"I've only read the first few posts..."

[Vivacia]

"...and none of the last 15 pages so I'm about to say something completely irrelevant and unhelpful or repeat something that's already been said twenty times".

AIBU to find this a incredibly annoying?

And you can bookmark!

You're welcom

If the thread is long, j read the first page, the last two pages and then post. If it's about specifically asking for help or info surrounding their circumstances though, I read the full thread as otherwise it's all too easy to skip over information,

I am not guilty of this I always read ALL the replies and pages before i post (cough) I am terrible for it and I realise it is annoying

Yanbu.

Only read the first few posts but just popped on.

AIBU is a question, not a chat. It thrives on a medley of first responses and doesn't belong to the select few who have lost all perspective because they've been labouring a point for half an hour.

A new post is like a breath of fresh air :)

FeegleFion my iphone hightlights the OP the same as my lap top does.

OP, YANBU!!

Seriously though, I'm on my iPhone and it doesn't highlight the OP like the laptop does. So in those cases, YABU

I'm on my iPhone right now and the OP's posts are highlighted! So you're still NBU

If I see a thread that looks interesting but it has more than 3 pages already I tend to think everything has been said anyway.

I highlight mine and the OPs posts. I may choose to ignore reading everyone else inbetween, I read the OPs posts to see if she had been convinced one way or another or given out any more pertinent information.

Ooh I didn't know about the highlighting! I've changed mine now and its BEAUTIFUL.

If you cant highlight just put ops name on find on page and you can work your way through them that way.

Yes, I think sometimes if you read the Ops post you can get enough of the thread to establish whether to post Holly. If it's not pages long.

YANBU Its really annoying when people do this, it makes threads all disjointed and circular as people jump in to make a point that has already been discussed at at length, and kill the discussion. Not a breath of fresh air at all, just annoying.

But isn't being told to read the thread working on the assumption that there'll have been drip feeding by the op? You should be able to respond to the original post without reference to other people's views on the subject...
Btw, excuse me if I'm missing something vital, I've only read the op

Yabu.
I sometimes read the first few pages, op's posts and then skip to the end. I tend not to post on a thread that is 14 pages long though tbh - no way I'm going to read all through that. Quite often they go way off the original topic and then a couple of pages of bickering in the middle!

I sometimes don't read the whole thread. I do however read the first and last two pages before adding a comment of my own. Threads here can change a lot so IMO it is stupid and insensitive to simply read the first page and then go blundering in.

YANBU OP.

Sometimes I just reply to the OP, sometimes I skim read the thread.

Depends how long the thread is.

Why do you think I'm being unreasonable schilke ?

Everyone's responses have made me realise that I don't always feel like my first post described. I was thinking mainly of the advice/help threads rather than the general fact-finding discussions asking for others' experiences and opinions.

If post is enough to fuel emotion I might read some answers to find gist of where conversation has evolved to.
Then again, like this one, I really might not care and just answer direct.

All perfectly valid options. No one owns a thread, even op.

Yabu!

I don't mind when people post on a thread then say 'I am going to read the whole thread now'. At least they admit they haven't but they are about to.

It's true nobody 'owns' a thread but it is courtesy to read it if you are going to post.

Ooh, I always read all the OPs posts, and I wouldn't try giving advice without reading, or at least skimming ,the whole thing. I've just done a search to check when I've done this, and I'm fairly certain it's only to add personal experience. I do also go back and skim through the bits I've missed afterwards. Is that more acceptable?

Oh, and I do say I haven't read it all yet.

Vicacia the first part of my post was tongue in cheek I think I'm funny, at least

If it's a serious post, I take the time. If I have a contribution to make, I want to make it relevant and a thread often moves at a fast pace, so it's NU to read it and post based on the entire conversation IYSWIM?

As for highlighting on my phone... Umm those of you who are clued up and have it thus, would you pleeeease share your wisdom. I want to do that!

Feegle, I was asking in response to your second sentence. Why do you feel it is unreasonable of me to expect people to read what others have said before making their own point (for all of the reasons in my first post).