and then they ask a question that's specific to their locale.

Is this some secretive organization that I'd like to be a part of?

I don't know either, but it sure does annoy me when people ask locale specific questions, especially in capital letters with 4 year old or SMS spelling.

If someone is too lazy to write properly, and fill in their profile properly, then they are most likely too lazy to fix up their car properly, and definitely not worth our time.

It's 5am here ..damn jetlag.. I'm going back to sleep now.

The annoying thing for me is when they put for sale
you think "I'll buy that"
A week later they email you and they are on the other side of the world.
Their reply " but I live in Arkansas man"
and you luve in Australia
Bummer + 1

It's probably beacause a newbie doesn't know if they will be a regular when they first join.
But if they get hooked on this site, (not hard to do) then they're likely to fill out their profile properly.

people overlook stuff bigtime on a computer screen, they dont read and process in their mind what theyre reading (hey i do it all the time) so by the time theyve realized they
A - dont care
B - dont even know what a webforum means, does, or is (they just know 1200's look "sic")
C - think that someone will steal their 1200 if people know
D - overlook the question (again) and ignore it and forget it was ever there
E - dont know where they are themselves