...but on your other point...
I never said the arrogance itself killed the train forum.
No, it was me who said that. What I saw was maybe a dozen or two people who knew what they were talking about and where really trying to help (though sometimes with an attitude), another group of people who wanted to learn and were appreciative of whatever knowledge was shared, a handful of trolls (of course trolls are everywhere and you just ignore them), and an growing mob of kids who thought there was a "secret" besides putting in the work to learn everything you can about trains. Hell, I'm an old fart and a lot of my knowledge is 20 years out of date, but if I tried to help somebody out with a word or two I'd get flooded with PM's asking me to hold their hand and give them the "secret". So I didn't help so much anymore.
But like I said, douchebag know-it-alls posting snide replies to questions from newbies is all too common Not just on the train forum but on STP in general. It's like they forget that they were there once and really valued information from those who had experience.
But that's exactly my point! Some of the greatest wisdom I ever received was from crusty old-timers who said things to me like "Goddamn greenhorn! Don't you have a fucking brain in your head? You'll get yourself killed doing that, and it'll serve you right!" If you'd sit down and listen to guys like that you'd usually learn something, but if you'd diss them and call them arrogant they'll just shut up, and then say "I told him" when you fuck up.
There's not a lot of info out there about squatting, hopping, hitching, etc. it's really a grassroots type movement and should be treated as such. You have to be willing to share information.
NO YOU DON'T! If you work hard to learn something, that knowledge is yours. Sometimes I think it's the only thing you really own. I like to share information and to help out when I can, which is why I check in here at StP from time to time, but
IT'S MY CHOICE whether I want to share what I've learned with somebody or not! Jesus! I just don't understand where this sense of entitlement comes from!
And i want to make it clear I don't just mean you. But sometimes I feel like just purging my password and never logging on here again, which is what happened in one form or another to most of the wisdom pool of the trainhopping forum, which is a shame because there are some people who really want to learn, and others who really want to help.
I apologize for the rant. This has been building up for a while.
I hope you find a good boat.