BobbyG

Yes, A&S has changed my behavior over the last 10 years that I have been on bikeforums...along with the Commuting Forum (I mostly commute). My lighting strategies,visibility strategies, riding-in-traffic strategies, vehicle-interaction strategies and route choices have all been modified for the better by thread discussions (as well as my equipment and gear choices). But good discussion that resonate or yield an "a-ha moment" are few and far between. And part of that may be simply because there are fewer aspects of my biking left to modify.

I find that member's reflections on close-calls or questions about how best to deal with specific roads really pique my interest.

Aside from one's personal linear improvement, discussion forums are a bit repetitive like grade school. There is always a new class or batch of members to whom the basics are new and for whom bear repeating.

Personally, I tend to tune out "preachy" pronouncements. I much prefer discussions that invite me to think about how the topic of concern exists in my experience, and how it may be similar or different from what others encounter.

I don't know if this helps you, but I can repeat what I have mentioned many times before: Bikeforums has profoundly changed the way I ride for the better with regards to safety and enjoyment. I'm sure participating in a boating forum would benefit its members as well.