 | This is an essay on the conduct policy. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
 | This page in a nutshell: You don't need to comment in every noticeboard discussion, especially if it doesn't relate to you. |
Rubbernecking is a term commonly attributed to those people who, whilst driving on a highway, slow down and crane their rubber necks in an attempt to see a particularly gruesome motor vehicle accident being tended to by emergency personnel along the side of the road. The act of rubbernecking is said to stem from an individual's morbid curiosity. On Wikipedia, rubbernecking may also occur, especially at noticeboard discussions and on recently blocked users' talk pages.
Rubbernecking is detrimental—both in real life and on Wikipedia—because it may interfere with those already tasked with attending to the problem and additional problems can stem from the very presence of the rubbernecking individuals—such as secondary motor vehicle collisions, gaper's blocks, or, on Wikipedia, exacerbation of the ongoing drama and unnecessarily extending discussions long after they have been resolved. Some emergency personnel erect large "mobile accident screens" to discourage drivers from slowing down to look; on Wikipedia we have {{hat}} notes and similar closing templates.
Don't be a rubbernecker! If you don't have anything of substance to add to a discussion, just drive on by.