To be surprised at which threads get replies?

[Singsongmama]

Just that really....

Does anyone else find it weird that some threads have heaps of replies and some get none at all? I'm thinking about the ones that are a cry for help or support....they sometimes have no or very few replies. But threads like 'AIBU to eat a banana straight after breakfast ho ho ho winky face' seem to get plenty of interest.

I'm just wondering....

[PeachyParisian]

I think some people just prefer to post on a really active thread!

[HenI5]

I generally look at the option for Active Threads rather than going on a board and browsing what's on there. I guess a lot of other people do the same and that's what prompts heavy traffic.

[HecatePropylaea]

Luck of the draw, I think.

It's whatever happens to be in active convos. Sometimes threads drop off so quickly that they get missed.

[AmenGirl]

Yes yes yes! Trivial 'fun' posts always prove more popular. Makes me

[WorraLiberty]

Sometimes people feel they're just not cut out to reply to someone crying for help/support.

I expect they're afraid they'll say the wrong thing.

[Singsongmama]

It's hard to make a thread active!! I do the same though- I tend to browse active or AIBU but was scouting about today while DS took an epic nap and saw posts on other boards that I thought were needing replies. Was just a thought!

[OutragedFromLeeds]

I think a lot of people come to mumsnet for light relief, they don't always want to be involved in important/upsetting/tense threads. I don't know why that would make you angry Amen?!

It's a great place for support as well, but it's not only for that.

Traffic depends a lot on where and when you post.

[AmenGirl]

That's true, it is also for fun and lighthearted-ness. Coming on MN to try and find a therapist to soothe and advise you is asking a lot actually. But I do still at some pointless threads on here that get so many replies

[ComposHat]

I dunno I guess that a 'shall I eat a msrd bar' can be responded to with a quick 'go for it' or 'only if you get me one' rather than an incredibly detailed child custody case which demands a more detailed knowledge and a more lengthy reply.

[Xcountry]

I know what you mean but sometimes I just cant bear to read or reply to some of the ones asking for help and advice. I don't mean that in a rude way or anything but for example there was one poster a few weeks ago who was asking advice on the loss of a pregnancy late on.

I have been through this twice and could not physically bring myself to read further on the OP's post because it brought back too many painful memories that maybe I myself have not yet dealt with so felt I would be useless to the poster.

I could offer no advice and the only think I could say was it never goes away, you will never forget and it will haunt you - not helpful to the OP on that particular post

[Xcountry]

only thing bloody autocorrect

[Booooooooooooooooooooooooo]

I never reply to the same old same old ones...the "shall I take my children on holiday in term time", wedding invitations (or lack of), PITA dog or cat ones - how many times can the same topic be done to death?

I never reply to overtly political threads. I never reply to "isn't Lily Allen awful" ones either. Or any where people have completely entrenched positions.

The ones which are blatantly digging for compliments are also ignored.

That leaves about 6 I will reply to

[Vintagejazz]

I am sometimes surprised at how a thread on something like 'AIBU to be angry with DH for forgetting the milk' will quickly run to 100 or more posts and I'm thinking 'what on earth are people saying in there'? while posts on what, to me, are quite interesting topics often dry up after about ten replies.

[HoneyDragon]

Mumsnet is a chat forum, users are not duty bound to support every poster who has a problem.

The banana thread is guaranteed to be light and chatty which is what some people will be wanting.


I get incredibly miffed when a op rudely whinges they only have ten replies to a problem/issue. Rather than be thankful ten people took the time to read a post and spend time posting something constructive.

If it's not good enough they can try their luck elsewhere.

[Xcountry]

Vintage the ones about AIBU to be angry with dh for............ often turn into a mass PMT thread for women whos DH has annoyed them that day.

[Vintagejazz]

I have to say I love the light hearted threads where everyone enters into the spirit and there's no bitching, sniping, put downs, whinges about 'why is this in AIBU' etc. Maybe I should open more of the banana/forgotten milk ones.

[Singsongmama]

I love the light ones too, they are great for a giggle in the middle of the night - my favourite one was the one where we told stories of things we had convinced gullible people of.

But I also like more serious ones discussing issues - that's what I love about MN - there's a thread to suit every mood!!

[KatoPotato]

Blocked drives and general parking arsey-ness are my MN gold!

[ComposHat]

Yes I find that when someone posys about 'toxic' in laws or parents and the proceed to berate the fact they have received insufficient responses, my first thought id 'pound to a penny the relatives or in laws aren't the problem. '

[aliasjoey]

I've started threads asking for advice on health and parenting, and barely got a dozen replies.

Last week I started a thread about washing machines and so far there are 164 replies on it

Mind you, that was in AIBU, which surely gets more traffic?

[KatoPotato]

But alias a far greater % of readers will have an opinion on a washing machine, and even if they offered duff advice there would be no terrbile recourse.

The same cannot apply to health or parenting IMHO

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

AIBU does get more traffic. Also everyone can have a view on how often bedding should be changed. Not so many people understand the problems of, say, the parent of a child with extreme behavioural problems.

[TillyTellTale]

It does look awful when a lighthearted pile of nonsense makes it to 15 pages, and an unhappy person is left with three replies, but it's not malice at work.

Many aren't quite sure what to say and not say with a serious thread, that is so evidently a real person, not some words on a screen, and realise that their post could have a significant negative impact on someone already in need of support.

To put it succinctly, I'm not scared of fucking it up if I post about my love of wedding invites that include a link to a gift list, my hatred of Beko's household goods, or my ambition to own a Miele washing machine!

So, silence results. If you are someone in need of support reading this, and have had a thread fizzle like that, I want to assure you that the silence is because people care. There will have been loads of people clicking and silently wishing you the best, but worrying they could make you feel worse if they post.

[Booooooooooooooooooooooooo]

Oh and I namechange frequently. This means I usually won't post on threads again if they're long running as I don't want to sock puppet!

Agree with other posters too - some threads are just way beyond my realm of experience and worse than having nothing of value to add, I'd be scared of making things worse for OP.