I would answer your question about threads vs polls, but it reminds me of segway transmissions, and how they can go forward and back, but not many people seem able to fix them. Luckily, they don't break much...
I am just being a joker. ( and making believe that I am hijacking the thread)
As SegNerd says, you can surely have a poll. But there is also not much guarantee that it will not be hijacked as well.