural extension of the PURPLE LINE is from Bethesda  across the Potomac to Tyson's Corner in VA and on the other side from New Carrollton to Annapolis.  This would amost recreate the route of the Washington & Old Dominion RR in Virginia and the Baltimore & Annapolis RR from downtown DC to Annapolis. 

Quote from: Tristan on July 18, 2008, 12:54:21 PM
I received one comment that the boards are spread out too much (the categories are too specific, that is), and since then, I have been pondering that fact.  There are two separate categorizations that mirror the categorizations of this website -- Past, Present and Future, and DC, MD, and VA -- conflicting with each other.  Is a Purple Line discussion about the Future or about Maryland?

I'd like to know what you think on the matter before I take any action.  Let me know by submitting your vote.  Democracy rules!