A Very Costly Suspension

Last January for a holiday in NYC I sent without success about twenty hosting requests previously edited by a veteran member. I was asking also some  cultural and touristic information and also to be able to meet some local members for a chat and a drink. But sadly I was blocked by several members leading to a suspensión and preventing me from sending more requests and looking for informations  )
  
Cheap hotels or students centers hardly exist at least not in  Manhattan so I was left with one of the cheapest Airbnb room in town : a minucle place, no window, shared bathroom (but well...) There was also a small microwave oven but while on vacation I did not feel like warming up supermarket food to live on. So more pleasant to eat out most of the time.
Due to the suspension I had no time to get in touch with hosts even for some hanging around like some discovery walks attend some musical. Altogether the material expenses came out pretty costly not to speak of the absences  of meetings with NYC hosts or surfers.

Still  at the last minute I was invited by a Brooklyn host who saw a public request I posted in December and offered me to stay five days. Since I was offline and could not contact this host a friend put us in touch directly (by email).

It would take  a lot of active denial not to accept the idea that blockings and subsequent suspensions are definitely the opposite of the Couchsurfing spirit, something should be done to stop those problematic actions.
  

  

Sexism, ageism, and every other "ism.

Lewis Parson:

 (...) "I do know there is egregious "Ageism" on CS. When I was in my 30's and 40's I travelled (yes, with SERVAS) all over the world. However, I wanted to go to an event recently, about 65 miles from me. The traffic is quite severe, requiring a R/T of about 4-hours. So I sent out about 40 Requests. I got zero positive responses! And also the reverse: I accepted several travelers but, at the last minute, they got "better" offers and didn't even bother to cancel with me. They just didn't show up. Oh well! - Indeed, young pretty things can live and travel on CS easily and freely. In that respect, that is NOT the CS credo of equality, unity and peace, etc. etc. Rather there is distinct sexism, ageism, and every other "ism." Okay, my single experience is not scientific - but I'd bet on the test results and I'm not a gambler. :-) -- Peace to all."