I agree with dbg. I'd rather let the good people know who I am than hide on account of one person in a million who might be a jerk. Besides - I'm nobody. I'm sure there are more interesting people to harass and neither my credit or bank accounts would be attractive to any would-be thief.
I haven't met any locals that use BikeForums.net BUT I have met locals through several LiveJournal bicycle communities.
I've ridden and bent wrenches with half a dozen of them and met other people through them. I wouldn't have known any of them had it not been for first contact online.
Chris Patten - Ottawa, Canada (the avatar is me)