July 20, 2012 Respect for this site
As many of you know, this site is dedicated to those who prefer to travel with non-wheeled bags. I know there are some of you out there who hate this because you travel with wheels.
How you decide to travel is up to you. If you wish to travel with a 32” wheeled monster, more power to you. You have the right to travel any way you wish. It doesn’t get me angry, in fact it has no affect on me whatsoever.
But if you decide to post, at least have the decency to respect the site. Some people hate the idea that I won’t cave to do what they prefer and discuss what they do because, after all, those individuals need to prove that their way is the right way and can’t stand the fact that someone does differently or won’t just give in.
Recently, someone posted a review of a wheeled bag. He even noted he knew it was inappropriate for the people here but did it anyway. It would be like going to a website dedicated to vegetarians and posting a review of a hamburger because you like hamburgers. Very disrespectful.
I will admit that the vast majority of travelers use wheels. It’s a known fact. But there are still some who prefer to go without wheels. And don’t they deserve the right to do so and to have a place to go where they can discuss this type of travel? If you don’t like it, don’t try to change it. There are plenty of sites out there where you can talk about your love of wheels.
Sorry to be abrupt but I put a lot of time into this site and don’t need to constantly keep getting digs from certain people because they are so arrogant and egotistical that they insist on mentioning how we don’t like wheels. Perhaps it’s because they are incapable of going without them. And perhaps if they would stop focusing so much on the “wheel” component, they would realize this site offers a lot of information on how to be both a more efficient and lighter traveler.
I realize there are people with physical limitations who need wheels. And I respect that. But, it’s funny, those who have this issue aren’t the ones giving me a hard time or constantly bringing up the wheel issue. They are absorbing the other aspects of this site which can make them better travelers.
Reader Comments (17)
I wouldn't think coming in to this site that it's dedicated specifically to wheel-less light travel, and indeed I didn't when I first started coming here, although it seemed a lot more open to different viewpoints at the time.
I think it's reasonable to communicate to people who are coming here, who may be considering going wheel-less for the first time, the pros and cons of each. I drank the kool aid from sites like this, tried a wheel-less bag, and it contributed significantly to the neck and shoulder problems I have now that require me to use wheels.
At any rate, if this is truly just about wheel-less bags, it should be clear upfront, although I suspect that doing so will cause your site traffic to go down.
I have to admit after a decade of 200k/year with wheels I am a one bagged convert
bought an airboss 2 weeks ago and will never look back at wheels again
But this site is so muck more than a "wheel-less" blog
I find it so relevant an informative-…especially when seeking optimization of our travels
However, since many people want or need to use wheels but still want to travel more lightly I would not want those folks to feel unwelcome.
There are so many places on the net where the discussion of luggage is mostly about wheels. I'm trying to provide a place where those who travel without wheels can feel free to have lively discussions knowing they won't be drowned out by those who use wheels.
If we become another "one size fits all" travel site, then we will be lost in a sea of sites. If I try to please everyone, this site will become just like all others and will have to compete for readers. By staying unique and specific, we can stand out from the crowd.
No one is being excluded from coming here. All I ask is they stay on topic. Since I've officially taken over this site, which was nearly a year ago, average readership has increased nearly 25%. People want this information and I plan to provide it to them.
What makes this site unique over other light travel sites is that ability of the readers to interact and share knowledge. Most just read and never post. That's fine. I'm glad they find information relevant to their interests. Others are active which makes the forum a great place to ask questions and learn.
What got me to post this was a review someone posted of a wheeled bag. If they didn't know better, okay, perhaps they didn't spend enough time to learn what we were about. But in the beginning of the posting they even wrote: "Dare I post this" knowing full well we prefer to not discuss wheeled bags. (And, the bag was heavy.)
Does that mean you can't even mention you use a wheeled bag? Of course not. If it's relevant to a posting, mention it. (And I'm well aware of the digs I get by some when they do this.) But I'm guessing those that do use wheels come here because they want to learn how to make those bags as light as possible. Eventually they'll have to lift those bags. They might want to learn how to take less. They may want to learn about newer, lighter products on the market. And that's why they come here. It's not just about bags.
To those who have shared their appreciation for OBOW, and to those who remain in the background yet keep coming back, I say thank you and I hope you continue to get benefit from this site . To those who are angry and feel excluded strictly because we don't discuss wheeled bags,and that's all you really care about, I'm sorry you feel that way but perhaps you'd be happier at another board. I suggest Flyertalk which has very active discussions of wheeled bags.
As I said, OBOW is more than just bags. It's about all aspects of light travel. From new products, to great websites, to great travel deals, to fantastic travel tips--and everything in between. I'm trying to make this place a one-stop site to help make people's travel not just lighter but easier. To help people get the most bang out of their buck as well as less stressful along the way.
Everyone here is free to travel in whatever way makes them happy. And they are free to take anything they want. After all, travel is unique to each and every one of us. At OBOW, we are trying to help those who want to travel light. I'm guessing those who come here have made that decision. They want to be light travelers. They want to be "onebaggers."
My compromise is to keep my convertible but attach lightweight wheels to it when the pain is bad. I can remove the wheels and tuck them in my bag (I leave a slot) whenever necessary. And I still have a convertible bag for when I HAVE to race between connecting flights.
I should add the benefit of still being able to carry my convertible carry-on at times is it seems to be assumed that I, a petite middle-aged woman, wouldn't be carrying anything too heavy - so I don't get stopped. It's the (permanently) wheeled passengers who often get stopped for a weight check.
The hints on OBOW help me to continue to one-bag it, even with the slightly added weight of the wheels. And I'm ever so grateful for the service you provide.
None of my bags, suitcases, duffels..., you name it, ever had wheels but my style of travel was far from light.
However, luggage restrictions have forced everybody to carry-on no more than two bags.
I cringe when I see humongous wheelies packed to the gills unfairly competing for the premium space in the overhead bin.
More power to me for having a small carry-on that can just squeeze by.
Frank dedication and the numerous contributions of other light weight travel enthusiasts has been invaluable in making a smooth transition to carry-on only travel.
The reviews, open debates, tips and tricks are also extremely valuable on car, train and boat trips...
Unless one owns a limo Hummer, reserves a luxury railway cabin, has a yacht or a private jet, space is always limited.
It has also been a tremendous help fighting the "pack just in case syndrome".
Thank you again, Frank!
You may also want to give a second thought to a spinner bag for cobblestones. They don't play well together.