Hey, thanks for the thorough response.

>The reality is that most subreddits like /r/askalocksmith are DOA

We discussed this when the subreddit was split, and I made it clear to my users that I expected them to participate in both subreddits unless they were physically incapable of being polite (we're a cantakerous bunch after all), and on the whole, it has worked well. Some posts may only get one or two responses, but they will usually have a fair number of upvotes reinforcing it, indicating that plenty of other locksmiths at least viewed the question and had nothing to add.

I have also made a couple of announcement posts, one just a month after the split and another a few months later, basically saying "Hey guys, AskALocksmith isn't dead or anything, but I just want to be proactive and prevent it from ever getting that way, so here's a reminder to do your part and go answer some questions there. Consider it community service, or fair payment for getting this space to ourselves."

>I just hope that when it comes time for you or your peers to get involved in a project outside of your trade, you think about this post, and stay far away from any other trade professionals you may want to ask a question to.

I can't speak for anyone else of course, but on the occasion I have a question for another trade, I always check the sidebar, read the recommended resources, and search the subreddit for my question before I actually make a post. Usually my question is answered somewhere already, and on the rare occasion it isn't, I'll make sure my post states that I did all of those things first and did not find an answer.

There are plenty of others who do the same thing... you'll just never know they were there because, of course, they never posted. It's only the few who refuse to read anything before posting that you ever get to see, so your vision of newcomers gets skewed in that direction. Try to remember that.