Originally Posted by
contango
a pretty dumb idea to post enough information online that people might figure out your home address and then describe in great detail the 4-week tour you're planning.
I'm sorry, but this is ludicrous. Bike touring plans like the one I have posted neither lists my home address, passport number, bank account balance, credit card numbers or shoe size. Are you seriously suggesting that links to route maps, train schedules, and on-line forum discussions are "great detail?"
Contango, have you actually ever been on a bike tour? If so, what did you answer when someone asked where you are going? Did you lie to them because you were afraid they would call a confederate to hijack you on the road?
Originally Posted by
contango
it's effectively an advert that an individual, travelling alone, is likely to be arriving in a particular area one evening, probably very tired from a day's cycling, and will have a bike and all sorts of other stuff with them that could be readily taken.
Just so I'm clear here. When you are tired from a day's cycling, you aren't concerned about someone taking your stuff because you haven't advertised where you will be? It is the "advertising" that makes this a bad situation? Or, are you one of those people who think touring with gun "for just these situations" is the best way to handle them?
Originally Posted by
contango
But what are the benefits? I'd say they were smaller still.
Benefits:
1) People can comment on your plans.
2) People could co-ordinate ways to meet up with you.
3) You have access to any and all information on the road that you thought might come in handy before you left. Examples are ferry times, train schedules, local maps, etc.
4) It provides a single place to store information instead of having to copy it (either on paper or electronically) and take it with you.
Risk:
Someone somewhere in the world might happen upon a plan, use their expert internet skills to figure out who you are and when you will be in a specific place and then take your stuff or break into your house.
Maybe I'm completely wrong here, but I don't think the Risk (singular) outweighs the benefits.
By the way, if people are really concerned about exposing information on a bike touring plan, they can mark it private and no one will see it but them.
Ray