“How is 6 different than 7?”
6 is before asking. Eg he knows his Rav is generally machmir on say hilchos shabbos so he asks these questions to another Rav/hotline (His Rav may even have told him to do this, I know of a Rav who is machmir with “family planning” sheilahs, when someone approaches starting to ask a question he says “go ask so and so” not becasue he doesnt know (reason #2) but because he is generally machmir (reason #6)
This isnt the same as asking and getting a pesak and then asking for another. (reason #7)
“Also, if I didn’t think my rav got it right I would either do enough research to be knowledgeable enough to discuss it with him, or go to a posek I knew to be at least as big, but not to a random posek on the phone.”
oh me too. I was giving possible reasons why someone might use a hotline.