Probably 3 years ago, someone with the neighborhood policing volunteers contacted me about nextdoor.
She is a real nice lady that I had contacted a few weeks before. She managed to confuse everything in trying to help. She notified me about several remedies that had absolutely nothing to do with why I contacted her! Fortunately, I didn't really have a problem but I was so enchanted by this lady and her helpfulness that I promptly joined nextdoor when she asked me if I was interested.
Yes, the posts have mostly to do with lost pets. At one time, there was a person who tried to sort things out for all of these people. I don't know if he is still on the forum, hope so. I seldom pay any attention to what is posted anymore and have never posted anything myself.
The reviews on that site you linked haven't much reflected my experience. Moderators? I suppose that there must be. I didn't know anything about people being barred from the forum. I wonder what it was they were saying if it was "not swearing" or derogatory that got them bounced. Yes, there are obviously paid advertisements - how nextdoor makes money.
If 50% is about pets, probably 30% is about "suspicious" activity. The person posting these often has no more to say than that a car was driving thru "slowly." Or, someone was behind them during a walk and continued on past when they ducked into a public building ... Sometimes, it is obviously weird, like someone knocking on their door at 3am. Yeah, that would upset me - unless there were flames coming out of the roof, or something! Advice for these incidents is often of the most simple-minded kind but maybe it helps just for some folks to know that they were heard.
Maybe 15% of the posts are people seeking help, for themselves or others. Posts about disabled and elderly people needing help with snow shoveling are on there right now. There is often someone asking for recommendations for mechanics or contractors for home repairs.
Steve
