Quote Originally Posted by Zardoz View Post
I see and generally agree with these points, but....
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and the right to share that opinion, valuable or otherwise.
Refering to someone as the "Kilt Police" is a matter of whether said opinions are expressed as friendly advice, or a didactic instruction.
There's a difference between someone trying to help by saying something like; "Excuse me, but in my experience that's worn like this" and someone just blurting out; "That's wrong, it's done this way"!
All you're doing in that circumstance is making a judgement on their motivation. Frankly, I don't see a significant difference between doing that and telling someone that they are "doing it wrong"?

Offering an opinion that has not been asked for is problematic in any situation...except perhaps on discussion forums where differences of opinion are encouraged...or not.

Sometimes a well intentioned comment, even made discreetly, turns into a meltdown simply because some people don't like, and don't take, advice from any quarter no matter how well intentioned or grounded.

The point, in case I'm not making myself clear, is that there are counterparts to "kilt police" in every community and for every point of view. For example, if there are kilt police, there are certainly "kilt vandals," or "tartan anarchists." It all depends on your perspective...and especially in the context of bandying these accusations around, that's very often as arbitrary and as closed minded and "prickly" as the very people you're accusing.