I don't think I've done it as much as others here, but I've got a bad habit of doing it. Thing is, the forums I used to frequent, I also used to moderate. And although it may be an abuse of power, I took executive right...a lot. So I might have made a bad habit of it. And being a regular user, not at all a good thing.
So I apologize if I have done any of that.
I've derailed plenty of threads in my time and I really care. That shit happens because you can't alway discuss something without bringing in other elements. I love going off on tangents because people either learn shit or they get kind of, not pissed, but irritated. If I teach someone something, I've done good, and the same goes for if I irritate someone. I will admit that when I do go off on tangents, I leave "bread crumbs" or something so that I can, at some point, find my way back.
Its not always necessary to stay on topic and people that get so pissed off about people going on tangents need to chill the fuck out.
I think I've done it once or twice, but it was quite accidental. I would go back to the thread and then realise I had done so. I'm a random-thought kinda person, so sometimes I get off-topic without trying, but I am being more careful now.
I do it a lot. It's almost pathological. I don't think it's happening more than usual here right now though. This site has an almost total lack of direct moderation so it's always been pretty random.