I'm banned for a spam thread too.
My problem is I'm tempted to post to warn people about malicious links and stuff, instead of being a smart person and avoiding the thread completely.
My rule of thumb, which I'll follow when I get unbanned, is this: if the original post of a thread could get them banned, don't post in it. And be doubly careful in General, because the sheer amount of stupid threads there is higher than any other forum.
ShadowWest
Lurk moar. That way, you'll know what's spam and what is a genuine thread.
gamerdakota
I've been lurking since 06,hasn't helped me much.