Granted, we already have a way to share VIP-only about providers and the good and bad locally.  But I do like the idea of a more regional way to share with other close cities for those of us that travel often.

Send the request!

Before I send off a suggestion to TER, I thought I might ask for comments here.  I am wondering if it might be better to have a VIP-only or Reviewers-only regional board?  Might cut down on some of the riff-raff threads by those who don't contribute, especially maybe the thinly disguised shill/ad 411 posts.

...I'd prefer that it be limited to Reviewers only, whether they're VIP or not doesn't matter. That way we weed out the poseurs who claim they're too busy or too important to write reviews. Can't determine their crediblity when they post of their experiences.

isn't there a reviewers only board now?   I don't have access to that board, from what I know, to get access one has to have VIP status and 10 reviews.     Not sure if this is local, national or global, something to consider though.

Seems to me, this is what you are looking for if it is local?

and I think that's why they put up with the riffraff.

(On the other hand, while it defeats of the purpose of an alias, it sure would be nice to know if the alias were a provider, a non-VIP/non-reviewer or whatever.)

There doesn't seem to much activity on it from MN guys so something like it just for MN or for several regions in this area combined might be very useful.

Sounds like a good idea to me.  I come to rely on certain reviewers reviews and posts
whose tastes seem similar to mine.  And making it local is a good idea.  It's hard for me
to put any credibility at all to any post from an alias....they are hiding something for some
reason....as we all are, but at least using our original 'alias' gives us some sort of a track
record in the eyes of our fellow hobbyists.

I'm guessing the powers that be will pass on it.

But another idea might be to somehow indicate in the forum listing whether the poster is a VIP or VIP with recent reviews. (maybe some sort of icon or code next to their handle)

That way you can just skip the non-VIPs if you don't want to read them.

For me, I don't hobby in the area, just in Vegas, which gets a lot of posts per day. Even so, IMHO it is not that much noise compared to other forums I have been on. Also, I don't mind helping some newbies, we were all there once. The shills and loud mouths I just skip over (and remember them when they do become a VIP).

As if reviewers don't get enough from back-channeling already.

That's not a bad idea.  I've sent PM's to some never knowing if they were vip or not.  
If you never hear back from someone you don't know if it's because they don't
even get PM's.  Would be nice to know ahead of time if they get PM's or not.

A VIP only or Reviewer only board will not solve any of the problems you set out to solve.  Anyone can get VIP status so the trolls will invade and you're back where you started.  Many of the riff-raff threads are started by VIPs anyway so it will just split the local board into two slow boards.

The Reviewer only boards are full of leaks.  It doesn't matter what hobby website you go to that has mens only forum, they all have leak issue posts, guys giving sensitive info to ladies to gain favor.

JMHO

Good points. I dont really care about any need for keeping secrets from the ladies. I just feel there are too many lurkers and lazy ass clowns feeding off those who make a contribution. TER has an interest in maintaining a free membership option because it leads to creating paid memberships especially. Non VIP members get notices of pending mail which entices an upgrade to paid membership so they might not wish to stifle PM's.