Nature abhors a vacuum ... the internet is like space, something like a vacuum, until people fill it. This forum, or YouTube or Wikipedia if you like can be filled with useless drivel or important and vital debate or knowledge which forms opinion and from opinion, action. I have not read all the historical threads but both examples have happened over the last month. Anyone with any common sense and knowledge of basic principles of physics would naturally be appalled by some of the 'how to' 'electrical' videos on YouTube that some have shared on here. Equally, there is abhorrence at the existence of Electrical Trainee etc courses and the 'scams', and the 'race to the bottom' regarding the quality of design and implementation of standards in domestic Consumer units to name but a few 'ills'. It all seems to be a blame game that someone else is not 'up to the job'.
Who gives the 'scams' their authority? Is it some mysterious body that sits in secret, possibly that practices funny handshakes ... oh, by the law of averages I have just upset someone here. Or is it the members that flock to join because they see the benefits of membership whether they want the 'costs' or not, or they believe that in order to trade they must be a member! Maybe it is because it makes it cheaper to notify the LABC. Maybe a new trade body is required to deal with the ills of those that exist today; could a group of the members of this forum pool their experience to form the nucleus of that new body?
There is a huge reservoir of trade and business knowledge wrapped up in the membership of this site, it seems to me that this is a talking shop where this knowledge is sometimes freely shared but sometimes closely guarded by the 'inner circle' of 'initiates', a bit like those with the 'funny handshakes'. I recognize that there are some very good reasons for not telling 'Mr DIY' or Miss 'Electrical Trainee' how to 'work live'. Maybe that is enough and we are happy to just complain about the state of ... It is easy to 'snipe' from the sidelines but oh so much harder to make a real stand for something that you believe in and make a difference! Surely there is an opportunity perhaps to dramatically change the face of UK electrical contracting for the better.
Perhaps, as a 'starter for 10' the site owner or moderators could identify how many current members are registered on the forum? That might indicate what level of inertia might be generated if the forum's membership were to be motivated to pull together for the common good!